New Haven to D1?

[cwfenn]

NEC member Bryant is leaving to join the America East. Football joins the Big South.

https://www.bryantbulldogs.com/gener...20220329qsgsm4

[cwfenn]

I agree that New Haven would not drop football again and there is no way that they are going to do that. However, they might put football in one conference and the rest of the sport in another because the key word here in the article is conferences. Personally, I would expect them to join the NEC at first for all sports, then they could explore other options at some point down the road and this could be just football is joining the CAA. The article also mentioned that New Haven is looking for a conference that would fit them regionally at first, so the NEC and the CAA, in that order, would do just that. New Haven is capable of upgrading the facilities and they have enough fan base to support the move and it looks like they are in the process of doing just that.

[NewHaven Alum]

I would bet it's the NEC, the CAA is the only other option with football, but the schools are at a higher level. Villanova is a solid football program in the CAA as an affiliate (although New Haven is 1-0 against them!). I doubt the CAA would even look at a D2 school. Three current NEC football schools were in the NE10 at some point, so the fit is there for an "easier" entry to D1.

I honestly think New Haven is a better fit for the MAAC since the footprint of the conference is smaller and New Haven is more of a New York area school than a New England school. When they dropped football, they were in the ECC, which was mainly New York area schools, and if you look at the athletic rosters, the majority of the players (at least for football and men's basketball) are from NY and NJ. I believe Quinnipiac joined the MAAC after a few years in the NEC. The America East could work as well since it covers roughly the same area as the NE10 with the exception of UMBC - maybe they're looking for another program with Hartford leaving? But for those two conferences it's the question of what to do with football.

I was concerned they would move too quickly to do D1, but that clearly hasn't been the case. Zenger is playing the long game, and I think that's wise. I think a lot of work needs to be done to make a case for D1. If and when it happens, I just hope the move is done with an eye upward, to try to qualify for a conference that's overall better than the NEC, which is near the bottom of all of D1. If it means at some point splitting off football in one conference and having everything else in another, I'm OK with that. The CAA accepted UAlbany after they were in the NEC for a while (they were original NE10 members too), so maybe there's a precedent? Can't drop football again, no way.

Is it more viable to be among the lowest D1 programs (that's what the NEC is now) or stay as a mid-level D2 (I guess the NE10 is low-to-mid-level D2)? I don't get paid to try to answer that question.

I agree that New Haven would not drop football again and there is no way that they are going to do that. However, they might put football in one conference and the rest of the sport in another because the key word here in the article is conferences. Personally, I would expect them to join the NEC at first for all sports, then they could explore other options at some point down the road and this could be just football is joining the CAA. The article also mentioned that New Haven is looking for a conference that would fit them regionally at first, so the NEC and the CAA, in that order, would do just that. New Haven is capable of upgrading the facilities and they have enough fan base to support the move and it looks like they are in the process of doing just that.

[Inkblot]

It's been strongly rumored they're putting it in the Big South, like both Robert Morris and Monmouth did when leaving the NEC.

[cwfenn]

https://strategicplan.newhaven.edu/o...possibilities/

Also Both Greg Eichhorn (Vice president for enrollment and student success) and Sheahon Zenger (Current university AD) said they have signed confidentiality agreements with D1 conferences that they have had discussions with, but did not disclosed which conferences. Ummmmm, wondering what those conferences would be.

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/new-...81547998864702

I would bet it's the NEC, the CAA is the only other option with football, but the schools are at a higher level. Villanova is a solid football program in the CAA as an affiliate (although New Haven is 1-0 against them!). I doubt the CAA would even look at a D2 school. Three current NEC football schools were in the NE10 at some point, so the fit is there for an "easier" entry to D1.

I honestly think New Haven is a better fit for the MAAC since the footprint of the conference is smaller and New Haven is more of a New York area school than a New England school. When they dropped football, they were in the ECC, which was mainly New York area schools, and if you look at the athletic rosters, the majority of the players (at least for football and men's basketball) are from NY and NJ. I believe Quinnipiac joined the MAAC after a few years in the NEC. The America East could work as well since it covers roughly the same area as the NE10 with the exception of UMBC - maybe they're looking for another program with Hartford leaving? But for those two conferences it's the question of what to do with football.

I was concerned they would move too quickly to do D1, but that clearly hasn't been the case. Zenger is playing the long game, and I think that's wise. I think a lot of work needs to be done to make a case for D1. If and when it happens, I just hope the move is done with an eye upward, to try to qualify for a conference that's overall better than the NEC, which is near the bottom of all of D1. If it means at some point splitting off football in one conference and having everything else in another, I'm OK with that. The CAA accepted UAlbany after they were in the NEC for a while (they were original NE10 members too), so maybe there's a precedent? Can't drop football again, no way.

Is it more viable to be among the lowest D1 programs (that's what the NEC is now) or stay as a mid-level D2 (I guess the NE10 is low-to-mid-level D2)? I don't get paid to try to answer that question.

[cwfenn]

This tweet was posted to another board which gets a lot of information. It not only is saying New Haven and Stonehill. New Haven is not a shock, but what about Stonehill? They are also saying the schools would join the NEC, with Bryant going to America East in D1.

https://twitter.com/samurai_hoops/st...83144530894851

This tweet was posted to another board which gets a lot of information. It not only is saying New Haven and Stonehill. New Haven is not a shock, but what about Stonehill? They are also saying the schools would join the NEC, with Bryant going to America East in D1.

https://twitter.com/samurai_hoops/st...83144530894851

[NewHaven Alum]

https://strategicplan.newhaven.edu/o...possibilities/

Also Both Greg Eichhorn (Vice president for enrollment and student success) and Sheahon Zenger (Current university AD) said they have signed confidentiality agreements with D1 conferences that they have had discussions with, but did not disclosed which conferences. Ummmmm, wondering what those conferences would be.

https://www.pressreader.com/usa/new-...81547998864702

[cwfenn]

https://www.newhaven.edu/news/releas...ition-plan.php

[cwfenn]

With the America East, MAAC, and Big South losing teams to the CAA, there are rumors that these conferences will backfill using teams from the NEC. Could this provide the opening for New Haven to move up to D1 and join the NEC?

[EastStroud13]

With the America East, MAAC, and Big South losing teams to the CAA, there are rumors that these conferences will backfill using teams from the NEC. Could this provide the opening for New Haven to move up to D1 and join the NEC?

[cwfenn]

Congrats on the marriage, hope it's a good one.

From what I've seen, New Haven is doing a lot of the right things to make the move up to D1. I think the athletics fund will help it be sustainable and prevent it from going the way of Hartford.

[jim816]

According to the recent big donor update it is still planned for a move to D1 Lower division as of Summer of 2021.

The good news is I am not only now living in Chicago Suburbs but I am getting married in Vegas next Saturday. The bad news is I will no longer be able to attend UNH games or follow enough to post much.

[laker]

That's a good point - Guessing the NEC would be much more open to accepting a current D1 member (especially one with a reputation like Howard) than accepting another D2, but I have no idea what their thought process is. If Delaware State moved it would be more attractive for Howard as well since it's a geographical rival.

Did you see that Delaware State is supposed to be buying D3 Wesley? There could be an announcement today.

[cwfenn]

Howard just became an associate member of the NEC for six sports. They are in a position to make a bigger move if the NEC wants them for all sports.

That's a good point - Guessing the NEC would be much more open to accepting a current D1 member (especially one with a reputation like Howard) than accepting another D2, but I have no idea what their thought process is. If Delaware State moved it would be more attractive for Howard as well since it's a geographical rival.