Conference changes

[Gregory Sager]

Where does Regent (Virginia Beach VA) land about 2028-29?

The C2C, if anywhere. Since radical fundamentalist college Bob Jones had no conferences wanting to take them, I don't see Regent doing any better. I live near there, and they have a LONG way to go to be anywhere near a D3 school. Regent has NO on-campus athletic facilities, no dorms, no field, no gym for basketball or volleyball, no baseball field. All their home games take place at local Christian private high schools and rec centers. I can't see the ODAC or USA South even glancing their way. They are best staying in the NCCAA, or maybe the USCAA if they get some facilities.

I think one of the issues with Bob Jones was games/travel on Sunday. But I'm not really sure. I thought I heard that somewhere.

I heard the same thing.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I think Regent will be a C2C school, if they hit all their benchmarks for full membership.  From what I understand Bob Jones travel and playing limitations were much more extensive than just Sundays. It was likely never going to work.

[Greek Tragedy]

Why do travel and playing limitations even matter in the C2C. They basically don't even play a conference schedule and from what I understand, they don't even have to participate in the conference tournament. Am I mistaken or missing something?

[ziggy]

Why do travel and playing limitations even matter in the C2C. They basically don't even play a conference schedule and from what I understand, they don't even have to participate in the conference tournament. Am I mistaken or missing something?

You are not mistaken. However, I would imagine that if they didn't want to be a D3 independent, being a de facto independent wasn't really a solution.

[jlog3000]

No wonder Bob Jones' tenure as a D-III member (even if it hadn't achieved to full membership status or had gotten invited to an athletic conference) was short-lived. If the school had stayed a bit longer, they would make a fit on either the CCS or the SAA or the USA South.

Although they are now full-time again in the NCCAA, would it make sense to attempt applying to the NAIA? There are many few conferences that would let BJ fit on their footprints, whether on the AAC (the Appalachian) or the SSAC.

[Greek Tragedy]

BUMP

Adding the Brockport and Geneseo moves. Adding Regent exploratory announcement.

Provisional Pipeline for 2023-24 (Expected)
Full membership fall 2023: MUW
3rd year provisional members (full membership fall 2024): Asbury, Warren Wilson
2nd year provisional members: Hartford, Lyon
1st year provisional members: Carlow
Exploratory: Penn State-Brandywine

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

Provisional Pipeline for 2024-25
Exploratory: Regent

Conference Changes Starting in 2023-2024
Bryn Athyn leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Cairn leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Carlow joins the AMCC
Cazenovia (NAC) closes
Cedar Crest leaves the CSAC for the UEC (sponsor women's sports only)
Clarks Summit leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Eastern Nazarene leaves the NECC for the NAC
Finlandia (C2C) closes
Hartford joins the CCC
Keystone leaves the CSAC for the UEC
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
Medaille (E8) closes
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 UEC
Rosemont leaves the CSAC for the UEC
St. Elizabeth leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Salve Regina leaves the CCC for the NEWMAC
Sul Ross State (ASC) begins reclassification period to D2 (waiver allows them to count for primary criteria, ineligible for postseason)
Valley Forge leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Wells leaves the UEC for the AMCC
Wilkes leaves the MAC Freedom for the Landmark
Wilson leaves the CSAC for the UEC
NECC no longer a basketball conference due to losing all members (Pool A goes away)
CSAC dissolves (Pool A bid goes away)
Expecting 42 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 22 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2024-2025
Berea leaves the CCS for the HCAC
Brockport leaves the SUNYAC for the E8
Cabrini (AEC) closes
Concordia (Texas) leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Johnson & Wales leaves the GNAC for the CCC
McMurry leaves the ASC for the SCAC
NVU-Johnson (NAC) leaves D3 for the USCAA [ON HOLD?]
Pratt leaves the C2C for the AEC
SUNY Geneseo leaves the SUNYAC for the E8
Texas-Dallas leaves the ASC for D2 (application process pending)
University of the Ozarks leaves the ASC for the SCAC
CCS expected to gain Pool A bid
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2025-2026
Southwestern leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Trinity (Texas) leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

[smedindy]

Why do travel and playing limitations even matter in the C2C. They basically don't even play a conference schedule and from what I understand, they don't even have to participate in the conference tournament. Am I mistaken or missing something?

You are not mistaken. However, I would imagine that if they didn't want to be a D3 independent, being a de facto independent wasn't really a solution.

I hate to say this but D3 is better without that school.

I don't have many kind words for Regent, either.

[Inkblot]

Defiance is going NAIA. https://www.naia.org/general/2023-24/releases/NAIA_NewMembersFall_10_2_2023

[KnightSlappy]

Provisional Pipeline for 2023-24 (Expected)
Full membership fall 2023: MUW
3rd year provisional members (full membership fall 2024): Asbury, Warren Wilson
2nd year provisional members: Hartford, Lyon
1st year provisional members: Carlow
Exploratory: Penn State-Brandywine

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

Provisional Pipeline for 2024-25
Exploratory: Regent

Conference Changes Starting in 2023-2024
Bryn Athyn leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Cairn leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Carlow joins the AMCC
Cazenovia (NAC) closes
Cedar Crest leaves the CSAC for the UEC (sponsor women's sports only)
Clarks Summit leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Eastern Nazarene leaves the NECC for the NAC
Finlandia (C2C) closes
Hartford joins the CCC
Keystone leaves the CSAC for the UEC
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
Medaille (E8) closes
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 UEC
Rosemont leaves the CSAC for the UEC
St. Elizabeth leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Salve Regina leaves the CCC for the NEWMAC
Sul Ross State (ASC) begins reclassification period to D2 (waiver allows them to count for primary criteria, ineligible for postseason)
Valley Forge leaves the CSAC for the UEC
Wells leaves the UEC for the AMCC
Wilkes leaves the MAC Freedom for the Landmark
Wilson leaves the CSAC for the UEC
NECC no longer a basketball conference due to losing all members (Pool A goes away)
CSAC dissolves (Pool A bid goes away)
Expecting 42 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 22 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2024-2025
Berea leaves the CCS for the HCAC
Brockport leaves the SUNYAC for the E8
Cabrini (AEC) closes
Concordia (Texas) leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Defiance (HCAC) leaves D3 for NAIA.
Johnson & Wales leaves the GNAC for the CCC
McMurry leaves the ASC for the SCAC
NVU-Johnson (NAC) leaves D3 for the USCAA [ON HOLD?]
Pratt leaves the C2C for the AEC
SUNY Geneseo leaves the SUNYAC for the E8
Texas-Dallas leaves the ASC for D2 (application process pending)
University of the Ozarks leaves the ASC for the SCAC
CCS expected to gain Pool A bid
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2025-2026
Southwestern leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Trinity (Texas) leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

[Gregory Sager]

Defiance is going NAIA. https://www.naia.org/general/2023-24/releases/NAIA_NewMembersFall_10_2_2023

Not terribly surprised by that. Defiance is not in great shape financially, and the Higher Education Commission put the school on probation for accrediting purposes back in June. I expect Defiance to start tossing non-vital assets, including some of the Yellow Jackets sports programs, over the side of the boat in an effort to keep from sinking. Switching over to NAIA means that the school doesn't have to worry about maintaining that twelve-sport minimum anymore.

[smedindy]

Defiance is going NAIA. https://www.naia.org/general/2023-24/releases/NAIA_NewMembersFall_10_2_2023

Not terribly surprised by that. Defiance is not in great shape financially, and the Higher Education Commission put the school on probation for accrediting purposes back in June. I expect Denison to start tossing non-vital assets, including some of the Yellow Jackets sports programs, over the side of the boat in an effort to keep from sinking. Switching over to NAIA means that the school doesn't have to worry about maintaining that twelve-sport minimum anymore.

Defiance, right?

[WUPHF]

I did a double-take on that as well.

Interestingly, Iowa Wesleyan had 16 sports when they closed.

I am not sure that I understand the math in moth-balling teams at non-scholarship schools or NAIA schools.

[jeffconn]

Conference Changes Starting in 2024-2025

Texas-Dallas leaves the ASC for D2 (application process pending)

This move is supposed to happen in 2025, right?

[Gregory Sager]

I did a double-take on that as well.

Interestingly, Iowa Wesleyan had 16 sports when they closed.

I am not sure that I understand the math in moth-balling teams at non-scholarship schools or NAIA schools.

I'm no expert when it comes to higher education institutional finances either, but I understand very well that stuff gets jettisoned when a school is in trouble. At least there will be some Yellow Jackets student-athletes who will still be able to play for their school. Better for Defiance to play NAIA than not play at all. Some schools that have stayed open in the current higher-education crisis -- Trinity International comes to mind -- no longer have athletics programs.

[KnightSlappy]

Conference Changes Starting in 2024-2025

Texas-Dallas leaves the ASC for D2 (application process pending)

This move is supposed to happen in 2025, right?

As I understand it, they apply in February 2024 and the acceptance decision is Summer 2024. If accepted the provisional period would begin right away in Fall 2024. As things went with Sul Ross, there's likely to be a waiver allowing them to count for D3 opponents for one additional year and they're likely to play essentially a D3 schedule that year, but they won't be eligible themselves.