Conference changes

[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.

More information on McMurry

Dr Harper began her Presidency in 2013, when McMurry was pulling back from D2.

In its history in the ASC, it is tied for 7th all-time in division championships.

The last division championships by sports were:

Baseball 2008 (Quad)
Men's Hoops in 2012
Women's Hoops in 2009, but had very competitive teams in the 1999 thru 2008 era including a Jostens' winner in 2008, Tara Richardson
Volleyball 2011
Men's Tennis 2010
Men's Soccer 2003
Women's Tennis 2012.

McM is 4th all time in conference championships with 49, including 17 men's and 13 women's outdoor track and field.
Last conference championships by year are:
MT&F 2022
WT&F 2022
Men's Hoops 2012
Women's Hoops 2006
Men's XC 2000
Women's XC 2006
Men's Golf 2004
Women's Golf 2008
Women's Tennis 1999
Women's Volleyball 1997.

Former Track Coach Barbara Crousen was the 1st woman to win a Men's National Championship in any sport, in any Division in the NCAA in 2008 and then repeated in 2012. She was Women's runner-up in 2002 and Men's Runner-up in 2009.

You can see that Athletics has not been an emphasis of the university over the last decade.

[Ron Boerger]

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.

And I don't think the SCAC has any interest in having to travel all the way to Arkansas for all their sports.  They would probably end up being travel partners with Centenary which by itself is a 300 mile journey over some not so-great roads.   It's basically 700 miles from Schreiner, now that is going to be a fun trip for football. 

[Ralph Turner]

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.

And I don't think the SCAC has any interest in having to travel all the way to Arkansas for all their sports.  They would probably end up being travel partners with Centenary which by itself is a 300 mile journey over some not so-great roads.   It's basically 700 miles from Schreiner, now that is going to be a fun trip for football. 

Football, SCAC, yes. For Lyon the distance for competing in the UMAC and SCAC are about the same, but the weather is warmer.

My next question is whether UOzarks follows Lyon into the SLIAC, now that McMurry has left. The mileage is something to consider, but I think that UOzarks would be more competitive in the SLIAC in all sports.

[Inkblot]

Saw a rumor today about Sul Ross State going D2... anyone know anything about that?

[Pat Coleman]

There's been similar talk around but have seen nothing more concrete.

[Inkblot]

Reportedly the Texas State University system will vote on it tomorrow.

[Caz Bombers]

Cazenovia College closing at the end of the school year in May. Just announced this morning.

[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
Cazenovia (NAC) closes
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

[Inkblot]

Cazenovia College closing at the end of the school year in May. Just announced this morning.

Does this open a spot for Eastern Nazarene in the NAC?

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Cazenovia College closing at the end of the school year in May. Just announced this morning.

Does this open a spot for Eastern Nazarene in the NAC?

Perhaps.  I suspect the GNAC is still more likely for them.

[Caz Bombers]

it certainly gives the NAC an odd number (13) they weren't expecting. They were planning on Morrisville to the West and Lesley to the East for an even split of 14 schools. Adding ENC, putting them in the East, and then moving NVU Lyndon to the West might be the least messy way for the NAC to resolve this.

[Inkblot]

it certainly gives the NAC an odd number (13) they weren't expecting. They were planning on Morrisville to the West and Lesley to the East for an even split of 14 schools. Adding ENC, putting them in the East, and then moving NVU Lyndon to the West might be the least messy way for the NAC to resolve this.

Having Johnson and Lyndon in separate divisions was awkward to start with.

[Caz Bombers]

Johnson & Wales from GNAC to CCC in 2024-25

https://cccathletics.com/general/2022-23/releases/JWUAnnouncement

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Johnson & Wales from GNAC to CCC in 2024-25

https://cccathletics.com/general/2022-23/releases/JWUAnnouncement

There's been much speculation that Nichols will be going D2 soon, so this would be a replacement school to keep them at 10.

[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
Cazenovia (NAC) closes
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
Johnson & Wales leaves the GNAC for the CCC
McMurry leaves the ASC for the SCAC