The Summit leagues runs into the same if UN_ wins in the league. :rofl:
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It's just really difficult for me to think that the state of South Dakota could have 3 division 1 basketball teams, while Minnesota has one; Wyoming has one; Wisconsin has two.
I would be more inclined to invite Minnesota State Mankato to move up. At least it's a different state even if it is in the same recruiting footprint.
I am not sure the number is a big deal as far as SD goes, it is just you have all three right in the same area fighting over the same market. Adding Aguie just brings nothing to table, they are just a body. The league owns the market already, it is just overkill and is going to end up hurting USD and SDSU a little bit.
I think MN has one DI school because of hockey, it gave the smaller schools something bigger to latch onto and they can't move beyond it. Even though college hockey isn't what it once was in the WCHA glory days, all the schools lost something that I'm not sure they can get back. If one school got some leadership with vision maybe they take the plunge but it seems like they missed the window and are content with being what they are.
This point gets brought up regularly in multiple outlets (news media, various local message boards, etc.), but neither Mankato nor St. Cloud has indicated even the slightest interest in making—or even having the ability to make—this jump even if they were invited to do so.
Hurts the perception of the conference. With UND it's a flagship university who has a good name. Omaha you get a good sized market. Augustana has zero name and it's a medium sized market that will be over saturated. Stability and a guarantee of an auto bid and cost savings for travel is what they bring to the table. I would have been more excited for Rio Grande. At least its Texas.
They would totally change the footprint and perception of the conference. Both spend on athletics and draw incredibly well.
UMKC would stabilize the footprint, make Omaha, Denver, and ORU happy, and get us into Kansas City. Although attendance kind of sucks when they aren't doing well although in the same ballpark as Fort Wayne
Saw one of those Midco stories this weekend where they recapped the history of the NCC and then brought it into present day talking about the Summit. They were absolutely giddy about the prospects of Augustana joining the Summit and presented it as a certainty to happen. I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
A friend of mine who went to Augustana College told me she was at the MSUM vs Augustana game this year, and it was said on the radio pregame that Augustana was gone from the conference beginning next year to begin its transition to D1 and the Summit.
Sounded pretty definite its happening not an if it happens.