MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[NW Hope Fan]

As Pat stated they can split the scholarship any way they like, I'm kind of assuming they'll be allowed to continue that practice.  But there are also many NAIA's that financially don't ever meet the scholarship limit.

However, as far as the MIAA schools are concerned, (and HCAC since they directly deal with the Crossroads League, along with the CCIW who also deal with the Chicagoland League) there will now be well over 3 or 4 dozen extra scholarship dollars floating around from schools in the area that directly compete for the same kids.

Conversely there will be areas where the reduction of scholarships from 11 to 8 for competing NAIA I schools could be a benefit to some conferences but more likely other NAIA II's.  NAIA I's primary presence is in  Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and California.


What it more than likely means is that in 3 years that financial aide package from your local D3 will have an even larger gap to the financial aide package of your local NAIA.

In theory, but the fact is that a lot of these schools, as well as a lot of DIII schools, have some serious cash-flow problems which are likely to get worse. They are more likely to see cuts to these programs than expansions of them. Most observers don't appreciate the depth of the demographic and financial challenges these schools face. While it is true that an increasing number of students will allow financial aid packages to dictate their choice, schools can only discount so much. My own guess is that this will be a marginal difference at best.

I take comfort in the fact that when the door-closings come, and they are coming, Hope won't be in the first wave.

This spurred me to do some quick and dirty endowment research and... wow.

MIAA
Wolverine-Hoosier

NAIA schools do not appear to generally be well-endowed. 

That's what she said... 

[Gregory Sager]

[Dutchfan]

Thanks for the updates on the recruits!!!

[HOPEful]

I think we can be supremely confident that Olivet College is not "paying" any athlete to attend its school. The institution's financial condition has been precarious for some time and it got off the Department of Education's watch list only two years ago:

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/04/08/olivet-federal-watch-list/25460483/

At just under $15 million, Olivet has a miserably low endowment (which is actually double what it was in 2010), by far the lowest of any MIAA school. By contrast, Kalamazoo's endowment fund leads conference schools with $222 million and Hope is second at $203 million.

Check out Olivet looking like Goliath next to Marygrove and Cornerstone!

[KnightSlappy]

Calvin's 2018-19 Schedule is posted. http://calvinknights.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/schedule

Non-conference schedule is:

Grace Bible (home)
Illinois Wesleyan (home)
Augustana (home)
Wheaton (road)
Anderson (home)
Cornerstone (home)
Aquinas (home)
UW-Oshkosh (road)
UW-Whitewater (road)

I believe Mount St. Joseph and La Roche are the final two opponents that they'll play at the Great Lakes Invitational at Hope.

They'll also play at Davenport for an exhibition game after they tip off the season vs. the Bible Tigers. I wonder if there's still a chance they could add a game and flip Grace to exhibition.

This schedule looks very difficult again. Unfortunately no Carthage who Calvin had beaten in four consecutive seasons.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

They'll also play at Davenport for an exhibition game after they tip off the season vs. the Bible Tigers. I wonder if there's still a chance they could add a game and flip Grace to exhibition.

According to their website, sometime during 2018 Grace Bible College will become Grace Christian University.  So I guess technically Calvin could be playing the Christian Tigers.

[KnightSlappy]

They'll also play at Davenport for an exhibition game after they tip off the season vs. the Bible Tigers. I wonder if there's still a chance they could add a game and flip Grace to exhibition.

According to their website, sometime during 2018 Grace Bible College will become Grace Christian University.  So I guess technically Calvin could be playing the Christian Tigers.

I think that'd make them the Grace Christian Bible Tigers then, wouldn't it? I'm still calling them the Bible Tigers.

[sac]

Kortez Williams  5-9 PG  Lansing Sexton will attend Olivet


I don't know anything about Kortez but Sexton had a rough year on the court.

[pointlem]

Kudos to Hope recruit Tyler George, for being Michigan's #1 high school free throw shooter (89%) in 2018 (http://www.bcam.org/sites/default/files/17-18BoysTopShootersWeb.pdf ) . . .

and Detroit Free Press first team Class A all-state (https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/04/15/detroit-free-press-all-state-boys-basketball-teams/517495002/ )

[HOPEful]

They'll also play at Davenport for an exhibition game after they tip off the season vs. the Bible Tigers. I wonder if there's still a chance they could add a game and flip Grace to exhibition.

According to their website, sometime during 2018 Grace Bible College will become Grace Christian University.  So I guess technically Calvin could be playing the Christian Tigers.

I think that'd make them the Grace Christian Bible Tigers then, wouldn't it? I'm still calling them the Bible Tigers.

For what it's worth, the Bible Tigers were able to win at Trinity College last season. (both the one in Chicagoland and the Baptist one in Florida)

[CK150408]

Recently received some interesting news on the Calvin recruiting front....it appears that Carson Meulenberg has surprised some people and will most likely be a Knight next year to play with his cousin and a couple other high school teammates.

[sac]

Carson Meuhlenberg  6-6  G/F  Covenant Christian will attend Calvin

[KnightSlappy]

Carson Meuhlenberg  6-6  G/F  Covenant Christian will attend Calvin

He was named 1st Team Class C All-State by Bank Hoops and 3rd Team by the Detroit Free Press.

[Dutchfan]

Carson Meuhlenberg  6-6  G/F  Covenant Christian will attend Calvin

He was named 1st Team Class C All-State by Bank Hoops and 3rd Team by the Detroit Free Press.

Traitor! A modern day Benedict Arnold!

In all honesty, Congrats to both Carson and Calvin College.

[pointlem]

Carson Meuhlenberg  6-6  G/F  Covenant Christian will attend Calvin

Traitor! A modern day Benedict Arnold!

In all honesty, Congrats to both Carson and Calvin College.

Well said, Dutchfan. A great pickup for Calvin (and a disappointment for Hope) that, combined with the return of Tony DeWitte should have OldKnight et al. smiling as they contemplate the next several years. Nevertheless, on balance Hope (like Olivet?) seems to have had a great last two recruiting years, so their fans also have much to look forward to.