G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

Not sure if this was posted earlier, as it looks like it was announced by OVU in late February, but their soccer coach, Luis Rincon, has move on to Francis Marion University. He coached both the OVU mens and womens teams, and developed both into solid programs. It will be interesting to see if OVU can maintain what he built and if the pipeline to recruits remains.

[alumnifan]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

Not to change the subject, but why can't somebody from the G-MAC talk Oakland City into joining the conference. Or, have they not been given a bid? I really don't know and can't remember. Oakland City has done a lot of good for a lot of people. They have a new Dean of the School of Education in Dr. Rachel Yarbrough. We both came out of Webster County High School. She is brilliant. I heard her daddy preach a lot. She was an athlete and has been to Kentucky Wesleyan's Basketball Games. Why would Oakland City want to remain independent? They need to join the G-MAC and I don't care if they don't have a football team. I even know the bus driver for OCU's athletic teams. He is a great guy. Get Oakland City University in the G-MAC. I am not saying I would root for them against Wesleyan, but I always wanted to see them play well against us. Wayne Chapman got a little criticism for scheduling them one season. He said "they have a good basketball team and that is why I scheduled them."

OCU would be helped tremendously in a conference like the G-MAC. Both sides just need to agree on the issue.

[BlueBlood]

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I'm going to answer my own question. If Bellarmine bolts, and I'm in charge of UIndy, I think I would give serious consideration to going D1 as well.

According to Dept. of Education, UIndy has a $17.6M athletic budget. That is a big pile of money. That is more than non-football D1 Belmont and tied with non-football D1 Lipscomb. Somehow, D1 Valpo with football (albeit non-scholarship Pioneer) has a smaller budget at $14.7M. For comparison sake, Butler comes in at $25.4M, Xavier at $21.7M and Bellarmine currently comes in at $8.5M.

So, it looks like they could drop football and fund a department similar to Belmont / Lipscomb, or keep non-scholarship football like Valpo did.

Honestly, if you are going to spend $17.6M on athletics, I think you might as well go D1.

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

$9.2M Tiffin
$9.1M Findlay
$7.9M Walsh
$6.7M Malone
$6.6M Alderson Broaddus
$5.3M ODU
$4.9M KWC
$4.7M Lake Erie
$4.6M Trevecca
$4.3M Ohio Valley
$4.2M Cedarville
$4.0M D&E


Ashland is $7.9M, NDC is $7.4M, Urbana is $4.4M

[BellarmineGrad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I'm going to answer my own question. If Bellarmine bolts, and I'm in charge of UIndy, I think I would give serious consideration to going D1 as well.

According to Dept. of Education, UIndy has a $17.6M athletic budget. That is a big pile of money.

...

Honestly, if you are going to spend $17.6M on athletics, I think you might as well go D1.

I certainly get where you're coming from, but I lived up there for a long time and just don't think it would work in that situation. UIndy gets minimal fan support and zero media coverage; the market is saturated with the NFL, NBA, and numerous established D-I programs in the region.

Bellarmine, for example, is more fortunate in that there's not nearly as much of that sort of competition around; the only pro sports in the city are minor league baseball and, for the hipsters, minor league soccer. Another distinction is that, while I don't consider Louisville to be "southern," BU may get a solid marketing niche in being the only D-I Catholic university in the south.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

Not to change the subject, but why can't somebody from the G-MAC talk Oakland City into joining the conference. Or, have they not been given a bid? I really don't know and can't remember. Oakland City has done a lot of good for a lot of people. They have a new Dean of the School of Education in Dr. Rachel Yarbrough. We both came out of Webster County High School. She is brilliant. I heard her daddy preach a lot. She was an athlete and has been to Kentucky Wesleyan's Basketball Games. Why would Oakland City want to remain independent? They need to join the G-MAC and I don't care if they don't have a football team. I even know the bus driver for OCU's athletic teams. He is a great guy. Get Oakland City University in the G-MAC. I am not saying I would root for them against Wesleyan, but I always wanted to see them play well against us. Wayne Chapman got a little criticism for scheduling them one season. He said "they have a good basketball team and that is why I scheduled them."

OCU would be helped tremendously in a conference like the G-MAC. Both sides just need to agree on the issue.

[DJ Silky Panties]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I certainly get where you're coming from, but I lived up there for a long time and just don't think it would work in that situation. UIndy gets minimal fan support and zero media coverage; the market is saturated with the NFL, NBA, and numerous established D-I programs in the region.

Bellarmine, for example, is more fortunate ins that there's not nearly as much of that sort of competition around; the only pro sports here are minor league baseball and, for the hipsters, minor league soccer. And, I don't consider Louisville to be "southern," but there may be a real marketing niche in being the only D-I Catholic university in the south.

U Indy biggest problem is neighborhood. Worst in town.

[BellarmineGrad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

U Indy biggest problem is neighborhood. Worst in town.

Definitely not a nice one, although I imagine there are some east side ones which are worse.

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

UIndy - The number just shocked me. It is double what the top teams in the G-MAC are spending. Its $10M more than Ashland, who I view as a super competitive athletic department. Spending is on par with Belmont/Lipscomb/Valpo. I guess I just think that if you're paying that much, you might as well have a shot at March Madness and the occasional TV exposure.

Bellarmine - The marketplace is pretty tough right now for small private schools. This is an aggressive move, but one that will create separation between them and the 1000s of other small private colleges. I lived near Villanova for a while and have lots of friends who went their. The guys who are older than me often mention that Nova did not always have the name recognition or academic standing that it does today. In the old days Nova was largely considered a local Catholic college - some friends have even used the "commuter school" description. Then, Big East basketball happened and 1985 happened. As the school's notoriety (generated by basketball) grew, applications increased and the school grew and at the same time was able to become much more selective. If Bellarmine can replicate even a small part of that (I don't think anyone sees a NC on the horizon), then this is the right move.

[BlueBlood]

[BellarmineGrad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

UIndy - The number just shocked me.

Agreed. You'd think they'd have much more success to show for all that.

Bellarmine - The marketplace is pretty tough right now for small private schools. This is an aggressive move, but one that will create separation between them and the 1000s of other small private colleges.

Yep, I think you captured the administration's thinking in a nutshell. Among other things, a goal is expanding the recruiting base, for athletes and non-athletes alike.

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

Conference championships/tournaments for Softball, Outdoor Track, and Men's and Women's Lacrosse all start today. Its the end of another year.

[alumnifan]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

This is a locally produced television spot on WEHT News in Evansville. It is the local ABC affiliate. It use to be CBS. Local television stations changes hands sometimes.

East Regional NCAA D2 Women's Golf Championship at The Pearl Club in Owensboro, Ky.

LINK:

https://www.tristatehomepage.com/spo...nal/1990891948

[BlueBlood]