new conferences?

[Ralph Turner]

My guess would be wrestling. Every school in the IIAC has it and Grinnell doesn't.

Then that could be the deal-breaker.

[Gregory Sager]

My guess would be wrestling. Every school in the IIAC has it and Grinnell doesn't.

Then that could be the deal-breaker.

Wouldn't surprise me. After all, it's Iowa.

[Warren Thompson]

I'm pretty sure Grinnell would join the IIAC at the drop of a hat if invited, but the IIAC has spurned them so many times I don't think that will happen.

Why has Grinnell been "spurned" by the IIAC?

The only thing I've ever heard from anyone from the IIAC is that Grinnell "doesn't fit" with the other IIAC teams, whatever that means.

"Grinnell 'doesn't fit'"? Sufferin' Pete, then it's just gotta be because of their men's basketball high-scoring proclivities. Or is this venue seen as some sort of "diploma mill"?

[Pat Coleman]

Actually, I think having all 18 IIAC sports is a requirement for IIAC membership.

[hickory_cornhusker]

I just looked up the IIAC's Constitution. Pat's pretty close to being right. You don't need to sponsor swimming but you have to sponsor the other 19 sports (M&W Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Football, Volleyball, M&W Soccer, M&W Golf, M&W Tennis, M&W Cross Country, M&W Indoor Track, M&W Outdoor Track, and Wrestling). Grinnell would have to add wrestling to be considered.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Interestingly, this conversation has also been occurring on the IIAC football board (with no overlap of postings).  They quibbled over whether IIAC spurned Grinnell or vice versa, but finally agreed that Grinnell refusing to add wrestling was the deal-breaker.

Since even after the financial meltdown, Grinnell probably has an endowment several times as large as any other IIAC school, wrestling (with virtually no costs beyond coaching and transportation; and I'd bet the transportation savings of IIAC vs. MWC would more than cover that) seems a strange place for a deal-breaker - I wonder if we'll ever know the real story.

[My hunch is that Grinnell feels set apart from Iowa schools, and would rather affiliate with Lawrence, etc., but just a hunch.]

[Just Bill]

The Midwest Conference in general is at a crossroads.  I know St. Norbert is not happy and has quietly explored other options.  Lawrence, Beloit and Ripon are in some tough financial situations.  LU just suspended the wrestling program for a year, and there's talk other sports could be on the block.  BC had to lay off 35 staff members in mid-year.

[Ralph Turner]

If the MWC is too geographically dispersed, are the mission/vision issues considerations of the respective institutions compatible with the SLIAC or the NATHC or the IIAC?

[Gregory Sager]

If the MWC is too geographically dispersed, are the mission/vision issues considerations of the respective institutions compatible with the SLIAC or the NATHC or the IIAC?

None of the four MWC schools mentioned are within easy reach of the SLIAC schools, and that conference is generally thought of as much more downmarket in terms of financial, academic, and athletic status for the likes of St. Norbert, Lawrence, Grinnell, and Beloit. So is the NAthCon, but at least that conference is geographically proximate for three of those four schools (excepting Grinnell), and Beloit wouldn't stand out athletically in the NAthCon (Lawrence might, and St. Norbert definitely would). One of the "other options" Bill mentioned that St. Norbert is exploring is the CCIW, but that conference isn't looking to expand. St. Norbert is one of the top across-the-board MWC schools in athletics every year, and my guess is that SNC would like to enhance its athletic profile by joining a less regulationally-restrictive league.

I tend to agree with Chuck about Grinnell. It can't be a simple refusal to establish a wrestling program that's holding Grinnell back from IIAC membership. Given the ridiculous travel distances that Grinnell has to endure for MWC membership, and how much that would be reduced by moving to the IIAC, it has to be a matter of institutional affinity that's keeping Grinnell in the MWC.

[Just Bill]

You hit it on the head Greg.  SNC is tired of the MWC's tired old "we can prove our schools are better academically by restricting athletics" policies.

I believe that both Carroll and SNC have talked to the CCIW, but as Greg said, the CCIW isn't interested.  I believe Knox and Monmouth would seriously look at the SLIAC if that option was on the table, but that won't exactly trim their travel times much.

Beloit, Ripon and Lawrence would all be viable NathCon candidates, but the league already has 13/12 schools.  You could say maybe they should take the extras and split into two, but the NathCon is just getting it's feet under it.  With all the work of merging two leagues together just barely in the rear view, it doesn't seem likely those schools will be interested in splitting it all up again.

[Ralph Turner]

Well, the NATHC has that (euphemistically) "unique" manner of rotating the schools that shall be in the north and the south divisions.

I don't think that all of the kinks are worked out the new NATHC.

[Ralph Turner]

Talking about new conferences, how about this one!

[Mr. Ypsi]

Talking about new conferences, how about this one!

Compared to them, the UAA teams are all next-door neighbors!

[smedindy]

It's the "we don't have a conference" conference!

[HSCTiger74]

Talking about new conferences, how about this one!

Interesting concept, but it does raise one question that may be relevant only to me.
I  just read the linked article and have done no further research (and presumably the NCAA proofs their own releases), but isn't it likely that it's South Carolina State that is joining the Great West. Like Delaware State and Howard they're a predominantly African-American school and a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, but the MEAC doesn't have women's soccer so those schools would need a home if they offer the sport.
As I said, I haven't done any research but I can't believe that the SEC, to which the University of South Carolina belongs, doesn't contest soccer for women.