FB: Southern Athletic Association

[rjtiger]

Division III football has been seen as an enrollment driver for going on 30 years, and probably longer.

Here's a story I wrote going on 17 years ago about the reasons schools add football programs at the D-III level, and yes, enrollment is one of the reasons discussed:
https://d3football.com/notables/2005/adding-football-why-and-how

It is a business when it is all said and done.  My wife is a professor at a small D1 school and it drives her nuts how important the athletics are but she also realizes it does bring kids in.

I'm new to the D3 world and just love how much more pure it is, especially since the advent of the transfer portal and NIL.

I appreciate this message board it's about the only one I can find with solid info and fans.  Thanks to all those that contribute.

[Ralph Turner]

Division III football has been seen as an enrollment driver for going on 30 years, and probably longer.

Here's a story I wrote going on 17 years ago about the reasons schools add football programs at the D-III level, and yes, enrollment is one of the reasons discussed:
https://d3football.com/notables/2005/adding-football-why-and-how

17 schools in 9 seasons.

It's almost time for an update.

[Cowboy2]

Bob King, AD for Trinity, has a done a tremendous job for the Tiger Athletic programs in general.

Trinity has smaller student to professor ratios, smaller admission classes, and smaller recruiting classes than most schools in Texas. They want a smaller community feel for the entire enrollment, and offer the ability to excel in the classroom, while still enjoying the ability to excel in their specific sports arena. While each program would love to win a national championship, the school itself is still very academic oriented. They pride themselves more so on graduating the freshman that come to campus in 4 years, after completing rigorous undergrad programs, than all-American accolades. They emphasize Student Athlete. While the football team is starting to trend higher, a number of the other sports programs still remain elite in their associated conferences and continue to compete every season at a high level.

Take a look at the past few months of headlines, and you will see that the student is prioritized before athlete:

https://www.trinitytigers.com/landing/headlines-featured

[Ron Boerger]

Division III football has been seen as an enrollment driver for going on 30 years, and probably longer.

Here's a story I wrote going on 17 years ago about the reasons schools add football programs at the D-III level, and yes, enrollment is one of the reasons discussed:
https://d3football.com/notables/2005/adding-football-why-and-how

And just today, there's a story in the Chronicle of Higher Education discussing Fontbonne, a school which has seen nearly a 50% enrollment decline since 2010, using something called "sprint football" (no players over 178 pounds) in an attempt to eventually enroll another 80 students who would otherwise go elsewhere.  There obviously is no NCAA or NAIA competition for the sport; they're ginning up a new six-member league, with additional schools to sign on next year.   The school's president used this strategy successfully at Caldwell University (NJ) in an area where sprint football was established, with the nine-member Collegiate Spring Football League which is the only other organized sprint league in the country.

The article (which is behind what appears to be a paywall, but is free to anyone signing up for an account) includes this:

"Frankly," [school president Blattner] said, these students "would not be here for any other reason except they want to continue to do something that they excelled at in high school, but they're simply, through their stature, not able to compete in a D-I, D-II, D-III, or NAIA school on a regular football team."

[Pat Coleman]

Take a look at the past few months of headlines, and you will see that the student is prioritized before athlete:

https://www.trinitytigers.com/landing/headlines-featured

I wouldn't argue you there, but I would note that over the summer is when those academic awards are typically posted. There's not a lot of other offseason news. Let's revisit this page on like Oct. 15.

[Cowboy2]

Take a look at the past few months of headlines, and you will see that the student is prioritized before athlete:

https://www.trinitytigers.com/landing/headlines-featured

I wouldn't argue you there, but I would note that over the summer is when those academic awards are typically posted. There's not a lot of other offseason news. Let's revisit this page on like Oct. 15.

Well, hopefully it will be filled with a lot of positive news stories  I'm sure there will be ample coverage of men's and women's soccer and cross country. Those teams continue to show up each fall.

I know the conversation kicked offed originally about football programs success in relation to recruiting being used as means to boost enrollment and tuition revenue for various institutions, but I was commending the athletic department for continuing their success in multiple sports, while still keeping smaller recruiting classes with and emphasis on academics while maintaining excellence across the board for all of their programs.

Still a ways to go, I think Trinity finished top 20 for the cup last year, so that puts them in the top 10% sports wise for D3. Just wanted to point out that football isn't necessarily the only sport they have had recent success in. As for the D3 argument over other levels, Trinity has done well to provide the opportunity for their students to receive a fine education while competing at a high level

[BSCpanthers]

We are now inside of 2 weeks to kickoff.  Anyone know of any week 0 DIII games???

Unfortunately it'll be week 2 before I see my Panthers in person, won't be making the trip to Little Rock for the season opener.

[Pat Coleman]

We are now inside of 2 weeks to kickoff.  Anyone know of any week 0 DIII games???

Unfortunately it'll be week 2 before I see my Panthers in person, won't be making the trip to Little Rock for the season opener.

D-III teams are not allowed to play in Week 0. Sept. 1 are the first games.

[The Third Division]

We are now inside of 2 weeks to kickoff.  Anyone know of any week 0 DIII games???

Unfortunately it'll be week 2 before I see my Panthers in person, won't be making the trip to Little Rock for the season opener.

D-III teams are not allowed to play in Week 0. Sept. 1 are the first games.

Isn't thiel playing hilbertthis Saturday?

[Caz Bombers]

We are now inside of 2 weeks to kickoff.  Anyone know of any week 0 DIII games???

Unfortunately it'll be week 2 before I see my Panthers in person, won't be making the trip to Little Rock for the season opener.

D-III teams are not allowed to play in Week 0. Sept. 1 are the first games.

Isn't thiel playing hilbertthis Saturday?

Thiel has 10 games scheduled starting 9/3 but Hilbert is not one of them.

[Ron Boerger]

The only week 0 "games" I know about are scrimmages, e.g. Trinity at TLU this weekend. 

[Cowboy2]

Trinity will skip down the highway to TLU this Thursday for their annual preseason scrimmage. They're off this coming weekend, and then at home in San Antonio the first 3 weeks....

Reading up on some of the other boards, some teams had scrimmages this past weekend already. 

[BSCpanthers]

BSC scrimmaged at LaGrange last Thursday.  From what I've heard we looked good on defense, and came away with no injuries, which is the most important thing this time of year. 

[Ron Boerger]

SAA pre-season poll is out:  Trinity gets seven first place votes and one second, BSC, Berry, Centre very tight for second. 

Sewanee got the other first place vote ...    

https://saa-sports.com/news/2022/8/24/trinity-picked-to-repeat-in-saa-football-preseason-poll.aspx

1. Trinity - 63 pts. (7)
2. Birmingham-Southern - 48 pt.
T3. Berry - 45 pts.
T3. Centre - 45 pts.
5. Hendrix - 27 pts.
6. Rhodes - 25 pts.
7. Millsaps - 18 pts.
8. Sewanee - 17 pts. (1)

[BSCpanthers]

Whoever wins the Oct 8 meeting in San Antonio between BSC and Trinity will go a long way to deciding the conference champ.  Was a great game in Birmingham last season, expecting another good one this season.