PSAC WEST

[Fightingscot82]

So I wonder if PSAC intends to invite a team to take Hurst spot or if they'll move East team back to West. Lock Haven used to be in the West. LH and Mansfield are about the same distance in relation to Erie (using that for distance since Gannon/Edinboro are the furthest West Schools)

Rumors all point to Frostburg State.

[bballfan03]

So I wonder if PSAC intends to invite a team to take Hurst spot or if they'll move East team back to West. Lock Haven used to be in the West. LH and Mansfield are about the same distance in relation to Erie (using that for distance since Gannon/Edinboro are the furthest West Schools)

[IUPbigINDIANS]

off topic but somewhat on topic.. i didn't realize LeMoyne went D1?

They went up a year or two ago. The NEC is largely becoming a conference if recent D2 schools.

I've been to their gym. IUP played a home and home with them several years back. It is smaller than Mercyhurst's venue.

[bballfan03]

off topic but somewhat on topic.. i didn't realize LeMoyne went D1?

[Chuck Norris]

Basketball?

Yes

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Basketball?

The probationary period is now (4) years - meaning no postseason during that time. Not exactly a recruiting advantage.

[IUPalum]

I’m betting Hurst wins the NEC at least once during their probationary period.

Basketball?

[Chuck Norris]

I’m betting Hurst wins the NEC at least once during their probationary period.

[IUPalum]

Wonder if Mercyhurst will stay play Gannon once a year in hoops. I kind of doubt it.

We'll know soon enough.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Wonder if Mercyhurst will still play Gannon once a year in hoops. I kind of doubt it.

[gman16506]

What? That gym is better than most low level D1 schools.

Was not aware that NEC sites were that limited. I stand corrected! As a comparison, would the remodeled Highmark Center (Gannon home court) be better than most home courts in the NEC?

[IUP24]

Obviously those inside the Mercyhurst program knew this was coming. I wonder what role this played in just about the whole basketball team (those set to come back anyway) entering the portal?

Gary likely knew he had to upgrade across the board so he may have cleaned house to open the spots.

We won't even notice they are gone in most sports but I will miss the Gary vs Joe rivalry. It evolved a lot over the years. I think they hated each other early but eventually became pretty good friends.

Gary had some really good teams in the West in the past decade.

I suspect we'll hear news on Frostburg by tomorrow. Logical move for them and the PSAC. I would assume it will be either Frostburg or Shippensburg that joins the West. For the younger crowd Ship and Lock Haven were in the West for a very long time.

My immediate thought was what you alluded to here. I'll miss those two coaching against each other. Of course, I'm not sure how much longer we were going to get to see that anyways. I agree with your assessment. Thinking back to when I was in school, those guys hated each other's guts. You could so clearly tell they didn't like one another. I think as time wore on they gained respect and ultimately created a friendship. Joe is a coach speak kind of guy. But you can tell when he talked about Mercyhurst he would let his guard down some. You can tell he really liked Gary, because it was always about how, "Gary does a great job with those guys and he's been at this thing for a while."

I grew to also evolve in my assessment and opinion of Gary. I hated his antics early on. But I grew to really respect him as a coach. And hearing the way he also talks about IUP, the game, etc., I think there are a lot of similarities between him and Joe. I think we always talk about the "rivalry" between IUP and SRU/Cal. I truly felt the real rivalry was IUP and Mercyhurst. It didn't have the vitriol that you got when Kevin Reynolds visited the KCAC, but man, those games were always great between IUP and Mercyhurst. And so frequently, the stakes were just so darn high.

Will miss seeing Mercyhurst in the PSAC and on the IUP schedule 2+ times a year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Example: St. Francis

Their gym is the Memorial Field House with some chair-backs.

[IUPalum]

Correct. The KCAC, for example, is nicer than many legit mid-major gyms. The gyms in the bush leagues of D1 (NEC types) are generally on par with the MAC (albeit usually a little bigger). They are mostly just old barns.

Example: St. Francis

[IUPbigINDIANS]

What? That gym is better than most low level D1 schools.

Correct. The KCAC, for example, is nicer than many legit mid-major gyms. The gyms in the bush leagues of D1 (NEC types) are generally on par with the MAC (albeit usually a little bigger). They are mostly just old barns.