YSU was in the OVC at one time, and they left for the Horizon. Northern Ohio schools always feel uncomfortable aligned to the South.

The best targets haven't changed in years, WIU (Summit and MVFC football) and USI (D-II no football). But nothing has happened. APSU decided that the league was not going to expand or that the candidates that they were looking at were not adequate substitues for what they lost, and that more defections are likely in the near future. So they took control of their destiny and threw in with EKU and JSU. And reading blurbs from Beth DeBauche the OVC seems to have come up with nothing after her January 29th statement.

Quote: "It is now time for the OVC to look forward. As we evaluate expansion opportunities, our ten outstanding members remain committed to one another and to the student-athletes we serve. We are a strong conference that will continue to grow and thrive in the years ahead."

and now seem desperate, asking any collefe to call her, please, in the September 17th statement.

Quote:"We look forward to adding schools who, like the members of the OVC, are committed to our principles and our goals. We invite other colleges who are seeking this type of conference experience, for the betterment of their institutions, to contact us. The OVC welcomes those conversations."

Whether nothing much happened after EKU and JSU left and only now when APSU left were they spurred to end their slumber, or the responses of their targets was not enthusiastic, it doesn't seem the OVC has had any more success than the SLC in attracting interest. They are going to have to find something. It's just a matter of time before another school or two or three finds their parachute. It's a race to find the next school or two to join before the next one leaves.

I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if WIU moved conferences, but they like playing in the MVFC and have made no indication that they are looking to move. The only mention of moving seems to be speculation by people not involved.

(09-19-2021 10:29 PM)BirdstheWord Wrote:  I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if WIU moved conferences, but they like playing in the MVFC and have made no indication that they are looking to move. The only mention of moving seems to be speculation by people not involved.

Matt Brown has indicated it will happen.

(09-19-2021 11:09 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(09-19-2021 10:29 PM)BirdstheWord Wrote:  I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if WIU moved conferences, but they like playing in the MVFC and have made no indication that they are looking to move. The only mention of moving seems to be speculation by people not involved.

Matt Brown has indicated it will happen.

But I wonder with the OVC crumbling if that is no longer true. They might hit the pause button, which has been on pause for a few years. Why join if Belmont, Murray State, maybe Morehead State and Tennessee State bail out? The defections of APSU, EKU and JSU already weakened football to the point your football coaching staff would throw a fit if you tried to leave the MVFC for that.

Okay, so i Chicago State really interested in joining the OVC? I assumed they were dropping down from D-I athletics because they're, uh, no where near a D-I program.

I have been telling my fellow A-10 fans that Belmont should be #2 on our expansion list if we expand again (#1 is letting Gonzaga turn us down).

But I will need to see Alexander make the NCAA tourney once before vocalizing it again. I just LOVE the consistency of the Belmont basketball program. Consistency is so underrated. I'd rather invite a program that is consistently 17-13 than a program that goes 24-8 then 8-24.

I wonder if Murray State might go to the ASun instead of MVC? The MVC have been dragging their and the ASUN might start to look like a much stronger conferefnce? Like I said before, WIU going to OVC is a downgrade for them.

They could add a couple of non-football school like Lipscomb from the A-Sun (which has FBS aspirations anyway) and Lincoln Memorial, should Murray State leaveand they would be pretty decent for a D2 call-up. I had a fleeting thought about Augustana, but I doubt that they would go for the OVC. Seems like it is the Summit or bust for them.

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(09-20-2021 07:17 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  They could add a couple of non-football school like Lipscomb from the A-Sun (which has FBS aspirations anyway) and Lincoln Memorial, should Murray State leaveand they would be pretty decent for a D2 call-up. I had a fleeting thought about Augustana, but I doubt that they would go for the OVC. Seems like it is the Summit or bust for them.

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If they add WIU, football will be fairly stable at 7 allowing each team a guaranteed 3 home and 3 away games. With the Southland also low on members, the OVC and the Southland should be able to work together to fill the extra gaps. I doubt they would want to work with the ASun but that is an option too.

Tennessee St is a football schools that would probably appreciate less OVC football games as that gives them more room for SWAC and MEAC teams, especially MEAC since they are low on football members as well. EIU, TN Tech, UT Martin, and SE MO St, may not necessarily like it, but they don't have many other options.

Murray State is the biggest football flight risk at this point but even if they leave post WIU, football will still be ok.

The biggest concern of the OVC now is to keep Belmont on board. If you lose Belmont, you lose any chance at being anything other than a bottom feeder conference fighting for a #16 seed. Focus on Basketball and Belmont plus WIU and the OVC will be ok.

If Belmont leaves it will get messy. Give Belmont a reason to stay. I would say Bellarmine and Lipscomb all the way

(09-20-2021 02:19 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  I wonder if Murray State might go to the ASun instead of MVC? The MVC have been dragging their and the ASUN might start to look like a much stronger conferefnce? Like I said before, WIU going to OVC is a downgrade for them.

I would think the ASUN would be pleased to have Murray.

(09-20-2021 01:23 AM)JSchmack Wrote:  Okay, so i Chicago State really interested in joining the OVC? I assumed they were dropping down from D-I athletics because they're, uh, no where near a D-I program.

I have been telling my fellow A-10 fans that Belmont should be #2 on our expansion list if we expand again (#1 is letting Gonzaga turn us down).

But I will need to see Alexander make the NCAA tourney once before vocalizing it again. I just LOVE the consistency of the Belmont basketball program. Consistency is so underrated. I'd rather invite a program that is consistently 17-13 than a program that goes 24-8 then 8-24.

As perhaps the lone Belmont fan posting on this site, I agree that the Bruin program is consistently competitive. It's difficult to envision BU ever having a losing season. Alexander's system (taken from his mentor Rick Byrd) is firmly in place and almost guarantees 20 wins minimum each year. However, it also basically means Belmont might never win two games (or more) in the NCAA Tournament.

(09-19-2021 11:09 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(09-19-2021 10:29 PM)BirdstheWord Wrote:  I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if WIU moved conferences, but they like playing in the MVFC and have made no indication that they are looking to move. The only mention of moving seems to be speculation by people not involved.

Matt Brown has indicated it will happen.

And he is not involved. It's just speculation.

We just have to wait and see.

(09-20-2021 12:31 PM)BirdstheWord Wrote:  

(09-19-2021 11:09 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(09-19-2021 10:29 PM)BirdstheWord Wrote:  I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if WIU moved conferences, but they like playing in the MVFC and have made no indication that they are looking to move. The only mention of moving seems to be speculation by people not involved.

Matt Brown has indicated it will happen.

And he is not involved. It's just speculation.

We just have to wait and see.

He talks directly to people involved. This is why he's broke several moves. When Matt Brown's talking, it's taken the next step from speculation to something with legs.

If it wasn't Matt Brown, it would just be speculation. That I agree.

(09-20-2021 01:23 AM)JSchmack Wrote:  Okay, so i Chicago State really interested in joining the OVC? I assumed they were dropping down from D-I athletics because they're, uh, no where near a D-I program.

I have been telling my fellow A-10 fans that Belmont should be #2 on our expansion list if we expand again (#1 is letting Gonzaga turn us down).

But I will need to see Alexander make the NCAA tourney once before vocalizing it again. I just LOVE the consistency of the Belmont basketball program. Consistency is so underrated. I'd rather invite a program that is consistently 17-13 than a program that goes 24-8 then 8-24.

I don't think further expansion for a school not named Temple makes any sense for the A10. Could definitely see the MVC and/or SoCon finding value in Belmont though. Good geography/city for either league.

(09-18-2021 08:22 AM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  1) I would be very surprised if WIU doesn't join this league, and honestly, some sort of announcement may come before the end of the month. There was talk of trying to get the WIU news out there before the APSU stuff broke. That's been in the works for months and I expect it to happen.

And just when the Summit thought that it was stable!

Good news for Augustana?

(09-20-2021 02:46 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(09-18-2021 08:22 AM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  1) I would be very surprised if WIU doesn't join this league, and honestly, some sort of announcement may come before the end of the month. There was talk of trying to get the WIU news out there before the APSU stuff broke. That's been in the works for months and I expect it to happen.

And just when the Summit thought that it was stable!

Good news for Augustana?

Nah, The summit has enough in every sport to meet requirements. Maybe they pull in Northern Colorado for Swimming and Diving when their WAC contract comes up. Otherwise no action required.

(09-20-2021 04:12 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(09-20-2021 02:46 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(09-18-2021 08:22 AM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  1) I would be very surprised if WIU doesn't join this league, and honestly, some sort of announcement may come before the end of the month. There was talk of trying to get the WIU news out there before the APSU stuff broke. That's been in the works for months and I expect it to happen.

And just when the Summit thought that it was stable!

Good news for Augustana?

Nah, The summit has enough in every sport to meet requirements. Maybe they pull in Northern Colorado for Swimming and Diving when their WAC contract comes up. Otherwise no action required.

I forgot about UNC. I wonder if they would be willing to jump to the Summit and move football to the MVFC. Denver is nearby, so I would imagine travel costs would be marginally better.

I spoke to a Belmont baseball player this weekend. He said they are hearing this is the last season in the OVC. Not sure where they are going, but they are packing. He said they thought the MAC may be a possibility.

(09-20-2021 07:51 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  I forgot about UNC. I wonder if they would be willing to jump to the Summit and move football to the MVFC. Denver is nearby, so I would imagine travel costs would be marginally better.

No, just baseball and women's swimming don't have a home in the Big Sky.

(09-20-2021 10:01 PM)Shannon Panther Wrote:  I spoke to a Belmont baseball player this weekend. He said they are hearing this is the last season in the OVC. Not sure where they are going, but they are packing. He said they thought the MAC may be a possibility.

I can see Belmont leaving the OVC but I have a hard time believing it would be for the MAC. If Belmont leaves, I wonder what Murray State (also in the OVC) would do. Belmont and Murray State both have quality bball programs.

(09-20-2021 10:01 PM)Shannon Panther Wrote:  I spoke to a Belmont baseball player this weekend. He said they are hearing this is the last season in the OVC. Not sure where they are going, but they are packing. He said they thought the MAC may be a possibility.

MAC? Zero chance.

Im sure its the MVC. Kids in college dont know the difference.