Seton Hill Article

[Fightingscot82]

Re: Seton Hill Article

Don't they (private) also claim their admissions process is more stern thus making recruiting all the more difficult?

"We can't win at any cost ... We can't win with renegades."

Eh admissions is all relative. Have you ever noticed that fewer schools publish minimum standards for acceptance? If anything its averages reported for ranking purposes or federal reporting requirements that are soon going away. Acceptance rate means nothing because 99.9% of Harvard applicants would get a full ride to any PASSHE school yet Harvard accepts only 5% of applicants...unless you're a Harvard legacy. They accept 33% of those.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Seton Hill Article

I'd guess paying the bill, in most cases, is the most important requirement these days.

[Fightingscot82]

Re: Seton Hill Article

I'd guess paying the bill, in most cases, is the most important requirement these days.

You'd be surprised at how little that's even considered. #1 reason students leave a college or university (transfer or quit) is because they can't afford it. You can't buy a car or house without proving ability to pay but you can enroll in a $25,000 a year college without doing so. I've known students who are being sent to collections for the fall semester before they even schedule spring classes. They should have never been here to begin with.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Seton Hill Article

That's what I'm getting at ... if you can pay the bill you can go just about anywhere (with some exceptions). The majority of these schools are so desperate for money they'll take anybody who can pay them.

[jrshooter]

Re: Seton Hill Article

If the private institutions saw this as an issue, it should have been addressed at the time of their admission into the PSAC. If they didn't realize it would be an issue, it's on them. And if they don't think they can compete on this playing field ... there's always the Mountain East or the GMAC.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Seton Hill Article

You can see the difference in how Mercyhurst and Gannon value athletics compared to Seton Hill.

This is the first time we've publicly heard some excuses flying out of Greensburg. In my view they are more geared as a D3 institution and would fit in nicely with the W&J's of the world. But, one administration can change all of that quickly.

They've had a lot of success in some of the 'non-revenue' sports such as baseball, etc. Men's basketball has been on the cusp and, in reality, just underachieved the past couple seasons. Football likely just needs some new blood injected.

[iupgroundhog]

Re: Seton Hill Article

I kind of get what he's saying. If you can offer 36 full rides, great. However, 36 players does not a football team make in D2. So, assuming the model is based on offering partial scholarships a lot of the players still need to come up with a lot of money to attend Seton Hill. Unfortunately for SHU there aren't a lot of student/athletes around with that kind of money AND who want to go to Seton Hill University.


A big part of the problem, as I see it, is Seton Hill University itself. Look, Seton Hill isn't well established. If you go back and look at what the SHU spokespeople said when they joined the PSAC they wanted to use football as a catalyst to gaining name recognition and respect as an institution. I have always felt that was a misdirected approach and said as much many times on this board.

So, maybe it's not working out as planned.


If you contrast SHU with the other private schools in the PSAC there are great differences institutionally. Gannon and Mercyhurst are not upstart schools. They have developed, both academically and athletically, in a planned way over many decades. Such is not the case at Seton Hill. SHU has designs to go to the moon but now we're hearing "Houston, we have a problem."

[jcjs2118]

[ironmaniup]

Re: Seton Hill Article

[QUOTE=iupgroundhog;2248599 SHU has designs to go to the moon but now we're hearing "Houston, we have a problem."[/QUOTE]

With the demographic shift, and the rise of the Pitt Branch campuses , especially Pitt Greensburg, SHU isn't the only school to change plans made less than 10 years ago. Just saw where RMU was offering to match Pitt and PSU tuition costs for students accepted by these schools. Its tough out there.

[Fightingscot82]

Re: Seton Hill Article

I kind of get what he's saying. If you can offer 36 full rides, great. However, 36 players does not a football team make in D2. So, assuming the model is based on offering partial scholarships a lot of the players still need to come up with a lot of money to attend Seton Hill. Unfortunately for SHU there aren't a lot of student/athletes around with that kind of money AND who want to go to Seton Hill University.


A big part of the problem, as I see it, is Seton Hill University itself. Look, Seton Hill isn't well established. If you go back and look at what the SHU spokespeople said when they joined the PSAC they wanted to use football as a catalyst to gaining name recognition and respect as an institution. I have always felt that was a misdirected approach and said as much many times on this board.

So, maybe it's not working out as planned.


If you contrast SHU with the other private schools in the PSAC there are great differences institutionally. Gannon and Mercyhurst are not upstart schools. They have developed, both academically and athletically, in a planned way over many decades. Such is not the case at Seton Hill. SHU has designs to go to the moon but now we're hearing "Houston, we have a problem."

Gannon's basketball success actually helped it realize its potential as a more comprehensive university after merging with Villa Maria College and going coed. Until the last 15-20 years Mercyhurst for a long time was content being another small Catholic liberal arts college St Vincent. I'd compare Seton Hill to Lake Erie College and Notre Dame College in Ohio. All three used athletics merely as a vehicle to bring men after being women's colleges. I question the commitment (and to a degree viability) of football programs for all three schools. Of the three only NDC has its own stadium.

[Big Ike 97]

Re: Seton Hill Article

I was surprised when they created football some years ago. the only time I had been there was mid to later nineties with a friend to drop something off to his sister. It was like my football camp back in the day, alliance college, creepy shut down campus. had like three buildings. Or not to different than my first collegiate attempt, Penn State McKeesport/Allegheny. I wondered if they grew that much to field anything other than 1 or 2 Womens sports.

How much of a gameday atmosphere is there? does Greensburg as a whole go in town to see the play? UPG is a little down the road and I can't see an average UPG student making their way over unless the tailgate scene is enticing. Anyways , as I said in an older post, I wonder if SV would do any better? they wanted D1 Basketball and low level FCS football, RMU - Duquesne level. Those 2 wanted no parts of that, ironically both, moreso Duquesne, and current NEC has stepped up, but after Umass beatdown, I still wonder if they don't lose by a few touchdowns to the better PSAC teams. Although I am confident the Dukes will give a nice beating to the PSAC Lock Haven especially after last weeks dud.

SV does have a direct on campus stadium, Steeler Money, not sure what support they get but it seems a more standalone Town with less "entertainment" competition, an airport right there. But the biggest set back still, and again for both a few back roads through derry/Blairsville and you are right near IUP. As someone said in another post too much sharing football on Saturday.

Hate to see anyone "drop" but If I am SHU I "Drop" back into whatever the newest incarnation of the West Virginia conference. Take the "place" of Shepherd. I think the coach pretty much thinks they can't win in this league. He must have gotten there and realized the resources lacking more than he thought when exited to lead a team for himself. This interview alone has me thinking SHU will have an interim tag before season is done. The AD implied to me he also questions the wins and losses. But his thing is, and it might be solely up to him and can't blame coaching including his past position, they need to get Greensburg out to games. Even more than IUP get fans to spend a Saturday downtown. Again back to the point with the same talent, gameday atmosphere etc, 2 years ago they probably could have won at least second, maybe same level as Fairmont, with that offense. With more travel, but right along highway system yearly shootouts or just plain ol better records with teams that have same recruiting base/challenges D2 works a lot better.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Seton Hill Article

Call it a high school stadium (it is) but it is a nice one. Great atmosphere (in theory).

Nobody goes. When IUP plays there it's essentially a Crimson Hawk home game.

A few of us have seen the potential first hand. Three years ago IUP lost its only ever game to them down there in men's basketball. That place ... for one night ... was the D2 Cameron Indoor. It was insane. That was in my Top 3 best D2 atmospheres I've ever seen in person -- in 30-some years. It got so wild Bravado Joe himself finally lost it and got a late technical ... all but sealing the win for SH.

As for that football coach and that interview ... he's walking the green mile. You don't say that stuff until you know the end is near.