WBB: American Rivers Conference

[Bird Dog]

I think he will be a very good coach.  I hope Jamie Rainey will stay or if not find a tremendous new job, she is a class person and coach. 

The baseball team runs the concession stand.   I have tried to teach them how to pop popcorn correctly, it hasn't taken.  I've seen fans bring their own popcorn.  It would be nice if they had a first floor location and more selection.  Not that they don't already have enough to argue about I think arch rivals Loras and U. of Dubuque have best concession stands in the conference.

[doolittledog]

I think he will be a very good coach.  I hope Jamie Rainey will stay or if not find a tremendous new job, she is a class person and coach. 

The baseball team runs the concession stand.   I have tried to teach them how to pop popcorn correctly, it hasn't taken.  I've seen fans bring their own popcorn.  It would be nice if they had a first floor location and more selection.  Not that they don't already have enough to argue about I think arch rivals Loras and U. of Dubuque have best concession stands in the conference.

UD is expanding their gym.  Knocking out a wall and there will be seating on 3 sides now and then the usual standing over the railing on the 4th side.  Maybe with the additional seating the Spartans will add even more to their concessions.  Have their concessionaires come over from the Heritage Center and add Chinese food and ice cream and what not.  With the expansion to Stoltz, maybe my wife will let us road trip to Dubuque for a game now.  She loves football road tripping but hates driving in the winter.  Trips to Coe and Wartburg have been our only basketball ventures the past few years. 

[Bird Dog]

I always thought U. D. the wall was a little close on the ends hopefully they will gain a few more feet.  Coe reconfigured Eby in 2007-8 or so.  They put in new bleachers, but put an aisle right under the basket with a step up.  Seems that is dangerous sliding into the sharp edged step.  Aisle should have been put on the ends. 

Last time I was at the concession at U. Dubuque the concession worker (#1)  says what can I get you.  I said could the concession worker (#2) that just walked help me instead.  The young man (#1) says why?  I said I was in the restroom and that young man (#2) was in there and I know he washed his hand.  Everyone laughed and concession worker #2 said good call I wouldn't trust these guys hygiene either.

[doolittledog]

Basketball attendance stats here...

http://www.hoopfeed.com/content/2015/07/06/ncaa-womens-basketball-attendance-across-divisions-eclipses-11-million-for-eighth-straight-year/

Dubuque was 3rd in the nation at a 791 average
Luther was 4th at 641
Wartburg was 8th at 591

The IIAC lead the nation in attendance with an average of 487

[Bird Dog]

Congrats IIAC, U.D, Luther, and Wartburg.  Noticed Iowa State had the seventh highest attendance at 206,000.  U of Iowa had seventh highest increase in home attendance with an increase of 900 more per game. 

[Bird Dog]

KCRG reports on news at six that Nebraska Wesleyan is joining IIAC.  From Cedar Rapids to Lincoln, Neb. is 320 miles, a 5 hour road trip.  C.R. to Storm Lake 213 miles 3 hrs. and 20 min.

This doesn't make sense to me. 

?Is this the start of a western division of IIAC?  ?Or, is it giving BV a (short) 180 mile 3hr. 11min.  road trip?  BV's road trips to Simpson and Central are a little longer but take a little less time than going to Lincoln. 

[doolittledog]

I understand the conference wanted more of a western presence. And I appreciate Nebraska Wesleyan was on an island as a d3 school in Nebraska. I also get that adding a team gives the conference insurance to keeping enough teams to keep auto qual to the post season. But this really seems like a stretch to me. I won't road trip there. I can't imagine they will develop rivalries in the IIAC like they currently have. I certainly don't want the name of our conference to change. There is too much history with our conference for that IMO

[Bird Dog]

I understand the conference wanted more of a western presence. And I appreciate Nebraska Wesleyan was on an island as a d3 school in Nebraska. I also get that adding a team gives the conference insurance to keeping enough teams to keep auto qual to the post season. But this really seems like a stretch to me. I won't road trip there. I can't imagine they will develop rivalries in the IIAC like they currently have. I certainly don't want the name of our conference to change. There is too much history with our conference for that IMO

Wesleyan is/was playing in an NAIA league with Briar Cliff, Dordt, and Morningside.

[5 Words or Less]

Will basketball Fri/Sat doubleheaders return?

[5 Words or Less]

Will basketball Fri/Sat doubleheaders return?

Possibly so per Lincoln's JournalStar

Fred Ohles (NWU's President) said the IIAC may be moving to more weekend competitions for volleyball and basketball, for instance. But the IIAC, like the GPAC, currently plays midweek volleyball and basketball contests

[Bird Dog]

I never did like week day games.  Any comments pro or con?  Does the Midwest Conference use Fri/Sat games?  Which leagues do? I assume there is a travel partner, which would be hard in a nine team league.  Motels for games to BV and NWU and if BV and NWU are travel partners they would have motel bills every away weekend.  Other schools would need motels in trip to BV and NWU.   


Travel Partners?
B.V./ N.W.U.

Central/Simpson

Wartburg/  Luther

D.U./Loras

Coe/bring back Cornell? add another team. 

Is there  a transition period from NAIA to DIII?  My faulty memory thinks NWU can't compete in tournaments for several years until scholarship players are gone.

I'm tired of speculating I'm sure the conference has all the details worked out.

[5 Words or Less]

NWU awards no athletic scholarships

Athletic Scholarships at NWU
Nebraska Wesleyan is affiliated with both the NAIA and the NCAA Division III, the only school in the nation with dual affiliation. Since there are no NCAA Division III schools within three hours of Lincoln (and only a handful within six hours), NAIA membership helps us manage our travel budget and missed class time. However, we follow the NCAA Division III philosophy of not awarding athletic scholarships, consistent with the idea that student-athletes are not treated differently from the other members of the student body.

[5 Words or Less]

I never did like week day games.  Any comments pro or con? 

Didn't IIAC schedule 1990's doubleheaders?

Is there  a transition period from NAIA to DIII?  My faulty memory thinks NWU can't compete in tournaments for several years until scholarship players are gone.

Men's BB-Board says no transition

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Is there  a transition period from NAIA to DIII?  My faulty memory thinks NWU can't compete in tournaments for several years until scholarship players are gone.

I'm tired of speculating I'm sure the conference has all the details worked out.

No transition needed. NWU has been a dual member of the NAIA and NCAA DIII for a number of years and has thus had to play by the NCAA rules to keep that eligibility. That means two things: they are eligible for post-season tournaments (and thus playing them counts in all criteria) immediately and there are no scholarship players on their teams.

[Bird Dog]

Kayla Waskow named assistant coach at Coe.  She graduated in 2013 with 14 school records and top 5 in 29 others.  If you go to Coe's women's basketball page and click on "additional links"  you can access the schools basketball records which have not been updated since 2013.