G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

[crixus]

Another men's team coming in 2026.

Ursuline adds its fourth men’s athletic team

Adding men's teams, that's something you don't hear very often anymore. Kudos to Ursuline!

[Bballfan]

Don't forget Gannon is looking to take over Ursuline. I really only think they want their nursing program.

I would be surprised if Ursuline really adds all these sports. Their current president use to be Malone's president. Made a lot of promises there too. And was president when Malone nuked football in the middle of the night.

[BlueBlood]

Got Curious. Per US Dept of Education:

Ursuline College
Number of Full-time Undergraduates: 536
Men: 40
Women: 496
Student Athletes: 147

Reporting Year: 08/01/2022 - 07/31/2023 (before the men's teams were added)

[BlueBlood]

That's good news for Ursuline. It's difficult enough for small private schools to stay open these days as-is. Only focusing on attracting half the population (women) would seem to make that even more difficult. There might be an argument that "sticking to your guns" is a good thing. Cedarville remains overtly Christian and is growing because of it. Hillsdale remains overtly politically conservative and is thriving. However, in Ursuline's case, its enrollment numbers were declining as a women's college, so expanding to include additional targets seems to be the right move.

As for the sports they are adding - they make sense. Track and field / x-country will re-use the same athletes for 3 sponsored sports. And you can have as big or small of a track team as you want. The conference isn't holding a gun to your head and telling you that you must have a pole-vaulter or hurdler. They can literally only run the distance events if they want to. And for golf, I think you only need to roster 8 golfers. So, they are being pretty strategic about it.

I hope they keep adding teams.

[Tech Boys]

Big news from Ursuline College.

Starting in 2025 they will have Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field Indoor, and Men's Track & Field Outdoor. All teams will compete in the GMAC.

I don't expect the Arrows to sponsor many men's sports but in the future start soccer and basketball to satisfy the team sport requirement and a spring sport (golf?) to have two sports in each season. Those are three of the smallest roster sports for men other than cross country.

Ursuline Adds its First Men’s Athletic Teams

Another men's team coming in 2026.

Ursuline adds its fourth men’s athletic team

[Bballfan]

Indiana Wesleyan is the Grand Valley of NAIA. They are a big fish in a small pond. They absolutely could compete in NCAA D2 and do quite well. Just as good if not better than what Thomas More has done. But sometimes these schools don't want to give up all the success they have had at their current level to actually go compete with tougher competition.

I think UIndy would be a fine addition to the GMAC too. Maybe the GMAC can do a two for one swap, KWC and Thomas More for UIndy. lol

BTW Trevecca. I don't think anyone missed them at all this year.

[Uindy18]

Indiana Wesleyan would be a great add. Other than location, Rio Grande in Ohio would be another NAIA to D2 candidate.

I just don't know how interested Indiana Wesleyan is interested in changing. They are a big fish in a small pond. And there are only 2 D2 schools left in Indiana. You are either D1, D3, or NAIA in that state. Conversely Ohio doesn't have a lot of NAIA left.

I'v said for a long time that I would love to see a GMAC that could get to as many as 16 schools and only have Ohio and Indiana schools. Essentially the following (with aggresive expansion into NAIA schools):

Ashland

Lake Erie

Cedarville

Findlay

Rio Grande

Tiffin

Malone

Walsh

Ohio Dominican

Ursuline

Central St.

Indianapolis

Taylor

Indiana Wesleyan

Marian (IN)

Saint Francis (IN)

That then leaves KWC, Thomas More (and maybe Kentucky State) to the GLVC, and Northwood and Hillsdale going back to the GLIAC (with healthy expansion there into Michigan NAIAs)

[Bballfan]

Agreed. As Grand Valley wants to beat down on a lot of D2 schools, Indiana Wesleyan does the same in NAIA. Hence they will stay big fish in a small pond.

[unc4life]

Indiana Wesleyan would be a great add. Other than location, Rio Grande in Ohio would be another NAIA to D2 candidate.

I just don't know how interested Indiana Wesleyan is interested in changing. They are a big fish in a small pond. And there are only 2 D2 schools left in Indiana. You are either D1, D3, or NAIA in that state. Conversely Ohio doesn't have a lot of NAIA left.

Indiana Wesleyan reminds me of Grand Valley. They are a top end NAIA schools at a lot of sports. You go through the list and its crazy how many top 25 programs they have in the nation. Similar to Grand Valley at the D2 level. IWU could easily move to D2. They would instantly have a better athletic program than half of the GMAC. Better facilities, more money, better programs. I just don't know if they desire to be there yet.

[Bballfan]

Indiana Wesleyan would be a great add. Other than location, Rio Grande in Ohio would be another NAIA to D2 candidate.

I just don't know how interested Indiana Wesleyan is interested in changing. They are a big fish in a small pond. And there are only 2 D2 schools left in Indiana. You are either D1, D3, or NAIA in that state. Conversely Ohio doesn't have a lot of NAIA left.

[BlueBlood]

BTW - Hillsdale always made sense to me - it's a private school near the OH border, has historical ties to Ashland, has geographic proximity to Findlay and Tiffin, etc.

Northwood surprised me. They were real close to the middle of the core GLIAC footprint.

Given Northwood, TNU moving on (creating better geography), being a private school in a mostly state school conference - would Davenport surprise me - No. That said, even if Davenport wants to come, I still think the G-MAC might/should have some hesitancy in further destabilizing the GLIAC.

I'd rather see the G-MAC add some of the IN NAIA schools (and UIndy if they ever make a decision that they are staying in D2 long-term).

[Bballfan]

That was not what I heard from a very reliable source but good for them! The FAFSA debacle has hurt a lot of small colleges (except for Hillsdale of course).

[BlueBlood]

Even Cedarville's enrollment is down this year. And if Cedarville is having a down year, imagine how bad it is at these schools.

Cedarville states enrollment is at an all-time high.

[Bballfan]

I’ve mentioned before that the G-MAC likely does not want to (or at least should not want to) destabilize the GLIAC.

Yet Northwood came over. The only reason the GLIAC has eight football now is because of Roosevelt, which is hardly saying much. Still not sure Wayne State doesn't make the jump to D1. Grand Valley won't because they want to be a big fish in a small pond. I am sure both the GLIAC and GMAC would take Indy if they left the GLVC (and Indy didn't go D1 which is a possibility).

I just think the GMAC should be aggressive in getting a couple more schools as who knows if KWC, Lake Erie, and Ohio Dominican are going to be around for five years. Even Cedarville's enrollment is down this year. And if Cedarville is having a down year, imagine how bad it is at these schools.

[BlueBlood]

Davenport is an associate member of the G-MAC for Men's Lacrosse, Wrestling and Stunt.

I’ve mentioned before that the G-MAC likely does not want to (or at least should not want to) destabilize the GLIAC.

The GLIAC has several sponsored sports that are at low participation levels. Women’s lacrosse has only 3 schools (including DU). Men’s soccer has 6 (including DU). Baseball has 7 (including DU). Several sports (including football) are at 8.