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UMKC returning to Summit League


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Seriously, this is the biggest thing to happen to ORU Athletics in conference play since re-joining the Summit League.

UMKC is a natural rival and travel partner for ORU, geographically and competitively.

Hopefully, it opens up the Kansas City Metro-area again as a recruiting hotbed for men's basketball.

This. Is. Great. News!

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UMKC Returning to the Summit League

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple announced the addition of the University of Missouri-Kansas City as its 10th full-time member Thursday. UMKC is set to rejoin the league on July 1, 2020 and all 16 of the Roos’ athletic programs will compete in The Summit League beginning with the 2020-21 academic year.

“On behalf of the Presidents Council, I am pleased to announce the return of UMKC to The Summit League,” said Douple. “The university has a strong academic reputation and aligns well with our membership and the athletic department is a great addition to our Midwest footprint. We look forward to having the Roos compete beginning the Fall of 2020.”

UMKC was a member of The Summit League from 1994-2013 capturing multiple championships in men’s soccer (2001, 2003, 2010), men’s tennis (1998-2000, 2010-13), softball (2002, 2011) and indoor and outdoor track and field titles on both the men’s and women’s side from 1997-2000 during its first 19-year run.

“The Presidents Council is extremely supportive of UMKC’s return to The Summit League,” said Dr. Dean L. Bresciani, North Dakota State University President and Chair of The Summit League’s Membership Committee, “UMKC provides an opportunity to enhance our membership and the council is enthusiastic for the future of The Summit League.”

The Roos will have spent seven seasons as members of the Western Athletic Conference, but return to their Division I roots with an eye towards creating rivalries in the Midwest. UMKC will be the sixth Summit League located along the Interstate 29 corridor.

“These changes are about competitive excellence, positioning our student-athletes and teams to win conference and NCAA postseason championships,” said UMKC Athletics Director Brandon Martin, Ph. D. “This also will help inspire Roo Nation, elevating the fan experience, creating rivalries and partnerships that make games, not only competitive, but fun and exciting. This, coupled with fiscal savings, is a win-win.”

Founded in 1933, UMKC’s enrollment reached upwards of 17,000 students during the 2018-19 academic year. The Roos will field Summit League teams in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field and softball.

 

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UMKC just unveiled their new logo...

UMKC%20mascot%20logo

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8 hours ago, Old Titan said:

Hopefully, it opens up the Kansas City Metro-area again as a recruiting hotbed for men's basketball.

This. Is. Great. News!

Hankins had a LOT of success recruiting Kansas City.

Does this mean Douple and The Summit are done pursuing Augustana?

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Wouldn't surprise me to see them add a 12th team for entry that same year, but they would need to already be D-1. 

I like the idea of it being Northern Colorado, but I don't think they would do it, because of how it might look tp their boosters:  following in the footsteps of the University of Denver, who they consider a red-headed stepchild.

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6 hours ago, Dr. Cornelius said:

Hankins had a LOT of success recruiting Kansas City.

That says more about Tom than it does anything, but the right guy recruiting that area for ORU would be awesome.

If Dominique Morrison wasn't still playing, wouldn't he be an excellent assistant coaching candidate to recruit that area in particular, and Missouri in general?  The guy bleeds ORU blue and gold...

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10 hours ago, Dr. Cornelius said:

UMKC just unveiled their new logo...

UMKC%20mascot%20logo

Actually a very nice logo. I like it a lot. 

Big news adding UMKC, though I wish we added a new member with baseball. 

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1 minute ago, ORUTerry said:

Grand Canyon would be a home run..... 

I don't think the Dakota schools would ever allow that.

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19 hours ago, Dr. Cornelius said:

I don't think the Dakota schools would ever allow that.

Why not? Travel? Surely Phoenix wouldn’t be too bad of a flight. 

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I would take GCU in a heartbeat.  Also, could the League get UALR (who has baseball) to join the league?  I know they are in the Sun Belt but they do not have football and I doubt if they ever will.  Anything BUT Augustana!

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3 hours ago, timt89 said:

Interesting move. This is LetsGoDU's take. Since ORU is so heavily invested in baseball, do you agree? Our thoughts, UMKC is a buffer before adding Augustana for baseball. 

https://letsgodu.com/2019/06/24/why-baseball-and-augustana-college-drove-umkcs-summit-league-return/

Unfortunately this makes a lot of sense.

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