Conference changes

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

As the conference turn... or as the schools turn... or as Division III turns...

NAC has announced they are adding two members starting next academic year. SUNY Canton and UMPI to join the NAC. Believe it or not, the easiest way for them to get to and from each other is go through Quebec (along with a small sliver of Ontario and New Brunswick). From my sleuthing, I believe it will be to Maine Maritime's benefit to travel through Canada as well to get to and from SUNY Canton.

And I don't believe the moves are done from there... conversations I am having with a number of people around the northeast (expanded) says more moves are afoot.

[Caz Bombers]

The NAC had to add at least one member or they would have gone on the clock to lose their auto bids by Fall 2020, I believe.

I suppose this kills the ACAA before it ever really began, which is for the best, I suppose.

Wheelock of the NECC is being folded into Boston University this spring with no athletic department. Pine Manor seems like it would be a smart pickup for that league.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The NAC had to add at least one member or they would have gone on the clock to lose their auto bids by Fall 2020, I believe.

I suppose this kills the ACAA before it ever really began, which is for the best, I suppose.

Wheelock of the NECC is being folded into Boston University this spring with no athletic department. Pine Manor seems like it would be a smart pickup for that league.

They weren't going to go on the clock in basketball as of yet. They were only going to lose three, right? I could be wrong. If they were losing three, they stayed at the magical number of seven. If they lost four, then yes the clock would start and they would have until until July 1, 2020 to fix that situation for at least basketball - sooner in other sports.

Pine Manor and others will be in the discussion I am sure. When January roles around and we see who else the division has allowed to start the transition process... that will be more telling to be honest. There are also some other pieces elsewhere that could be on the move - nothing confirmed - that could have an impact on a lot of things from Virginia to Maine.

[Caz Bombers]

The NAC had to add at least one member or they would have gone on the clock to lose their auto bids by Fall 2020, I believe.

I suppose this kills the ACAA before it ever really began, which is for the best, I suppose.

Wheelock of the NECC is being folded into Boston University this spring with no athletic department. Pine Manor seems like it would be a smart pickup for that league.

They weren't going to go on the clock in basketball as of yet. They were only going to lose three, right? I could be wrong. If they were losing three, they stayed at the magical number of seven. If they lost four, then yes the clock would start and they would have until until July 1, 2020 to fix that situation for at least basketball - sooner in other sports.

Pine Manor and others will be in the discussion I am sure. When January roles around and we see who else the division has allowed to start the transition process... that will be more telling to be honest. There are also some other pieces elsewhere that could be on the move - nothing confirmed - that could have an impact on a lot of things from Virginia to Maine.

They are going to lose four to go from 10 down to six, and now plus Canton and UMPI to go back to eight and keep everything on track.

Green Mountain (NAIA), Castleton (Little East), Colby-Sawyer (GNAC), New England College (NECC).

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Castleton was the one I couldn't remember off the top of my head. I have had so much to track with conference changes of late... I am losing my mind. LOL

[gordonmann]

Bumping this back to the top.

Conference Changes Starting in 2017-2018
Alfred State joins the newly formed ACAA
Berea joins the USAC
Brevard joins the USAC (1st year provisional in 2017-18)
Daniel Webster closes its doors
Dean joins the NECC (1st year provisional in 2017-18)
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
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 (Confirmed from NCAA)
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 (reclassifying), Dean, Pfeiffer (reclassifying)
Exploratory: SUNY-Delhi, Johnson and Wales (Col.), Mississippi University for Women (no men's program)
*Games against Year 3 and 4 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for regional-ranking and tournament selection purposes

Conference Changes Starting in 2018-2019
Arcadia leaves the MACC for the New Conference
Bryn Athyn leaves the NEAC for the CSAC
Cabrini leaves the CSAC for the New Conference
Castleton leaves the NAC for the LEC
Colby-Sawyer leaves the NAC for the GNAC
Eastern Nazarene leaves the CCC for the NECC
Ferrum leaves the USAC for the ODAC
Green Mountain leaves the NAC and D3 for the NAIA
Gwynedd Mercy leaves the CSAC for the New Conference
Illinois Tech joins the NACC
Immaculata leaves the CSAC for the New Conference
Maine-Presque Isle leaves the ACAA for the NAC
Marymount leaves the CAC for the New Conference
Marywood leaves the CSAC for the New Conference
Neumann leaves the CSAC for the New Conference
New England College leaves the NAC for the NECC
St. Joseph (Conn.) adds men's basketball in the GNAC
SUNY Canton leaves the ACAA for the NAC
Thomas More leaves the PAC for ?
Wesley leaves the CAC for the New Conference
Wheelock (NECC) discontinues athletics, school merges with Boston U
Wilson leaves the NEAC for the CSAC

[KnightSlappy]

I suppose this kills the ACAA before it ever really began, which is for the best, I suppose.

From my quick read through of some of the NCAA membership committee reports, it seems like the NCAA wasn't ever keen on approving the ACAA. I'm not sure if they eventually got approval or not, but it sounds like the NCAA may be considering adding language that would sort of force conferences to play a regular season schedule rather than just an AQ tournament at the end.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I suppose this kills the ACAA before it ever really began, which is for the best, I suppose.

From my quick read through of some of the NCAA membership committee reports, it seems like the NCAA wasn't ever keen on approving the ACAA. I'm not sure if they eventually got approval or not, but it sounds like the NCAA may be considering adding language that would sort of force conferences to play a regular season schedule rather than just an AQ tournament at the end.

You read it the same way I have. I feel the ACAA's plans along with the old GSAC caused some in the NCAA to start asking more questions. I highly suspect in the future there will be language that says a conference has to do more than just play a tournament at the end of the regular season.

As for the future of the ACAA... who knows. There are plenty of independent institutions who may need something like the ACAA even if only for a short period of time - its basic purpose. We shall see.

[Greek Tragedy]

Just a quick question:  Teams that are 1st and 2nd year provisional teams, they don't count in the NCAAs eyes as D3 games, or they don't count just for tourney and regional ranking purposes? This question, of course, is fantasy related as I'm trying to determine if a team plays again, Dean for example, if that should count as a D3 team playing a D3 opponent. I mean, are they D3 members, as opposed to an actual D2 team or an NAIA team? Thanks.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Just a quick question:  Teams that are 1st and 2nd year provisional teams, they don't count in the NCAAs eyes as D3 games, or they don't count just for tourney and regional ranking purposes? This question, of course, is fantasy related as I'm trying to determine if a team plays again, Dean for example, if that should count as a D3 team playing a D3 opponent. I mean, are they D3 members, as opposed to an actual D2 team or an NAIA team? Thanks.

Those in their first two years of the process do NOT count for regional rankings, tournament, etc. They only count for regional rankings and such in the third and fourth year. They are then eligible for the tournament after the four years (except for those who are able to skip the third year of the process).

[Greek Tragedy]

Ok, just read the last run-on sentence. Is a team like Dean a D3 team that has their stats count as D3 stats, unlike an NAIA team or D2 team. In our fantasy leagues, our teams have to be D3 playing against D3 opponents. Would teams in 1st and 2nd year provisional status qualify, discount post season eligiblity altogether. Thanks.

[hopefan]

Ok, just read the last run-on sentence. Is a team like Dean a D3 team that has their stats count as D3 stats, unlike an NAIA team or D2 team. In our fantasy leagues, our teams have to be D3 playing against D3 opponents. Would teams in 1st and 2nd year provisional status qualify, discount post season eligiblity altogether. Thanks.

In my spreadsheets, I count Dean, Brevard, and Pfeiffer as D3, because they are each playing a full D3 conference schedule... that may not be formal, but it was good enough for me...

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Ok, just read the last run-on sentence. Is a team like Dean a D3 team that has their stats count as D3 stats, unlike an NAIA team or D2 team. In our fantasy leagues, our teams have to be D3 playing against D3 opponents. Would teams in 1st and 2nd year provisional status qualify, discount post season eligiblity altogether. Thanks.

I have no idea how you are doing your fantasy... that is up to you. They are DIII institutions, but going through the process to be full-members. (At any point in that process something goes sideways, they are out.) Thus being in the first two years, the NCAA does not count the games per regional rankings, at-large, etc. The stats still count, but they are not eligible for post-season or for teams to count towards their own data essentially.

Feels like there are two different conversations. How the NCAA does things and how the fantasy rules are setup.

[HOPEful]

Ok, just read the last run-on sentence. Is a team like Dean a D3 team that has their stats count as D3 stats, unlike an NAIA team or D2 team. In our fantasy leagues, our teams have to be D3 playing against D3 opponents. Would teams in 1st and 2nd year provisional status qualify, discount post season eligiblity altogether. Thanks.

I have no idea how you are doing your fantasy... that is up to you. They are DIII institutions, but going through the process to be full-members. (At any point in that process something goes sideways, they are out.) Thus being in the first two years, the NCAA does not count the games per regional rankings, at-large, etc. The stats still count, but they are not eligible for post-season or for teams to count towards their own data essentially.

Feels like there are two different conversations. How the NCAA does things and how the fantasy rules are setup.

I think it's the same question, with a complicated answer. Do the games "count"? Emerson is currently 4-1.

If they were to get to the table, would the committee consider them to currently be 3-1 in D3 and discredit the game against Dean? I think the answer to that question is probably your answer for whether or not to count the games for fantasy.

[Greek Tragedy]

Ok, just read the last run-on sentence. Is a team like Dean a D3 team that has their stats count as D3 stats, unlike an NAIA team or D2 team. In our fantasy leagues, our teams have to be D3 playing against D3 opponents. Would teams in 1st and 2nd year provisional status qualify, discount post season eligiblity altogether. Thanks.

I have no idea how you are doing your fantasy... that is up to you. They are DIII institutions, but going through the process to be full-members. (At any point in that process something goes sideways, they are out.) Thus being in the first two years, the NCAA does not count the games per regional rankings, at-large, etc. The stats still count, but they are not eligible for post-season or for teams to count towards their own data essentially.

Feels like there are two different conversations. How the NCAA does things and how the fantasy rules are setup.

I think it's the same question, with a complicated answer. Do the games "count"? Emerson is currently 4-1.

If they were to get to the table, would the committee consider them to currently be 3-1 in D3 and discredit the game against Dean? I think the answer to that question is probably your answer for whether or not to count the games for fantasy.

Thanks for answering, Dave. I know you don't care about the fantasy aspect of it and that fine. I'm just trying to determine Dean's (among others) status. I think HOPEful brings up the key question. Although they aren't eligible for regional rankings and the NCAA tournament, do results against them count when it comes to the rankings and tournament for opponents? If they do, I'll count them in the leagues, if they don't, then games against 1st and 2nd year provisionals won't count in the leagues either.

Thanks again and I'll try not to pollute this board with any more fantasy nonsense!