FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[jamtod]

I'd say Julie is pretty trustworthy in this case:

https://news.stthomas.edu/athletics-conference-update/

[hazzben]

SJU/Auggie Tech Game Notes are out.  I think this one will get ugly.

Just don't win by more than 96 pts 

[TheChucker]

Would require a NCAA waiver to jump from DIII to DI.

Seems like a big if.  The NCAA isn't exactly known for lax view on their rules.

Also, "sources say"

I have no idea if this Equal Time Soccer is reputable or if their sources are any good either. Is this akin to Charley Walters talking to some drunk on the street about the Big East? Time will tell.

Try to keep up, ok jamtod? 

http://www.startribune.com/st-thomas-to-get-invite-to-join-division-i-summit-league/562174952/

Well well well.

Assuming waiver to go direct to D1 is approved (I assume they have some indication if they are announcing this?), we'll stick in the MIAC for a 2nd year I guess.

Seeing how the NCAA leadership put the whole D3 to D1 issue on their discussion schedule this past summer, it seems the wheels were being greased ahead of time.

[USTBench]

Is this akin to Charley Walters talking to some drunk on the street about the Big East?

Hey, now, USTBench is more than just "some drunk on the street"!

I am also a drunk at home!

All I did was point out that UST's endowment was well-above that of many Big East schools, they have a pretty good fundraising and that their profile of a medium-sized urban Catholic school was aligned with the profile of most Big East schools in its current incarnation. Keep in mind, half the schools in the Big East now were nondescript mid-majors just 5 years ago. Obviously, Butler changed that.

That being said, the Summit would be a tremendous and vastly more practical fit for UST, and I would love the fact that I would get to see UST come to North Dakota multiple times a year for various sports.

[TheChucker]

If UST goes to non-scholarship Pioneer League for football, what's stopping them from keeping the huge Johnnie rivalry? That might still be in the mix.

[DuffMan]

So, the article (currently) says:

Under the direction of Commissioner Tom Douple, the conference has grown in strength and success over the past several years. "If the NCAA ultimately grants the waiver request, St. Thomas will begin competing in the Summit League in fall 2021, after two full final years in the MIAC."

Schools in the Summit League for sports such as basketball, volleyball and soccer include North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Denver and Omaha.

Schools in the Pioneer League football conference include San Diego, Dayton, Drake, Valparaiso and Davidson.

Sullivan noted that Tommies Athletics Director Phil Esten led an advisory committee this summer that examined several conference options.

I see no other mention of Pioneer Leauge football.  Am I missing something?

[USTBench]

So, the article (currently) says:

Under the direction of Commissioner Tom Douple, the conference has grown in strength and success over the past several years. "If the NCAA ultimately grants the waiver request, St. Thomas will begin competing in the Summit League in fall 2021, after two full final years in the MIAC."

Schools in the Summit League for sports such as basketball, volleyball and soccer include North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Denver and Omaha.

Schools in the Pioneer League football conference include San Diego, Dayton, Drake, Valparaiso and Davidson.

Sullivan noted that Tommies Athletics Director Phil Esten led an advisory committee this summer that examined several conference options.

I see no other mention of Pioneer Leauge football.  Am I missing something?

I did not see that formally announced anywhere, so I am guessing that's probably coming down the pipe. It makes the most sense for right now until they can find footing to compete in the MVFC.

[USTBench]

If UST goes to non-scholarship Pioneer League for football, what's stopping them from keeping the huge Johnnie rivalry? That might still be in the mix.

There's no incentive for SJU because it does nothing for them playoff-wise. UST would probably welcome it during their transition probation, but after that, there'd be no incentive from a competitive standpoint, because they'd need 7 FCS wins to be playoff eligible.

[DuffMan]

There's no incentive for SJU because it does nothing for them playoff-wise.

This.

[jamtod]

Would require a NCAA waiver to jump from DIII to DI.

Seems like a big if.  The NCAA isn't exactly known for lax view on their rules.

Also, "sources say"

I have no idea if this Equal Time Soccer is reputable or if their sources are any good either. Is this akin to Charley Walters talking to some drunk on the street about the Big East? Time will tell.

Try to keep up, ok jamtod? 

http://www.startribune.com/st-thomas-to-get-invite-to-join-division-i-summit-league/562174952/

Well well well.

Assuming waiver to go direct to D1 is approved (I assume they have some indication if they are announcing this?), we'll stick in the MIAC for a 2nd year I guess.

Seeing how the NCAA leadership put the whole D3 to D1 issue on their discussion schedule this past summer, it seems the wheels were being greased ahead of time.

Source for this?

[jamtod]

There's no incentive for SJU because it does nothing for them playoff-wise.

This.

It's not going to hurt them though (it shouldn't at least), they've already had trouble scheduling 2 OOC games, and there could be a significant financial incentive.

[SagatagSam]

This makes me wonder about Augustana (Sioux Falls) and their pending transition. They announced last year they would be starting the transition from D2 to D1 and everyone has assumed that they would join the Summit.

I wonder if the Toms somehow outbid Augie? This is not to say that the Summit League is capping or has capped their membership.  However, it shouldn't be taking this long to get an invitation from the Summit, whose league office recently moved to Sioux Falls and is a 10 minute car ride away from their campus.

[jamtod]

This makes me wonder about Augustana (Sioux Falls) and their pending transition. They announced last year they would be starting the transition from D2 to D1 and everyone has assumed that they would join the Summit.

I wonder if the Toms somehow outbid Augie? This is not to say that the Summit League is capping or has capped their membership.  However, it shouldn't be taking this long to get an invitation from the Summit, whose league office recently moved to Sioux Falls and is a 10 minute car ride away from their campus.

I heard elsewhere that Aug was likely going Horizon? Not sure if that's accurate.

[Pat Coleman]

Chip missed a transitional sentence in this version of his story but I'm sure he'll catch it.

https://www.d3sports.com/notables/2019/10/tommies-invited-to-d1-conference

[USTBench]

There's no incentive for SJU because it does nothing for them playoff-wise.

This.

It's not going to hurt them though (it shouldn't at least), they've already had trouble scheduling 2 OOC games, and there could be a significant financial incentive.

I think you'd better get to Collegeville next year if you ever want to see that game played again (at least where one team is DIII). The Pioneer League is 10 members strong, 11 with UST. UST will play at least 8 conference games and will most likely play a few MVFC or Big Sky teams to round out their schedule. During UND's transition they had to fill out their schedule with DII and DIII teams but that was because they played an independent schedule before creating the now-defunct 5 team Great West Conference with other transition teams during their probationary period. After UND got a Big Sky invite and go through the transition they never scheduled a DII team in football again.