Small Colleges Starting Football

[Sabretooth Tiger]

"Small Colleges, Short of Men, Embrace Football"

Article from today's NY Times, may be of interest.  Here's the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/10/education/10football.html?th&emc=th

tooth

[Josh Bowerman]

I found it somewhat humerous that, when I pulled it up, an article promoting the recruitment of men had a rather prominent Maureen Dowd ad right next to it!   

[Pat Coleman]

I also did a story along these lines last year for the Stagg Bowl game program. I was hoping to hold it and rework it for Kickoff but I figured we better get it out there now. It's posted on the front page.

[AUPepBand]

Good press for Utica College and Coach Kemp in the NY Times article!! I am continually amazed by the NUMBERS of young men who desire to play football these days. AU will have 150+ in camp this year, with another freshman class of 75 to 80 recruits. Working in the library, I meet a lot of the football players...many come here for football (Coach Murray does a great job bringing them in) but after a season or sometimes two, many find that a) they are not going to get playing time b) the time commitment is more than they want to invest, c) their academics take precedent, d) they get a girlfriend, e) or any combination of the above.

Ol' Alex never had those numbers....some years (even after the introduction of platoons) he had kids going both ways. And of course, when he took over the AU "program" (more like he was named the football coach, wrestling coach, basketball coach)in 1937, everyone went both ways.

Nevertheless, Alfred received regional and national attention as a result of its football teams. Football was and continues to be a tremendous asset to Lil Alf--both in terms of attracting student-athletes and balancing the gender ratio. While AU is now well known for its art and design program, Alfred still leads the world in producing ceramic engineers, many of them of the pigskin persuasion.

I'm happy to see so many more small colleges jumping on the (pep)band-wagon and starting football programs. D3 has become extremely competitive, yet all for the love of the game. Now if we in the Empire 8 can only persuade RIT, Nazareth and Elmira to join the fun!

[AUPepBand]

Here's a great recruiting tool used by Coach Dave Murray at AU. We've got 300 high school football players on the Alfred University campus this week.

http://www.alfred.edu/pressreleases/viewrelease.cfm?ID=3395

He's operated the camp since 1998 and it has grown each year. It's good business for AU Dining Services, too!

[Ralph Turner]

Here is the press release announcing the formal investigation by Lynchburg College (ODAC) to add football.

Lynchburg College from the News & Advance, Lynchburg, VA.

...Some of the startup costs would include facilities, equipment and travel expenses.

The task force's goal is to prepare a non-binding recommendation for the Board of Trustees' meeting on May 18 [,2007].

"It's still early," Arnold said. "It's just a feasibility study. We are just looking at the possibility of adding football. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds."...

[Ralph Turner]

Copied from the ODAC board today. 

Re: Old Dominion Athletic Conference
« Reply #9531 on: Today at 12:27:43 pm »    

XBCDad is spending way to much time with the Mennonites.

Yep you nailed it PAK. Since you are interested in the ODAC especially in the northern Shenandoah valley you might be interested in knowing that one of those Mennonites where I work informed me that our institution was asked to support a request by Shenandoah U to join the ODAC. I mentioned that a few weeks back and barely got a nibble. But at the time we were debating the value and disposition of various diplomas. As the Kid pointed out ...K Mack had the definitive word on the subject  and the board was then cleared for "macon folks to discuss history. I've learned to skim the articles rather quickly like non-eagle fans have done for the last number of years.

Anyway ...is the idea of SU leaving the USAC old news or really not that interesting?

This actually makes good sense from a geographical perspective.  The travel savings will be noticed immediately.  The ODAC offers a home for Shenandoah Field Hockey and for the Lacrosse teams that have been affiliates in the Pennsylvania AC, which is definitely less stable than it was.

The next domino to fall could be the acceptance of invitations to join the USAC by the GSAC members in all sports.  This provides a "Southern Division" for both the women (7 GSAC members) and the men (4 members, 3 of which play football).  This would give plenty of buffer to movement by schools considering other changes, e.g., a CNU going to D-I or CNU being invited to the Captial AC.

The Capital AC has three football-playing members. (Gallaudet, Salisbury and Wesley)  New member Hood Villa Julie College* is rumored to be adding football.  That would give the four core members.  I think that Gallaudet is the least stable of these, so adding another football member would be wise.  CNU is a logical choice.  That gives five members.  Accept Frostburg St as a football affiliate, and you have six, only one shy of an AQ.  I have postulated that SUNY Maritime, and independent in football would love to guarantee 6 games in its schedule by becoming a (football affiliate) member of the Capital, giving an AQ after two years.  The Capital would love to have the AQ.  Next Apprentice is invited to become the 8th to fill the open date.  (NNA cannot count towards the AQ).  Voila!  The Capital has an AQ.

The acceptance of the GSAC schools provides the buffer for the AQ in numerous sports, football, soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis.  Division play would be very easy.  The schools could play inter-divisional games that help with "in-region" requirements.

The only issue in this is that Huntingdon and LaGrange have affiliated with the SLIAC in football for 2008.  I wonder what the "buy-out" on that contract is...time in the form of advanced notice? Or/and money?  Is 2-years' notice (2008 and 2009) the minimum participation in the SLIAC?

Lots of things may be happening as the shuffling continues...

We have no formal news or press coverage of the decision by the Lynchburg College Board of Trustees.

*Correction July 7, 2007.

[Ralph Turner]

The Capital AC is an interesting mix.

Gallaudet-- Chartered by Congress in 1864 to educate the deaf.  1800+ students total.  $157M in revenue and support for FY 2006, which is about 3-5 times that of most colleges its size.  Endowment $175M, FY 2006.  Will re-introduce varsity football in 2007.

Hood -- Private, 820 students.  Only recently became "co-ed".

Mary Washington -- Fredericksburg, VA.  Public.

Marymount --  Arlington, VA -- Private. 3600 students; 2300 undergraduate; 1300 graduate.

Salisbury -- Public. Salisbury, MD. 5600 students. Plays football.

St Mary's MD -- St Mary's MD. Public.  1200 students. Founded 1840.  Maryland's honors college.

Villa Julie -- Stevenson, MD.  Private.  2000+ undergrads.

Wesley -- Dover DE.  Private.  About 1400 traditional undergrads.  Plays football.

York PA -- York PA.  Private.  4100 undergrads. 

[Ralph Turner]

I have searched the D3football.com archives.  Here is an update of the programs that are investigating or have added football.  SUNY-Morrisville is a second year provisional that joins the NJAC in 2008.  As a third year provisional team those games will count towards playoff considerations.

Hendrix (SCAC) is exploring football as announced in April 2007.

Birmingham-Southern (SCAC and first year provisional), and St Vincent (Pres AC and second year provisional) are adding football this year.

St Scholastica (UMAC) is adding football in 2008.

Pacific (NWC) is looking at starting in 2009.

[gordonmann]

Just to throw a few more schools on the radar, I've had informal conversations with people at Villa Julie who wouldn't rule out adding the sport at some point.  There are no official plans to do so, though.

Last March we mentioned that Castleton State was being encouraged by its conference mates in other sports (e.g. Becker, Husson) to add football.

Also last year I heard the State University of New York (SUNY) is pushing its two-year, non-community college schools to become four-year institutions.  That's what sparked Morrisville State's jump to Division III and could bring Alfred State (different from Alfred U) into the fold.

[Jonny Utah]

Just to throw a few more schools on the radar, I've had informal conversations with people at Villa Julie who wouldn't rule out adding the sport at some point.  There are no official plans to do so, though.

Last March we mentioned that Castleton State was being encouraged by its conference mates in other sports (e.g. Becker, Husson) to add football.

Also last year I heard the State University of New York (SUNY) is pushing its two-year, non-community college schools to become four-year institutions.  That's what sparked Morrisville State's jump to Division III and could bring Alfred State (different from Alfred U) into the fold.

Now Alfred/Alfred St would be a dam good rivalry game.  Could I say it would be the closed two schools are from each other in the world? (right across the street 30yards?)

[pg04]

Just to throw a few more schools on the radar, I've had informal conversations with people at Villa Julie who wouldn't rule out adding the sport at some point.  There are no official plans to do so, though.

Last March we mentioned that Castleton State was being encouraged by its conference mates in other sports (e.g. Becker, Husson) to add football.

Also last year I heard the State University of New York (SUNY) is pushing its two-year, non-community college schools to become four-year institutions.  That's what sparked Morrisville State's jump to Division III and could bring Alfred State (different from Alfred U) into the fold.

Now Alfred/Alfred St would be a dam good rivalry game.  Could I say it would be the closed two schools are from each other in the world? (right across the street 30yards?)

Would Alfred play Alfred state? I'm not sure about that. 

[Jonny Utah]

Just to throw a few more schools on the radar, I've had informal conversations with people at Villa Julie who wouldn't rule out adding the sport at some point.  There are no official plans to do so, though.

Last March we mentioned that Castleton State was being encouraged by its conference mates in other sports (e.g. Becker, Husson) to add football.

Also last year I heard the State University of New York (SUNY) is pushing its two-year, non-community college schools to become four-year institutions.  That's what sparked Morrisville State's jump to Division III and could bring Alfred State (different from Alfred U) into the fold.

Now Alfred/Alfred St would be a dam good rivalry game.  Could I say it would be the closed two schools are from each other in the world? (right across the street 30yards?)

Would Alfred play Alfred state? I'm not sure about that. 

If Alfred St went d3 they would have to.  I would lose all respect for Alfred if they refused to play them (or at least give them a few years to build up a little)

[Pat Coleman]

Not sure what would be gained for Alfred in that situation.

[Jonny Utah]

Not sure what would be gained for Alfred in that situation.

Well they could gain a great rival.  And I would assume both schools would be looking for day games.

And yea, Alfred wouldnt have anything to gain right away, but if (and thats a big if) Alfred St ever got off the ground, that would be a great upstate rivalry.

I just hate seeing a d3 team not being able to fill out a 10 game schedule because some school real close to them refuses to play them becuase of something that doesnt make sense. (like the school being public or the school not meeting that schools academic standards)  If the schools are d3, they should play each other.