(04-25-2017 06:07 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(04-25-2017 06:01 PM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(04-25-2017 01:43 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(04-25-2017 10:13 AM)bluesox Wrote:  I wonder if hillsdale college could get some rich conservative donor to fund a move to d1 and they try to brand like Davidson. Maybe the summit might need some teams

If the Summit loses 1 or 2, they need to go after Bellarmine and USI asap. They're both ready to move up.

Lindenwood would need a home for football to move to the Summit from D-II but they're also ready.

Curious what your criteria is for Lindenwood being "ready". I would think they'd want to have some conference championships before they'd want to make a move up.

How many conference titles did Cal Baptist have in the Big 2 which they don't have football so big 1. conf. titles don't even matter or GVSU and NW Mo. St. would have been D-I years ago. It's the schools w/ big dreams that can afford to do it, that do it. Belmont, Birmingham-So. and Lipscomb had big dreams and did the no longer legal double jump. TAMU-CC went from nothing to D-I. FGCU went from not a school to D-II to D-I before even getting their feet wet.

It's probably all a moot point for the schools w/ football that won't drop it like Omaha to move to the WAC or SL. The SL would have to start football and force their MVFC members to play SL football. Then there'd be 4 spots or so in each for members w/ football.

So let me ask you who now in the NAIA has big dreams that you see going to D-II soon?

I don't think it needs to be in the high profile sports, they can make their name by being strong in minor sports to get their foot in the door. Cal Baptist has won 10 PacWest championships in the last 6 years they've been in the conference, covering almost all of their sports. They've proven they can win at the D2 level. If they want to give D1 a shot, more power to 'em. I guess we can say "more power" to Lindenwood too if that's what they want to do, but if they can't win in D2 why would we suggest they go?

The former NAIA schools you mention aren't really comparable. It was a different era, and they were highly successful already. These days, NAIA is roughly equal to D2; back then, they were definitely above D2 (except possibly in football). Add College of Charleston, who went directly from NAIA power to NCAA Big Dance Cinderella. Not that big a jump 20 years ago. And back then, there was no post-season ineligibility years that can cripple programs.

I think the last 8 years have shown the NAIA members that the grass is not greener in D2, and that it takes a great deal of money to maintain the same level of success. Sources of money are endowments, booster contributions, and bundling it in with tuition when you have enough students to spread it out into a minimal increase. I think most of the ones that qualify are already gone. I haven't heard of ANY D2 applications this year... there might be, but there's no scuttlebutt. I could give an unqualified "yes, could be successful" to any school over 5000 on campus undergraduates. 3000 would be a stretch. If it DOES happen, it will likely be someone like Biola (4225 enrollment) who's making the move to re-associate with with historic rivals like CBU, APU, CUI and PLNU, or like Davenport & Purdue NW (both over 10k enrollment) who get invites. Much more likely to be schools in the NAIA's sweet spot (private under 2500) or small public directional transitioning from D2 to the NAIA.