MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[pantherpride06]

I would echo the comments of hopefan about not being in the fire on this argument that is going on and wrapping up.  Wowzers!

And yes, it's cold in Indy as well...  I think it is currently -2 in Indy right now!

[fcnews]

My apologies to the other SLIAC posters for occupying time and space with my poor choice of words. Personal player attacks are not appropriate for this site. Let's talk SLIAC Basketball. Peace.

[fcnews]

A Must read for SLIAC Fan's - This weeks Around the Nation on the front page. The SLIAC makes news as Maryville's men's team is picked as one of the "Also Rising" . Check it out. Any news is Great news for our conference. Congrats to the Saints.

[hopefan]

As mentioned earlier, Saturday's schedule is rather anti-climactic after the crucial games that were played this past Wednesday  -  but no team can afford to assume victory.  We are overdue for an upset!!

Assuming Maryville's core players have recovered from illness, they SHOULD win over Blackburn

Fontbonne SHOULD win at Mac Murray  -  as an aside to Fontbonne people taking the trip - After the Fontbonne game, you might want to take the 5 minute trip over to Illinois college across Jacksonville.  They have a home game at 3:00, and it presents an opportunity to see one of the nicest D3 facilities I've ever seen - beautiful basketball facility, unbelievable indoor track, very nice pool etc, all under the same roof  -  FC, if you haven't seen it, check it out while the lady griffs are playing.

Eureka SHOULD win at Prin

Westmin SHOULD win at Greenville.

[hopefan]

The other night, I took part in a conversation with a SLIAC school Administrator that I found to be very disturbing.  I'm not in Education professionally - but over the past five years, have been to all SLIAC campuses except Prin, and have fallen in love with the quaintness and beauty of small school, small town campuses like Eureka, Westmin, Greenville, Mac, and Blackburn.

The gist of the conversation is that several of these schools are in Big trouble financially... schools with only several Million in endowment vs a more typical 100 million.  Schools likely unable to be able to continue to support the minimum number pf athletic programs to necessary to retain NCAA eligibility unless everything goes just right.
Schools that may not be able to draw a large enough freshman class to remain open.

Most of our writers are affiliated with the St Louis 3some that have larger endowments and more students - but I'd welcome comments from anyone on this troublesome issue....  What a shame if any of these schools had to shut its doors....

[formersliaccommish]

Hopefan,

The person you talked with regarding the stability of some of the SLIAC schools was correct, some are struggling. As you pointed out, the St. Louis schools are solid because of their location. I believe that Greenville, Principia, and Westminster are as well. Not that any of those six don't have financial issues, but those issues are not enough to threaten their existence, or that of their athletic programs.

Eureka was really in trouble a few years ago but the new President, David Arnold, has turned things around and I think they are on pretty solid ground now. Several physical improvements/additions to its athletic program have been made.

Blackburn, because its unique Work Program will always struggle, but that school has been in continuous existence since 1838 making it, I believe, the oldest college or university in Illinois. It probably isn't going anywhere.

That leaves us with MacMurray. There is a new President there and time will tell whether she is able to turn things around. The Highlanders have finished last in the SLIAC All Sports standings in each of the last eight years, they have not been able to keep coaches, and often have not had enough players on some of their teams. They have massive problems elsewhere as well.

An eight team league would put the conference back to where it was several years ago before Eureka and Lincoln Christian joined, but there are scheduling advantages to having an eight team league as opposed to the current nine teams. However, the conference would lose a considerable amount of dues revenue, and would put some sports in danger of losing their AQ if MacMurray, or any other school, dropped sports or shut down completely.

None of the SLIAC schools are awash in money because of low endowments and that is precisely why they cannot compete, on a regular basis, with the Washington Universitys, Illlinois Wesleyans, Woosters, Calvins, etc. of the DIII world. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't try, and there have been wins over those schools in virtually every sport. But it won't happen on a regular basis because the SLIAC schools simply do not have the resources of those in the CCIW, UAA, OAC, NESCAC, etc.

In the meantime, let's just hope that MacMurray can turn things around, and that the other schools continue to find ways to overcome the financial obstacles they face. 

   

[fcnews]

Hopefan - I can't speak for other schools, but I know FU would love to have a 100 million in endowments. I do not have the exact figure for FU, I would say 30 million would be a very close guess. Blackburn is in a similar situation as College of the Ozarks in Branson. They both have made a college education available to those who normally would not of attended. C of O has a large AG department and students who don't qualify for full financial Aid work at the university on the farm. They like to be known as Hard Work U.

Blackburn offers the central IL. area kids a similar oppurtunity. These types always do a good job of finding the funds needed to remain functioning. Although not rolling in funds. Webster, with it's worldwide campuses, might be in a different situation. Bunchtime may be better fit to add information on Webster. The Faith based colleges, in my opinion, just come up with the funds when in times of trouble. Principia is the only college of it's Faith in the USA. They have built an AWSOME new indoor track facility. So I think that they are in a pretty good place financially. They would be happy to go back to the NSCAA if it wasn't for football.

That leaves WC and Mac and I can not speak on either, because I just don't know their situations. And, I beleive MU is in good shape.

The SLIAC is a very young conference and is still trying to get it's footing. So these issues will always rise up.

[fcnews]

 Everyone should be informed that I have used my delete option to remove 3 of my posts that I beleive were unappropriate for this forum and in bad taste. Thanks Pat, for the ability to self police.

[hopefan]

now  FC-  if you'd only remove the last 50 you ripped me on!!

Seriously and as FC mentioned before - FC and I have different points of view on things revolving around the SLIAC and D3hoops- but ultimately we both love D3 hoops and have a blast discussing it - we're both competitive and like to get in the last word which is where we get in trouble, but regardless of how some of our rantings at each other may sound, we're both able to laugh about it afterwards and sit down and enjoy the games together..


uhhh, right FC? 

[fcnews]

Hopefan - Well put. Well put.

[BunchTime]

Yes, that would be ashame if any of the schools would have to close their doors.  I knew Eureka couldn't be in trouble.  After all, they graduated one of the greatest presidents of the twentieth century -- Ronny Reagan!

[furbug]

Uh! Oh! Now we are getting political. I surmise that many will not agree with BunchTime on Reagan, but I will.

[fcnews]

Bunchtime - They have a very nice room set aside on the campus dedicated to President Reagen. A lot of interesting stuff.

[BunchTime]

FC, when I played there back in 2001 I checked all the Reagan stuff out.  It was a pretty neat experience.  It goes to show you that in this country anything is possible.  Reagan was a C student from a small liberal arts school.  I will get off my Reagan kick before I start pissing people off -- especially the left-wingers!  It has been heated up on this board lately and I wouldn't want to start a political debate here.

[furbug]

Reagan had a good athletic career at Eureka also, did he not? And he started his entertainment career broadcasting on their radio.