Bisonguy
02-16-2003, 05:50 AM
Okay, I know that NDSU is trying to get into the Big Sky now, but is it really the right fit for NDSU? After reading a few old posts, I stumbled across tony's reference to the NDSU Alumni Map, (http://www.ndsualumni.com/Maps/National/webmap.htm)and looked at the numbers in each state. The Big Sky states do have more alumni than the Gateway states, but the vast majority of NDSU alums live in ND or MN. The Gateway schools are much closer to Fargo and the Minneapolis areas. Here are the distances from Fargo to the schools in the Big Sky and Gateway conferences:
Big Sky
Eastern Washington(Spokane, WA) -1148.76 miles
Idaho State(Pocatello, ID) -1088.05 miles
Montana(Missoula, MT) -951.78 miles
Montana State(Bozeman, MT) -750.37 miles
Northern Arizona(Flagstaff, AZ) -1724.77 miles
Portland State(Portland, OR) -1499.96 miles
Sacramento St. (Sacramento, CA) -1895.76 miles
Weber State (Ogden, UT) -1215.94 miles
Total miles -10275.39
Average miles-1284.42
Gateway
Illinois State(Normal, IL) -693.37 miles
Indiana State (Terre Haute, IN) -880.06 miles
Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, IA) -448.69 miles
Southern Illinois(Carbondale,IL) -940.12 miles
SW Missouri State(Springfield,MO) -773.61 miles
Western Illinois(Macomb, IL) -711.35 miles
Western Kentucky(Bowling Green,KY) -1059.39 miles
Younstown State(Youngstouwn, OH) -1052.88 miles
Total miles -6559.47
Average miles-819.93
The mileage from the Twin Cities will slant even greater towards the Gateway. The Gateway has four schools that are a comfortable roadtrip from Fargo(in my perspective, less than 800 miles), but the Big Sky has only one.
Big Sky
Eastern Washington(Spokane, WA) -1148.76 miles
Idaho State(Pocatello, ID) -1088.05 miles
Montana(Missoula, MT) -951.78 miles
Montana State(Bozeman, MT) -750.37 miles
Northern Arizona(Flagstaff, AZ) -1724.77 miles
Portland State(Portland, OR) -1499.96 miles
Sacramento St. (Sacramento, CA) -1895.76 miles
Weber State (Ogden, UT) -1215.94 miles
Total miles -10275.39
Average miles-1284.42
Gateway
Illinois State(Normal, IL) -693.37 miles
Indiana State (Terre Haute, IN) -880.06 miles
Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, IA) -448.69 miles
Southern Illinois(Carbondale,IL) -940.12 miles
SW Missouri State(Springfield,MO) -773.61 miles
Western Illinois(Macomb, IL) -711.35 miles
Western Kentucky(Bowling Green,KY) -1059.39 miles
Younstown State(Youngstouwn, OH) -1052.88 miles
Total miles -6559.47
Average miles-819.93
The mileage from the Twin Cities will slant even greater towards the Gateway. The Gateway has four schools that are a comfortable roadtrip from Fargo(in my perspective, less than 800 miles), but the Big Sky has only one.