University of New Orleans & D3-D1

[Tacttm1]

UNO has filed the formalities as of today:

http://www.nola.com/uno/index.ssf/2010/05/uno_submits_division_iii_appli.html

Seems like the talk is that ASC is still their first choice......of course that has to be a two way street!!  

Defections to other D1 programs in Basketball have been fast and furious and the baseball coach reports that he hasn't seen as many departures as he had thought, thus far.

[Ron Boerger]

I see the typical know-nothings saying things like "D3 is glorified club sports" and "UNO can start a football team, they have a club team already" are out in full force.

[Pat Coleman]

Well, the club team gives them at least a semblance of an infrastructure for starting the sport -- potentially some equipment if nothing else.

[Tacttm1]

Ron:  You are correct about the D3 comments amongst some supporters of UNO athletics.  Much of that has been generated by the "process" over the past year and also some is a by-product of being unfamiliar with the emphasis of D3 programs and the lack of exposure to high performing D3 programs in this immediate area..

The leaders of the curent club football program have done much of the damage (my word) to the Athletic Program by aligning themselves with political factions, against many of the Supporters groups and seeking to follow a 'lone wolf' strategy. 

I believe that UNO is best aligned as a D-1 program, but due to the myriad of circumstances, the shift to D3 is necessary at this time. 

If the University would plan to use some of the eventual additional money to hire real coaches for football, they may be able to put together a legitimate program and (re)gain community support.  UNO Athletics is forced to 'pay back' monies to the general fund stemming from deficit years of operation; I am told other State schools in LA are not forced to negotiate this accounting process.


**this post is opinion-heavy...but then again mosy posts are!**

[Ralph Turner]

The critical thing for the other schools in D-3 is to understand that UNO is committed long term to D-III. 

Any rumblings about trying to re-enter D-1, thru what is now a 6-7 process, will not endear D-III schools to UNO as potential conference member.

IMHO, those D-1 rumors and scuttlebutt need to be squelched early and often, if UNO is to build D-III presence.

[Tacttm1]

ASC Presidents meetings coming up........


I believe the University of New Orleans will 'probably' be in attendance to do some glad-handing when their hats are not in their hands, looking to further the cause, make nice and lay some groundwork for an entry petition.

http://www.nola.com/uno/index.ssf/2010/05/university_of_new_orleans_begi.html

[BigPoppa]

UNO moving to D3 makes me wonder if Carthage Coach Augie Schmidt, a Privateer ('80-'82), and 1982 Golden Spike Award winner while there, would ever consider leaving Kenosha to move to his alma mater.

I doubt he'd go as his ties have always been to Carthage as he and his father, Augie III, are the only Carthage coaches to ever win CCIW baseball titles at Carthage.

[Just Bill]

Sounds like the UNO baseball coach plans to stay.  But if he wasn't and I was the UNO AD, that would be one of my first phone calls.  An alum with deep, successful D-III experience? No brainer.

[Tacttm1]

Following up on UNO and D3; unsure if they were at some recent ASC meetings or if they ae scheduled for the next set(June??)

There is also some talk about D2 being explored with the feeling that the UNO financil picture being a bit more understood by November or so in time fro December applications.

Thoughts and comments are always welcome.  So are the lucky lottery numbers!

[Ralph Turner]

Following up on UNO and D3; unsure if they were at some recent ASC meetings or if they ae scheduled for the next set(June??)

There is also some talk about D2 being explored with the feeling that the UNO financil picture being a bit more understood by November or so in time fro December applications.

Thoughts and comments are always welcome.  So are the lucky lottery numbers!

I have not heard if they were at the ASC Presidents' Meeting last week.

The Re-classifying list for D-III should be made public in August.

I haven't heard if there is another school wanting to go D-III to be travel partner with UNO for the sake of the ASC or the Great South AC.  As it is now, UNO is another 3.5 hours beyond Louisiana College.  Having another D-III school in NOLA would make UNO more attractive.

If UNO finances athletics out of a student activity fee, then D-II might fit the existent budget.  There are no D-II football schools nearby UNO.  Would the Gulf South Conference want a New Orleans presence?

[Tacttm1]

Here is the most recent update from UNO on their path to D3 classification:

http://www.unoprivateers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=16700&ATCLID=204964402

text:

NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans received approval from the NCAA Division III Membership Committee to move forward with its multi-year reclassification process.

In late July, the NCAA Division III Management Council, which makes the final decision on provisional and reclassifying membership, will review UNO's application.

The Membership Committee provided UNO with a list of recommendations associated with its reclassification to Division III.

They include:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The institution will adhere to its plan provided in the application to ensure that it is meeting all sport sponsorship requirements prior to the 2011-12 academic year. Schools with enrollments of over 1,000 students have a Division III sport sponsorship minimum of 12 sports - six men's and six women's.



<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->The institution will work closely with a mentor institution.

UNO currently competes in nine sports, of which five are men's and four are women's.   It intends to add football, women's golf, and women's soccer in the coming year.   

Additionally, the University has partnered with the University of Texas at Dallas over the past several months.

UNO is committed to the Division III approach of combining academics, competitive sports, and an opportunity for student-athletes to pursue a broad range of interests.

UNO will withdraw its membership from the Sun Belt Conference on June 30 and compete as an NCAA Division I Independent Transitioning to Division III in 2010-11.

The University last competed as an NCAA Division I Independent from 1975-76 and again from 1980-1987.

In anticipation of the 2010-11 athletic calendar year, the Privateer coaching staffs have finalized their schedules, which will be announced over the next several months. The UNO volleyball team will be the first program to compete in 2010-11, beginning competition at the end of August.

[Pat Coleman]

Thanks -- I got this same release and have sent a few follow-up questions to UNO which I am hoping they will be able to answer.

[dodgerwv]

Interesting comment by the Gulf South Conference's commissioner on wanting to lure UNO into that league, also wanting to get Mississippi College to return. 

http://www.bolivarcom.com/index.cfm?event=news.view&id=85371EFE-19B9-E2E2-67A8D7847B945874

[radiodavel]

dodgerwv- good find on the article, GSC Commissioner is a good man.  I'm not sure that what he is looking at can happen, but if anyone could do that...he could.  A lot of hoops to jump thru for UNO if they
would ou would be surprised how many times that happens.  That should be the first thing a school does in a process like this, to read it on the web or in the paper is not very professional.

GSC will survive, will be interesting to see how they salvage all of this...

[K-Mack]

I don't think CC is going anywhere.  They work very hard to cultivate the "elite academic" vibe that just doesn't come through the same way in d2.  Didn't they just join the conference recently?

SCAC travel costs CC a fortune; every away game is a plane trip.  They still retain a couple of D1 sports so they're not all that in love with the 'pure' D3 model.  D2 would let them play a lot closer to home and financial considerations are a big concern in the Springs right now.  It's purely speculation but their presence in the SCAC is a complication for everyone else in the conference, travel-wise.  It might be that everyone, including CC, would be better served by their departure. 

Travel logisitics seem to be a problem everyone could have anticipated when the SCAC agreed to let CC in. It's not as if they just moved out there.