MBB: Landmark Conference

[NJRoyal137]

I agree 100%. I see the disappointment on baseball. But given where the program has gone in just the last 20 years, what a welcomed change.

The women's lax team was a 10-9 team (a tough schedule), who should be happy simply playing in an NCAA game.

D1 should never be an option for the school, and the conversation as to it happening is silly, and based on nothing. Not even speculation.

I don't think it is silly considering there is very little else going on and it comes from a place of just wanting the university to continue to get more attention and respect - however, if given the choice - I much prefer the U get recognized for their ambition and success academically rather than athletically.

If you truly mean your point on recognition over athletics, then you are likely recognizing DIII is the proper fit.

Both would help. I do want to see more ambition from the university on the marketing, branding, outreach and academics side - but athletics can do a lot of that too, if managed properly.

[Great Day to be a Royal]

I agree 100%. I see the disappointment on baseball. But given where the program has gone in just the last 20 years, what a welcomed change.

The women's lax team was a 10-9 team (a tough schedule), who should be happy simply playing in an NCAA game.

D1 should never be an option for the school, and the conversation as to it happening is silly, and based on nothing. Not even speculation.

I don't think it is silly considering there is very little else going on and it comes from a place of just wanting the university to continue to get more attention and respect - however, if given the choice - I much prefer the U get recognized for their ambition and success academically rather than athletically.

If you truly mean your point on recognition over athletics, then you are likely recognizing DIII is the proper fit.

Both would help. I do want to see more ambition from the university on the marketing, branding, outreach and academics side - but athletics can do a lot of that too, if managed properly.

I truly don't mean to be the guy to argue every point you make, and I guess by saying that, I am, but where do you feel the university is failing in any of your points?  The enrollment goes up in every class. They are not hurting for kids. How many students apply, and don't get in? Kids come from all over the NE, when years ago it felt like mainly local kids, LI, North Jersey, and JOP. I am just not sure the university is going to spend money on something that they already do, and ultimately takes care of itself.

[NJRoyal137]

I agree 100%. I see the disappointment on baseball. But given where the program has gone in just the last 20 years, what a welcomed change.

The women's lax team was a 10-9 team (a tough schedule), who should be happy simply playing in an NCAA game.

D1 should never be an option for the school, and the conversation as to it happening is silly, and based on nothing. Not even speculation.

I don't think it is silly considering there is very little else going on and it comes from a place of just wanting the university to continue to get more attention and respect - however, if given the choice - I much prefer the U get recognized for their ambition and success academically rather than athletically.

If you truly mean your point on recognition over athletics, then you are likely recognizing DIII is the proper fit.

Both would help. I do want to see more ambition from the university on the marketing, branding, outreach and academics side - but athletics can do a lot of that too, if managed properly.

I truly don't mean to be the guy to argue every point you make, and I guess by saying that, I am, but where do you feel the university is failing in any of your points?  The enrollment goes up in every class. They are not hurting for kids. How many students apply, and don't get in? Kids come from all over the NE, when years ago it felt like mainly local kids, LI, North Jersey, and JOP. I am just not sure the university is going to spend money on something that they already do, and ultimately takes care of itself.

Hey the point of discussion boards is to discuss, I have no issue with it! I would not say the University is failing, per se, and perhaps it is because I live in a different region where colleges are treated a bit differently - but I have not witnessed the school make any major headway in gaining serious recognition of any programs outside of nursing and accounting. The alumni engagement has been a little weak - but it was their latest strategic plan that kind of disappointed me:

https://news.scranton.edu/articles/2020/12/news-strategicplan-2020-25.shtml

I saw a mass of buzzwords with little concrete direction that got me excited about the direction of the school - it really felt like the dyd not have a major direction based on that. Everything on that list is valuable and important - but they are not goals for strategic growth and advancement of the school.

My thought is that competing at a D1 level would at least help further market the school, attract more diverse students and engage the current students and alumni more. Let's not forget that all but one other Jesuit university competes below the D1 level, too. There's a reason for that.

[saratoga]

NJRoyal:

I fully understand where you're coming from & I have the same gripes about the University picking up their game from time to time with their marketing and doing more to recruit students from beyond the comfort of the tri-state area.

I understand they have a junior intern that's been doing really great work with the athletic dept. so that's certainly a step in the right direction.
He takes great pictures so hopefully they'll use him for team photos next year so they present as professionally done & not look like they were taken from Pluto via the Hubble telescope.

Still think they need to involve Marketing majors to help solve the problem internally re. athletic attendance apathy until the playoffs get near.

The university has a fantastic symphony orchestra...how about bringing some of those kids to basketball games to let their hair down & instead of playing The Ride of the Valkyries, have them go crazy with their own rendition of Sweet Caroline, Land of 1,000 Dances...hell, play the Michigan Fight Song for all I care.

I digress...point is, I know where you're coming from & even though D3 will be in the cards for the foreseeable future, there is no reason we can't become better & improve our brand to be the best of the best.

[NEPAFAN]

Seriously who is the music director at the U? Get 10 kids from your brass band out there.

[Greek Tragedy]

A pepband would be fun. Stevens Point has one, and at the very least, the band members get into the game, urging the rest of the crowd to get off their phones and enjoy the game. When Point and John Carroll were in the Final Four, it was a great time for the bands, almost competing against each other, swapping timeouts. Apparently, the John Carroll pepband had so much fun, they just started coming to the Final Four even if their team didn't make it. Not sure if they still do that now.

[saratoga]

Wonder if the JCU band could make it to Scranton for Saturday games?

From one Jesuit to another in the spirt of Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. 

[ronk]

 So, that's what AMDG on the basketball court stands for!!!

[saratoga]

Yep.
I used to think it stood for, "Almost Made Danzig Go". 

[NEPAFAN]

all quiet on the recruiting front?

[ronk]

 There were a number of potentials in the transfer portal - haven't heard if the Royals went after any of them.

[NJRoyal137]

Congrats to The U on winning the Landmark Conference Presidents Cup after a RECORD-SETTING eight championships:

https://athletics.scranton.edu/general/2022-23/releases/20230525mke62h

(still think they should explore going D1, give the city a sports team to get behind)

[NEPAFAN]

Congrats to The U on winning the Landmark Conference Presidents Cup after a RECORD-SETTING eight championships:

https://athletics.scranton.edu/general/2022-23/releases/20230525mke62h

(still think they should explore going D1, give the city a sports team to get behind)

Great news. Figured with all the championships they would win the President's trophy. Catholic finished in second.. that seems to be one of the main rivalries in the Landmark. Let's see if Lycoming or Wilkes replaces it...

[ronk]

 Congrats to the athletes and the athletic department - a noteworthy achievement. If one reads the weekly missives by the individual athletes, it can be seen that the team members have embraced what it means to be a Royal in their support of each other. I sense from interviews in the various campus publications over the recent years that that support shows up in the student body as a whole, even if not evidenced by attendance at sporting events.
  This is coming from someone who attended when there were only 6(basketball, baseball, tennis, cross country, rifle, and golf) sports on campus with no athletic facilities. We used the CYC for collegiate basketball and the Ukraine Center for intramural basketball. We did have a rifle range in the basement of the Student Center as part of the Army ROTC program; the rifle team was the most successful on campus because those guys had been hunting in PA for at least their previous 5 years growing up. They would regularly outshoot the service academies. 
 

[saratoga]

Brief change of topic but congrats to Miseri's baseball team winning a berth in next week's College World Series.
Meanwhile, our Royals have played in 1 NCAA tournament in 40 years.
Enjoy the experience Lefty and Chuck!