MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

It's official.  Spaulding joins the SLIAC in 2009-10.

The St. Louis IAC seems a strange location for a Louisville school.  Ralph, I realize that is just a hop, skip, and jump for you Texans, but several conferences would seem geographically more reasonable.

Are there some personal or institutional ties that I'm unaware of that make this more understandable?

BTW, hate to correct one of my heroes, but it is Spalding, not Spaulding.

[This is addressed to anyone with knowlege of the situation, not just Ralph.  Though I guess the tongue-in-cheek jab was just adressed to Ralph. )

[Ralph Turner]

 

The SLIAC has seen three changes.  Lincoln Christian did not work out (coming thru the provisional process).  Maryville MO has moved to D-II, but they added Eureka.

I believe that the SLIAC is just "covering its bases".

This certainly opens the door to other schools that might join from the eastern half of that region.

What do the SLIAC fans hear or think?

[fcnews]

There have been two Cincy schools show interest, but I think another school closer to Spadling might be in the mix.

[hopefan]

Spalding was what we were hearing over the last year...  FCnews has the best inside info, so I'll defer to him as to other possibilities.

As I mentioned before, I'm more intrigued with the NAIA door opening in the Western direction- William Jewell has started their move toward D3 - It would be so cool to have schools like William Jewell, Central Methodist, Culver Stockton, Columbia, William Woods consider going D3 - rather than a north-south division, the SLIAC could take on an East-West look that could take advantage of the natural Missour-Illinois rivalry.

[y_jack_lok]

This is purely hypothetical on my part, but I'm guessing Spalding was interested in the SLIAC because they believe it is a conference in which they can compete on equal footing.

Looking at the Spalding athletic web page, they now offer five men's sports and five women's sports. Isn't the new D3 standard soon to be six sporst each for men and women?

[fcnews]

The west naia schools look to be headed into a conf. with Neb. and Kansas schools. Spadling will be adding sports. I wouldn't be suprised to see this conf. go to two divisions in the next four years.

I met a fortune teller on the golf course yesterday and asked her what the seeding would be for 2009 SLIAC post season tourney. She told me #1 WU, #2 FU, #3 MU, then it got a little fuzzy on her. She said she saw GC, EC and MC with something about Hopefan conducting a coin toss.

[hopefan]

One of the exciting things to look forward to this season is that the two preseason favorites, Fontbonne and Webster, will both seemingly be dependent on some new faces.  Webster requires some addition of size around the basket, and Fontbonne some depth off the bench and  a starter for Fournie's spot.  And we've gotten glowing reports on the recruiting classes from Bunchtime and FC.  It will be fun to see the new recruits....

[pantherpride06]

The addition of Spalding to the SLIAC is a great add to the SLIAC.  It is expanding the reach of the SLIAC to Southern Indiana/Northern Kentucky.  With my knowledge of Southern Indiana / Northern Kentucky (Louisville Area), this really opens up the recruiting doors to get some more kids outside of the small radius that many of the SLIAC schools currently work in.

There are many kids in the Southern Indiana / Northern Kentucky area looking to play college ball.  Many feel if you aren't playing at Indiana University, U of Louisville, U of Kentucky, U of Cincy, or Purdue University...  it's not worth it.  NCAA III schools aren't really digging into those So. Indiana schools.  We've had many great athletes play in the area.  However, they either don't play or get a look at an NAIA and sit the bench and quit.

This move East definitely opens the doors to new recruiting ground for all schools.  Small Illinois schools (Greenville, Blackburn, MacMurray) would be great fits for a small town Indiana kid.  I tried to push Greenville to move towards looking at some Indiana kids and it didn't go anywhere.

Just my two cents.  I'll be interesting to watch rosters to see if you obtain more Indiana and Kentucky kids.  If the schools don't try to get some of those kids, it's going to be a big loss because if Spalding can score those major players at the small and mid-range schools, they will have a leg up.

[Razor Back]

MacMurray has 6'6" Ryan Sichting from Martinsville, Indiana, who transfered to Mac after two years at Lincoln Land CC. He will be a big help this coming season.

Razor

Wouldn't be surprised to see other Indiana kids from that area follow, especially better players from smaller schools.

Back

[fcnews]

Razor Back- the Lincoln Land kid was posted as 6'7 on 8/23. Is he shrinking?

Hopefan - Are you starting on FU's bench already? Hasn't being wrong two years in a row taught you anything. It only takes 5. Look for Chris Forrest out of Willard, Mo. to be FU's fifth starter. Nobody will replace Chad's leadership and desire. Those kinda kids just come around so often. It was great to see the coaches recognize that at last years SLIAC Tourney and select Chad as the Tourney MVP. 

[hopefan]

ahh yes FC, but a single last second shot from watching the show had MU's last second effort gone in.  Bench depth and better use of it would make Fontbonne a better team over time.  The old guy got stale and quit, Almandy got discouraged and quit, Parker disappeared, Rapp hasn't developed, Abby only played when McKoy was hurt, Sheehan got about 5 important minutes all year.  This year with the 3 all conference seniors in the lineup should be the year that the new kids get into some kind of rotation besides mop up so experience returns for 2009-10

Fournie not making even mention All Conference was an atrocity - he didn't just start playing at the tourney, he did it all year.  Ican't believe that the coaches were so blinded by scoring stats not to have recognized it...  Were I coaching an all star SLIAC team against anyone last year, my first two picks would have been Fournie and Storandt...

[Razor Back]

Some websites list Sichting at 6'7". others at 6'6" - who knows. My guess is most of these kids are never as tall as they're listed anyway. Regardless, if Sichting and Crowder both start for Mac, they'll be bigger (and better) inside than they've been in a while.

Razor

Westminster and Greenville seem to have a real home court advantage. Hardly ever lose at home. Could make a difference in a tight conference race this coming season.

Back

[hopefan]

Razor  -  have you ever seen Blacburn???  that is the epitomy of homecourt advantage....   Westminster too -

Greenville has been modernized in the last year or two and has lost some of its 'old home court' feeling

[ac slater]

Westminster College has a transfer from Meremac in Stanley Crawford. Solid player. Jason Warncke is putting up big numbers in the weight room, as well as 3-point specialists Adam Mallette (6'5) and Tyrone Cochran (5'6). Kurt Kovach and Brian Schlemmer (6'6) will look to get the most facebook friend requests after each game.

[fcnews]

" If, if's and butts were chips and nuts, we'd have a hell of a party"
For the past two years it's either been schedule or bench. And still, FU has found a way to win the big one.