Empire 8

[Caz Bombers]

No Chase tournament, no more Hamilton in the Liberty League - what is this upstate D3 world coming to?

[slickyquick]

Really too bad about the Chase. Rumors are swirling about who will join the Liberty League. I've heard 3 prominent schools are the Empire 8 are heading that way. Should be interesting to see how this all figures itself out.

[Pat Coleman]

We've heard Ithaca, Naz and RIT.

[Ethelred the Unready]

We've heard Ithaca, Naz and RIT.

What are the odds that the LL would take all three?

[Pat Coleman]

Gives them 10 after Hamilton left. Shores up football against Susquehanna's departure. I understand it helps them in some other sports where they are close to an AQ.

If the interest on both sides is real, I'd say it's a slam-dunk choice.

[slickyquick]

I heard RIT was the first to try and make a move but the LL wanted Ithaca because they fit "their criteria" better.

Next question is, if this all happens what happens to the Empire 8? Then, who will replace these schools? Will they raid the Skyline and give Stevens a travel partner?

[Bombers798891]

Gives them 10 after Hamilton left. Shores up football against Susquehanna's departure. I understand it helps them in some other sports where they are close to an AQ.

If the interest on both sides is real, I'd say it's a slam-dunk choice.

So this is in all sports? Certainly an interesting move regarding football for Ithaca.

[FROMAFAR]

Wow, this is interesting STUFF........  If any of the 3.. RIT, NAZ and IC, don't go it will be NAZ....if all 3 go the Empire 8 could actually become the Empire 8 (rather than 9) again, by getting 2 teams.... IF they do come from the Skyline.. I would think Purchase, Mt. St. Mary's and Bard are possibilities, simply based on location.   MSM just hired a new coach, Ryan Kudlubowski ( sorry if spelling is wrong) who went to Uof R. BUT I really have no insight PURE guessing......... Who knows maybe someone else leaves the E 8....... seems anything can happen....what do I know  

[Ethelred the Unready]

Wow, this is interesting STUFF........  If any of the 3.. RIT, NAZ and IC, don't go it will be NAZ....if all 3 go the Empire 8 could actually become the Empire 8 (rather than 9) again, by getting 2 teams.... IF they do come from the Skyline.. I would think Purchase, Mt. St. Mary's and Bard are possibilities, simply based on location.   MSM just hired a new coach, Ryan Kudlubowski ( sorry if spelling is wrong) who went to Uof R. BUT I really have no insight PURE guessing......... Who knows maybe someone else leaves the E 8....... seems anything can happen....what do I know  

You got the spelling right, almost.  Kad's been an assitant at UR for the last couple of years (played there as well) and the guys are really going to miss him.  He's should do a great job at MSM, and help their bigs a lot.  Very nice guy and a great choice for MSM's new committment to sports.

[WNYHoops]

I would think if one school does indeed leave the Empire 8 for the LL it would not look to expand, just stay with the original 8 schools. However, if 3 leave as speculated on this site the Empire 8 would have to look to expand. Instead of moving downstate toward the Skyline - where Bard, Purchase and MSM are geographically logical but their competition level in all sports is nowhere near Empire 8 standards - I would think they would look to central NY schools like Keuka and Cazenovia. Both of them traditionally play a lot of Empire 8 schools in all sports and they make sense from a money standpoint. They are both more competitive than the Skyline schools and currently reside in the ever-changing NEAC. Just a thought.

[Pat Coleman]

I think it would be important to remember the football implications. The conference already will lose its football automatic bid in 2011 if it doesn't come up with a seventh football program. Losing another would make it extremely difficult.

[Bombers798891]

I think it would be important to remember the football implications. The conference already will lose its football automatic bid in 2011 if it doesn't come up with a seventh football program. Losing another would make it extremely difficult.

Do you think Ithaca's decision to possibly leave is at all based in that? They didn't have a lot of success making the playoffs as a Pool B team under Welch. I can't imagine they'd be thrilled to go back to it. I know the E8 has had trouble picking up another team; I wonder if IC just decided it would be easier for them to join the LL than hope the E8 would pick up another team?

[Pat Coleman]

Pool B has changed a little bit since then but I suspect that football is part of the equation. The LL would also have an automatic bid in baseball that Ithaca could compete for, and I would suspect there may be other similar instances.

[WNYHoops]

I hear now it is almost assured that Nazareth will be moving to the LL to take Hamilton's spot. Not sure if LL is looking to add any more. That would leave both conferences with 8 schools.

[FROMAFAR]

Someone brought up an interesting question, which, (no surprise) I didn't know the answer....I'm sure one of you guys will know. If a student plays 3 years in a D 3 sport.... use basketball because that's this web. He/she  graduates....... they go to another D 3 school for graduate studies. Can they play one year of basketball at that school?   This came up due to the Paulus issue... going to Syracuse to play football. I know it's a little different. I believe a student has 5 years eligibility to play college sports, 4 years in one sport. Paulus 5th year in different sport.... but it raised the above question........