Moving Day 2025

[SW_Mustang]

It doesn't work that way. They can't have a D2 hockey team now that they are in D1. AIC is different- they are a D2 school so they could drop from their D1 men's hockey team that was grandfathered in.

I assumed that since the NCAA didn't sponsor D2 hockey, and the NE-10's hockey conference isn't apart of the NCAA that it wouldn't matter.

Either way, not a good look for Mercyhurst.

[SW_Mustang]

I don't think it's so much finances, but I'm sure the NCAA frowns on having a D1 program (even a D1 program in name only like Mercyhurst) dropping to the NE-10 for hockey.

I guess I could see it because the NE-10 is an NCAA DII conference even though their hockey operation isn't. I figured it would be like dropping down into the ACHA.

[Bballfan]

Either way, not a good look for Mercyhurst.

Mercyhurst has no business being D1 to begin with. It is a joke they made that move. Would Mercyhurst have been Gannon's men's or women's basketball team this year?

Gannon is the stronger university in Erie. Gannon should have probably just absorbed Mercyhurst and then if you make the jump to D1 that makes sense.

[SW_Mustang]

Mercyhurst has no business being D1 to begin with. It is a joke they made that move. Would Mercyhurst have been Gannon's men's or women's basketball team this year?

Gannon is the stronger university in Erie. Gannon should have probably just absorbed Mercyhurst and then if you make the jump to D1 that makes sense.

I'm guessing it was an ego thing. Or they legitimately thought people cared about mid-major basketball enough for it to pay some bills.

I agree - they honestly would have been better off just going DIII.

Heard they cut hockey after their giving day - did they issue those donors refunds? Hmm...

[Bballfan]

I'm guessing it was an ego thing. Or they legitimately thought people cared about mid-major basketball enough for it to pay some bills.

I agree - they honestly would have been better off just going DIII.

Heard they cut hockey after their giving day - did they issue those donors refunds? Hmm...

Well their football team couldn't compete in D2. Of course there are D1 FCS schools worse than some D2 schools too.

I have heard they were just looking for a money grab by going to play big D1 schools on the road. I mean they are in the worst conference in college sports. That conference will pickup any bottom feeder to stay relevant. Mercyhurst, LeMoyne, New Haven, Stonehill were all D2 fairly recently. And then you have St. Francis of PA. They threw in the towel and just hopped down to D3 because they knew the insanity had to stop at some point trying to be relevant.

[SW_Mustang]

Well their football team couldn't compete in D2. Of course there are D1 FCS schools worse than some D2 schools too.

I have heard they were just looking for a money grab by going to play big D1 schools on the road. I mean they are in the worst conference in college sports. That conference will pickup any bottom feeder to stay relevant. Mercyhurst, LeMoyne, New Haven, Stonehill were all D2 fairly recently. And then you have St. Francis of PA. They threw in the towel and just hopped down to D3 because they knew the insanity had to stop at some point trying to be relevant.

What's crazy is a lot of people - even some around here - applauded the move.

Non-P4 DI feels like it's becoming a bit of a ponzi scheme at this point. There's no way it's profitable for every school moving up. Schools don't care about winning, only getting whatever scraps the big boys let them have.

The St. Francis one was funny - nobody was going to games and suddenly their "fanbase" had an opinion on which division they were in.

[Bballfan]

It absolutely is a ponzi scheme! That is how non-power 4 schools are funding athletics. Take schools in MAC. They play SEC and Big 10 teams in football to get north of a million dollars a game. Hoop games pay a chunk of money too, but not to that extent. I know of a D2 school that played at Power 4 school in exhibition. They got $10,000 just for playing. And that wasn't even a real game!

Another quote I had heard about the Mercyhurst move from one of their inside people. "You never see a D1 school shutting down". Well, that was before St. Francis. They didn't shut down, but realized they could no longer be sustainable in D1 athletics (not even D2 athletics for that matter).

[laker]

Pac-12 Conference and The Big West Announce Collaborative Men’s Soccer Partnership to Strengthen Opportunities in the West - Pac-12 Conference

[Sec10-A-14]

I believe ( IMO ) Mercyhurst made the move to D1 hoping that it would entice a faltering school attendance. They were down below 2500 students and gambled D! status would attract more students, they probably could sustain Men's D! hockey against the big boys nor pay air fare for the western slog.
That said they are maintaining the D1 women's hockey team. Which has an easier bus sched

[Finchwidget]

https://salemtigers.com/news/2026/3/...ns-soccer.aspx

Salem will join the Mountain East for men's soccer starting in 2026. They've been an MEC affiliate for swimming & wrestling since 2024.

[Inkblot]

https://salemtigers.com/news/2026/3/...ns-soccer.aspx

Salem will join the Mountain East for men's soccer starting in 2026. They've been an MEC affiliate for swimming & wrestling since 2024.

Interesting. The addition of Shawnee State makes it unlikely that Salem's scheduling alliance is extended, but 3 MEC schools don't have men's soccer, so this makes it an even 10.

I wonder if Salem will start playing a PBC schedule in volleyball.

[Finchwidget]

Interesting. The addition of Shawnee State makes it unlikely that Salem's scheduling alliance is extended, but 3 MEC schools don't have men's soccer, so this makes it an even 10.

I included Salem's press release in my post, but the MEC press release makes it clear that was a big part of why they were added.

https://mountaineast.org/news/2026/3...ns-soccer.aspx

“The MEC is pleased to expand its sponsorship in men’s soccer to 10 institutions with the addition of Salem as an Associate Member,” said MEC Commissioner Reid Amos. “Salem has become increasingly competitive with MEC member institutions and with 10 men’s soccer teams, the MEC will transition to divisions, which will allow us to utilize the same schedule model as the women (12 teams), which will enhance travel and operational efficiency. Considering the overall strength of MEC men’s soccer, this move will also increase non-conference opportunities, which should better position our programs for increased post-season successes.”

[Bballfan]

Salem is a very strange school and you have to ask yourself how they even stay in business. Probably they just need to go D1 like Mercyhurst. All they need is a football team again! And as strange as the university is, Terry Bowden, Jimbo Fisher and Rich Rodriguez were all associated with Salem Football at some point. Crazy.

[laker]

Even though it is April 1st, I see each school and the conference have posted it.

Pac-12 Wrestling strengthens its membership with additions of Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State and South Dakota State - Pac-12 Conference

[zimmy21]

Even though it is April 1st, I see each school and the conference have posted it.

Pac-12 Wrestling strengthens its membership with additions of Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State and South Dakota State - Pac-12 Conference

Seems to me the NDSU / SDSU are situating themselves in new markets to bolster NDSU's move to the Mountain West...maybe SDSU isn't far behind?