Merrimack to D1 NEC

[laker]

Has this been in the rumor mill lately?

http://www.eagletribune.com/news/mer...c7f8a93ee.html

[CHIP72]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

Though I don't follow the NE-10 that closely except in the context of the PSAC and the playoffs, I know this rumor was floating around last year.

FWIW, there is some discussion about this topic on D2Football's sister site of sorts, AnyGivenSaturday.com: http://www.anygivensaturday.com/show...s-growing-quot.

[budman]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

Is Merrimack going to build a new gym? Will this open up a spot for LIU post to be add for all Sports ?

[NE10Fan]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

The article indicates it's a done deal. No mention of when football will make the move, some teams will participate next year, but they will have full membership in 2023-24.

[Paul Falewicz]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

The article indicates it's a done deal. No mention of when football will make the move, some teams will participate next year, but they will have full membership in 2023-24.

It is a done deal. They have been working on for the past several years and the main reason that they built the new football stadium. They are already D1 in hockey so they understand how it works.

They will need to upgrade some of the other facilities like the basketball gym and build a baseball diamond. But they have two outside turf fields and two hockey rinks.

They will leave the NE-10 this year and play an independent schedule over the next five years. They will play teams from the NEC and probably some from the NE-10.

But with Franklin Pierce coming aboard for football next year, the schedule will be balanced and only have the 1st weekend and the bye week for potential games.

LIU Post likes their current conference with the exception of no football which is why they are part of the NE-10.

They are following the same path as Bryant 10 years ago.

[cwfenn]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

Though I don't follow the NE-10 that closely except in the context of the PSAC and the playoffs, I know this rumor was floating around last year.

FWIW, there is some discussion about this topic on D2Football's sister site of sorts, AnyGivenSaturday.com: http://www.anygivensaturday.com/show...s-growing-quot.

Curious that someone on that site mentioned New Haven, I don't think they have thought of that for a long time. The university bounced D1 membership around with exploring D2 conference memberships more than 15 years ago, and nothing materialized so they dropped football and joined the ECC in the sports they had remaining. New Haven is putting a butt-ton of money into construction and expansion and are doing a huge capital campaign, but they're not even the NE10's highest-funded athletic program in terms of scholarships (that would be Assumption). They also would need to significantly increase sports offerings, which might be beyond their means at the moment.

In my opinion, being at low-level D1 isn't the greatest place to be- sure you get to be called a D1 school (and there's more to that name than just athletics) but without huge success in one or two sports (Quinnipiac has had a real good hockey team), you're just kind of stuck in the middle. Clearly Merrimack thinks making the move is good for them, and I hope it works out for them. There have just been some schools (Idaho comes to mind) that moved up too high and had to go back down.

[CHIP72]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

In my opinion, being at low-level D1 isn't the greatest place to be- sure you get to be called a D1 school (and there's more to that name than just athletics) but without huge success in one or two sports (Quinnipiac has had a real good hockey team), you're just kind of stuck in the middle. Clearly Merrimack thinks making the move is good for them, and I hope it works out for them. There have just been some schools (Idaho comes to mind) that moved up too high and had to go back down.

I tend to agree, though for football purposes I think the issue comes into play when teams move from DI-AA/FCS to DI-A/FBS. There are definitely some added requirements and costs for schools when they move from Division II to Division I in general however, especially if they play football and offer athletic scholarships. That's a big part of the reason why many DI programs don't have football programs.

Incidentally, Idaho didn't drop out of Division I; they dropped from DI-A to DI-AA in football. I don't think that change impacted their other sports.

P.S. Many DI-AA/FCS posters aren't too clued into what is going on in D2 (with a few exceptions like Laker, who like myself posts both here and on the AGS site; Laker actually focuses more on D2 than on DI-AA while I'm the opposite).

[laker]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

I tend to agree, though for football purposes I think the issue comes into play when teams move from DI-AA/FCS to DI-A/FBS. There are definitely some added requirements and costs for schools when they move from Division II to Division I in general however, especially if they play football and offer athletic scholarships. That's a big part of the reason why many DI programs don't have football programs.

Incidentally, Idaho didn't drop out of Division I; they dropped from DI-A to DI-AA in football. I don't think that change impacted their other sports.

P.S. Many DI-AA/FCS posters aren't too clued into what is going on in D2 (with a few exceptions like Laker, who like myself posts both here and on the AGS site; Laker actually focuses more on D2 than on DI-AA while I'm the opposite).

Very true. I visit there, but this is my home. :good:

I was in Brookings Saturday night for the Jacks- Montana State game after watching the Mavs squeak one out over Augustana in Sioux Falls on the last play of the game after time had run out.

[RockinTheSnackBar]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

We should monitor the situation

[Dozsa2]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

Curious that someone on that site mentioned New Haven, I don't think they have thought of that for a long time. The university bounced D1 membership around with exploring D2 conference memberships more than 15 years ago, and nothing materialized so they dropped football and joined the ECC in the sports they had remaining. New Haven is putting a butt-ton of money into construction and expansion and are doing a huge capital campaign, but they're not even the NE10's highest-funded athletic program in terms of scholarships (that would be Assumption). They also would need to significantly increase sports offerings, which might be beyond their means at the moment.

In my opinion, being at low-level D1 isn't the greatest place to be- sure you get to be called a D1 school (and there's more to that name than just athletics) but without huge success in one or two sports (Quinnipiac has had a real good hockey team), you're just kind of stuck in the middle. Clearly Merrimack thinks making the move is good for them, and I hope it works out for them. There have just been some schools (Idaho comes to mind) that moved up too high and had to go back down.

There is a thread about this on the PSAC board. New Haven is mentioned there as well.

[yellowjacketalum]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

As we gain Franklin Pierce, we're losing Merrimack. Was hoping for Merrimack to stay and add one more team so the NE10 would be a 12 team league.

[Paul Falewicz]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

As we gain Franklin Pierce, we're losing Merrimack. Was hoping for Merrimack to stay and add one more team so the NE10 would be a 12 team league.

Scheduling is balanced now next season. Merrimack will fill the gaps of OOC games but not sure if they will host Bloomsburg next year and if the contract was a home and home.

[Horror Child]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

It is a done deal. They have been working on for the past several years and the main reason that they built the new football stadium. They are already D1 in hockey so they understand how it works.

They will need to upgrade some of the other facilities like the basketball gym and build a baseball diamond. But they have two outside turf fields and two hockey rinks.

They will leave the NE-10 this year and play an independent schedule over the next five years. They will play teams from the NEC and probably some from the NE-10.

But with Franklin Pierce coming aboard for football next year, the schedule will be balanced and only have the 1st weekend and the bye week for potential games.

LIU Post likes their current conference with the exception of no football which is why they are part of the NE-10.

They are following the same path as Bryant 10 years ago.

How has that worked out for Bryant?

[Paul Falewicz]

Re: Merrimack to D1 NEC

How has that worked out for Bryant?

Bryant has had some success in football. They have had some other teams make the NCAA tourney in baseball and lacrosse.

It also helps enrollment and money for the school.