FB: USA South Athletic Conference

[CNU85]

Respectfully, I think that SVU probably was more concerned about the geographic area where they wanted to draw their student body than the success of the football team.

BINGO!!! Spot on! Geographic student recruiting was one reason CNU made the jump.

[CNU85]

When does  practice begin? I bought my season tix! I'm ready!

[Allen C]

On or around 8-10-12

[Allen C]

Respectfully, I think that SVU probably was more concerned about the geographic area where they wanted to draw their student body than the success of the football team.

BINGO!!! Spot on! Geographic student recruiting was one reason CNU made the jump.

I am not sure I understand the thought process behind this...You are saying they wanted to be in a conference that would attract a more intellectual student?

[CNU85]

geographical. CNU wants to attract NoVA students

[abnrgr]

85
As long it is NOT UVA players. What a group of dumb a##es that run that organization

But it gives me a chance to hammer at CNU

"Damn The Captains" 

[Ryan Tipps]

geographical. CNU wants to attract NoVA students

I've always seen Hampton Roads talent as the cream of the crop in Virginia. Is CNU looking more to NoVa by choice or by necessity because of ODU's influence in the Tidewater region?

[CNU85]

I believe the reason is demographics of the students in that area. there are many aspects involved. one of which is distance. cnu is far enough away for students to "go away to college". parents are more willing to pay that room and board. it is difficult to recruit in the hampton roads area on that basis. also, cnu requires all students to live on campus through their junior year. i can speak as a parent of a local student....not many kids in newport news or hampton really consider cnu because they just want to get away. i live 2 miles from campus and at times it was difficult paying my daughter's room and board to live just down the street. but i believe in the importance of her living on campus and felt the experience she obtained was worth the money. not everyone agrees with that and even fewer can afford that choice.

honestly, i do not believe cnu considers odu as competition for attracting students. different mission, different students. i have spoken with Trible and i know he considers W&M and UVA as the target! For state schools, the top 3 avg SAT scores for incoming freshman are: 1. W&M 2. UVA 3. CNU.

Also Nova demographics indicate a higher income per household. With the requirement of living on campus for 3 years and one of the highest total cost (tuition, fees, room and board = $22k+) of state schools, you have to recruit where the money is located.

i rambled - but NoVa is a target area due to the demographics (household income, quality of student, and distance from CNU).

hope this helped.

[CNU85]

and more to Ryan's question about ODU.....if you are talking talent of football players, there is no comparison or competition for the same athletes. ODU is now a BCS school in Conference USA. Any footballer in that caliber of talent is way above the D3 non-scholarship world. That would be similar to saying Syracuse impacts SUNY-Brockport recruiting. Or Boston College impacting Maine Maritime.

[Ryan Tipps]

I'm admittedly stuck in the mindset of the ODU I knew 5+ years ago when I lived in that area. Back then, the enthusiasm was drab, there were lots of questions about the durability of the program, and the school (at least initially) didn't even use all of its available football scholarships, if I remember right. It wasn't clear of whether they were truly invested in being a D-I caliber school, or if they were just D-I by default of being in that level for other sports. It sounds as if they've changed their mindset and made football a priority among athletics.

The need to "get away" from home to go to school is one I understand. Also I understand that NoVa has higher incomes, but at $22K, CNU is still cheaper than most or all private schools in the state. But we don't see the private institutions flocking to NoVa for their recruiting needs. I guess that I'm surprised to hear you say that the need to find students who can afford CNU is one of the reasons the school is looking toward the money of NoVa.

[CNU85]

I bet many schools in VA look at the noVa demographics. Not just CNU. There are lots of college bound kids up there.

[CNU85]

Also look at enrollment figures of the private schools and the size of their endowments. It is much easier to find 1200 students than 5000. And even more easier when your endowment makes CNU's endowment look like pocket change.

[Allen C]

I cant back it up, but I have often thought Ferrum finds a lot of players and students from Nova, for their ability to afford tuition.
In a quick check of the 2011 roster, Ferrum had 20 players from the DC, 703 area. Probably a half dozen more from Maryland suburbs, and about 6-8 from the 757. That is @ 20% of the team from Nova.

[Ryan Tipps]

I cant back it up, but I have often thought Ferrum finds a lot of players and students from Nova, for their ability to afford tuition.
In a quick check of the 2011 roster, Ferrum had 20 players from the DC, 703 area. Probably a half dozen more from Maryland suburbs, and about 6-8 from the 757. That is @ 20% of the team from Nova.

Allen: I could have miscounted, but from that same roster, I count only eight players from Northern Virginia. One more from D.C. itself, and just three from Maryland suburbs to D.C.

For a team that had more than 110 players, barely 10 percent came from the D.C. area. I would be surprised if the Panthers consider that region critical recruiting turf. Assuming Chris Warren is back on the staff this year, his D.C. ties could help change that, but until then....

CNU85, good point re: the comparative size of CNU's endowment. That's one angle I didn't consider.

[Wahama]

Interview with NC Wesleyan DB/Return Man Dwayne Hollis

http://www.bsncollege.com/videos/1557/867/beyond-the-sidelines-interview-w