Article out of Pitt with comments from Duquesne AD regarding A-10 realignment situation at http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/spo ... ape-678394

So he's basically saying...we know we're losing Temple/Charlotte, and think we're losing Xavier/Butler but if that's all we'll be okay...lol

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You guys better get on that, if Denver said no then Belmont is their top option. First to ask them out wins

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With the Big East set to add Xavier and Butler from the A10 for #8 and #9, with Creighton the rumored #10 school, and then Dayton and St. Louis for the #11 and #12 spots, it certainly is a blow for the A10.

The western flank has been great for conference since Xavier and Dayton joined. The additions of St. Louis and the Butler gave the conference even more in the region, with both those schools set to make the tourney this year.

But the lone positive in this might be that Creighton seems poised for the #10 spot. If that happens and Dayton and St. Louis get those last slots, it means Richmond remains in the A10. And with Richmond and VCU in the A10, it makes for a regionally sound conference that has some options.

In other words, with no midwest schools, it means that at least a pair would need to be added to make sense. Detroit? Wright St.? Valpo? I doubt it.

But it does make it easier to consider a move further south or in existing regions.

George Mason seems like a lock. You have GW, Richmond and VCU...three schools to align with. You have Lasalle (likely NCAA tourney school this year) and St. Josephs in nearby Philadelphia.

Or course, with VCU, Richmond, GW and if say, George Mason joins, it means that adding southern schools like a Charleston or Davidson could be considered. If not, you have your staples of Siena and other MAAC schools that could fit in.

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thoughts on stony brook quinn? I think if a nothern school is wanted, they are the best option. In all 3 of basketball, baseball, and football they are a quality side. why siena over them?

A-10 has got to be strategizing behind the scenes right now. They've known for 3 months that they'll likely be losing their 4 western schools.
Perhaps they will pull hte trigger on some invitation as soon as new Big East makes their expansion officially known (reportedly in next 7 - 10 days).

Didn't George Mason decline an invitation this past year ? Would the A-10 be more attractive to them now ?
Fewer trips out west... Better chance of placing higher in the A-10 BB, with Xavier, Butler, SLU gone....
Is that enough to change their mind ?

Mason didn't really decline the invitation--it was more like the A-10 retracted it when they found out they were losing both Charlotte and Temple and they didn't want an odd number of schools and VCU and Butler were more attractive.

I'm curious as to who you guys think would be the best candidates for the A-10? Do they rebuild within their footprint or do they try to get back into North Carolina with Davidson and a school of Davidson's choosing?

I keep hearing NY schools like Albany, Stony Brook, Hofstra, and Siena tossed around. Is there one in that group that stands out from the rest as the smart add?

GMU - Natural Rivals with Richmond, VCU, and GW. Solid program that has sustained itself since its Final 4 run. Makes for an awesome southern division with your Philly, DC, and VA schools

Stony Brook - IMO the best overall FCS athletic program in the northeast region. Solid in football, basketball, and baseball. Gives the A10 another state school to compliment URI and UMass

VCU, Richmond, GMU, GW, LaSalle, St. Joe's
UMass, URI, Stony Brook, Duquesne, St. Bony, Fordham

Solid programs and geography, excellent divisions, basektball still top priority (particularly in the South), Good mix of Public/Private. Good market coverage from Boston to Richmond.

If you don't go back to the midwest

George Mason
Davidson
Siena
Northeastern

If Davidson needs another southern Charleston over Northeastern

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George Mason looks like a natural.
I wouldn't think Davidson would be too isolated in NC with 3 VA schools (I'm including GMU in that).
Any of Northeastern, Hofstra, Siena, I suppose - I honestly don't know how decent their BB programs have been over the long haul -
it's usually a function of the coach that's been there for any given era.

With this realignment, I would like to see AE remain a conference of northeasern public and/or "flagship" schools, and would hope they would hang onto
Stony Brook et. al. In fact, I'd like to see Rhode island and Delaware wind up in AE, but I'm not sure there is any scenario that makes that happen.

If CAA loses GMU to A-10, and maybe JMU to SunBelt (assumes FCS -> FBS upgrade), the CAA could be reduced to a picked-over mess.
C of C might re-think their move to the CAA. W&M might solicit an offer from the Patriot.
If that sort of thing starts happeneing, I could see the AE and MAAC swooping in and cherry-picking the rest, and AE taking over sponsorship of CAA FB.
If they did the latter, they could offer CCSU / Bryant an all-sports package (including FCS football league).

I agree--if this plays out a certain way the CAA really will be a picked over mess because their is no cohesion among the schools left behind.

Here is something else to consider: What does the A-10 do if the Big East never follows through and takes St Louis and Dayton OR East/West politics in the BE leaves Dayton in the A-10 but takes Richmond instead? Do either of these scenarios necessitate adding at least one midwestern school to the A-10 or does the "disloyalty" of these two programs mean they get zero favors from the A-10? I don't think the A-10 would want a MVC or Horizon League coming in and taking these two schools if they can't get in the BE.

If there were 2 midwest schools left, that would be ideal for the A10...they'd likely just remain as they are. If all the midwestern schools leave, then no, no NEED to add from the region unless you want to.

And if 1 midwest school is left, meaning if Creighton and Richmond joined the Big East, then yes, I think you would see a miswestern school added to support Dayton (assuming they were left behind). But that would be based on Dayton remaining...likely you'd see a special clause added to increase their exit fee if they left...since as you implied, the A10 wouldn't want to add a midwest school like a Valpo, if all the other ones left.

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Looks like the there will be two midwest schools left for at least 1 year. I wonder if the Big East will fall in love with the 10 team model and decide to stay put. That would be nice

Andy Katz blog article discussing A-10 realignment situation at http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... basketball

To truly replace what they're losing, this conference can only go west at this point: Wichita State, Northern Iowa, SIU, Missouri State, Valpo, UWGB or UWM. Most of those aren't likely because of the location AND football issue, but the longer schools like SLU and Dayton call the A10 home, maybe you give them a call?

I just don't like the eastern options outside of George Mason...it's mostly American East fare with Vermont, Albany, and Stony Brook. I don't like the SoCon and other CAA fare.

I have this bit of hope that the true Big East will crumble, making Temple come back. I also wonder how happy Old Dominion and Charlotte will be with the C-USA they'll be joining that doesn't resemble the one they were shown.