rlh Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 I heard about this at the Mid-Con Tournament, but was sworn to secrecy. I'm glad it's been announced..... The Mid-Continent Conference and Chicago State jointly announced today that Chicago State will withdraw as a conference member, effective June 30, 2006. The Cougars will compete as an NCAA Division I independent during the 2006-07 school year. However, CSU will play non-conference contests against Mid-Con schools in the sports of volleyball and men?s and women?s basketball. ?We respect the decision of [Chicago State] President Elnora Daniel to relocate Chicago State?s athletics programs and are here to assist in any way that we can in that process,? Mid-Continent Conference Commissioner Tom Douple said. ?We wish Chicago State the best of luck in its future endeavors and in the next steps in the progression of its athletics programs.? ?We have enjoyed our tenure in the Mid-Continent Conference and look forward to future athletic successes,? President Daniel added. Daniel said the university will seek membership in a new conference that will reflect its evolving institutional profile. ?CSU?s new strategic plan calls for expansion that enhances our access to other metropolitan communities,? Daniel continued. ?The university is highly appreciative of its past membership in the conference and wishes its members continued success.? Chicago State joined the Mid-Continent Conference in 1994, sponsoring seven men?s sports and seven women?s programs. The Cougars men?s basketball team reached the final of the Mid-Continent Conference Tournament, falling to top-seeded Oral Roberts, 85-72. The Mid-Continent Conference will now be comprised of eight member institutions - Centenary College of Louisiana, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), Oakland University, Oral Roberts University, Southern Utah University, Valparaiso University and Western Illinois University. The league offers championships in 19 sports. --- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valpower Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Daniel said the university will seek membership in a new conference that will reflect its evolving institutional profile. Insert snarky comment here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maniac prez Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Insert snarky comment here. Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU-sisko Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 well, i had hoped centenary would go first...but im glad Chi State is gone... bring on SDSU & NDSU...at least they can do more then 1 sport... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadAdder Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Conrgatulations Centenary, you are the obligitory 8 seed in the Mens and Womens Basketball Tournament for the foreseeable future. Hope you enjoy the extra weekend in Tulsa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Now we know what Centenary is good for..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 There were rumors that Chicago State owed $$ to the NCAA for unpaid membership dues, and that they were being investigated for department-wide violations. Do we know exactly what led to CSU leaving the conference? I assume they were forced out, but do we know exactly why? Since the mid-con has been a little bit of a revolving door lately (Youngstown State, Central Conn St?, CSU each leaving over last 10 years, and the assumption that Southern Utah may eventually find a more regionally appealing conference), I think it makes sense to add a ninth team for stability. I don't think it is necessary to add a tenth team. There was a rumor that the Mid-Con was courting UALR (Little Rock), but I don't know why they would join the Mid-Con. Their current situation in the Sun-Belt makes more sense. I don't know much about the independents, except for the SDSU info that has been posted here. Do NDSU or Utah Valley State offer anything? I assume that Texas A&M Corpus Christi will look for a more regional fit. Most of the other teams do not look interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 We should have taken Belmont or Denver when they requested membership a few years ago. It will be interesting to see what the Athletic Directors and Presidents do over the next few months. I suspect we will see at least one addition to the conference in the near future. The conference is at the mercy of Centenary or Southern Utah leaving - which would result in the loss of an automatic bid in basketball. Not sure what the results would be for baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 I think the main reason Centenary was added a few years ago, was that they had an OK basketball team at the time, and the Mid-Con needed a 7th baseball team. In retrospect, there may have been other more viable candidates out there. The Mid-Con really needs to replace Chicago State with a team that can have a decent basketball RPI and a respectable baseball team, with a decent basketball arena and a decent baseball facility. Are there any teams like that out there who could benefit from a move to the Mid-Con? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlh Posted April 20, 2006 Author Share Posted April 20, 2006 Just rumors, but I understand that one of the reasons Chicago State is leaving is that they don't really support all the sports the conference requires. They only give token support even picking kids up from campus on the day of track meets or golf tournaments. Like I said, just speculation that I have heard, but I think there is something to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Here are the obvious candidates for expansion (existing independents): California-Davis Longwood North Dakota State Northern Colorado Savannah State South Dakota State Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Texas - Pan American Utah Valley State Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuperson Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 ... California-Davis ... Savannah State ... Add those two, drop the Mid, and just become the Continent Conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89rabbit Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Here are the obvious candidates for expansion (existing independents): California-Davis Longwood North Dakota State Northern Colorado Savannah State South Dakota State Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Texas - Pan American Utah Valley State UC-Davis - has been invited and will join the Big West. Longwood - Indy NDSU - Indy Northern Colorado - has been invited and will join the Big Sky. Savannah State - Indy SDSU - Indy Texas A&M - Corpus Christi - has been invited and will join the Southland. Texas - Pan Am - Indy (kicked out of the Sun Belt for NCAA rules violations) Utah Valley State - Indy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89rabbit Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 This may have something to do with CSU leaving. http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasket ... ry/9272381 Ten for Tuesday: One rejection Alford may regret Feb. 28, 2006 By Gregg Doyel CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer . . . The NCAA is looking into the Chicago State athletic department three years after finding major violations by the women's basketball program. Two Mid-Continent men's basketball teams told SportsLine.com they've been advised to find non-conference replacements for 2006-07 in case Chicago State gets a department-wide death penalty, which would be the first since SMU football in 1987. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89rabbit Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 IThe Mid-Con really needs to replace Chicago State with a team that can have a decent basketball RPI and a respectable baseball team, with a decent basketball arena and a decent baseball facility. Are there any teams like that out there who could benefit from a move to the Mid-Con? Hey I know a school like that. Frost Arena (Cap. 8,500) Photo showing off the new $3 million dollar upgrades to the scoreboards, and scorer's tabel. Bob Shelden Field (Brookings, SD - Cap 1,500) Sioux Falls Stadium (Sioux Falls, SD - Cap 4,500) where we play our Bigger games (Minnesota, Creighton, Kansas State, etc.) P.S. Did I mention we are already associate members of the Mid-Con in Swimming. http://www.mid-con.com/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=3398 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FargoBison Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 I don't know much about the independents, except for the SDSU info that has been posted here. Do NDSU or Utah Valley State offer anything? I assume that Texas A&M Corpus Christi will look for a more regional fit. Most of the other teams do not look interesting. NDSU offers a good basketball team that beat Wisconsin last year in Madison and finished with a record of 16-12. Which isn't too bad considering NDSU had the youngest team in all of DI hoops last year. NDSU also finished 6th nationally in 3pt % and 7th in rebounding, so I think it is safe to say NDSU offers something. As for other sports the Bison have been a power in women hoops while in DII and although we struggled last year a conference would probably give the program a much needed boost. Our baseball and volleyball team struggled mightly and it may take some time to get them to where they need to be but again a conference would be big help. Our soccer(womens) team is great and looks to have bright future, NDSU has solid track teams as well, and a decent softball team. Alot of NDSU's teams are very young and still adjusting to the DI level. Here are some pictures of NDSU's facilities. BSA(set to undergo a $16 million renovation and it will seat 7000) Newman Outdoor Field(4500) Fargodome(12,200 for hoops) The dome might be the home for NDSU basketball while the BSA gets renovated and it also may be used for games that could draw large crowds. NDSU Athletics http://www.gobison.com NDSU Message Board http://www.bisonville.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU-sisko Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Seriously though, both the Dakota schools have great facilities, (NDSU beats a top 25 b-ball team last season on the road) and SDSU baseball whips ND last season, i mean these are quality schools with way better facilities then a lot if not all of the mid-con schools. I have been wanting them in for a while now, i know travel would be odd, but with a north and south division, i think it would all work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EagleBackr Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 ...don't forget Valpo's favorite little red-headed stepchild, IP-Fort Wayne. They've been plotting together for this opportunity for months (even years). I say add both of the Dakota schools, "Valpo"-Fort Wayne, and Texas-Pan American. Call it the Inter-Continent League ("The In-Con" or "ICL"). Go to an East-West format of... EAST ? Oakland ? IUPUI ? IPFW ? Valpo ? Western Illinois ? UMKC WEST ? ORU ? Southern Utah ? NDSU ? SDSU ? Centenary ? Texas- Pan Am ...or a North-South split of... NORTH ? Valpo ? NDSU ? SDSU ? Oakland ? IPFW ? IUPUI SOUTH ? ORU ? UMKC ? Western Illinois ? Centenary ? Southern Utah ? Texas-Pan American P.S. I'm not going to miss CSU one bit next year. With their two little guards, and their whole team buying into Jones' deliberate style, I would have picked them to finish third next season in the Mid-Con behind ORU and IUPUI, and they might have even threatened for second place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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