Summit Expansion?

[Herd]

I posted this on the SDSU forum and I wanted to post it on here too just to get two different opinions on it.

I'm thinking that the Summit should add UMKC and Chicago State, because they are the most realistic options out there. The reason for CSU is because they have baseball and if/when Ft Wayne leaves the Summit will be down to 5 baseball schools. It also gives WIU a close opponent.

Then there's WIU and ORU. WIU could potentially get looked at by the OVC if/when the MVC adds Murray State since the OVC would probably want another football school. ORU could potentially be the #12 the MVC adds since they are private and Missouri State not having a travel partner was an issue that was brought up quite a bit. MVC already looked at Omaha and one would think that Oral Roberts is a way better candidate than Omaha.

Absolute worst case scenario, if all three left (and UMKC + CSU are added) it leaves the Summit League at 8 members.

Thoughts?

Chicago State, no . . . NorCO, yes.

[DIBISON]

Northern Colorado to the Summit and MVFC. They would be the travel partner with Denver in the Summit and the 12th member of the MVFC which would split into two divisions of 6 teams.

[Christopher Moen]

I am all For UMKC. Solid stable footprint with the 4 Dakota schools, Omaha, Oral Roberts, Denver, WIU, and if we could just get rid of the other Indiana school and trade them for NMSU and/or Grand Canyon for a warm weather trip and some familiar names for UMKC.. That would make my day

I thought I read somewhere (probably here) that Denver refuses to be in the same conference as Grand Canyon University.

[Western4Life]

There is no way Western is leaving for the OVC. We are an original, the SL/MVFC is in a fantastic place after years of difficult expansion. Plus we see a regional school in the STL area that is move up ready. Lindenwood; they offer great baseball, private to join DU & ORU, awesome facilities, metro area, easy travel, commitment to sports, and they should be our travel partner. It would offer another like school with hockey (D1 Women's) that fits the footprint and I could see them adding men's. They were top 5 last year in D2 commissioners cup. Online enrollment will allow them to spend on anything needed for the transition. They were an NAIA monster for years. They are less than 3 hours away from us, all 4 lane.

UMKC needs to return and this addition would help that. Also, we would welcome UNC with open arms, Greeley has grown like crazy in the last decade and we would be out of our minds not to lock down the SL in Colorado. Chicago State will eventually return to NAIA imho. They do not belong with us, their enrollment is so terrible I suspect they may merge with Governors State in the Chicago metro. Pray that IL can legalize weed and fully fun higher education, literally. I believe Western will not join a conference with Grand Canyon, as a for Profit model we will never be able to compete with schools like that. DU doesn't believe they are ethical either, the entire PAC12 had a scheduling ban on GCU as well recently. Denver is not alone in how they feel.


Western needs to implement their facility plan for football which is coming. The locker room isn't amazing but we have upgraded into respectability recently from something that always made me cringe.

WIU1.jpgWIU.jpg

Edit: I believe IPFW will end up elsewhere.

UNC/DU UND/NDSU USD/SDSU Lindenwood/Western UMKC/Omaha ORU/open. Travel partners are a must please.

[NDSUstudent]

I thought I read somewhere (probably here) that Denver refuses to be in the same conference as Grand Canyon University.

Yeah GCU was a big issue for them and they also don't like Chicago State and Utah Valley.

[DePereBisonFan]

UNC would be great.

[ndsubison1]

Northern Colorado would be great. Not sure if they'd be for it though.

[HerdBot]

Northern Colorado to the Summit and MVFC. They would be the travel partner with Denver in the Summit and the 12th member of the MVFC which would split into two divisions of 6 teams.

Good and bad with UNC. The good is they are a decent program and footprint. The bad is their football stadium is on par with Indiana State. It still has a track around it. They averaged 4,895 last year which is horrible for the conference.

[reformedUNDfan]

I thought I read somewhere (probably here) that Denver refuses to be in the same conference as Grand Canyon University.

I'd rather be D2 than in the same conference as GCU

[Herd]

Northern Colorado to the Summit and MVFC. They would be the travel partner with Denver in the Summit and the 12th member of the MVFC which would split into two divisions of 6 teams.

Divisions? Why? There is no championship game. Divisions are completely unnecessary.