Conference changes

[KnightSlappy]

It's a rough trip but it's not grossly different that the 7 hour round trip to Wilmington. An extra 45 minutes each way.

I am just trying to think of where Thomas More makes the most sense, especially if we're saying the HCAC is out (which many have). I don't know if they fit the academic profile of the NCAC (do they not have a Phi Beta Kappa requirement? I swear I heard that once.) I suppose they could fit in the SAA with Centre but that travel isn't exactly great either (trips to Birmingham and Atlanta for starters). I don't see a lot of easy answers here.

I'd like to see it happen just so that all of oldest conferences in America will be inappropriately named.

1. MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) with Trine, a school in Indiana, not Michigan. I propose MIIAA! Properly read "Em Double Eye Double AYE"

The MIAA has two Indiana-based members, Trine and St. Mary's (IN).

Double the reason for an Em Double I Double A!!

Both Angola and South Bend could be said to exist within the Michigan basin, so the conference name is correct geologically if not quite geographically.

[HOPEful]

It's a rough trip but it's not grossly different that the 7 hour round trip to Wilmington. An extra 45 minutes each way.

I am just trying to think of where Thomas More makes the most sense, especially if we're saying the HCAC is out (which many have). I don't know if they fit the academic profile of the NCAC (do they not have a Phi Beta Kappa requirement? I swear I heard that once.) I suppose they could fit in the SAA with Centre but that travel isn't exactly great either (trips to Birmingham and Atlanta for starters). I don't see a lot of easy answers here.

I'd like to see it happen just so that all of oldest conferences in America will be inappropriately named.

1. MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) with Trine, a school in Indiana, not Michigan. I propose MIIAA! Properly read "Em Double Eye Double AYE"

The MIAA has two Indiana-based members, Trine and St. Mary's (IN).

Double the reason for an Em Double I Double A!!

Both Angola and South Bend could be said to exist within the Michigan basin, so the conference name is correct geologically if not quite geographically.

It's very fair to blame Ohio. Although we got the upper peninsula in the deal, South Bend and Angola are both very much north of where the border SHOULD be.

[SaintsFAN]

Wilmington was only in the HCAC for 3 years though prior to moving to the OAC.

BUT, they were aligned with Thomas More, Mount St. Joseph's, Defiance and Bluffton in the old AMC in the early 90s.  Association of Mideast Colleges. 

[sac]

Wilmington was only in the HCAC for 3 years though prior to moving to the OAC.

BUT, they were aligned with Thomas More, Mount St. Joseph's, Defiance and Bluffton in the old AMC in the early 90s.  Association of Mideast Colleges.

Thank you, you have no idea how desperately I've been trying to remember that conferences name.

[Pat Coleman]

Generation next for conference shuffle:
http://www.d3sports.com/notables/2017/06/new-conference-shuffle-coming

[SaintsFAN]

Wilmington was only in the HCAC for 3 years though prior to moving to the OAC.

BUT, they were aligned with Thomas More, Mount St. Joseph's, Defiance and Bluffton in the old AMC in the early 90s.  Association of Mideast Colleges.

Thank you, you have no idea how desperately I've been trying to remember that conferences name.

Don't mention it, I have a conference title ring from 1995 which reminds me of the name every time I see it.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

It's been a few pages so I'm bringing this forward again for the 2017-18 season. Feel free to add anything I've missed.

Conference Changes Starting in 2017-2018
Alfred State joins the newly formed ACAA
Berea joins the USAC
Daniel Webster closes its doors
Finlandia joins the ACAA
Ithaca leaves the E8 for the LL
Maine-Presque Isle joins the ACAA
Pine Manor joins the ACAA
Regis leaves the NECC for the GNAC
Rust leaves Division III for the NAIA
Sage leaves the SKY for the E8
SUNIT leaves the NEAC for the ACAA
SUNY-Canton joins the ACAA
Valley Forge joins the ACAA
Pfeiffer joins the USAC (1st year provisional in 2017-18)

Provisional Pipeline for 2017-2018
First year full members: Berea**, Bryn Athyn**, Penn College**
*4th year provisional members:  Alfred State**, Illinois Tech**, Iowa Wesleyan**, McMurry (reclassifying)**
*3rd year provisional members: Belhaven**
2nd year provisional members: none
1st year provisional members: Brevard, Dean, Pfeiffer
Exploratory: SUNY-Delhi, Johnson and Wales (Col.)
*Games against Year 3 and 4 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for regional-ranking and tournament selection purposes
** Assuming advancement as expected, I don't think we have confirmation yet.

Conference Changes Starting in 2018-2019
Castleton leaves the NAC for the LEC
Colby-Sawyer leaves the NAC for the GNAC
Eastern Nazarene leaves the CCC for the NECC
Illinois Tech joins the NACC
Thomas More leaves the PAC for ?

SUNYIT?  I tried to find confirmation of them leaving the NEAC and couldn't find it.  Is that correct?

[KnightSlappy]

It's been a few pages so I'm bringing this forward again for the 2017-18 season. Feel free to add anything I've missed.

Conference Changes Starting in 2017-2018
Alfred State joins the newly formed ACAA
Berea joins the USAC
Daniel Webster closes its doors
Finlandia joins the ACAA
Ithaca leaves the E8 for the LL
Maine-Presque Isle joins the ACAA
Pine Manor joins the ACAA
Regis leaves the NECC for the GNAC
Rust leaves Division III for the NAIA
Sage leaves the SKY for the E8
SUNIT leaves the NEAC for the ACAA
SUNY-Canton joins the ACAA
Valley Forge joins the ACAA
Pfeiffer joins the USAC (1st year provisional in 2017-18)

Provisional Pipeline for 2017-2018
First year full members: Berea**, Bryn Athyn**, Penn College**
*4th year provisional members:  Alfred State**, Illinois Tech**, Iowa Wesleyan**, McMurry (reclassifying)**
*3rd year provisional members: Belhaven**
2nd year provisional members: none
1st year provisional members: Brevard, Dean, Pfeiffer
Exploratory: SUNY-Delhi, Johnson and Wales (Col.)
*Games against Year 3 and 4 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for regional-ranking and tournament selection purposes
** Assuming advancement as expected, I don't think we have confirmation yet.

Conference Changes Starting in 2018-2019
Castleton leaves the NAC for the LEC
Colby-Sawyer leaves the NAC for the GNAC
Eastern Nazarene leaves the CCC for the NECC
Illinois Tech joins the NACC
Thomas More leaves the PAC for ?

SUNYIT?  I tried to find confirmation of them leaving the NEAC and couldn't find it.  Is that correct?

It is not correct.

I must have originally read "Alfred State SUNY College of Technology" as Alfred State and SUNYIT.

[hopefan]

AAAAH   the newly formed ACCA

Finlandia to Maine Presque Isle.... 1277 miles....   trough Sudbury, Ottawa, Montreal...   in the dead of winter.....  GREAT D3 Road Trip!!!!!   A MUST SEE

[KnightSlappy]

AAAAH   the newly formed ACCA

Finlandia to Maine Presque Isle.... 1277 miles....   trough Sudbury, Ottawa, Montreal...   in the dead of winter.....  GREAT D3 Road Trip!!!!!   A MUST SEE

I found this interesting in the May 16 Championships Committee report.

http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/May2017DIIICC_May_16_Teleconference_20170602.pdf

In-Region waiver, Finlandia University. The committee reviewed Finlandia’s in-region
waiver request for the 2017-18 academic year. Since submitting the waiver, Finlandia has
joined the newly formed American Collegiate Athletic Association. The committee will seek
additional information on how the new conference affiliation will impact scheduling before
reconsidering the request.

I wonder if the joining the conference could hurt their chances of getting the waiver approved. My understanding of the ACAA is that they're forming it to get an AQ but won't necessarily play each other in the regular season (didn't the old GSAC do this in Women's hoops?). I wonder if the NCAA will frown upon that in some way.

[Greek Tragedy]

What's the purpose of an in-region waiver request? They don't like being in the Central?   

So Finlandia could be in the newly formed ACCA but still play the UMAC schedule like they did last year?

Seems odd to be a conference member but not play a "conference schedule."

[KnightSlappy]

What's the purpose of an in-region waiver request? They don't like being in the Central?   

So Finlandia could be in the newly formed ACCA but still play the UMAC schedule like they did last year?

Seems odd to be a conference member but not play a "conference schedule."

I think the current rule is that teams have to ply 75% of their games vs. D3 in-region opponents to be eligible for the NCAA tournament. The waiver is there for teams that are geographically isolated to remain eligible even if they dip below that mark.

[HOPEful]

What's the purpose of an in-region waiver request? They don't like being in the Central?   

So Finlandia could be in the newly formed ACCA but still play the UMAC schedule like they did last year?

Seems odd to be a conference member but not play a "conference schedule."

I think the current rule is that teams have to ply 75% of their games vs. D3 in-region opponents to be eligible for the NCAA tournament. The waiver is there for teams that are geographically isolated to remain eligible even if they dip below that mark.

Houghton/Hancock defines geographically isolated.

[Greek Tragedy]

I had a little time to look it up. It's actually 70%, but close enough. The in-region definition is pretty broad. There's the designated region (central), the geographic region (region 3), the 500-mile rule and the rule that all conference games are regional. I suppose the only reason they would have to file a waiver is because they played the UMAC conference schedule last season and most of those games were against Wisconsin and Minnesota foes, with Minnesota not being in their region, defined or geographical. I didn't measure out the distances from Minnesota-based umac opponents, but I guess a few will be more than 500 miles away.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I had a little time to look it up. It's actually 70%, but close enough. The in-region definition is pretty broad. There's the designated region (central), the geographic region (region 3), the 500-mile rule and the rule that all conference games are regional. I suppose the only reason they would have to file a waiver is because they played the UMAC conference schedule last season and most of those games were against Wisconsin and Minnesota foes, with Minnesota not being in their region, defined or geographical. I didn't measure out the distances from Minnesota-based umac opponents, but I guess a few will be more than 500 miles away.

Finlandia's problem is they're not actually in the conference.  Conference games count as in-region regardless of other factors, but without actual conference affiliation, only games within 500 miles (in Minnesota) count.  I haven't done the distance calculations, but there's a chance some UMAC games don't count.

I do know the ACAA is not playing a conference schedule.  Teams are encouraged to play home and aways, but it's not mandated.