MEC new member Shawnee State

[Finchwidget]

Tech moved campuses and abandoned their notorious old football stadium on the cliff. Not sure if their current campus has a field to use. Now that they're under the WVU umbrella, the mother ship won't pony up.

WVU Tech had announced official plans to start a football program back in 2022, and there were talks about converting one of their soccer stadiums on the new campus in Beckley to accommodate. Nothing ever ended up coming of it though

[Fightingscot82]

WVU Tech had announced official plans to start a football program back in 2022, and there were talks about converting one of their soccer stadiums on the new campus in Beckley to accommodate. Nothing ever ended up coming of it though

That's right. They're still struggling financially after years of missing enrollment projections. The fact that WVU is also in a tough financial situation doesn't make it any easier.

If the region weren't economically stagnant and seeing a population decline of future football players, I'd think it's a good idea. Most if not all schools in WV are seeing enrollment level off at best while projecting future declines. Until the demand changes, I wouldn't support something so costly and risky.

I for one am amazed that Salem is still open. They were on the brink years ago when they aligned with that Japanese company. I guess they figured out how to go forward without the partnership.

[WVSU1995]

We have to remember that WV Tech applied twice to get back into the NCAA D2 ranks TWICE and were denied TWICE. They were sponsored by the WVIAC at the time. They left D2 to go to NAIA to avoid some sanctions on the athletic department due to some Title IX violations. The NCAA made it clear that they did not like that type of move. The school has had issues. At one time, a very good athletic program if you go back to the 50s thru the 80s. But those days have passed. As one said, being under the WVU umbrella doesn't help. WVU has serious financial concerns right now.

Other than their athletic teams, Salem is mostly an online school. They have been up and down with finances. They do seem to be in a better spot now financially. But Salem is always a risk. They have jumped in and jumped out of conferences the past two decades. They left the WVIAC and jumped back in. They were asked to leave the G-MAC and did. Too much of a risk than the MEC does not need.

I am no expert on conference expansion. You won't hear me say that I know what I am talking about. But I would think if we added Shawnee State that we might also look at University of Rio Grande in Ohio which is very close geographically to a lot of the MEC schools. I don't know their situation as to whether they would want to move up. They have added football recently. Shenandoah has a lot of money in athletic facilities. The Wilkins family has dropped some serious coin into that school's athletic complexes. They make a lot more sense geographically than Salisbury.

[Sportsnut]

Salem University is a dumpster fire and the town is just as bad. Please don't bring them back.

[crixus]

They are located in nearby Ohio.

A MEC presence in Ohio again after Urbana and NDC both closed will be nice. Welcome aboard Shawnee State.

[ctrabs74]

WVU Tech had announced official plans to start a football program back in 2022, and there were talks about converting one of their soccer stadiums on the new campus in Beckley to accommodate. Nothing ever ended up coming of it though

The Charleston Gazette-Mail posted a video about the potential WV Tech football program's status on their YouTube channel last week... Pretty telling.

[Finchwidget]

The Charleston Gazette-Mail posted a video about the potential WV Tech football program's status on their YouTube channel last week... Pretty telling.

I watched the video, and while it was admittedly a nice insight into what the former program was like and how it impacted the community, it seemed like more of a retrospective than anything else-- I didn't see anything about the status of the program today (outside of it not existing anymore) or any details on a potential revival. Maybe you can help show me what I'm missing?

[boatcapt]

I watched the video, and while it was admittedly a nice insight into what the former program was like and how it impacted the community, it seemed like more of a retrospective than anything else-- I didn't see anything about the status of the program today (outside of it not existing anymore) or any details on a potential revival. Maybe you can help show me what I'm missing?

Nice retrospect about the program when WV Tech was in Martinsville, but the school is in Beckley now. No mention of if the school in its current location is planning or even considering bring football back.

My understanding is that the school is doing much better since the move and is on much firmer financial footing.

Someone mentioned that WV Tech had tried to get back in the NCAA and the WVIAC twice since dropping down to the NAIA. Again, my understanding was that this occured right after they left the NCAA. Reason given at the time was that the school expected a large drop in the cost of the athletic program in the NAIA but the price actually went up. Whatever the reason, that was a long time ago.

So should the MEC extend an invitation to the new WVU Tech? I say yes provided they commit to starting football in the same manner as Shawnee. The current WVU Tech is much more financially and enrollment stable than the WV Tech that left the WVIAC and NCAA years ago

[Tdobson]

I have never seen Tech's field, but I bet that was an awesome place to watch a game at. When I was at IUP, I believe we played them in either 99 or 2000 at IUP. When did they disband football? It is sad to see the decay in the field. To bad a local high school could not use it, or was that tried?

[WVSU1995]

It was a nice look on top of that hill overlooking Montgomery, WV and the Kanawha River.

The two closest HS to the field have since closed due to consolidation....Valley-Fayette HS and Gauley Bridge HS. Valley used it a couple times when they made the playoffs in the 90s.

WV Tech was once one of the largest enrollments in the old WVIAC. It was located 25-30 minutes outside of Charleston, WV. But the enrollment went down when the chemical plants in the Kanawha Valley left. When the WVIAC tournament was played in Charleston in the 60s, 70s and 80s, Tech always had a big turnout in terms of fans. Their alumni base in southern WV was big during those days. Many chemical engineers worked at either the plants at DuPont, Union Carbide, Monsanto and FMC. There were also a ton of engineers working as mining engineers for the coal mines in southern WV. The brain drain from the state of WV especially the Kanawha Valley took a big hit on WV Tech.

The saddest thing to see in these articles is the state of once a proud basketball arena in the Neal Baisi Center. One of the best and biggest arenas in the old conference is now boarded up. We are talking some big names that played there. Mike Barrett was a Tech player that won a gold medal for the USA. Sedale Threatt played for over a decade in the NBA....starting for several teams. Sam Cooke, Ron Beatty, Arthur Culbreath, Robert Price, Ray Pringle, Mike Merritt......Tech was one of the forces in the 80s in the WVIAC.

I don't know where Tech would play there home football games if they were to re-start football. Woodrow Wilson HS? They play their home basketball games at the Raleigh County Armory which is where Woodrow Wilson HS plays their home games. WV Tech's on campus basketball gym does not have the seating capacity to host games. Mike Springston had really started to build back WV Tech football....I want to say around 2000, but he left to go start the football program at the University of Charleston.

[BlueBlood]

I think Shawnee St. is a nice pick-up for the MEC. I just looked to see how they fared in their NAIA conference last year. They finished mid-pack in the River States All-Sports rankings. While not a flashy addition, they are a state school that isn't going to fall victim to "tiny private school closing syndrome". And who know, maybe this move will create excitement at SSU and they will have their best/most-competitive years ahead.

[Uindy18]

It was a nice look on top of that hill overlooking Montgomery, WV and the Kanawha River.

The two closest HS to the field have since closed due to consolidation....Valley-Fayette HS and Gauley Bridge HS. Valley used it a couple times when they made the playoffs in the 90s.

WV Tech was once one of the largest enrollments in the old WVIAC. It was located 25-30 minutes outside of Charleston, WV. But the enrollment went down when the chemical plants in the Kanawha Valley left. When the WVIAC tournament was played in Charleston in the 60s, 70s and 80s, Tech always had a big turnout in terms of fans. Their alumni base in southern WV was big during those days. Many chemical engineers worked at either the plants at DuPont, Union Carbide, Monsanto and FMC. There were also a ton of engineers working as mining engineers for the coal mines in southern WV. The brain drain from the state of WV especially the Kanawha Valley took a big hit on WV Tech.

The saddest thing to see in these articles is the state of once a proud basketball arena in the Neal Baisi Center. One of the best and biggest arenas in the old conference is now boarded up. We are talking some big names that played there. Mike Barrett was a Tech player that won a gold medal for the USA. Sedale Threatt played for over a decade in the NBA....starting for several teams. Sam Cooke, Ron Beatty, Arthur Culbreath, Robert Price, Ray Pringle, Mike Merritt......Tech was one of the forces in the 80s in the WVIAC.

I don't know where Tech would play there home football games if they were to re-start football. Woodrow Wilson HS? They play their home basketball games at the Raleigh County Armory which is where Woodrow Wilson HS plays their home games. WV Tech's on campus basketball gym does not have the seating capacity to host games. Mike Springston had really started to build back WV Tech football....I want to say around 2000, but he left to go start the football program at the University of Charleston.

They said they would be playing at the Cline Complex in Beckley, WV if they ever do.

https://www.wvnstv.com/sports/local-...tball-program/

[boatcapt]

I have never seen Tech's field, but I bet that was an awesome place to watch a game at. When I was at IUP, I believe we played them in either 99 or 2000 at IUP. When did they disband football? It is sad to see the decay in the field. To bad a local high school could not use it, or was that tried?

It has awesome site lines and a real small college feel buuuttt...the field itself apparently was little more than first generation astro turf over concrete. Some players I knew described it as playing tackle football on a street!

[boatcapt]

They said they would be playing at the Cline Complex in Beckley, WV if they ever do.

https://www.wvnstv.com/sports/local-...tball-program/

Carolyn Long, the then President of WVU Tech, was all in for starting football at WVU Tech, unfortunately she left (retired?) WVT in 2022 and there has been zero from any source about WVT starting a football program since. At this point, I'd classify it as a long shot.

[Uindy18]

While certainly a long way from anything concrete, Tech is hosting a football fundraising dinner, they say, is for the reinstatement of the program.

https://woay.com/wvu-tech-football-t...alumni-dinner/