MBB: Coast 2 Coast Athletic Conference

[Reserved Seat]

What's the reasoning for this new league?(cut costs, academics, athletic expectations, concerns about the old league, etc.) 
It certainly doesn't cut down on travel.
The schools seemed spread all over the place.

[Pat Coleman]

Wow... interesting.

[Matt Letourneau]

Alright York.

Come on along....

Seat, you've touched on the main reasons.  The CAC is currently a hodgepodge of expensive private, less expensive private, public, and specialty schools that don't mesh together very well.  It was becoming impossible for the expensive private schools to compete with the public schools in terms of aid packages, etc.  My understanding is that this is especially true in sports other than basketball.

I wouldn't put down some of the fine academic schools like Mary Washington in the CAC, but the new league is probably a little more even from top to bottom in terms of academics.

There are many people that have concerns about the CAC, the way it handles problems, the way its run, the officiating, etc, also.  Lots of people.  Apparently  2 of the schools decided to do something about it and left. 

I think the plan was to group games together to cut down on travel expenses.  That would be my big concern.

Well, I hope the I-7/8 comes up with another member.  C'mon Spartans, you know you want to...

[hoopandtheharm]

Stevens joins Empire 8!

http://www.empire8.com/031406-1.html

[bbald eagle]

According to the Steven's Tech website, the "Interstate 8" is now the "Interstate 7."

http://www.stevensducks.com/sports/news/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=10331

Stevens joins Empire 8!

http://www.empire8.com/031406-1.html

Moving fast & often! I wonder where Stevens will be next week   

[Pat Coleman]

Anything wrong with the story we had on D3hoops.com, hoopandtheharm? After all, we don't ignore the fact that Stevens committed to another conference before pulling out.

[Warren Thompson]

... [W]e don't ignore the fact that Stevens committed to another conference before pulling out.

The decision by Stevens to pull out of a new conference, a conference in which they were apparently a founding member, is puzzling. In fact, it's a bit disturbing.

[cuabigdog]

I don't know anaything about Stevens , but to drop out after making a committment like that make me wonder if maybe they just couldn't handle the competition of the league... i guess we'll never know now ...

[hoopandtheharm]

No problem with it at all Pat, didn't mean to offend anyone, sorry.

As you all know, there is a lot of movement happening in the division so this may continue for some time. I-8, SCAC, HCAC, PAC, MAC, CAC, now E8. I think it is just the reality - nothing more nothing less. 

[Knightstalker]

Maybe Stevens is being advised by the NJCU Crack athletic steering committee as Phil named them one time.  Or is the NJCU Athletic Steering committee on crack?  I always get them confused.  I wonder is there isn't more going on within the other teams that are members of the Insidious Eight, I mean Seven that caused Stevens to pull out and go to the Empire 8.

I also see the Skyline conference either breaking up or getting a makeover in the next few years.  They are a mix of Private and state schools.  I also wonder if the Empire 8 didn't invite Stevens in anticipation of some schools leaving.

[Matt Letourneau]

All I can say is that I'm glad Stevens is out now.

At least at the beginning of the process, they've been exposed for a shady bunch.  Rather find out now before its too late to do anything about it.  Obviously not the type of place you want to partner with. 

[kitchenrat]

I don't work at the York, and I have no insider info, but I would be willing to put down big money that says there is no way they leave the CAC. No matter what. It just doesn't jive with the way the president does things, and after all no matter what the athletic department may want, it is the president that has the final say so. If one of the other CAC teams was to go, I wouldn't be surprised but if YCP does I would be shocked.

[bbald eagle]

As Stevens ducks out of the new Interstate 8 and moves to the Empire 8, the school should drop its nickname and adopt Cats. Both its identity and its league affiliation would be fluid. We could call it Yusuf Islam.

[ycp]

Congrats to Brandon Bushey and Chad McGowan for earning second team All-Region accolades. I guess Brandon is good enough to be on the second team All-Region squad but not good enough to make first-team All-CAC. Interesting

Also congrats to Justin Baker and Tyson Lesesne for earning third team honors.

Now, on to the offseason.....

[Matt Letourneau]

Hey, Catholic was completely shut out of the thing...

Whatever...