MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hopefan]

Will told me I have to be into more sports than just SLIAC Basketball... Despite good intentions of following several spring sports (baseball and softball), and seeing some of the football at Greenville and Westminster, I'm afraid I've failed miserably... Guess I'm destined to continue on as writer in SLIAC Room of D3Hoops...

Disappointed to hear Will Wolper is leaving.. even more surprised that he is turning to an NAIA level that has lost several schools to NCAA D2.... 

[y_jack_lok]

Will Wolper has done a great job as commissioner. I hope the conference is able to hire someone equally competent.

[allamericanredhead]

Dennis for Commish!

[allamericanredhead]

I have got to go along with Dennis on the bad situation at FC. I can't see the place surviving another decade if some serious changes are not made. All the high priced admn there has done is run the place in the ground. A horrible place to work. The new women's basketball coach will be part time and she has never ever been a head coach anywhere. Has been an assistant at a high school last year with a losing record. Bet there was a nation wide search to land that one!

My sources tell me that Lee was terrified the last few years knowing they were trying to fire him and Lee was not going to stand up to anyone and the athletic program was open season on any wannabe clown up there who wanted to take a shot at them. Isn't the retiring President the same fruit cake that made the coaches let the players vote on who would be in the starting lineup? Grandstading at it's worse because anyone with inside connections at FC will tell you the school couldn't have cared less about it's athletes (or anyone else), just how can I kiss up  and how do I cover my ass. FC is now reaping what they have sown. What is a shame is the ones who created this mess are all leaving with golden parachutes. And they wonder why enrollment and donations have both dried up to next to nothing there?

[Denny McKinney]

Well Hopefan that was my attempt to induce conversation. We had a little. Just wanted to try and clarify a couple things.

Truthfully, it's pretty sad to see the walls fall in. While the Old President is receiving awards and having banquets, the school is in turmoil. It is probably at a 10 year low in enrollment. 

I am not surprised by turnover in financial aid.  Every last institution that is struggling to meet enrollment goals seems to be doing so by offering more financial aid to those who have yet to commit.I do college counseling on a volunteer basis so I see a lot of award letters.  The discounts are much deeper this year than I have ever seen.  I have a student who has three or four revised award letters from two NCAC schools. Just an average student, but both schools are giving away the store.

WUH, I agree with you almost completely. Only thing to note is the above do not apply at FU. FU has raised tuition and reduced awards for about the last five years. I can tell you that FU's packages are running $3000 - 5000 higher then Webster or Westminster. FU isn't discounting anything. But really should be.

Disappointed to hear Will Wolper is leaving.. even more surprised that he is turning to an NAIA level that has lost several schools to NCAA D2.... 

I was told by one of the AD's at the SLIAC Banquet, Will received a sizeable raise in salary. Also, his contract includes a free education at any of the conference schools for his children. Pretty good deal.

I have got to go along with Dennis on the bad situation at FC. I can't see the place surviving another decade if some serious changes are not made. All the high priced admn there has done is run the place in the ground. A horrible place to work. The new women's basketball coach will be part time and she has never ever been a head coach anywhere. Has been an assistant at a high school last year with a losing record. Bet there was a nation wide search to land that one!

My sources tell me that Lee was terrified the last few years knowing they were trying to fire him and Lee was not going to stand up to anyone and the athletic program was open season on any wannabe clown up there who wanted to take a shot at them. Isn't the retiring President the same fruit cake that made the coaches let the players vote on who would be in the starting lineup? Grandstading at it's worse because anyone with inside connections at FC will tell you the school couldn't have cared less about it's athletes (or anyone else), just how can I kiss up  and how do I cover my ass. FC is now reaping what they have sown. What is a shame is the ones who created this mess are all leaving with golden parachutes. And they wonder why enrollment and donations have both dried up to next to nothing there?

Hey Red. Happy Holiday to You. I agree it is a place in disarray. My thoughts: The hiring of Maureen Roberts-Sias for the Women's Job, is the first good hire by this bunch. Maureen was a great player at FC. Member of 1000 pt Club. Played on the 2000 team, that Stopped the Wash U streak and went to the Sweet 16. You failed to mention that she was an Asst. Coach for 6-7 years with Coach Quigley. She will return some Pride to the program.

FC has done well building the program with young first time HC's. Quigley had 1 yr as men's jv coach. He did quite well. Brian Heoner, a FC Grad, has kept the soccer program solid. Kimmy Kutis, FC grad, dominated the SLIAC Volleyball. Darrin Hendrickson, first time HC, did real well in building the baseball program. Then had huge success at Central Mo. and now SLU. All did quite well with no HC experience.

AND: Your obligatory Shot at Lee. Red you disappointed me. I thought you knew my Dad a little better. But, I did get a good Laugh. Your sources some times sound like the telephone game. My Dad had a huge dose of self confidence. Some took it as ego. Either way, I can tell you he was never afraid of being fired. Actually if you think about it, that comment makes no sense. My Dad was 74 when he retired as A.D. in 2009. At that age I don't think you even think about job security. My folks only bought one house. In 1962 they bought new in the county. 3 br $14,500 on Dad's GI Bill. That house was paid off long long ago. My Dad never worried about a next check after the first few years at FC. I guess you could say he was on his own schedule.

That being said. Everyone around the FC program knew that Dad planned to retire after the '08-'09 season. McCoy, Fogerty, Storandt,.... When this class was recruited he told the Kids this was his last class. It became clear to the family, after the '07 season, that he was probably never going to retire. We had just gone to the NCAA Tourney, he was beginning planning for another European Basketball Trip in '09 and finally he just wasn't ready to quit coaching. His exact quote was, "People retire to go and do the things they love to do. I'm already doing that. I never dreamed when I was a Kid of being an AD! I can do without that. But, I don't hunt and don't fish. Coaching is what I do for pleasure. So I'll just keep coaching."

So in '09 he announced retirement from AD. FU spent a year doing a national search. They brought 3 final candidates to campus twice. One from SC, GA and OH. In the end they offered the job to all 3 and all 3 turned it down. Failed search. So they made Miss Eftink the interim. Then just never did another search? Things were shaky going forward from there.

But, No.    My Dad never did give getting fired a single thought!!!

[Gregory Sager]

Truthfully, it's pretty sad to see the walls fall in. While the Old President is receiving awards and having banquets, the school is in turmoil. It is probably at a 10 year low in enrollment. 

I think I said this on the SLIAC board back in 2008 or 2009, but I do think the next 10 years or more are going to be challenging times for the Division III schools in general and the SLIAC in particular.

The last few years have been better than I expected in part due to a host of factors. An increase in international student enrollment and the continued expansion of adult and professional education.

The decline in traditional college student demographics is expected to continue.  And, at the same time, the relatively recent decline in demand for adult and professional education is expected to get worse before it gets better.  Fontbonne is an example of an institution that is particularly vulnerable for these reasons.

I am not surprised by turnover in financial aid.  Every last institution that is struggling to meet enrollment goals seems to be doing so by offering more financial aid to those who have yet to commit.

I do college counseling on a volunteer basis so I see a lot of award letters.  The discounts are much deeper this year than I have ever seen.  I have a student who has three or four revised award letters from two NCAC schools.  Just an average student, but both schools are giving away the store. 

It is obviously not just the SLIAC, but I think we will see many more examples of IWU-like struggles in the SLIAC and throughout Division III.

Sadly, this echoes everything that I've been hearing as well. There's gonna be some hard times for a lot of D3 schools in the near future.

[AndOne]

It is obviously not just the SLIAC, but I think we will see many more examples of IWU-like struggles in the SLIAC and throughout Division III.

I apologize if I either overlooked or misunderstood something over the last couple of pages of discussion, but what type of IWU struggles are you referring to and could you give an example relative to the Fontbonne situation? Thanks.

[hopefan]

And One.... WUH's statement confused me too...  I THINK he meant IWC, Iowa Wesleyan College, not IWU, and he was referring To IWC's loss of several majors' options, due, I assume, to cost and lack of students.....  WUH, am I Correct?

[hopefan]

I had a lengthy conversation with Fontbonne Coach Anthony Hall today... Came away very impressed with his aggressive, hard work will pay off attitude, his realistic outlook for Fontbonne Basketball, the demands he will place on the kids, the changes he wants to see....  Look for some 2013-14 faces to be gone, and some new faces to step right in to help....

The most bizarre piece of info I heard this morning... someone with some money is supporting a matchup next season between Fontbonne and Wash U...... in a single game (not a tourney).... in California!!!!!!

Incidentally.. Coach Hall does not share the pessimistic outlook for Fontbonne in general that have been expressed by some of our writers.... let's hope he's right...

I come away from my meeting with Coach Hall very open to supporting his efforts fully, and hoping that he can bring a winning record back to Fontbonne hoops

[y_jack_lok]

Looks like there has been a change from Midwest Region to Central Region.

[hopefan]

Looks like there has been a change from Midwest Region to Central Region.

Correct, the WIAC has joined the SLIAC, the CCIW, the MWC, and the Nathcon in the Central region.  The HCAC, which had been with the rest of us in the midwest, moves to the Great Lakes.

This is really tough for the SLIAC, and even more so for our CCIW buddies... we will now be competing with the WIAC for Regional ratings, rather than the HCAC... not normally a concern for the SLIAC, who never gets a team rated, there are some who think Webster could receive consideration this year... but with the usual 3 or 4 WIAC taking spots, and the CCIW schools being there too, and Wash U etc... TOUGH, tougher than ever....

[WUPHF]

I apologize if I either overlooked or misunderstood something over the last couple of pages of discussion, but what type of IWU struggles are you referring to and could you give an example relative to the Fontbonne situation? Thanks.

Yes, I was referring to Iowa Wesleyan: http://thegazette.com/2014/01/23/program-cuts-layoffs-coming-to-iowa-wesleyan/

They are struggling with enrollment declines. And, because they are in rural Iowa, they cannot enroll as many adult and professional students to help bolster the finances.

By the way, I should mention: even the UAA and NESCAC schools are at risk going forward. Washington University, for example, relies heavily on endowment returns and medical care revenues. It is hard to know how stable both are going forward.

[y_jack_lok]

Webster 2014-15 schedule is posted: http://websterathletics.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball&

Non-conference games vs: Monmouth, Knox, Mount Mercy, Millikin, Loras, Wash U, and Central.

[y_jack_lok]

I just noticed that the game vs Wash U is at Webster on the same day as the Webster and Wash U women play each other -- also at Webster. According to the respective schedules on the Webster website the women's game starts at 7:00 p.m. and the men's game starts at 8:00 p.m. That should be fun -- first half of the men's game during halftime of the women's game, perhaps?

[y_jack_lok]

So now I go to the Wash U website and their schedules show the women's game at 6:00 p.m. and the men's game at 7:00 p.m. Something needs to get fixed. I predict the final outcome will be the women playing at 6:00 p.m. and the men playing at 8:00 p.m.