FB: Midwest Conference

[fulbakdad]

So did I miss something.  Was Roop a Grinnell fan?  Not a Beloit Fan?  It's been a while....

[Mr. Ypsi]

So did I miss something.  Was Roop a Grinnell fan?  Not a Beloit Fan?  It's been a while....

Roop was foremost a Beloit fan, but also secondarily a Grinnell fan (and very much a Saints Rest fan).

[fulbakdad]

That's what I thought.  Phew, almost a senior moment!

[Pat Coleman]

I haven't been in Grinnell since 2010 or so but it was there then.

So was Roop!   AND the owner of Saints Rest, the Grinnell fan whose name I'm blanking on.

jeffp was his handle. Don't know his name.

[fulbakdad]

He passed away a couple years ago.  His nephew played at Lake Forest.  I met him at a tailgate before one of our games.

[gbpuckfan]

SNC kicker getting some NFL attention:
https://fox11online.com/sports/packers-and-nfl/st-norbert-kicker-getting-his-shot-at-the-nfl?fbclid=IwAR1GA92GbESCXbR5n9LPHisrUgUicMF4XTKuHQCMEEI_ovpF6KG-qbR0klI

[WW]

Rumor from DePere is that Norby is leaving MWC. It's April 3, not April 1, so thinking it might have legs

[WW]

Update, and it's official. SNC to the NACC in 2020-21 academic year.

[gbpuckfan]

SNC leaving the Midwest conference:


St. Norbert Athletics to Join Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, April 3, 2019 |
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College's intercollegiate athletics program will join the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the conference announced today. The Green Knights will compete in the NACC beginning in the 2020-21 school year.

"Extensive study of our athletic department and the quality of academic experience for our student-athletes led us to explore Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference membership," St. Norbert College President Brian Bruess said. "Our student-athletes will be spending significantly less time away from campus allowing for a more integrated student experience."

"St. Norbert College is a fine academic institution with a strong record of athletic success and a deep commitment to student achievement," said Dr. Scott Flanagan, Edgewood College president and President of the NACC's Executive Committee. "Those reasons, along with their location near our current geographical area, make St. Norbert an exceptional fit for the NACC. We are excited to welcome St. Norbert to the conference."

The NACC, of which St. Norbert was already an affiliate member for men’s volleyball, consists of 13 schools in Wisconsin and Illinois. Wisconsin members include Alverno College, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Wisconsin Lutheran College (all of Milwaukee), Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon), Edgewood College (Madison), Lakeland University (Plymouth) and Marian University (Fond du Lac). Illinois members include Concordia University Chicago and Dominican University (both of River Forest), Aurora University (Aurora), Benedictine University (Lisle), Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago) and Rockford University (Rockford). St. Norbert is already partners in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association with MSOE, Concordia Wisconsin, Marian and Aurora.

"We are very pleased to have St. Norbert College join the NACC as our 14th full-time member," said NACC Commissioner Dr. G. Steven Larson. "St. Norbert brings a commitment to both academics and athletics that mirrors the core values of the NACC. They will be a strong partner as we continue to grow into our expanded geographic footprint."

"A vibrant and competitive program will enhance our student-athletes' overall experience," St. Norbert athletics director Tim Bald said. "With significantly less travel, our student-athletes will have more occasions to engage with our faculty and the community of St. Norbert College."

The move to the NACC will end membership in the Midwest Conference, which has nine other members located in Wisconsin (Lawrence University, Ripon College and Beloit College), Illinois (Lake Forest College, Knox College, Monmouth College and Illinois College) and Iowa (Cornell College and Grinnell College). The Green Knights won 121 Midwest Conference championships in 14 different sports while appearing in 66 NCAA Division III Tournaments after joining the league full-time in 1983. St. Norbert also won 19 Midwest Conference All-Sports Trophies - 15 for women and four for men - despite not fielding men’s and women’s swimming until 2018-19.

"We will miss our many rivalries and relationships built over nearly four decades as a Midwest Conference member and aim to maintain many as non-conference competition in the future," Bruess said. "We are looking forward to growing our existing relationships with NACC members."

"Our reduced travel in a smaller geographic footprint will be less strenuous on our student-athletes, coaching staff and support staff," Bald said. "We are still aligned with institutions of similar academic excellence and missions, while easing demands on schedules and budgets."

St. Norbert will reacquaint itself with long-running series against NACC schools dating prior to World War II. The Green Knights began men’s basketball series with Concordia Wisconsin in 1924-25, with Lakeland in 1932-33 and with MSOE in 1933-34.

St. Norbert has a 23-sport athletics program, with 19 of those competing in every championship the NACC sponsors. Men's NACC champions are sponsored in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. Women's NACC champions are sponsored in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.

[TheGreenKnight920]

SNC leaving the Midwest conference:


St. Norbert Athletics to Join Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, April 3, 2019 |
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College's intercollegiate athletics program will join the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the conference announced today. The Green Knights will compete in the NACC beginning in the 2020-21 school year.

"Extensive study of our athletic department and the quality of academic experience for our student-athletes led us to explore Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference membership," St. Norbert College President Brian Bruess said. "Our student-athletes will be spending significantly less time away from campus allowing for a more integrated student experience."

"St. Norbert College is a fine academic institution with a strong record of athletic success and a deep commitment to student achievement," said Dr. Scott Flanagan, Edgewood College president and President of the NACC's Executive Committee. "Those reasons, along with their location near our current geographical area, make St. Norbert an exceptional fit for the NACC. We are excited to welcome St. Norbert to the conference."

The NACC, of which St. Norbert was already an affiliate member for men’s volleyball, consists of 13 schools in Wisconsin and Illinois. Wisconsin members include Alverno College, Milwaukee School of Engineering and Wisconsin Lutheran College (all of Milwaukee), Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon), Edgewood College (Madison), Lakeland University (Plymouth) and Marian University (Fond du Lac). Illinois members include Concordia University Chicago and Dominican University (both of River Forest), Aurora University (Aurora), Benedictine University (Lisle), Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago) and Rockford University (Rockford). St. Norbert is already partners in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association with MSOE, Concordia Wisconsin, Marian and Aurora.

"We are very pleased to have St. Norbert College join the NACC as our 14th full-time member," said NACC Commissioner Dr. G. Steven Larson. "St. Norbert brings a commitment to both academics and athletics that mirrors the core values of the NACC. They will be a strong partner as we continue to grow into our expanded geographic footprint."

"A vibrant and competitive program will enhance our student-athletes' overall experience," St. Norbert athletics director Tim Bald said. "With significantly less travel, our student-athletes will have more occasions to engage with our faculty and the community of St. Norbert College."

The move to the NACC will end membership in the Midwest Conference, which has nine other members located in Wisconsin (Lawrence University, Ripon College and Beloit College), Illinois (Lake Forest College, Knox College, Monmouth College and Illinois College) and Iowa (Cornell College and Grinnell College). The Green Knights won 121 Midwest Conference championships in 14 different sports while appearing in 66 NCAA Division III Tournaments after joining the league full-time in 1983. St. Norbert also won 19 Midwest Conference All-Sports Trophies - 15 for women and four for men - despite not fielding men’s and women’s swimming until 2018-19.

"We will miss our many rivalries and relationships built over nearly four decades as a Midwest Conference member and aim to maintain many as non-conference competition in the future," Bruess said. "We are looking forward to growing our existing relationships with NACC members."

"Our reduced travel in a smaller geographic footprint will be less strenuous on our student-athletes, coaching staff and support staff," Bald said. "We are still aligned with institutions of similar academic excellence and missions, while easing demands on schedules and budgets."

St. Norbert will reacquaint itself with long-running series against NACC schools dating prior to World War II. The Green Knights began men’s basketball series with Concordia Wisconsin in 1924-25, with Lakeland in 1932-33 and with MSOE in 1933-34.

St. Norbert has a 23-sport athletics program, with 19 of those competing in every championship the NACC sponsors. Men's NACC champions are sponsored in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. Women's NACC champions are sponsored in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.

As someone who does not consider themselves an "insider" by any means, this comes as a bit of a surprise to me. How long has this been in the works?

[gbpuckfan]

And now, my personal reaction.

This sucks.

I get it. No more drives to Monmouth, Knox, IC, Cornell, or Grinnell. Getting more Milwaukee and Chicago schools, which is where the school recruits all students from.

But I don't like losing the rivalries with Lawrence and Ripon. At the risk of offending the new competition, it seems like a step down. Maybe I'm wrong - I can't say I follow the NACC at all in terms of how it does in the postseason. But I don't get the sense at-large bids are ever an option (not that they are common for the MWC).

Don't move my cheese. And get off my lawn.

[doolittledog]

Maybe SNC is being proactive with the coming birth dearth.  Enrollments are likely shrinking in the coming years.  If you can help control costs with less travel and be more visible in recruiting areas like Milwaukee and Chicago this might be a good move.  If you can have athletic success as well, even better.   

[gbpuckfan]

And now, my personal reaction.

This sucks.

I get it. No more drives to Monmouth, Knox, IC, Cornell, or Grinnell. Getting more Milwaukee and Chicago schools, which is where the school recruits all students from.

But I don't like losing the rivalries with Lawrence and Ripon. At the risk of offending the new competition, it seems like a step down. Maybe I'm wrong - I can't say I follow the NACC at all in terms of how it does in the postseason. But I don't get the sense at-large bids are ever an option (not that they are common for the MWC).

Don't move my cheese. And get off my lawn.

And has been pointed out to me - I don't know the NACC all that well (as I said...) - with these points made to me

The NACC had two baseball teams in the NCAA Tournament last year, Concordia-Chicago and Aurora. Concordia has gone to the World Series twice, as has Aurora I believe. Also, Benedictine played in the men's basketball national championship game in 2016 and Dominican men's soccer has reached the Final Four. Wisconsin Lutheran women's basketball won an NCAA Tournament game this year. Aurora beat WashU in the men's basketball tournament last year.

[WW]

No idea, GreenKnight. I just heard the first of it this morning when apparently the kids were told.

GBpuck, I think this is good for football for a number of reasons. 91-0 victories aren't good for anybody — I don't see any of those ahead in the NACC. And the travel impacts more than just the convenience of fans. Those central Illinois games required an overnight stay for 60-some team members, plus staff. That's a huge drain on resources. I see nothing in the NACC that will require an overnight, even as the league's northernmost member.

I'm guessing they can hang on to their upcoming NC schedule, which is set through 2021 (NACC plays 7 conf games a year, or has in the past). I will miss some of the MWC rivalries but the local ones haven't been competitive for years

[gbpuckfan]

It could/would/should mean the end of the divisional lineup/championship game, unless another associate member is found...