SIU-Edwardsville closer to D-I

[89rabbit]

http://www.siue.edu/news/

Chancellor Recommends NCAA Division I Status For Athletics

(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) After nearly 40 years of a storied intercollegiate athletics program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the Cougars are a step closer to applying for reclassification to NCAA Division I status for all sports in the SIUE program.

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift presented his recommendation today to the SIU Board of Trustees to move the Intercollegiate Athletics program from Division II to Division I. The board will vote on the recommendation at its next meeting March 1. “The Cougars have been highly successful for many years as a Division II program,” Vandegrift said. “And, with Board approval, we will continue to perform at a high level against Division I teams.” . . . (read more)


Go State! :)

[DIBISON]

No doubt that they fit the Mid-Con profile, also a good geographic fit.

Good thing the the SU's are already in the Mid-Con.

[bisonranch]

Do they have football?



I decided not to be lazy and look...guess not.

[roadwarrior]

No football, but they have wrestling.

[tony]

Wasn't SIUE mentioned as a possible Mid-Con addition back when NDSU was praying for an invitation? Geographically, they are a pretty good fit.

Total enrollment is over 13,000 and they only have club football. Their basketball arena only seats 4000, but I seem to remember that they have a good womens BB program.

[Jeffdaryl3rd]

Thankfully we're already in, because otherwise the mid-con definitely could have waited and gone for these guys instead.

[89rabbit]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/othersports/story/652ECB0B7349AA82862572610017CD2D?OpenDocument

SIUE wants to move to Division I

By Kavita Kumar
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/12/2007

Leaders of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville say the school is ready for the big leagues.

Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift told the Board of Trustees on Thursday that after more than 16 months of study and deliberation, he has decided to recommend that the school move up to NCAA Division I athletics.

Vandegrift said he sees the move as a sign of the maturation of the university — a decision akin to when the school, once only a commuter school, decided to build residence halls. He said it also would help the school achieve its goal of having a more national reputation.

"Athletics is now being given the chance to catch up with academics," he said. "In my view, we're already a Division I university everywhere except on the athletic field." . . . (read more)


Go State! :)

[RedRiver]

Wasn't SIUE mentioned as a possible Mid-Con addition back when NDSU was praying for an invitation? Geographically, they are a pretty good fit.

Total enrollment is over 13,000 and they only have club football. Their basketball arena only seats 4000, but I seem to remember that they have a good womens BB program.

Great News. This move will give some back-up insurance for the Mid-Con, as they fit the conference and geographic profile.

NOT GOOD news for either USD or UND. They've just moved down in the Mid-Con expansion pecking order!!!

[NDSUguy]

One of the UxD's will be screwed. With SIUE (not to be confused with SUE or Sioux) in the mix they will likely be added due to their location. I would give the edge to USD with a huge location advantage over UND. If I were a Sioux fan I would get on the phone with the BSC and hope that they can get in bed with Fullerton! ;D ;D ;D

[Jeffdaryl3rd]

I could see both UXD's being totally screwed. I could easily see SIUE getting added without adding either one of the UXD's, and if the Big Sky wasn't tempted by NDSU and SDSU, why would they be tempted by UND and USD? I could easily see the UXD's spending a long, fruitless span of years in independent exile.

[mikelsch]

Independents looking for DI conference membership

SIU-Edwardsville
Texas-Pan Am
Utah Valley State
North Dakota
South Dakota
New Jersey Tech
Savannah State (GA)
Chicago State
Longwood (VA)
Oklahoma City (currently an NAIA power in many sports, but may be moving to DI)

Only UND, USD, and Savannah State have football

If the Mid-Con decides to add 2 members (to make 12 total), they will have some interesting choices. Eliminate Longwood, Savannah State, Chicago State, and NJIT for sure. Left with 6 choices for 2 spots.

[Hammersmith]

I wouldn't even leave out Chicago State. If they can get their house back in order, they may try to get back in in 3-5 years.

[Jeffdaryl3rd]

Everything I hear makes me feel better about the fact we made the jump when we did. We have a conference for all our sports lined up at the moment, and football hopefully shifting into a more long-term conference home soon.

[NDSUguy]

Everything I hear makes me feel better about the fact we made the jump when we did. We have a conference for all our sports lined up at the moment, and football hopefully shifting into a more long-term conference home soon.

Thank God that we don't have Kup-o-jello

[ndsubison]

I could see both UXD's being totally screwed. *I could easily see SIUE getting added without adding either one of the UXD's, and if the Big Sky wasn't tempted by NDSU and SDSU, why would they be tempted by UND and USD? *I could easily see the UXD's spending a long, fruitless span of years in independent exile.

I can see the BSC adding the UxD's if only for the fact that they may now have realized how they screwed up by picking UNC and not the xDSU's. Still, geography has to be a lot more of a concern than it was witth the SU's. If that in fact is still the BSC's legit argument, then I do not see things going well for the UxD's. How could it? If the Mid-Con and (hopefully) Gateway add the SU's and go in lockdown mode, the UxD's appear to be screwed for at least 5 yrs. Nobody knows what will happen with all the conference shifting lately but given the above scenario, I'm glad I'm not a sioux or coyote fan.

[Bison_Dan]

I could see both UXD's being totally screwed. *I could easily see SIUE getting added without adding either one of the UXD's, and if the Big Sky wasn't tempted by NDSU and SDSU, why would they be tempted by UND and USD? *I could easily see the UXD's spending a long, fruitless span of years in independent exile.

I can see the BSC adding the UxD's if only for the fact that they may now have realized how they screwed up by picking UNC and not the xDSU's. *Still, geography has to be a lot more of a concern than it was witth the SU's. *If that in fact is still the BSC's legit argument, then I do not see things going well for the UxD's. *How could it? *If the Mid-Con and (hopefully) Gateway add the SU's and go in lockdown mode, the UxD's appear to be screwed for at least 5 yrs. *Nobody knows what will happen with all the conference shifting lately but given the above scenario, I'm glad I'm not a sioux or coyote fan. *


I guess you haven't heard, they think they're a lock for the BSC. :P

[Jeffdaryl3rd]

I think most of us thought we were more or less a lock for the BSC (or at least I did). They can hope all they want, but I don't see them having an easy go of it in D-I.

[2006gwfcchamps]

I don't see the Big Sky adding UND or USD.

I see both of them going to the Mid Con, eventually. No idea how long that will be or if NDSU and SDSU will still be there.

[Jeffdaryl3rd]

I don't see the Big Sky adding UND or USD.

I see both of them going to the Mid Con, eventually. No idea how long that will be or if NDSU and SDSU will still be there.

If I were a fan of either one of these schools, that would definitely be what I was hoping for. Having said that, I wouldn't be optimistic.

[mikelsch]

UND/USD are telling their potential recruits they will be members of the Mid-Con/Great West

[84grad]

UND/USD are telling their potential recruits they will be members of the Mid-Con/Great West

Ah, to be so certain in one's "Transitional Hell"!!! *I can tell myself that I'll be at the official NFL Super Bowl party too, but that doesn't mean I'll get an invitaiton. * ;D *;D *;D

[kchats]

UND/USD are telling their potential recruits they will be members of the Mid-Con/Great West

Just adds to the we'll be in division I in 3 years that they started telling everyone in 2003. How soon are they telling them this? 2008? Do they have no shame?

[Paulie]

UND/USD are telling their potential recruits they will be members of the Mid-Con/Great West

Maybe, in like 7 years when all this year's recruits are having grandchildren.

The crew on Sioux Sport.com will be shocked to her this. From what I read over there they are guaranteed a Big Sky birth. Some Oliver Stone type character has the conspiracy theory all worked out. Of course it's more complicated and takes more moves than an actual game of chess but that doesn't seem to slow them down.

[Jeffdaryl3rd]

As I've stated previously, if NDSU and SDSU were not enough to entice the BSC into handing out a pair of bids, I cannnot see how the UXD's are even on their radar screen. I think that the Mid-Con is probably also a pipe-dream at this point.