http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/07/07/sports2119EDT0406.DTL

Winston-Salem State begins push for Division I status

Wednesday, July 7, 2004


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(07-07) 18:19 PDT WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) --

Winston-Salem State's board of trustees approved a plan Wednesday for most of the school's athletic teams to move to Division I.

The school will submit an application to the NCAA seeking the change in classification by Dec. 1. That would formally begin a process that would allow the school to compete for Division I championships in all sports except football during the 2009-10 season.

The football team would compete in Division I-AA.

The school plans to seek membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Association. The school has been a member of the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association since 1946, but probably will leave the CIAA after the 2004-05 academic year.

The move means that Winston-Salem State will have to add at least 50 scholarships, at least three sports and as many as 15 coaches.

Winston-Salem State has 4,100 students and expects to have about 6,000 by 2010, the school said.

The Greensboro, NC TV news metioned discussions with the Southern and Big South Conferences, but WSSU's preference would be the MEAC to be in the same conference as long-time rival NC A&T.

Would this prove any blow to Wake Forest? I know it won't change the pecking order in the near future, but one thing Wake has had going for them was being the only big-game in town, allowing a private school of 4,000 students to draw 30k for football and 14k for basketball. Not that I expect WSS to begin drawing Michigan and Aurburn to their home field/court anytime soon.

Interesting find, Hokie.

Winston-Salem State and Wake Forest are very, very different institutions historically, culturally, academically, and financially; not much impact on each other.

We are talking about winston-salem, greensboro and high point know as the triad. they have the 3rd largest population in North Carolina. So there will hardly be any impact at all.

SIAA and CIAA why don't the whole conference move up to 1-AA? morris brown did it so did Savannah State. It seems to be a trend here that most D2 schools are moving up at a quicker rate than from 1-AA to 1-A.

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The Bear may be dead but he still hates Tennessee. Roll Damn Tide

For the same reason the whole SoCon and Big South has not moved up to A-1.

BTW - the correct name is SIAC

Once again rhett I did my homework morris brown lost its accreditation thats why the college is almost gone. second why don't you become a member and post good well thought out post. third do you even know where the triad is? Fourth not every school should be in D-1 the question was It seems to be a trend here that most D2 schools are moving up at a quicker rate than from 1-AA to 1-A. lets see how many schools have moved up from 1-AA to 1-A . its three FIU, FAU and LA-Monroe. How many D2 schools going up to D-1AA Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State. Longwood University, and more see the trend. Fifth if your trying to get under my skin its not going to work. Also I will be down in orlando until the 18th of july so i will not be on. I will go to espn studios to meet the gameday crew and will put in a good word about this site. until then thank you fbg

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The Bear may be dead but he still hates Tennessee. Roll Damn Tide

I think that it's a great opportunity for Winston Salem State. They are a State Supported School and they have been dominant in the Division II Ranks...I believe the MEAC will invite them will open arms...a WSSU and NC A&T Rivalry would definitely be good for the conference...

I forsee another I-A conference being formed by some of the top southern colleges in the I-AA Ranks in the next 5-7 years...maybe a combo of the best from the Southern and MEAC Conferences:

Western Carolina
App. State
Georgia Southern
NC A&T
Florida A&M
SC State
Hampton
Howard
Bethune-Cookman

It would be like a mini-ACC, most of these schools could probably pass the 15,000 attendance requirement...hopefully something like that would happen...

That is nowhere close to being a mini-ACC. Nor is Western in any position to make a I-A move, nor Howard or Hampton. They have neither the size or the alumni size to produce enough fans to fill up stadiums to the requirements.

App, GSU, A&M, SC State, and A&T are all possibilities. If you want to add the other "regional schools" that can float that as well, then add JMU, Delaware, EKU.