Conference Realignment: Sacred Heart & Merrimack to MAAC + NEC Situation

[@hanyuzhu7276]

Looks like the fact that they didn’t add another school last year (besides Stonehill) to go from 9 to 10 really bite themselves in the back

[@Lawomenshoops]

If a conference disbands/dissolves that would make one more at large for March Madness. Conferences in danger of going away, MWC/Pac12, Summit-if the Dakota’s move up to FCS football, that leaves five schools. MEAC,

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

If the MEAC loses a football\basketball school they are done and to be honest Howard should of left for the CAA. Coppin State is in the MEAC because the CIAA reject them from coming back to the CIAA without having a football team. The officials at NC A&T felt like it was only a matter of time before the MEAC folds and they did not want to be left without a home, so they left.

[@colincuratolo1645]

The A-EAST should try and poach LIU and SF PA immediately, with these additions they can probably sponsor football with Bryant, New Hampshire, Maine, and Albany.

[@rangersking6699]

Worth saying the picture of SPU’s arena is pre renovation…it’s a bit nicer now(but it’s the same gym)

[@hanyuzhu7276]

Thanks to the gracious donation of Purdue

[@rangersking6699]

@@hanyuzhu7276 it was already done before then actually

[@twinstalkitup]

The coaster ride that is Conference Realignment. They will be creative and likely can be patient with who they target and invite. The MEAC makes sense more geographically and they do have many of their sports already in the Conference. I get the sense that the MEAC will try to expand and eventually bring back those sports. Howard is keeping the Conference together and I do not see them wanting to be the one to break up the Conference. Chicago State is a factor, especially with the school expanding athletics and soon to start a football program. Interesting times indeed Keep an eye on how NIL is or becomes more regulated

[@zerocool1980]

Howard is keeping the MEAC together. But they have a new president taking over in a couple for years and their loyalty towards the league may not be as high. At that point, it could only be a matter of when not if the league dissolves.

[@twinstalkitup]

They have a new President now with Ben Vinson III who started a month ago, replacing Wayne Frederick. I just don't see the Conference folding and yet I have been wrong before, case in point the PAC 12. There will certainly be changes and if the MEAC is progressive, they will try to expand before seeing any members be poached. Also, not a good look for the CAA, which was the conference courting Howard, check Delaware We shall see @@zerocool1980

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

Chicago State has already been rejected by the MEAC and travel would cause schools to jet to either the NEC or Big South.

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

@@zerocool1980 New president will take over next year and Howard is only loyal to themselves and the current president, from what I heard, told the MEAC leadership that he bought them some time to get a plan together because if things stays the status quo they are gone. I would be concern about Coppin State too, as large drop in student enrollment and thus athletic fees might cause them to reach out to the CIAA again. I believe the Bowie State president thinks that might happen and said that the CIAA needs a plan in place to take former MEAC schools.

[@zerocool1980]

@EagleEyesight Totally correct. If I were the ASUN I'd make a okay for the Southern schools: SC St, NC Central, Norfolk St. I'd also include reaching out to Tennessee St about joining but that school just refuses to embrace its HBCU roots so they'll likely stay in the OVC.

[@danielmarley9922]

I remember reading that MEAC and SWAC have considered merger in the past to unite HBCU schools at d1 level into one conference, is this plan now off the table?

[@marcus813]

I wonder how Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman would feel about that because they ditched the MEAC due to travel concerns.

[@twinstalkitup]

Yep, for now as many don't see the value of a Super HBCU Conference vs having two thriving and healthy conferences. The talk around a joint focus seemed to appeal more to the fans who were trying to get into the Carolinas. Consider the MEAC Culture and focus on academics. THey will try to reload first

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

Travel would kill most of the members in football and the other sports. One of the reasons FAMU, BCU, and NC A&T left was because of the travel.

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

@@twinstalkitup While both are HBCU conference, they have different cultures. There was reasons why SCSU felt going to the MEAC was better option than going to the SWAC when they came up from D2. The MEAC can't reload because the remaining schools that could move up will not in part because of the 1.8 million move up fee coming from D2 to D1 along with having to add additional non-revue sports and what does the MEAC really have to offer them.

[@twinstalkitup]

Solid points. I can see only one program currently in VSU who could possibly make that jump and they could get some assistance from the Conference. I see the MEAC thinking outside of the box. What about TSU? What will they do? Will they stay in a conference that is losing its members? What about UMES bringing back their football program? We need to see all possibilities explored before giving up on the conference @@EyeOfTheWatcher

[@Lawomenshoops]

The NCAA will grant the NEC that waiver!

[@Lawomenshoops]

Canisuis has the lowest MBB budget, but has the 5th best 10 year KenPom!!

[@Spitfirethedragon]

I think they did count GCU as part of the WAC in the second year in transition, but not count towards post season. Stonehill would be a D1 school since they already been accepted, but can't be fully D1 until the 4 years is up.

[@zerocool1980]

@d1_360 You are awesome. Eventually were heading to 30 conference because the Pac-12 looks done and either the NEC or MEAC joins them. I guess the question now is who should the America East add from the NEC? Or do you see a scenario where they could add a MAAC school? Do you see the A-10 eventually adding Charleston? That one feels like likely as long as Pat Kelsey keeps winning. Sorry for all the questions bruh lol.

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

The MEAC and NEC should really merge, but I can see alot of push back coming from the current MEAC leadership. Howard is going to be the key to this all and what they ended up doing with a new President comes on board. They had done 2 feasibility studies and both time the studies stated that they should to move to another conference. What conferences would be interested in Howard though? I heard University of Delware might be looking to go FBS and that would open another sport in the CAA.

[@kevwaters101]

Yup. The MEAC schools are already in the NEC for some sports. So it's makes sense.

[@TonysMusic1974]

The NEC is bad enough. Merging with an even worse conference is not the answer.

[@EyeOfTheWatcher]

@@TonysMusic1974 both have no better options though at this point because I don't think neither conference could poach any of their schools from the other. Like someone already said there is already MEAC schools that are associate members in sports like baseball. I know one thing they need to drive the current MEAC leadership out, as they are more of the same of the bald leadership that MEAC had since the beginning of their conference.

[@WDB2005]

Was Monmouth Non-Sect or Catholic?

[@hanyuzhu7276]

Non-sect

[@animenopaawaa]

But what if the NEC decides not to expand, despite being in a dire situation, and somehow the MAAC gets another school from there to become its 14th member? Will the remaining schools eventually go to the America East?

[@savagecabbage138]

lmao at all the steps the maac has to take before resorting to the worst option of adding chicago state

[@animenopaawaa]

Similar to how the A-Sun (a Southern-base conference) added NJIT (a Mid-Atlantic school) in 2014 or 2015, before that school eventually would join a geographic friendly conference like the America East. It would be a mistake if either the MAAC or the NEC, both in the Northeast, would add someone from the Midwest like Chicago State. Unless either are trigger-happy on high expenses from a travel standpoint.