Geographically, it would make more sense for the Big South to add Longwood for all sports but football, and North Alabama for football only. The other half of the equation would be North Alabama joining the Atlantic Sun for all sports but football. Since the Atlantc Sun is losing its one member in North Carolina, it really doesn't make sense for them to add a member in east central Virgnia. North Alabama would be a short drive from Lipscomb in Nashville, and Kennesaw State is not much further.

Longwood would be a full D-I member while UNA would have to go through the whole process. Lets hope they add someone. UNA would stretch the conf further to the southwest. other than KSU and Lipscomb everyone is kinda far. For Longwood everyone but ETSU is kinda far, ASC can't be too picky since they are the bottom conf. in D-I. Maybe they should take NKU, UNA, Longwood and split into div.

UNA may have another option, since the SLC wants fb playing schools, if no LSC school wants to move D-I then UNA is there only fb option. They could have them for fb only like Jacksonville St was for the SLC, or all sports if they need them bad enough

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BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

Good point, Fresno. Longwood already being a member of the D-I club may finally be what gets them into a conference. The Atlantic Sun really only needs seven Division I members (see the WAC's Proposal 2010-100), but UNA would not be active for several years.

Travel situtation for UNA in the Southland is almost a push with the Atlantic Sun:

Central Arkansas 315 miles
Nicholls State 392 miles
Southeastern Louisiana 403 miles
Northwestern State 487 miles
Sam Houston State 537 miles
McNeese State 573 miles
Stephen F. Austin State 579 miles
Texas-Arlington 630 miles
Lamar 631 miles
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 943 miles
Average: 549 miles (all 10 schools); 540 miles (without Lamar); 550 miles (without SHSU); 540 miles (without Lamar and SHSU)


Lipscomb University 102 miles
Kennesaw State 225 miles
Mercer University 344 miles
USC-Upstate 435 miles
Jacksonville University 580 miles
North Florida 587 miles
East Tennesse State 636 miles
Stetson 645 miles
Florida Gulf Coast 857 miles
Average: 490 miles

If the Southland replaces Lamar with UALR (265 miles), it cuts UNA's average distance by about 35 miles. If the Atlantic Sun adds Longwood (637 miles), it pushes the Atlantic Sun's average up to 505 miles.


The Southland would probably be better off extending UNA an invite now, and by the time the WAC finally invites Lamar and/or Sam Houston State, UNA would be far enough along in the transition process to be competitive.

that's an impressive stat line. I do think UNA and NKU have more to offer than Longwood. But I don't know if the A-Sun sees it like me. I think Longwood has been rejected by the Big SOuth 3 or 4 times. I believe the BSC only wants schools w/ football, and Campbell might have only got in w/ the hope/promise they'd add schollies. I see Kennesaw St. taking the 12th spot in that conf. and it being full.

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WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

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BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

You gotta think that Longwood would take the ASun at this point although they would definitely prefer the Big South. Kennesaw does seem like a Big South natural once they get football going although they could probably do football only Big South if they did not want to be the Big South Southern Outlier.

http://www.goargos.com/article.asp?articleID=4780

posted on the sunbelt board...uwf would be a natural fit in the atlantic sun. it might be wise for the big south and atlantic sun to work on football together with non revenue sports being in geographic friendly leagues

I think that would be the best case scenario but I doubt that it would happen...

Atlantic Sun has 9 schools, with 4 in Florida, 2 in Georgia, 2 in Tennessee, and 1 in South Carolina; and 11 Big South schools with 3 in Virginia, 4 in North Carolina, and 4 in South Carolina. The possible additions are D1 independent Longwood in Virginia, and D2 upgrades Northern Kentucky, North Alabama, and possibly West Florida. Its seems pretty simple to me, Longwood joins the Big South giving it 4 VA schools with a total of 12 and the rest join the Atlantic Sun giving it 12.

North Alabama and West Florida could give the Big South Football E&R Conference two closer member rather than Stony Brook, and if Jacksonville (or Campbell) ever decides to add scholarships then they could save some travel money and have a home for their programs to land making it a nice little 8-10 team football conference like the MEAC or Southern Conference.

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Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

Outside the box idea:

Could the Atlantic Sun invite 3 MEAC schools, offering them reduced travel?

A-Sun North - Lipscomb, ETSU, USC Upstate, Kennesaw State, Mercer, Savannah State
A-Sun South - Florida Gulf Coast, Stetson, Jacksonville, North Florida, Florida A&M, Bethune Cookman

The MEAC's 3 southernmost membres cut out the trips to Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Both the Atlantic Sun and MEAC end up at an even number of members (12 and 10, respectively). The remaining MEAC members would also see their footprint tighten.

Football would be the only issue; either the incoming MEAC schools would need to stay in the MEAC for football, or join the Big South for football. The Southland could even be a possibility down the road given how many of their members are moving or have talked about moving to the WAC or Sun Belt. With Kennesaw State beginning scholarship FCS play in a few years, the Atlantic Sun would only need two more members to form its own FCS league. While it is unlikely that Jacksonville, Stetson, or Mercer (Pioneer Football League) could make that leap, a possible new program at Florida Gulf Coast and a resurrected program at ETSU would be the most likely candidates.

It would never happen and the MEAC wouldn't let them leave for other sports and keep fb. Fb is the only problem but is the biggest sport and is the main reason FBS/FCS conf. expand.

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NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]

Savannah State also has a small following. Outside of the city of Savannah, you barely see anything about them. Going into the MEAC with many of their peers is a much better fit. They can grow the program that way.

Article out of Cincinnati with comments from Atlantic Sun Commish and others regarding league expansion with a school like NKU.Link at http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2011 ... ejects-NKU

Article out of Naples with comments from Atlantic Sun Commish and NKU AD regarding NKU/Atlantic Sun situation at http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/dec ... n-good-fit

Article out of Cincinnati reporting that NKU is expected to accept Atlantic Sun invite tomorrow at http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/n ... c-sun.html

Gets them back to 10

So where does UNA go?

_________________

WRANGLERS 153-55-1 CVFL CHAMPS '04 '05 '09 '12

NFL CHAMPS '29 '30 '31 '36 '39 '44 '61 '62 '65 '66 '67 '96 '10

BW/WAC/MWC CHAMPS '77 '82 '85 '88 '89 '91 '92 '93 '99 '12
['08 NCAA BASEBALL CHAMPS]