Howard is joining the NEC as an associate member in six sports. Northeast Conference@NECsports The Bison will begin NEC competition during the 2020-21 season in men’s and women’s swimming. In 2021-22, Howard will join the conference in women's soccer, men's soccer, women's lacrosse & women's golf.
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With App State dropping the sport and Howard moving to the NEC, I'd say it's bye-bye to Sun Belt men's soccer.

Previously, they played these sports in a mix of non MEAC conferences, they're basically just consolidating all the sports the MEAC doesn't sponsor to one conference, and it probably cuts down on travel a fair bit for them, too.

It definitely does establish a relationship between Howard/the NEC, but I think people are gonna read too much into this move.

Yes. It is just sort of like "going steady". They are not engaged-- but marriage may have crossed the mind of Howard.

(07-06-2020 12:16 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  With App State dropping the sport and Howard moving to the NEC, I'd say it's bye-bye to Sun Belt men's soccer.

MAC BELT SOCCER - 9 Members
Northern Illinois
Western Michigan
Akron
Bowling Green St
West Virginia
Coastal Carolina
Georgia St
Georgia Southern
Central Arkansas

Not that Central Arkansas was ever close to the rest of the conference, it may behoove them to apply to join the Summit for men’s soccer. The Summit has 6 schools, most of which are much closer.

They have article linking on their twitter, plus banners

https://twitter.com/HUBisonSports/status...8238373888

or their website

https://hubison.com/news/2020/7/6/genera...mbers.aspx

Well, it looks like if things go south for the MEAC, Howard has a way out lined up.

(07-06-2020 02:10 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Well, it looks like if things go south for the MEAC, Howard has a way out lined up.

Exactly. Would also explain why Delaware St is not getting any NEC love.

I can see Delaware State also moving Women's Golf, Women's Soccer and Women's Lacrosse to the NEC. Golf and Soccer are Independents and Lacrosse, like Howard plays in the ASUN. This would also put the NEC back on even numbers in Soccer (12) and Lacrosse (8), and it's a half step for both sides as well, with no disruption of the MEAC (for now). Perhaps that is what the Board's NEC talk was initially about. Howard's move makes that seem more likely.

Break glass exit strategies are coming into focus. Norfolk State, NC Central and SC State seemingly have talked with the Big South, at least bout football.

Who knows, MEAC leader Howard could be the one who goes first in 2022.

Delaware St would definitely fit in the NEC well in terms of their sports offerings. If things go sour and the NEC prefers even numbers, Delaware St could be Howard’s tag-a-long. Neither school are football behemoths so they wouldn’t come in and dominate.

The rest better hope for some sort of ASUN/Big South deal because if not it’s the CIAA.

(07-06-2020 02:40 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  I can see Delaware State also moving Women's Golf, Women's Soccer and Women's Lacrosse to the NEC. Golf and Soccer are Independents and Lacrosse, like Howard plays in the ASUN. This would also put the NEC back on even numbers in Soccer (12) and Lacrosse (8), and it's a half step for both sides as well, with no disruption of the MEAC (for now). Perhaps that is what the Board's NEC talk was initially about. Howard's move makes that seem more likely.

Break glass exit strategies are coming into focus. Norfolk State, NC Central and SC State seemingly have talked with the Big South, at least bout football.

Who knows, MEAC leader Howard could be the one who goes first in 2022.

One minor side effect is that the ASUN is losing its third women's lacrosse team. Kent State and Akron are leaving with the MAC sponsoring the sport this year, a move that also cost the SoCon Central Michigan and Detroit

The ASUN and SoCon have a partnership that allows them to move teams to ensure they both can maintain autobid; Coastal Carolina was to be moved to the SoCon for the next two seasons to keep both conferences at five, but now with Howard gone, the ASUN will be down to four in 2021-22. A conference must still have five returning members to qualify for the NCAA's two-year waiver, so either the conferences will need to find a women's lacrosse program in the next year, or they may have to merge.

EDIT: Charlotte is supposed to be starting a program but I can't find when it's supposed to start play. They wanted an AAC invitation because at the time they approved the proposal, the AAC was looking at dropping to five schools when UConn left, but they backfilled with ODU. So if they're still planning to start lacrosse, they'll probably have to start in the ASUN or SoCon. The other new programs (Youngstown State, Pitt, Eastern Michigan) are spoken for.

I think the Howard President is genuine in rebuilding the MEAC. He went out of his way to conduct a 90-minute public Zoom conference on the league's future. And moving 6 sports to the NEC probably reaffirms it - why tip your hand unnecessarily?

(07-06-2020 02:40 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  I can see Delaware State also moving Women's Golf, Women's Soccer and Women's Lacrosse to the NEC. Golf and Soccer are Independents and Lacrosse, like Howard plays in the ASUN. This would also put the NEC back on even numbers in Soccer (12) and Lacrosse (8), and it's a half step for both sides as well, with no disruption of the MEAC (for now). Perhaps that is what the Board's NEC talk was initially about. Howard's move makes that seem more likely.

Break glass exit strategies are coming into focus. Norfolk State, NC Central and SC State seemingly have talked with the Big South, at least bout football.

Who knows, MEAC leader Howard could be the one who goes first in 2022.

I honestly think they are more likely to invite a D2 member to even things out. The 3 rumored ones (Bentley, New Haven, SNHU) all sponsor both soccer and lacrosse.

Women’s lacrosse probably reverts to one 8-team league until they can find some more programs.

(07-06-2020 04:06 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Delaware St would definitely fit in the NEC well in terms of their sports offerings. If things go sour and the NEC prefers even numbers, Delaware St could be Howard’s tag-a-long. Neither school are football behemoths so they wouldn’t come in and dominate.

The rest better hope for some sort of ASUN/Big South deal because if not it’s the CIAA.

DSU adds nothing to the NEC or really any conference. Howard is a great school, located in DC.

(07-06-2020 04:37 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  I think the Howard President is genuine in rebuilding the MEAC. He went out of his way to conduct a 90-minute public Zoom conference on the league's future. And moving 6 sports to the NEC probably reaffirms it - why tip your hand unnecessarily?

"I am absolutely committed to the MEAC, but I am building an escape route as we speak."

(07-06-2020 06:04 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(07-06-2020 04:37 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  I think the Howard President is genuine in rebuilding the MEAC. He went out of his way to conduct a 90-minute public Zoom conference on the league's future. And moving 6 sports to the NEC probably reaffirms it - why tip your hand unnecessarily?

"I am absolutely committed to the MEAC, but I am building an escape route as we speak."

If the Big South takes the kill shot he should have his school prepared

Howard's President seems to be taking the same role in the MEAC that Missouri's did for the B12 in 2011. !00% all in ... until he's not.

(07-06-2020 06:10 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(07-06-2020 06:04 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(07-06-2020 04:37 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  I think the Howard President is genuine in rebuilding the MEAC. He went out of his way to conduct a 90-minute public Zoom conference on the league's future. And moving 6 sports to the NEC probably reaffirms it - why tip your hand unnecessarily?

"I am absolutely committed to the MEAC, but I am building an escape route as we speak."

If the Big South takes the kill shot he should have his school prepared

Oh, I agree it's the smart move. His school's actions just seem to belie his ostensible confidence in the MEAC's survival.

(07-06-2020 08:29 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(07-06-2020 06:10 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(07-06-2020 06:04 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(07-06-2020 04:37 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  I think the Howard President is genuine in rebuilding the MEAC. He went out of his way to conduct a 90-minute public Zoom conference on the league's future. And moving 6 sports to the NEC probably reaffirms it - why tip your hand unnecessarily?

"I am absolutely committed to the MEAC, but I am building an escape route as we speak."

If the Big South takes the kill shot he should have his school prepared

Oh, I agree it's the smart move. His school's actions just seem to belie his ostensible confidence in the MEAC's survival.

You can have confidence that your home will survive a direct hurricane strike but you still have an evacuation plan if one's barreling up the coast toward you. Besides, the only move Howard has made thus far is finding one home for their non-MEAC sports. This doesn't really affect their MEAC status at all. If they wanted to go all-in with the NEC, they don't need to send them their swimming and soccer teams as a down payment.

My guess is that Howard can do better than the NEC and that's their real evacuation plan.