Old Titan Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 So who all plays baseball in the Summit? I count five this year: IPFW SDSU NDSU UNO WIU Is there an associate member to make the mandatory six teams this season? If not, did the league get some sort of exemption for an NCAA automatic berth this year, or did they lose the bid until ORU arives in 2014? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Flashtaco - When you mentioned UND I assume that refers to University of North Dakota. Who is UNC? Why do you think they wouldn't add those teams, especially UND, to strengthen the number of baseball teams and to establish a stronger relationship with UND that may eventually lead to them becoming a Summit League member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USDCoyotes Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 So who all plays baseball in the Summit? I count five this year: IPFW SDSU NDSU UNO WIU Is there an associate member to make the mandatory six teams this season? If not, did the league get some sort of exemption for an NCAA automatic berth this year, or did they lose the bid until ORU arives in 2014? My understanding is TSL has a waiver to July 2014 to get to six. They needed two more teams. They got one with ORU. TSL passing on UND and UNC when the league was in dire straits fueled the belief that something was in the works for new members. TSL still needs one more team by July 2014 and talk is another baseball member will be added. If not the league will apply for another waiver thru 2015. UNO becomes active (I believe) at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USDCoyotes Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Flashtaco - When you mentioned UND I assume that refers to University of North Dakota. Who is UNC? Why do you think they wouldn't add those teams, especially UND, to strengthen the number of baseball teams and to establish a stronger relationship with UND that may eventually lead to them becoming a Summit League member. Unc = northern Colorado. The big sky doesn't sponsor baseball. Both schools went to WAC as associates for baseball. I don't know why TSL declined. There is possibly some bad blood. uNd is in the big sky for Olympics and football. They didn't have an invite to mvfc for football. I don't blame them for going all in on the Big sky. I think it works for them but I can't say for sure since not an alum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 UNO becomes active (I believe) at that time. UNO is not eligible (yet) this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USDCoyotes Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 UNO is not eligible (yet) this year?They complete transition in 2015 and active and eligible in 15-16. That raises the question. Why would ORU put their baseball in a conference that has the chance of losing its bid/certification? Because the other shoe has yet to drop that ensures bid/certification. ORU was step one. Incarnate and able line aren't step two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 They complete transition in 2015 and active and eligible in 15-16. That raises the question. Why would ORU put their baseball in a conference that has the chance of losing its bid/certification? Because the other shoe has yet to drop that ensures bid/certification. ORU was step one. Incarnate and able line aren't step two. Any speculation on the part of Summit followers on who that "baseball-playin', automatic-qualifyin', already D-1, non-football" school might be? A school from these parts that a lot of ORU followers have coveted for years as a conference travel partner is Arkansas-Little Rock. They would seem to fit all of the criteria... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 UALR makes a lot of sense. They are a non-football school stuck in a football conference (Sunbelt?). Have to think they are being pressured to leave. Didn't Denver leave the Sunbelt? The Trojans would be a great addition to the Summit and a great travel partner for ORU. It is so logical that it won't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USDCoyotes Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 No specific members named. I would think that UALR would be a very long shot and by no means am I suggesting they are seeking a change from the Sun Belt. It would be a great get no doubt and make logical sense but I don't see it happening. But you never know I guess. If you told me that ORU was coming back after 2 years in the SLC I would have called you crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 No specific members named. I would think that UALR would be a very long shot and by no means am I suggesting they are seeking a change from the Sun Belt. It would be a great get no doubt and make logical sense but I don't see it happening. But you never know I guess. If you told me that ORU was coming back after 2 years in the SLC I would have called you crazy. UALR is the only (or, at least, one of the very few) non-football schools in the Sunbelt. Much like ORU, you wonder if they might prefer being in a more basketball-centric league like the Summit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabidrabbit Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I know football ist ein verboten topic at ORU, but I would say that there are three football playing schools at the top of the Summit Wish list. Eastern Ill. - already an associate member in swim/dive, and (ORU you can better answer than Rabbit fans) men's soccer. Good to medium football (right now, VERY GOOD). North Dakota - Only one of the 4 Dakotas not in the Summit. very isolated from the rest of the Big Sky. Needs the football conference assurance to make move (why didn't join in 2011). Northern Colorado - This ex-NCC U has a 25+ year history with the 4 Dakotas, UNO. Makes a super travel partner to Denver in all sports that they share in common. Add those 3 to the Summit, and the MoValley FOOTBALL conference becomes a 13 team, Summit/MoValley halved league splitting the football league at the Mississippi River. Besides those three, probably the most targeted schools are UALR (Sunbelt is adding GA Southern and App St in all sports, starting next season) UALR is a sore thumb to Sunbelt w/o football. Summit would welcome that strong partner, and makes a good ORU travel partner. Less likely are two FBS football schools that are looking to tone down their non-football sports. New Mexico St., and Air Force. Air Force Academy already approached MoValley for their Olympic sports. They would be a good addition for the Summit, and like UNC, provides a good travel partner for Denver. I believe that AFA is in a wrestling conference with SDSU, NDSU, UNC already. New Mexico St is begging for ANYBODY to let them join, as long as their football team has a home. However, the Aggies are a traditional bottom 10 FBS program. NMSU needs that home SOMEWHERE. If they consider dropping FB, or dropping to FCS level of play, then they may make sense, altho they are a LONG ways from ANY OTHER SUMMIT team. If needed, I could see Summit inviting Minn St (Mankato) and/or St. Cloud St. to move up, IF Minn. approved such a chase. If ORU doesn't recognize this, this would be the accomplishment of the earlier 90's dream of moving the North Central conference to be a D-I conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 I keep sifting thru this thread, looking for a single morsel to chew on and savor. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okiesooner Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I heard Valpo might be looking.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Why would Valpo leave the Horizon? They can bus to most (all?) of their games and have natural rivalries with a lot of their opponents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 I was convinced at the time they left the Summit that Valpo was chasing Butler, who they seem to have an obsession with playing. Now that the Bulldogs are in the Big East, who knows? Maybe Valpo would prefer to be a bigger fish in the less-daunting Summit League. They do play baseball... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cornelius Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 They do play baseball... You use the term "baseball" loosely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Southland teams have been basically losing all the games played against D-1 competition over the last few days. It is not looking good from an RPI perspective. Even without Obi, we should be very competitive in the Southland this year. Who would have ever thought that we would welcome a return to the Summit League because of its higher RPI average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 In other news, TU beats Grand Canyon by 1 point 3 days ago. If TU had lost that game, things would have really heated up for Danny Manning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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