(05-01-2017 07:25 PM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(05-01-2017 03:01 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  You always say NAIA was better than D-II, funny the D-II guys said they've always been better. I look at it this way, the D-II playoff schools the last 15-20 years were better than the NAIA playoff schools for the most part, in football and basketball. The GVSUs, UNA, NW Mo, UND, N.Colos, Valdosta Sts were better than the Carrolls, Sioux Falls, Georgetown(KY), St. Francis(IN) NW Ok. Same in bball, the CSUBs, Kentucky Wesleyans, Metro St., UC Davis> Life, Ok City, G'town, Birm-So.

It depends on the sport, and that usually comes down to scholarships.

D2 football is better than NAIA football because there difference is (I think) 50% more scholarships for D2. NAIA allows 24 (but doesn't count honors students and JVs) and D2 - I think - allows 36(?). Football is what most here care about I guess. There aren't many head to head games to compare for sure, the one that does come to mind is Marian vs. Indianapolis.

For basketball, yes I think NAIA is better but not by much. Eleven scholarships (again, not including honors students) vs 10 for D2. There are a couple of head to head comparisons that bear this out, although they are getting a little old. NAIA St Catharine was a 1st round tournament loser in 2011 but beat D2 national champion Bellarmine. NAIA Westmont didn't qualify for the 2010 national tournament but beat D2 champion Cal Poly Pomona. If you have other comparisons that show otherwise let me know.

If the GNAC wants football or members? I think the public schools in the Cascade Conference might be able to make a move. I read an news article that Southern Oregon made a new record for enrollment of over 8000 students enrolled at the same time for last fall. Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon, Oregon Tech and Evergreen State College might be able to join the GNAC. GNAC is mainly made up of Oregon, Washington, one Canada and one Idaho school. Playing football at Western Oregon, Central Washington, and Vancouver could be cheaper. College of Idaho could step up there as well for a travel partner for Northwest Nazarene.

Oregon:
Eastern Oregon
Southern Oregon
Western Oregon
Oregon Tech
Concordia-Portland

Idaho:
College of Idaho
NW Nazarene
Lewis And Clark State

Alaska:
Alaska
Alaska-Anchorage

Washington:
Central Washington
Saint Martin's
Seattle Pacific
Western Washington
Evergreen State

Simon Fraser

Montana:
Montana State-Billings

Football affiliates:
Azusa Pacific
Humboldt State

Soccer:
Mary (North Dakota)


I could see the California public schools moving with the public schools in D2.

Cal.-Merced D2 over 7000 students in the fall of 2016. They are around the size of North Alabama that is moving to D1.
California Maritime D3
Johnson and Wales-North Miami shows over 16,000 students, but that is all campuses combined.
St. Thomas in Florida over 4000 might find a place in D2. They would be bigger than some D1 schools right now.
Southeastern might find a spot in D2.
College of Coastal Georgia, Dalton State, Georgia Gwinnett (close to 12,000 students in 2016), Middle Georgia State,
Roosevelt
Indiana Tech 9652
Indiana U. East
Indiana U. Kokomo
Indiana U. Northwest
Indiana U. South Bend 8000 +
Indiana U. Southeast
LSU-Shreveport
Loyola-New Orleans
Lawrence Tech
Michigan-Dearborn over 9000 students.
Missouri Baptist
Bellevue
Northwestern Ohio
Shawnee State
Bethel, Tenn.
Houston-Victoria


Those are large enrollment that is actually more than severa; D2 and several D1 schools.