Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

[IUPNation]

Says the man who's conference just "went after" a member from the MEC as opposed to the DII Lincoln (PA).

Seems like the PSAC as well could have a "very stable 9, 10, 11 team league with no worry" that fostered "natural rivalries"...Yet they chose not to.

Lincoln was not a good choice.

[IUPNation]

MEC problems are miniscule compared to the PSAC. The worst performing MEC school would be in the middle of the PSAC pack right there with IUP.

West Virginia is a dying state hanging on to Cheeto as its savior.

Pennsylvania still has a growing population on one half of the state.

[cneagle99]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

The MEC is not "unraveling." We've lost two teams. I would not want to be in the GMAC as they are effectively the WVIAC but in a different state. I'd much rather be independent than be a member of either the GMAC or the PSAC.

That was true until they secured the coup getting those GLIAC schools to come over. Now, I think the GMAC is a solid conference and no longer hanging by a thread....

I agree with ABjo, the GMAC would appear to have no interest in public universities. But, I also think it is not in their interest to see the MEC further weakened. That is why I doubt we will see both Urbana and NDC move until the MEC has righted the ship (if at all). You don't want to drive the MEC schools back to NAIA-though they could stay together as a conference without an AQ I suppose.

[Ram040506]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Did Shepherd object to WJ joining the MEC? Did they ask for a different school(s) to be invited? Either at the start of the MEC or at any point over the last six years? My understanding is no to all.

Do you know any of the answers to those questions? I and probably the rest of the Shepherd fans don't know if Shepherd did or did not ask/object to any of that. I don't think you have a clue to what is being discussed at the conference level in regards to each schools interest. But go ahead and spin it to make it sound like you do.

[RamPride]

[ctrabs74]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Lincoln was not a good choice.

And, Lincoln chose to remain in the CIAA. That seems to be what both administrators and alumni seem to be happy with even though the PSAC would've made a much better geographic fit (though, not necessarily a competitive fit, as long as we're being honest). More power to them.

[ctrabs74]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

That was true until they secured the coup getting those GLIAC schools to come over. Now, I think the GMAC is a solid conference and no longer hanging by a thread....

I agree with ABjo, the GMAC would appear to have no interest in public universities. But, I also think it is not in their interest to see the MEC further weakened. That is why I doubt we will see both Urbana and NDC move until the MEC has righted the ship (if at all). You don't want to drive the MEC schools back to NAIA-though they could stay together as a conference without an AQ I suppose.

The SAC kept that same mentality until they added Virginia-Wise, in all fairness. That said, I could see the GMAC remaining true to their roots as an exclusively small-sized, private school-only conference. Could we see some more shifting in a few years? Possibly. I don't see to many public school D2 options in Ohio or West Virginia for the GMAC to go after. Central State was a charter member of the GMAC, but they eventually left for the SIAC in part because they didn't sponsor all of the GMAC's core sports; the only other non-D2 public four-year school which would remotely be an option is Shawnee State in Portsmouth, and they're an NAIA program, if I'm not mistaken.

And why, for example, would a school like West Liberty, whose men's basketball program has been an Atlantic Region powerhouse as part of the WVIAC/MEC, want to go into the GMAC and a Midwest Region with an even tougher path to the Elite Eight? Remember, four of the last 10 D2 MBB national champions have come out of the Midwest Region (Findlay, 2009; Bellarmine, 2011; Drury, 2013, Ferris State, 2018).

I can't help but think the GMAC ship sailed for Urbana and NDC when they initially committed to the GMAC before ultimately joining the MEC when both conferences were starting out.

[CALUPA69]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Lincoln was not a good choice.

But definitely more CHEYNEY LEVEL opposition !!!

[JDonAB92]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

I am not an expert and won't claim to be one. I just have an opinion. But it is going to be harder and harder for a lot of the WV schools to compete at the regional level in NCAA D2. A lot of people will strongly disagree with that and that is fine. I enjoyed the NAIA days of the WVIAC. I know why the WVIAC went D2, but it has caused problems ever since. There is a lot more to going D2.

I would prefer Alderson Broaddus go back to NAIA. Not to re-live the days of the past, but simply because it is a better fit. I find it incredibly absurd that AB and WV Wesleyan don't play each other home-and-home in a lot of sports. The schools are less than a half-hour apart. They are similar in makeup. There used to be a strong rivalry in a lot of sports. I know all the issues that occurred. We don't need to rehash that out. I am completely done with the Creehan era at AB. With all that said, I just feel that NAIA is the best route for AB if enough institutions would go along.

I think, personally, that AB, D&E, OVU, Bluefield State, Salem and WV Tech would be a nice fit together. The idea of Salem and Bluefield stay D2 independent gives little to no hope to their athletes other than Bluefield State's tennis program. That is six schools. Quite frankly, there are a lot of MEC schools that need to consider the same route. I am not going to name them because it will only cause hard feelings. But to compete in more sports, SOME of the MEC schools need to go that route. Having one successful program at the D2 level and having some other sports in your program go winless or win a few games really doesn't mean you are D2. There are some MEC schools that could fit into the same NAIA mold as the six schools I mentioned above. Piece those schools together and have a NAIA conference of 9 to 10 members and be more competitive in a lot of sports. I would even try to slap the WVIAC tag back on the conference. Add Rio Grande if you want.

I know someone will say....well you don't have enough football schools. It works if your football join the Mid South as an affiliate as a lot of schools do. The Mid South Athletic Conference runs a football conference with three-tiered divisions. You just simply go with that for football and lineup and play the Pikevilles, Bluefield (VA), Union KY, Georgetown KY, etc, etc. This is how they have it aligned:

http://www.mid-southconference.org/full-standings/16/14

Some of the MEC schools won't want that, and I understand. But I could point to at least 4 that haven't been having great success in D2. One or two NCAA playoff bids in basketball, for instance, in 26 years of D2 is not that great of a showing for some of these schools. Same can be said for football.....finally get a bid and get housed in the first round of the playoffs. Some of the MEC schools will want to stay D2. Fine. I just think someone needs to sit down with some of the schools, have a reality-check talk, and talk about direction.

A lot of people will knock this. That is fine. I just don't think there is any thing wrong with NAIA. It has evolved since 1996. Some of the rules/regulations/requirements are as stringent as NCAA. I think a lot of the WV schools that are currently D2 mirror NAIA much more. Some of us fit better with Bluefield VA, Pikeville, Rio Grande, Union KY, etc. Have your laughs, but I strongly feel this.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

You make some valid points. One issue I think will be ego. Those stroking the big checks ... and not the $100 ones ... won't want to go down.

The MEC is in a real tricky spot.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

The ones that don't want to go NAIA don't have to. Stay D2. I emphasized the word "some". I always don't think that the word 'go down' is correct. If it makes some of these schools more competitive and in a better situation, then it isn't going down.

It may never float. But then we all stay D2. I just think it should be explored by some.

The days we all in WV stick together went out the window years ago. Why stay D2 for a few other schools sake? To each his own.

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Do you know any of the answers to those questions? I and probably the rest of the Shepherd fans don't know if Shepherd did or did not ask/object to any of that. I don't think you have a clue to what is being discussed at the conference level in regards to each schools interest. But go ahead and spin it to make it sound like you do.

Just asking a question to the poster that said that the MEC didn't even try (to make Shepherd happy). Your point is spot on...we don't know what the MEC did or didn't do to try and appease Shepherd. We don't know what Shepherd "asked for" now or in the past or even if they asked for anything. Only thing we know for sure is that the PSAC asked them to leave the MEC and join their conference, and they did.

I have one person that is associated with the MEC who gives me information from time to time. He wouldn't get into specifics but he said that Shepherd asked for several things as inducement to stay in the MEC. The MEC gave them those things and Shepherd left anyway. He also provided that they had a backup plan and are actively working it to get a 12th member relatively shortly (again, he wouldn't give details). Obviously I'm not actually part of either process so I don't really know if he's lying or not. All I know is that he has provided good information in the past.

[Stea1th]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

I have one person that is associated with the MEC who gives me information from time to time. He wouldn't get into specifics but he said that Shepherd asked for several things as inducement to stay in the MEC. The MEC gave them those things and Shepherd left anyway. He also provided that they had a backup plan and are actively working it to get a 12th member relatively shortly (again, he wouldn't give details). Obviously I'm not actually part of either process so I don't really know if he's lying or not. All I know is that he has provided good information in the past.

Did he say if we still have an 11th member?

[boatcapt]

Re: Derek Redd reports Shepherd is leaving the MEC after next year

Did he say if we still have an 11th member?

In the not too distant past (2'ish weeks ago?) he said that Frostburg was a lock but they were delaying to insure they would be eligible for the D3 playoffs for the 2018/19 year. I've talked with a Frostburg coach who said basically the same thing.

He also said that the three conferences had a gentleman's agreement (his term) to not directly target each others teams until a team from another conference contacted them first. He told me this about 6 months ago. Clearly that agreement is not in force now.

[GSCfan1275]