New bellarmine thread

[laker]

Re: New bellarmine thread

Go to #6, Classification Debate, which talks more about who is grandfathered in. The NCAA has no D2 ice hockey tournament so that is why MSU-Mankato can "move up" for the sport.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_D...ication_debate

[BellarmineGrad]

Re: New bellarmine thread

I will be surprised if a D-I move is the big announcement. Bozich's tease specifically cites the basketball program, and a move up to D-I (joining lacrosse, as noted) would very much be an athletics program-wide type of thing.

That said, I'd find a D-I move exciting. Being in a position to compete for D-II national titles is nothing to sneeze at and certainly not to be taken for granted. But I imagine, for example, NKU and its fans had more fun this past season making the D-I tourney and losing in the first round than when they made it to back-to-back D-II title games in the '90s. BU is still small and young enough to where it can always use publicity, and you can't buy the kind a university gets from appearing on all those brackets around the world and on the television broadcasts (even if it's just a scrolling score). I don't complete those brackets anymore, but, if BU was to move everything up and lucky enough to get an automatic berth to the Big Dance(TM) at some point, I'd write them in all the way to the Final Four(TM).

I remember that the preseason NIT let a couple of D-II teams play at least in the not-too-distant past:
https://www.si.com/college-basketbal...ip-off-bracket

While something like that would be "big, big, big" for the hoops program, it looks like they don't do that tournament as a bracketed event anymore and only use four teams (which have already been picked for 2017):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIT_Se...rnament_Format

[Knightmoves]

Re: New bellarmine thread

I will be surprised if a D-I move is the big announcement. Bozich's tease specifically cites the basketball program, and a move up to D-I (joining lacrosse, as noted) would very much be an athletics program-wide type of thing.

That said, I'd find a D-I move exciting. Being in a position to compete for D-II national titles is nothing to sneeze at and certainly not to be taken for granted. But I imagine, for example, NKU and its fans had more fun this past season making the D-I tourney and losing in the first round than when they made it to back-to-back D-II title games in the '90s. BU is still small and young enough to where it can always use publicity, and you can't buy the kind a university gets from appearing on all those brackets around the world and on the television broadcasts (even if it's just a scrolling score). I don't complete those brackets anymore, but, if BU was to move everything up and lucky enough to get an automatic berth to the Big Dance(TM) at some point, I'd write them in all the way to the Final Four(TM).

I remember that the preseason NIT let a couple of D-II teams play at least in the not-too-distant past:
https://www.si.com/college-basketbal...ip-off-bracket

While something like that would be "big, big, big" for the hoops program, it looks like they don't do that tournament as a bracketed event anymore and only use four teams (which have already been picked for 2017):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIT_Se...rnament_Format

A regular season game against a good D1 team would at least be big, big. Maybe not big, big, big.

[MrAugustana]

Re: New bellarmine thread

I will be surprised if a D-I move is the big announcement. Bozich's tease specifically cites the basketball program, and a move up to D-I (joining lacrosse, as noted) would very much be an athletics program-wide type of thing.

That said, I'd find a D-I move exciting. Being in a position to compete for D-II national titles is nothing to sneeze at and certainly not to be taken for granted. But I imagine, for example, NKU and its fans had more fun this past season making the D-I tourney and losing in the first round than when they made it to back-to-back D-II title games in the '90s. BU is still small and young enough to where it can always use publicity, and you can't buy the kind a university gets from appearing on all those brackets around the world and on the television broadcasts (even if it's just a scrolling score). I don't complete those brackets anymore, but, if BU was to move everything up and lucky enough to get an automatic berth to the Big Dance(TM) at some point, I'd write them in all the way to the Final Four(TM).

I remember that the preseason NIT let a couple of D-II teams play at least in the not-too-distant past:
https://www.si.com/college-basketbal...ip-off-bracket

While something like that would be "big, big, big" for the hoops program, it looks like they don't do that tournament as a bracketed event anymore and only use four teams (which have already been picked for 2017):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIT_Se...rnament_Format

New question. If I remember correctly, teams are no longer allowed to jump D2 to D1 without being invited to join a conference upon making the jump. Which conference do you BU fans see the Knights getting invited to if that is the big news?

[Horsepower]

Re: New bellarmine thread

New question. If I remember correctly, teams are no longer allowed to jump D2 to D1 without being invited to join a conference upon making the jump. Which conference do you BU fans see the Knights getting invited to if that is the big news?

Not that I believe that Bellarmine would move to D1 but they have been very loosely paired with the Horizon Conference to give that conference a southern footprint.

[MrAugustana]

Re: New bellarmine thread

Not that I believe that Bellarmine would move to D1 but they have been very loosely paired with the Horizon Conference to give that conference a southern footprint.

If that were the case, it would be quite a jump. The Horizon poaches other D1 schools from smaller conferences (like IUPUI from the Summit League). I'd be surprised if they'd take a risk on adding a D2-to-D1 jumper, but I am not a D1 conference commissioner. Yet. Or probably ever. Most likely ever.

[BellarmineGrad]

Re: New bellarmine thread

I believe the Horizon League talk is based on the concept of BU being a "travel partner"/neighbor/rival for NKU.

Bellarmine already plays lacrosse in the Southern Conference, and there are some similarly-sized and positioned schools there, but I think BU would go Summit before the SoCon.

The OVC could be a good fit, without a ton of travel, but I think the same issue would arise as when NKU was moving up: the current conference members (at least a lot of them) want a football-playing school, not one that wouldn't have to spent money on the pigskin and could devote more money to hoops.

All that said, I don't think a D-I move is the "big, big, big" announcement, unless that reporter Bozich was being casual with his wording in the post, and the announcement relates to the whole athletics program (not just basketball and Scotty).

Hope we get the announcement soon!

[BGrad1971]

Re: New bellarmine thread

I believe the Horizon League talk is based on the concept of BU being a "travel partner"/neighbor/rival for NKU.

Bellarmine already plays lacrosse in the Southern Conference, and there are some similarly-sized and positioned schools there, but I think BU would go Summit before the SoCon.

The OVC could be a good fit, without a ton of travel, but I think the same issue would arise as when NKU was moving up: the current conference members (at least a lot of them) want a football-playing school, not one that wouldn't have to spent money on the pigskin and could devote more money to hoops.

All that said, I don't think a D-I move is the "big, big, big" announcement, unless that reporter Bozich was being casual with his wording in the post, and the announcement relates to the whole athletics program (not just basketball and Scotty).

Hope we get the announcement soon!

After reading all of the postings on the Bozich "leak", I just want to add my own thoughts on this......I would say removing those darn columns from Knights Hall would be worthy of 4"bigs".

[BellarmineGrad]

Re: New bellarmine thread

I would say removing those darn columns from Knights Hall would be worthy of 4"bigs".

Amen! Their removal would be cause for much celebration, certainly among us Knightheads here in this distinguished forum.

I'm still very curious about the announcement and today am wondering if it's the Knights participating in a mostly D-I, early season tournament or similar event. Remember how, in Scotty's second year or so at BU, the squad played in a four-team event at U of L and held their own against St. Joe's of Philly, Ohio, and L'ville?

[Knightmoves]

Re: New bellarmine thread

Amen! Their removal would be cause for much celebration, certainly among us Knightheads here in this distinguished forum.

I'm still very curious about the announcement and today am wondering if it's the Knights participating in a mostly D-I, early season tournament or similar event. Remember how, in Scotty's second year or so at BU, the squad played in a four-team event at U of L and held their own against St. Joe's of Philly, Ohio, and L'ville?

Wasn't BU's participation the result of a school pulling out in the last minute?

[KnightStalker]

Re: New bellarmine thread

Aren't all the D1 schedules out by now? I can't imagine a big time program not already having their schedules set.

[Knightmoves]

Re: New bellarmine thread

Aren't all the D1 schedules out by now? I can't imagine a big time program not already having their schedules set.

They may be set, but they have not necessarily been released. UofL's is not on their web page.

[Knightmoves]

Re: New bellarmine thread

More speculation on 3xbig news: Jay Henderson transferring to BU. I don't think it would warrant big news, but a local sportswriter might.

[KnightStalker]

Re: New bellarmine thread

More speculation on 3xbig news: Jay Henderson transferring to BU. I don't think it would warrant big news, but a local sportswriter might.

Sure would like that news over D1 status. He would be a great to replace Rusty's spot. Does he have 2 years of eligibility left?

[Knightmoves]

Re: New bellarmine thread

Sure would like that news over D1 status. He would be a great to replace Rusty's spot. Does he have 2 years of eligibility left?

Yes, he is listed as a junior.

Of course, I am just throwing out everything I can think of so that I can say I called it.

Henderson has not announced what school he is going to, so I guess it's not an impossibilty. I don't think he would even start, although he might give Jenkins a run for his money. I am not sure if Henderson has a true Bellarmine attitude, considering he was shopping around at major D1 programs.