G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

[BlueBlood]

BTW - the G-MAC press release regarding Trevecca sure makes it sound like the conference is still looking to expand - "Over the last 12 years, the Great Midwest has been blessed to have significantly grown alongside our membership. We will be identifying additional institutions that share our mission, values, and commitment to student-athlete success while remaining dedicated to our membership". Plus, Commissioner Daeger was interviewed on the "Talkin' G-MAC" podcast recently and he said something very similar.

[Uindy18]

Right and that's where what Indy does kinda impacts KWC. In GLVC you have INDY, McKendree, UMSL and Maryville under 4 hours and Springfield just over. With GMAC, right now there is only Thomas More under 4 and Cedarville just over. Indy moving to GMAC makes those two conference more equal in the manageable trip category. The Gulf South was TNU, Union, and UA-Huntsville under 4 and Lee just over.

If Valdosta and West Florida leave Gulf South it makes that conference more attractive from travel perspective, but you have the public school and funding issue.

Fair enough, Uindy is a big domino for both the GLVC and the GMAC. For the GLVC, losing Uindy could motivate them to approach KWC and MI/IL/IA area NAIA programs such as Saint Ambrose or Missouri Baptist,

For the GMAC, pulling in Uindy and potentially Notre Dame College boosts your competiion level in most sports and helps keeps costs down. It would also be a great oppuruntity to grow the conference within Indiana by targeting the Indiana NAIAs.

I guess the biggest question of all is, does KWC bide their time and see what Uindy does? or do they make the decision now?

[WKYDave]

In my opinion, the main attraction KWC would have to the GLVC is those Saint Louis area schools. Any conference will have a few longer trips like Upper Iowa and Rockhurst, but multiple 3 to 4 hour trips to conference games is probably the best geographic option they have.

Right and that's where what Indy does kinda impacts KWC. In GLVC you have INDY, McKendree, UMSL and Maryville under 4 hours and Springfield just over. With GMAC, right now there is only Thomas More under 4 and Cedarville just over. Indy moving to GMAC makes those two conference more equal in the manageable trip category. The Gulf South was TNU, Union, and UA-Huntsville under 4 and Lee just over.

If Valdosta and West Florida leave Gulf South it makes that conference more attractive from travel perspective, but you have the public school and funding issue.

[Uindy18]

In my opinion, the main attraction KWC would have to the GLVC is those Saint Louis area schools. Any conference will have a few longer trips like Upper Iowa and Rockhurst, but multiple 3 to 4 hour trips to conference games is probably the best geographic option they have.

[WKYDave]

Adding Northwood was killer to TNU and KWC as it is a full hour further away from Lake Erie/Walsh/Malone. KWC like TNU is at the edge of every potential conference. KWC averages 6 hours of travel to GMAC schools. KWC would average under 5.5 hours in GLVC (but Upper Iowa makes Northwood trip look easy) and just over 5.5 hours for Gulf South. IF West FL and Valdosta move to DI then Gulf South would drop to 5 hour average. Besides travel all 12 GMAC schools are private, 5 of 12 Gulf South are private, and 10 of 15 GLVC are private. The problem KWC faces is lower spending on sports than public schools and most private schools. So travel-wise it is Gulf South/GLVC with GMAC last but institution-wise it is GMAC/GLVC with Gulf South last. TNU had an easier choice than KWC does.

[kdubnation]

No surprise about TNU. They were in a worse situation geographically than KWC. As for KWC itself, TNU leaving doesn't help things, but I still think geographically we are at such a weird spot in relation to the borders of all the various D2 conferences that we could potentially be in, there's not a single conference in which we wouldn't be on the border. The question just becomes which general direction would we have to go - North/East? South/East? North/West? ... At the end of the day I still don't see a better fit for us when you take geography AND the overall makeup of the members in terms of budgets and philosophies.

Adding Thomas More to the conference almost negates the impact of TNU leaving, too, from a purely geographic standpoint.

Would I be surprised if KWC explored also moving to the GSC? No. But by the same token I just don't really see the benefit.

[Uindy18]

Agree. Very happy for TNU. For those who were not around, TNU was a pillar of the early G-MAC. With the addition of more competitive programs, they got lost in the shuffle recently. But early-on, they were absolutely essential to the survival of the G-MAC. They were always the extreme outlier geographically, but there was a time where we were all a bit of an outlier - so it seemed less insane at the time. Plus, there was an expansion plan that could have filled in the gaps. The southern expansion plan never materialized. The northern one did.

I had a feeling that the West Georgia D1 news (with a lot of folks thinking West Florida and Valdosta will follow) might lead to an opportunity for TNU. I'm glad it did. Nothing but respect and well wishes for the Trojans.

As for expansion - TNU doesn't change the number of football schools. If folks are happy with 10 football schools (9 conference games), is expansion necessary? This leaves 13 schools for women's sports, 12 for men's.

If expansion is desired, I agree on UIndy - they are perfect if they are committed to D2. However, the G-MAC should not go to the trouble of adding them if it's just a quick layover on the way to D1.

I've always thought the IN NAIAs may be a good "someday" fit. Similarly, (and especially with TNU now removed) the PSAC private schools may also be a "someday" fit.

I am there with you on the Indiana NAIAs (especially if you can get Marian/SFU-FW or IWU/TU, to pair up for the transition process at the same time), but I really doubt the PSAC schools are going anywhere. End of the day, they can play almost an enitre schedule in most sports and never leave their home state (outside of going to Shepherd, which is barely in WV). They will always be the go to OOC games for GMAC schools, probably never members.

[BlueBlood]

Ya, I cannot say anyone is probably surprised by this. TNU was always a stretch in the GMAC, and with multiple Michigan schools now, it was just a matter of time.

Does bring up all the usual questions whenever we get conference movement, however.

When will NDC decide the GMAC is a better fit?
Will Uindy commit to DII long term and the GMAC?
Are Marian, Indiana Wesleyan, Taylor, and Saint Francis-Fort Wayne interested in a jump from NAIA?
Does KWC bounce now? Does the Thomas More addition keep them in longer?

Agree. Very happy for TNU. For those who were not around, TNU was a pillar of the early G-MAC. With the addition of more competitive programs, they got lost in the shuffle recently. But early-on, they were absolutely essential to the survival of the G-MAC. They were always the extreme outlier geographically, but there was a time where we were all a bit of an outlier - so it seemed less insane at the time. Plus, there was an expansion plan that could have filled in the gaps. The southern expansion plan never materialized. The northern one did.

I had a feeling that the West Georgia D1 news (with a lot of folks thinking West Florida and Valdosta will follow) might lead to an opportunity for TNU. I'm glad it did. Nothing but respect and well wishes for the Trojans.

As for expansion - TNU doesn't change the number of football schools. If folks are happy with 10 football schools (9 conference games), is expansion necessary? This leaves 13 schools for women's sports, 12 for men's.

If expansion is desired, I agree on UIndy - they are perfect if they are committed to D2. However, the G-MAC should not go to the trouble of adding them if it's just a quick layover on the way to D1.

I've always thought the IN NAIAs may be a good "someday" fit. Similarly, (and especially with TNU now removed) the PSAC private schools may also be a "someday" fit.

[Uindy18]

Trevecca to the GSC: https://gscsports.org/news/2023/9/14...onference.aspx

Ya, I cannot say anyone is probably surprised by this. TNU was always a stretch in the GMAC, and with multiple Michigan schools now, it was just a matter of time.

Does bring up all the usual questions whenever we get conference movement, however.

When will NDC decide the GMAC is a better fit?
Will Uindy commit to DII long term and the GMAC?
Are Marian, Indiana Wesleyan, Taylor, and Saint Francis-Fort Wayne interested in a jump from NAIA?
Does KWC bounce now? Does the Thomas More addition keep them in longer?

[Inkblot]

Trevecca to the GSC: https://gscsports.org/news/2023/9/14...onference.aspx

[UFOILERFAN]

It's Findlay
https://wfin.com/local-news/ncaa-uni...y-infractions/

Findlay has 14 days to identify which athletes/sports are affected.

[unc4life]

Haven't heard a thing but how many gmac schools have won ncaa titles in the past few years?

I mean your talking Ashland,Tiffin and Findlay I think. Ashland in Womens Basketball, Tiffin in Track and Field (that might be longer back then I think), and Findlay in W Golf I believe. Lake Erie did go to the final 4 in men's soccer last year as well.

[UFOILERFAN]

Has anyone heard about the ncaa doing a recent on campus investigation at a gmac school? I’ve heard some crazy rumors about subpar eligibility efforts in compliance. Like bad enough to take away team gmac and ncaa titles over the past few years. We shall see.

Haven't heard a thing but how many gmac schools have won ncaa titles in the past few years?

[aldpeter]

Has anyone heard about the ncaa doing a recent on campus investigation at a gmac school? I’ve heard some crazy rumors about subpar eligibility efforts in compliance. Like bad enough to take away team gmac and ncaa titles over the past few years. We shall see.

[BlueBlood]

Welcome to the G-MAC Thomas More Saints!!!