POTENTIAL Division 1 UPGRADES thread

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3797

Consider this the home for discussing schools considering upgrades from D2 to D1.

You'll find some of them on the Conference Realignment Grid.

I hope everyone with an ear to D2 like freaked, FSA, tarkio and the rest of you CSI members keep me posted via this thread and I'll make all the updates to the Grid.

Thanks!

gsohokiefan · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:10 pm

Schools I have seen mentioned as possible upgrades to Division I not already in the Conference Realignment Grid (sorry, I do not have links but will try to find them):

School (date upgrade mentioned)
Bellarmine (Nov. 2009)
Lincoln Memorial (Nov. 2009)
Tarleton State (Nov. 2009)
West Florida (Jan. 2009)

gsohokiefan · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:21 pm

Lincoln Memorial page on Wikipedia:

"Sports teams, called the "Railsplitters", compete in NCAA Division II in the South Atlantic Conference. The Chairman of the LMU Board of Trustees recently announced during a speech that the school is looking to move to Division I in 2011."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Memorial_University
Scroll down to "Athletics"

gsohokiefan · **Posted:** Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:39 pm

West Florida page on Wikipedia:

"According to local papers, UWF has recently created an "Athletics Visioning Team" for 2009. The purpose of this team is to find out whether or not the time is now appropriate for UWF to move its athletic programs up to NCAA Division I, and/or possibly add a football program."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Florida_Argonauts#Possibility_of_a_Football_Program.2C_Moving_to_NCAA_Division_I
Scroll down to "Possibility of a Football Program, Moving to NCAA Division I"

Quinn · **Joined:** Thu Oct 17, 2002 8:05 am **Posts:** 3797

great stuff!

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:53 am

I talked with Brandon, head of the D-II board for a couple of hours yesterday.
Every school I posted is or just has looked into D-I. You can't go D-I w/o a conference. Here are projections
N.Kentucky (OVC)
Lincoln Memorial (ASC)
W.Florida (ASC) Brandon says they need more money
W.Georgia (Big South)
LeMoyne (AEC) Brandon says they don't have the money
Bellarmine (want to move, no home?)

If/when the SLC loses UTSA and Texas St. to the FBS (Sun Belt?)
Tarleton St. (SLC) Brandon says they don't have the money
C.Oklahoma (SLC)

I vote that NKU, LMU and UWF should get a slot in D-I pretty quick.

Brandon said that UN-Omaha and Grand Valley St. are the most ready to be D-I but doesn't see them leaving D-II

tute79 · **Joined:** Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:25 pm **Posts:** 1621

What is the status of Oklahoma City University ?

I have them in the Sooner Athletic Conference of NAIA, but they were issuing press releases about seriously wanting to jump to D-I, right about the time the moratorium was imposed.

I'm really not familiar with them, but read that at one time they were D-I (?).

That's a heck of a leap, and I am wondering if it was serious, or "pie in the sky" ?

I would appreciate any insight on that one.....

s2c · **Joined:** Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:45 pm **Posts:** 29

The new NCAA rules would prevent NAIA (Houston Baptist) or former JC's (Utah Valley State) from moving directly to DI. A school like Oklahoma City would first have to move to DII and stay there for five years, before it would be eligible to be invited by a DI conference.

s2c · **Joined:** Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:45 pm **Posts:** 29

Fresno St. Alum wrote:

I talked with Brandon, head of the D-II board for a couple of hours yesterday.
Every school I posted is or just has looked into D-I. You can't go D-I w/o a conference. Here are projections
N.Kentucky (OVC)
Lincoln Memorial (ASC)
W.Florida (ASC) Brandon says they need more money
W.Georgia (Big South)
LeMoyne (AEC) Brandon says they don't have the money
Bellarmine (want to move, no home?)

If/when the SLC loses UTSA and Texas St. to the FBS (Sun Belt?)
Tarleton St. (SLC) Brandon says they don't have the money
C.Oklahoma (SLC)

I vote that NKU, LMU and UWF should get a slot in D-I pretty quick.

Brandon said that UN-Omaha and Grand Valley St. are the most ready to be D-I but doesn't see them leaving D-II

With UN-Omaha's new AD, he has made DI a priority. The Summit will reach out to them, which will give it six schools along I-29 from KC to the Canadian border.

Saw a web reference that Francis Marion in SC and the Atlantic Sun had mutual interest.

Grand Canyon has definite interest in DI - the Big Sky would have to change it's sports requirements, but GCU would be an ideal travel partner with NAU.

W Washington has been rumored as a DI candidate - supposedly the President dropped football so that a DI move could be made.

W Georgia and Valdosta St are likely candidates and both have been planning DI moves for a number of years - the Big South and or Southern are thought to have interest.

N Alabama has been studying DI with the OVC as a target.

W Texas A&M and the Southland are possible.

The Big West prefers UC-SD to CSU-Bakersfield, which has already moved up. UCSD does not fit the DII profile whatsoever, but would need to add athletic scholarships in a difficult financial environment.

Southern Indiana has also studied DI - the Summit or OVC might have interest. Harding in Arkansas also had DI interest, but it might have difficulty finding a league.

Wayne St has DI intentions, but finances and Oakland's presence in the Summit prevent membership in that conference.

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:10 pm

s2c, you got any links on...

Francis Marion (thought I heard something) (D-II guy said small school w/ small budget)
W.Washington (nothing) (D-II message board head said no way)
Valdosta St. (nothing) (D-II head said not enough money or their own stadium for football)
S.Indiana (nothing) (D-II head said they've been saying it for 20 years)
W.Texas A&M (only rabid fan wishing)
Harding (nothing) (D-II head says they are cutting costs)
UCSD (I thought I saw something on them too)(D-II head said this could happen)

Wayne St.(MI) did a study in 04 but decided not to.
I Know about Trev Alberts and UNO but Nebraska will try and block that.
Grand Canyon has no one that would take them except the GWC (which doesn't count as a conf.)

s2c · **Joined:** Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:45 pm **Posts:** 29

Fresno St. Alum wrote:

s2c, you got any links on...

Francis Marion (thought I heard something) (D-II guy said small school w/ small budget)
W.Washington (nothing) (D-II message board head said no way)
Valdosta St. (nothing) (D-II head said not enough money or their own stadium for football)
S.Indiana (nothing) (D-II head said they've been saying it for 20 years)
W.Texas A&M (only rabid fan wishing)
Harding (nothing) (D-II head says they are cutting costs)
UCSD (I thought I saw something on them too)(D-II head said this could happen)

Wayne St.(MI) did a study in 04 but decided not to.
I Know about Trev Alberts and UNO but Nebraska will try and block that.
Grand Canyon has no one that would take them except the GWC (which doesn't count as a conf.)

Francis Marion: a SC newpaper suggesting ASUN interest. Here a DI reference: http://www.entrepreneur.com/colleges/mba/1037581.html

Quote:

FMU's Patriots are successful enough that the school plans to move its entire athletic program to Division I in the coming years; two teams already compete at that level, with the other ten currently competing in Division II.

UCSD: student newspaper article copied onto message board:

http://www.waterpoloplanet.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4889

Grand Canyon and discussions with WCC:

http://www.gcu.edu/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=105&cntnt01returnid=69

A Big West or even Big Sky also are possible. (It is my belief that the Big Sky will not be able to sustain it's mandatory sports lineup - non-football schools will be accepted in the upcoming decade.)

Valdosta State: studying women's soccer, women's golf, and men's soccer as step to meet DI requirements. While VSU plays in a HS stadium, the stadium quality exceeds most that of most FCS schools. If W Georgia goes DI, VSU would be so isolated in the GSC, that it would practically forced to follow.

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:OVMRzQanhUkJ:www.valdosta.edu/finadmin/bac/documents/PBCminutes03-13-2009.pdf+%22Valdosta+State%22+%22Division+I%22&hl=en&gl=us&sig=AHIEtbT43FgKrKrH3QVoz_aiTrXyW1Mwrg

West Georgia
http://www.westga.edu/~stadium/game.html

Quote:

The other thing that it lends itself to is going to Division I. Once the stadium is built and we get to Division I, I can’t imagine the total economic impact but it’s going to be huge. A stadium is much more than just a place to play football.”

Tarleton State

DI is an official strategic goal by the year 2017
http://www.tarleton.edu/policy/documents/StrategicPlans/Strategic%20Plan%202007-2011%20McCabe%20small.pdf

Nebraska-Omaha

What Omaha is doing in hockey and the revenue that Omaha will produce is very poorly understood, except by fans who follow hockey:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/04/sports/04alberts.html

Omaha World-Herald Article cut/paste:

Quote:

Alberts does not have a timetable. The decision won’t be his to make. But he is convinced a University of Nebraska at Omaha move to Division I-AA for football and Division I-A for all other sports is inevitable.

“I do not speak on behalf of anybody but myself,’’ Alberts said. “It is my personal opinion that ultimately that will happen. When that time comes, I don’t know. But if our goal is excellence, it needs to happen.’’

Alberts said he has spoken to Chancellor John Christensen about Division I and said, “The chancellor and I are completely on the same page. We are searching for ways to make athletics not a burden but something that enhances the university.’’

What about the hurdle of getting something like that approved by the Board of Regents? Wouldn’t NU try to keep UNO from going Division I?

“I don’t sense that,’’ Alberts said. “I’ve talked with Coach (Tom) Osborne about it. I’ve talked to (Creighton Athletic Director) Bruce Rasmussen about it. What they’ve said is they just want UNO to be what UNO can be. ...

To that end, he’s laying the groundwork for a move up. Alberts has met with countless corporate leaders in Omaha, including a recent meet-and-greet with both Warren Buffett and David Sokol.

Wayne State - DI plans seem to have been dropped - no longer reference in it's strategic plan
S Indiana - most recent newspaper article states USI is fine in DII

Harding - there were references to DI shortly after UCA moved up, financial issues seem to have changed their focus

W Washington - by dropping football, WWU now has a Title IX issue (few $'s for men). At least one reference - that I can not find - suggested that WWU's president dropped football so that WWU could afford DI.

W Texas A&M - Amarillo newspaper columnist demanding a move up - referenced the AD - can't find the link - nothing official

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:02 pm

Good stuff, keep me updated on it.

D-II guy talked to W.Washington AD or SID. he said they have no intentions on moving to D-I. Like I said they don't have a home in D-I w/o football Sky only allows fb members, WCC private, Big West only in Cali.

I'm interested to see what the Big West will do. I don't think they'd go to 11 so will they wait for UCSD to move and screw over CS Bakersfield. Or will they add CSUB and if later Pacific leaves for WCC (One of the schools mentioned) add UCSD. I guess they could look for another CCAA move up and go to 12 if UOP stays.

You are right Valdosta St. will be f'd if UWG leaves but you can't go D-I without a conference now UWG just got busted for violations this week. A-Sun will go after non footballers like LMU and UWF. Maybe even Francis Marion. I read the article earlier on them. Sounds like wishful thinking. If UWG gets an invite it would probably be from the Big South puting them at 12 closing off VSU from getting in. I see the OVC adding NKU puting them at 12. If Jacksonville St. goes FBS, that could open a spot for VSU.

Yes I think that Tarleton St. and C.Oklahoma have a great shot at the SLC when Texas St. and UTSA leave. If WTAMU makes a play for D-I they'll have to compete with the other 2.

Grand Canyon doesn't have the money to start football like they said they were. They were supposed to have a team in 2010. Nope. I hope the WCC expands or Seattle is f'd. I think the 3 candidates (Seattle, Pacific, Denver, not West Coast but was mentioned) they had a couple of years ago would all get the nod over Grand Canyon.

Fresno St. Alum · **Posted:** Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:06 pm

remember all of these articles were posted before the new rules of (a conference must invite you, you pay 1.4 million to join, No post season for 8 years instead of 5). That will eliminate some schools.

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7268

Article out of Omaha with more speculation regarding a possible future UNO move to D-1.Link at http://www.omaha.com/article/20100123/SPORTS/701239833

freaked4collegefb · **Joined:** Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:37 pm **Posts:** 7268

Article out of San Diego with update on possible UCSD D-1 move at http://www.ucsdguardian.org/news/14818

POTENTIAL Division 1 UPGRADES thread

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