Simon Fraser Back to Canada West?

[D2Rover]

Not sure if anyone posted about Simon Fraser exploring leaving NCAA, article here: https://theprovince.com/sports/unive...an-competition

Last week, the Student Society and SAAC put out an open letter pushing back against the move: https://theprovince.com/sports/unive...an-competition

The letter: https://1sfu-my.sharepoint.com/perso...Documents&ga=1

In my brief scan through the letter, it appears to mention topics like guaranteed quality of medical care, scholarship opportunities, the loss of multiple sports, and inconsistencies in the claims the University is making about US policies.

Also says only 8.8% of athletes would stay at SFU if the move occurred.

[tsull]

Not sure if anyone posted about Simon Fraser exploring leaving NCAA, article here: https://theprovince.com/sports/unive...an-competition

Last week, the Student Society and SAAC put out an open letter pushing back against the move: https://theprovince.com/sports/unive...an-competition

The letter: https://1sfu-my.sharepoint.com/perso...Documents&ga=1

In my brief scan through the letter, it appears to mention topics like guaranteed quality of medical care, scholarship opportunities, the loss of multiple sports, and inconsistencies in the claims the University is making about US policies.

Also says only 8.8% of athletes would stay at SFU if the move occurred.

Wow, interesting. I've always wondered about their participation in the NCAA if it helps them. It sounds like it does behind the scenes. In front of the scenes, however, they draw horribly in men's and women's basketball. But they are very good in track and field and other sports. Honestly, I've never understood their participation in the NCAA. If they want to stay fine, but to be honest, when they cut football, I was done with them.

[laker]

Wow, interesting. I've always wondered about their participation in the NCAA if it helps them. It sounds like it does behind the scenes. In front of the scenes, however, they draw horribly in men's and women's basketball. But they are very good in track and field and other sports. Honestly, I've never understood their participation in the NCAA. If they want to stay fine, but to be honest, when they cut football, I was done with them.

Yes. And I'll say the same thing for Western Washington.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

They will stay in NCAA. It is so unique for them to represent all of Canada in the NCAA. Plus, their most of their remaining sports are thriving right now.

[Goods]

Yes. And I'll say the same thing for Western Washington.

I’ve always liked your opinion.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

https://theprovince.com/sports/unive...an-competition

SFU has applied to return to the Canadian league starting 2027-28. They would discontinue softball, golf, and outdoor track if they are accepted.

[tsull]

https://theprovince.com/sports/unive...an-competition

SFU has applied to return to the Canadian league starting 2027-28. They would discontinue softball, golf, and outdoor track if they are accepted.

They're good in track and field and cross country. Not sure why they would cut the other sports, unless they're not offered in that conference. Canada has produced a lot of good golfers. Maybe they can bring back football, which is doubtful, it's the one sport that once it's gone, it doesn't come back.

[Inkblot]

They're good in track and field and cross country. Not sure why they would cut the other sports, unless they're not offered in that conference. Canada has produced a lot of good golfers. Maybe they can bring back football, which is doubtful, it's the one sport that once it's gone, it doesn't come back.

U Sports doesn't sponsor championships in those sports. British Columbia and Victoria both play some sports in the NAIA, but Simon Fraser isn't open to doing that.

[laker]

https://theprovince.com/sports/unive...an-competition

SFU has applied to return to the Canadian league starting 2027-28. They would discontinue softball, golf, and outdoor track if they are accepted.

Has there been an update on this? I haven't seen anything and wondered if it had been approved.

Oddly, what made me think of this was seeing the word "Clan". Not Klan. Wondered why some people don't know the difference.

[Inkblot]

Has there been an update on this? I haven't seen anything and wondered if it had been approved.

Oddly, what made me think of this was seeing the word "Clan". Not Klan. Wondered why some people don't know the difference.

They were accepted to U Sports a few weeks ago. https://en.usports.ca/general/2025-26/Releases/SFU2026

[laker]

They were accepted to U Sports a few weeks ago. https://en.usports.ca/general/2025-26/Releases/SFU2026

Thanks!

[tsull]

The NCAA membership was something they bragged about. I have a friend who lives in Vancouver BC, he's retired from higher education, he said the impact of the NCAA was nothing.

It's not really a sports school, though they've had some good teams. Every college has had some good teams. It would have been neat for them to hang around if they had football, but when they cut that it was really time to stay up in Canada.

It's a hassle to make all your athletes get passports. I never really understood their NCAA membership other than bragging about being the only school in Canada to have it. It literally had zero impact on their school.

[Goods]

Oddly, what made me think of this was seeing the word "Clan". Not Klan. Wondered why some people don't know the difference.

Because knowledge and listening and shaping opinions based on research, life experience and a willingness to have a conversation doesn't get you clicks and followers. If you can trigger someone within the first 5 seconds, then you are a winner in 2026.

But to keep it on point, SFU never seemed all in on football or if they were, it wasn't working. An international border, its university system and enrollment didn't mesh well with NCAA D2 for all sports from a logistic standpoint, but I agree with tsull, they could put together a solid team or two in volleyball, women's bball and individual athletes did well in T/F and XC.

[D2Rover]

The American connection was something that in better times set them apart from other Canadian Universities, which is nicer than their new identity as being the second school in the Vancouver Metro after UBC. Also D2 is a significantly higher level of competition than any college sports in Canada.

Unfortunately anti-American sentiment in Canada is pretty high right now, and the Simon Fraser admin that didn't see athletics as a priority anyway had even more excuse to pull out.

It's pretty short-sighted from them. I get why some of the GNAC fans on here (and football fans generally) aren't sad to see them go, but I always thought the GNAC was better with them involved.

[tsull]

Good move for them. I've been up to Vancouver a number of times and they're never in the sports pages except for maybe a blurb. They're not on any kind of sports radio up there. NCAA didn't move the needle and it was more of a hassle than anything.

They belong playing sports and Canadian leagues now they could add football and play UBC but I don't think they want to play anything related to naia. To be honest there's not a person in Canada who knows the difference between NAIA and NCAA Division 2. There's barely anyone in America who knows that. People need to get over themselves and quit thinking they're playing Michigan or Alabama or something.