MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[under_rated15]

This is Seth Whalum reporting and I would have to agree that Mac is in trouble financially, but they are making some effort. But in all honesty it was a rough 4 years at mac!!!

[y_jack_lok]

I see by the lead article on the front page of this website that SUNY-Maritime is dropping 3 sports, including wrestling. Seems that other schools have struggles as well.

[catch22]

y-lock cool jock,

If you knew half of the scenario that is going on at MacMurray you would not believe it! I am going to leave it at that, I will try not to say anything negative about Mac anymore, I really do hope they turn it around.

[Ralph Turner]

I see by the lead article on the front page of this website that SUNY-Maritime is dropping 3 sports, including wrestling. Seems that other schools have struggles as well.

I think that Maritime's somewhat unique mission is one reason why they are having trouble with women's hoops.

The student-athlete must have an interest in the maritime service as well as being a good basketball player.  SUNY-Maritime gets its winter sport requirement in Swimming and Diving.

[Pat Coleman]

I see by the lead article on the front page of this website that SUNY-Maritime is dropping 3 sports, including wrestling. Seems that other schools have struggles as well.

Yep. In this case, SUNY-Maritime has sports to spare. MacMurray cannot drop any sports and remain in the NCAA. They are already at the minimum.

(Cheerleading doesn't count.)

[fcnews]

Hello All !!!
It is true that Brian Fogerty played the last week of the season and the whole post season on a very tender knee. It was a reaccournace of a high school injury. They decided not to operate after the season, they ellected to strenghten the muscles around the injury. Anyone who saw Brian in summer league knows he is moving very good.

Brian is not making the Europe trip due to financial reasons.

[hopefan]

That's great news regarding Fogarty - 

[sully309]

I for sure don't have any inside information on MacMurray's situation, but I for one think that it's a beautiful campus. I have not been in every building, but just from walking around outside I thought it was very nice and Jacksonville is a fine town.

I've said this before, but I think turnover in athletic departments can be overvalued by sports fans. You could argue differently at the D1 or D2 level, but for D3 almost all students should choose the school that best suits them academically, socially and geographically.

under_rated15 made a good point a while back about athletes not being able to change schools when their coach (who may have been a big reason why that student was there in the first place) leaves. This is a tough one because I think the NCAA likes to believe that all athletes choose their school mostly for academics, but I think we all know this isn't true. Maybe the transfer rule is one that needs to be updated, but again I can see both sides.

Anyway, back to turnover in athletic departments. At Eureka this coming year, we will have new coaches in men's and women's basketball, volleyball, men's tennis and track and field...not to mention an all new football coaching staff outside of the head coach. At the same time, Eureka will set an all-time high enrollment this coming year as well. Coaching changes usually hurt from a competitiveness standpoint. For schools like Eureka to compete for a league championship, it really helps to have a veteran coach. Our most successful programs have generally been the ones where the same coach has been around for over 10 years. Having qualified people leave is never easy, but it doesn't mean that the end is near either.

In response to pitbull's question as to why anyone would want to go to school in Eureka, IL, I'll just say I think it has a lot to do with the personal attention and friendly environment. Not everyone wants to be lost at a public institution (though I enjoyed my experience at WIU), and some private schools aren't really that much more expensive anyway.

[y_jack_lok]

I may be wrong, but I think pitbull was actually suggesting that small schools in small towns have appeal to lots of student athletes because they can keep playing sports. And a high percentage of D3 schools are in small towns and have small enrollments.

[Pat Coleman]

under_rated15 made a good point a while back about athletes not being able to change schools when their coach (who may have been a big reason why that student was there in the first place) leaves. This is a tough one because I think the NCAA likes to believe that all athletes choose their school mostly for academics, but I think we all know this isn't true. Maybe the transfer rule is one that needs to be updated, but again I can see both sides.

Student-athletes in Division III can self-release at any time. They don't need to wait for a coaching change.

[fcnews]

Very true Pat!!! Yes, hopefan it is good news on Brian. If facts be known, people now realize how important Lovette's minutes were to FU the last two weeks of the season. Brian will also not need to log as many minutes next year.

[pantherpride06]

Eureka_SID:  You have a new head women's coach??

[sully309]

Eureka_SID:  You have a new head women's coach??

We will soon. I'm not allowed to announce anything official yet other than Coach Schuster will be moving to an AD/teaching role at EC this year. It's a good move for her and the college. She was stretched pretty thin the last two years being AD and women's basketball coach.

Thank you, Pat for clarifying the transfer rule...though sometimes changing schools can really set you back if you have several credits that don't transfer with you.

[pantherpride06]

HJ Long Gymnasium Improvements Update:

Things are starting to come along very well.  The new bleachers were put in last week.  The gymnaisum has been painted with our new logo on the wall.  We are putting up two new signs, one recognizing the schools in the conference, and another recognizing our NCCAA National Champions.

Final Phase will be to get glass backboard & break-a-way rims on the side goals (which doesn't affect you guys much.)

Things look well.  I won't be here to see it rockin this year, but I can already tell by watching things here at camp that it will be great during a game.  I'd like to hear what you guys think when you make your first trip to GC this year.

[pitbull]

Maybe it was takin out of context or you may have misread my intentions...what school presidents need to remember is that sports especially football are what can be a cash cow and get kids to come to those off the beaten path areas such as Eureka, Jax, Carlinville. If you build it they will come. I was by no means bashing the schools but how difficult it is to get an athlete there let alone a regular kid because of being located in places when the world ends and nowhere begins.

The coach at Blackburn was a little overzealous and I think from what I heard that the administration wants people in there that are not going to shake the boat hence getting "T"ed up at games. However, I felt that he was unjustly kicked out at the Greenville game this year. Sometimes Ref's have as bad a rabbit ears as the kids and can get a little "overzealous" with their calls as well. I think if the kids can handle a certain coach's coaching style-if the coach is playing by the "rules"-then why bother and leave him a lone.