Cheyney Out of PSAC

[Golden89]

http://www.psacsports.org/news/2018/...niversity.aspx

Cheyney is leaving the NCAA and the PSAC effective the end of the 2017-18 season. This probably isn't a huge surprise. But it leaves the league at an awkward 17 members and imbalanced divisions for 2018-19.

The league said that it will take time to evaluate, but intends to move back up to 18 members. That is easier said than done, but it does beg the question of who the league will pursue.

[ctrabs74]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

http://www.psacsports.org/news/2018/...niversity.aspx

Cheyney is leaving the NCAA and the PSAC effective the end of the 2017-18 season. This probably isn't a huge surprise. But it leaves the league at an awkward 17 members and imbalanced divisions for 2018-19.

The league said that it will take time to evaluate, but intends to move back up to 18 members. That is easier said than done, but it does beg the question of who the league will pursue.

The hot rumor is that the PSAC is pursuing Shepherd, but another strong possibility (though not quite as attractive as Shepherd) is Lincoln (Pa.). Though there's certainly the prestige of playing in an HBCU league like the CIAA, I'd wonder if the significantly reduced travel burden for Lincoln (they're a lot closer to half of the PSAC East than they are to most of their CIAA North rivals) would be enough of an impetus to make the move if the PSAC were interested. Shepherd would be a bit of a long-shot, considering the hoops they'd have to jump through in order to leave the MEC (I believe it's a three-year process to withdraw from the league; otherwise, there may be a significant buyout involved). Other than that, the options aren't exactly plentiful.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

Based on the article you posted in the other thread, I guess it's more than a rumor. The commission said they have had discussions with Shepherd.

[ctrabs74]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

Based on the article you posted in the other thread, I guess it's more than a rumor. The commission said they have had discussions with Shepherd.

It sure looks that way. I'm honestly skeptical that Shepherd would want to move from the MEC to the PSAC when the dust settles, though.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

It sure looks that way. I'm honestly skeptical that Shepherd would want to move from the MEC to the PSAC when the dust settles, though.

I am(was?)very skeptical too. However, that quote seems to say a lot. Commissioners usually don't admit to discussions with, or even interest in, an institution unless a deal is essentially locked up. Maybe he was misquoted, or maybe he is just really unusually casual with the press. But, traditionally when I hear a quote like that, I think "he wouldn't have said that unless it was 95% a sure thing."

[Brandon]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

It sure looks that way. I'm honestly skeptical that Shepherd would want to move from the MEC to the PSAC when the dust settles, though.

I can't really figure out what they would have to gain.

[Horror Child]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

Based on the article you posted in the other thread, I guess it's more than a rumor. The commission said they have had discussions with Shepherd.

He never specifically said that the PSAC has had conversations with Shepherd, but it's easy for readers to draw that conclusion. The conversations that have already started may be only internal to the PSAC.

We have started conversations already. Shepherd is number one on the radar. With their geography, they are a perfect fit.

Too bad West Liberty won't be able to avenge that 12-point women's basketball loss.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

[QUOTE=Horror Child;2193842]He never specifically said that the PSAC has had conversations with Shepherd, but it's easy for readers to draw that conclusion. The conversations that have already started may be only internal to the PSAC.



He could just be very 'loose-lipped' but to hear him name drop them (by name) is pretty odd. As I mentioned on the football side ... Shepherd is the only worthwhile target. The others floating are just adding to add. This rumor has been around for years and years.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

I can't really figure out what they would have to gain.

If you consider Shepherd a 'football school' ... then it has a lot to gain. The PSAC is drastically stronger in football than the MEC. They get an instant, natural rival in nearby Shippensburg. Geographically, they are a perfect fit.

They get placed in the alleged 'scholarship poor' PSAC East and will likely (usually) dominate that side of the football conference.

There's also very likely some political items involved behind the scenes that we aren't privy to at this point.

[ctrabs74]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

I can't really figure out what they would have to gain.

Same here. I get that Shepherd is isolated from the rest of the MEC geographically (for those not familiar, Shepherd is in the far eastern panhandle of West Virginia about an hour-plus away from Washington, DC), and they have held their own against some of the better PSAC schools over the years.

[ctrabs74]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

He never specifically said that the PSAC has had conversations with Shepherd, but it's easy for readers to draw that conclusion. The conversations that have already started may be only internal to the PSAC.

From Neil Geohegan's article in the West Chester Daily Local News:

Shepherd is number one on the radar. With their geography, they are a perfect fit.

Now that I re-read the quote, it doesn't appear that they've talked to Shepherd (or if they have, it's been very under the radar). But, I don't think it's the smartest idea to basically announce that your conference is interested in stealing a school from another conference without ruffling a few feathers.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

Yeah, I guess you could read that quote either way. Since the sentence before mentions two entities (Shepherd and "the league"), I think it makes sense that "we" means Shepherd and the PSAC. However, I do see how it could be read to simply mean that the PSAC personnel are talking amongst themselves.

[BlueBlood]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

Either way, its an extremely odd quote/admission for a commissioner to make. And its only 2 weeks after Frostburg (either AD or President, I forget which) had an equally odd admission - saying that they were contacted by the MEC re membership - because "the MEC will be losing a program". Everyone thought that admission was odd and that somewhere (MEC to Frostburg or Frostburg to writer) there surely must have been a misunderstanding of the situation. Maybe there wasn't?

http://thebottomlinenews.com/fsu-ath...mountain-east/

[Horror Child]

Re: Cheyney Out of PSAC

If you consider Shepherd a 'football school' ... then it has a lot to gain. The PSAC is drastically stronger in football than the MEC. They get an instant, natural rival in nearby Shippensburg. Geographically, they are a perfect fit.

They get placed in the alleged 'scholarship poor' PSAC East and will likely (usually) dominate that side of the football conference.

There's also very likely some political items involved behind the scenes that we aren't privy to at this point.

But they already dominate the MEC and as a result have qualified for the playoffs 6 of the past 8 seasons.