Conference changes

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Notre Dame (MD) is going co-ed next year and will add men's sports. https://www.ndm.edu/news-and-events/news/frequently-asked-questions-ndmu-becomes-co-ed

We'll have to see as this develops.  Sometimes those schools start with club teams for a year or two before they jump in, but I'll add it to the list, at least tentatively.

[Gregory Sager]

It's hard to declare that you're adding a sport for the next school year once the current year has already started. And adding multiple sports makes it that much harder, because, for one thing, it's really difficult for a small school to hire multiple head coaches at the same time just from the angle of filling out your hiring committees. Revamping the athletics budget? That's a huge undertaking, and you're really doing it under the gun if you're starting this late. And then there's the matter of recruiting; if you're going to add, say, a men's cross-country team or a men's soccer team for 2023-24, you need to have a coach or coaches out there watching high school games and meets and talking to prospects right now.

NDMU, don't be the little kid who jumps into the deep end of the pool five seconds after you've taken off your floaties. Give yourselves a full school year to get your staff, your budget, your facilities scheduling, your PR, and your recruiting in place. Or is NDMU so hard up for tuition money that the school needs swarms of male bodies on campus, pronto? We can't overlook that possibility.

[WUPHF]

The Q&A says they will begin varsity athletics in 2023-2024.

As often as we talk about athletics as an enrollment management strategy, I would be good money that athletics are the biggest part of the plan to go co-ed.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Their basketball team was pretty good last year, but generally NDMD has not been known for quality athletics. I study its much more about providing opportunity.

[Caz Bombers]

I know they have to add 4-5 men's sports at least, depending on enrollment, in order to comply with NCAA rules, but is there a grace period or do they have to be compliant as soon as men step on campus? I don't recall what places like Mary Baldwin, Wells and New Rochelle did in the past.

[Ralph Turner]

The shuffle never ends:
https://d3sports.com/notables/2022/09/gnac-expands-necc-smaller-mitchell-new-england-college

Does Eastern Nazarene move back to the CCC?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

The shuffle never ends:
https://d3sports.com/notables/2022/09/gnac-expands-necc-smaller-mitchell-new-england-college

Does Eastern Nazarene move back to the CCC?

They're in the GNAC for a few sports already. That still seems like the most viable option, if the GNAC is willing.

[Pat Coleman]

I know they have to add 4-5 men's sports at least, depending on enrollment, in order to comply with NCAA rules, but is there a grace period or do they have to be compliant as soon as men step on campus? I don't recall what places like Mary Baldwin, Wells and New Rochelle did in the past.

I don't know the specifics but yes, there has been a grace period for other schools.

[Inkblot]

McMurry to the SCAC in 2024. No word on what'll happen with football. https://mcmurrysports.com/news/2022/11/1/general-mcmurry-university-unifies-intercollegiate-athletics-joining-southern-collegiate-athletic-conference-in-fall-2024.aspx

EDIT: I forgot about Centenary adding football in 2024. So it seems almost certain the SCAC will resume sponsoring it then.

[Inkblot]

Provisional Pipeline for 2022-23
Full membership fall 2022: Pratt, University of St Thomas (Texas)
3rd year provisional members (full membership fall 2023): Bob Jones, Mississippi University for Women
2nd year provisional members: Asbury, Warren Wilson
1st year provisional members: Hartford, Lyon
Exploratory: Carlow

* Games against Year 3 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for regional-ranking and tournament selection purposes

Conference Changes Starting in 2022-2023
Allegheny leaves the NCAC for the PAC
Averett leaves the USAC for the ODAC
Medaille leaves the AMCC for the Empire 8
Warren Wilson joins the C2C
Belhaven leaves the ASC for the Collegiate Conference of the South
Agnes Scott, Berea, Covenant, Huntingdon, LaGrange, Maryville, Piedmont, and Wesleyan (GA) leave the USAC for the Collegiate Conference of the South

Conference Changes Starting in 2023-2024
Carlow joins the AMCC
Hartford joins the CCC
Lebanon Valley shifts from the MAC Commonwealth to the MAC Freedom
Lesley leaves the NECC for the NAC
Lycoming leaves the MAC Freedom for the Landmark
Lyon joins the SLIAC
Mississippi University for Women (MUW) joins the SLIAC
Mitchell leaves the NECC for the GNAC
Morrisville State leaves the UEC for the NAC
New England College leaves the NECC for the GNAC
Notre Dame (MD) adds men's sports and competes in the CSAC
Salve Regina leaves the CCC for the NEWMAC
Wells leaves the UEC for the AMCC
Wilkes leaves the MAC Freedom for the Landmark

Conference Changes Starting in 2024-2025
McMurry leaves the ASC for the SCAC

[Gregory Sager]

McMurry to the SCAC in 2024. No word on what'll happen with football. https://mcmurrysports.com/news/2022/11/1/general-mcmurry-university-unifies-intercollegiate-athletics-joining-southern-collegiate-athletic-conference-in-fall-2024.aspx

Big news. I'm dying to hear Ralph's thoughts about his alma mater switching leagues.

[Caz Bombers]

SCAC should get a football Pool A from the start in 2024 and the American Southwest enter the 2 year grace period, to move to Pool B in 2026 if they don't get back up to 6 teams.

[Ralph Turner]

McMurry to the SCAC in 2024. No word on what'll happen with football. https://mcmurrysports.com/news/2022/11/1/general-mcmurry-university-unifies-intercollegiate-athletics-joining-southern-collegiate-athletic-conference-in-fall-2024.aspx

Big news. I'm dying to hear Ralph's thoughts about his alma mater switching leagues.

Athletics has not had the same emphasis under Dr Sandra Harper as it did under Dr Robert E Shimp and Dr John Russell.

Dr Shimp was a graduate of Thiel and had connections to Ohio Wesleyan (Chair Dept of History) and Millikin (Provost & Acting President). Dr Shimp helped create the ASC and move McMurry to D-III from the NAIA.

[Inkblot]

https://scacsports.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2022-23/releases/scac_announces_lyon_addition_football_return

So here we have it:

* Austin, Centenary, McMurry, and affiliate member Lyon (who will be in their final provisional year) will play a double round robin in 2024

* Schreiner intends to add football by 2025 and no later than 2026

* Southwestern, Texas Lutheran, and Trinity will be in their current football conferences in 2024 but move to the SCAC by 2026

The SCAC expects to have an 8-team football conference by 2026.

[WUPHF]

My first though was that Lyon may well look to the SCAC for full membership, but McMurry will give the SCAC an even 10 members and Texas being so big, I think the SLIAC will make for shorter road trips, I think.