"HURST OUT OF PSAC?

[Tdobson]

Have any of those D3 schools: WJ, Geneva, Westminster... ever looked to go D2? I know IUP used to have a rivalry with Westminster. I personally would love to see one of those three (or all 3) move up. I think they would all be a nice addition to the PSAC.

As for St. Francis and Robert Morris, why are they D1? They stink in just about every sport, and I cant imagine that academics are that good at either.

Just wondering.

[Fightingscot82]

Have any of those D3 schools: WJ, Geneva, Westminster... ever looked to go D2? I know IUP used to have a rivalry with Westminster. I personally would love to see one of those three (or all 3) move up. I think they would all be a nice addition to the PSAC.

As for St. Francis and Robert Morris, why are they D1? They stink in just about every sport, and I cant imagine that academics are that good at either.

Just wondering.

W&J is an old-fashioned liberal arts college that is 100% bought into the D3 model. They bring in 50-75 freshmen a year to "play football". Geneva and Westminster were NAIA when that was still a thing in this area and were common non-conference opponents against PSAC West schools. They're in a good D3 conference that has a lot of financial advantages like the PSAC - most schools are very close and are of similar resources. Westminster specifically has been running a tight ship the last few years as their enrollment fluctuates. I just don't think there is much interest to screw with their financial model to add athletic scholarships.

St. Francis and Robert Morris went D1 at a time when you could jump from junior college to D1. They can financially make it work because they're private schools that just budget in the tuition discounts rather than raise the money like the PASSHE schools have to do. Remember for a while the NEC was non-scholarship football. They also pay jack crap to most people working there. So yeah the coach has 7 assistants but the average one makes $20k and just like the players can brag that he's a D1 assistant. The FBS death wish money games only solidified their model. Schools that have never received a $100k donation for football can make $375k by getting slaughtered live on ESPN+. If the NEC didn't exist, these schools would be D2 or D3.

[Finchwidget]

Has there been any new talk of adding Frostburg State or some other program to replace Mercyhurst for next year and on? We're about halfway through the academic year now, so if the head office wants to get back to an even number of members with enough advance notice for 2025, I imagine they'd want to act soon

[Fightingscot82]

Has there been any new talk of adding Frostburg State or some other program to replace Mercyhurst for next year and on? We're about halfway through the academic year now, so if the head office wants to get back to an even number of members with enough advance notice for 2025, I imagine they'd want to act soon

I haven't heard anything. Frostburg started the academic year in a difficult financial position, so that may have complicated things. Even at this level there are application fees and exit penalties that sting (to scale).

[ESU Warrior]

Has there been any new talk of adding Frostburg State or some other program to replace Mercyhurst for next year and on? We're about halfway through the academic year now, so if the head office wants to get back to an even number of members with enough advance notice for 2025, I imagine they'd want to act soon

Personally I hope they don't just add to add. If's nice to have that open date for Non conference games, but unless it is an upgrade to the conference keep the status quo. I think we all agree Shep was perfect. I don't know who would be that school though.

[RockPride]

I heard there is talk that a Juco is trying to go non-juco and PSAC may look to pick them up. God I hope not.

[Fightingscot82]

I heard there is talk that a Juco is trying to go non-juco and PSAC may look to pick them up. God I hope not.

I haven't heard of anything like that unless someone is making way too much out of the merger of Pierce College and Lackawanna College.

JUCO football isn't really a thing on this part of the country.

[IUPalum]

St. Vincent College is what I'm hearing.

[IUPNation]

St. Vincent College is what I'm hearing.

That would give The Stewies a natural rival.

We don’t really need to add another school. The Home Office in Lock Haven needs to prod the Mother Ship of UPJ to release some of the billions they have in reserve and spend it on a D2 foosball program in Johnstown.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

St. Vincent College is what I'm hearing.

SV has been a name thrown around for years. It certainly could now be the 'smoke there's fire' philosophy.

Great fit geographically. Not sure about much else.

For those unaware, SV is in Latrobe (roughly 25-30 minutes from IUP and about 15 minutes from Seton Hill).

SV is also the longtime training camp home of the Yinzers. Small school ... similar to Seton Hill.

[Fightingscot82]

SV has been a name thrown around for years. It certainly could now be the 'smoke there's fire' philosophy.

Great fit geographically. Not sure about much else.

For those unaware, SV is in Latrobe (roughly 25-30 minutes from IUP and about 15 minutes from Seton Hill).

SV is also the longtime training camp home of the Yinzers. Small school ... similar to Seton Hill.

That's either bad WPA conjecture or some wishful thinking by the handful of people who actually care about SV athletics. I don't think SV fits the PSAC mold and I'm not sure the presidents would vote for them. A few reasons off the top of my head:

1) Athletic conference is very important to many schools. SV fits the PAC profile of SWPA small private schools like W&J, Waynesburg, Carnegie Mellon, Westminster, etc.

2) SV has just 1,300 students with shaky enrollment. Their enrollment is down roughly 30% in the last decade. Sure, that compares with most of PASSHE but that's not an attractive attribute.

3) The program is just 45-131 since bringing back football in 2007.

4) SV has a grass field. Yes, there are turf fields on campus, but due to the Steelers using SV for training, they'll always have grass. Their stadium also holds just 1,000.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That's either bad WPA conjecture or some wishful thinking by the handful of people who actually care about SV athletics. I don't think SV fits the PSAC mold and I'm not sure the presidents would vote for them. A few reasons off the top of my head:

1) Athletic conference is very important to many schools. SV fits the PAC profile of SWPA small private schools like W&J, Waynesburg, Carnegie Mellon, Westminster, etc.

2) SV has just 1,300 students with shaky enrollment. Their enrollment is down roughly 30% in the last decade. Sure, that compares with most of PASSHE but that's not an attractive attribute.

3) The program is just 45-131 since bringing back football in 2007.

4) SV has a grass field. Yes, there are turf fields on campus, but due to the Steelers using SV for training, they'll always have grass. Their stadium also holds just 1,000.

Well, SV at least has football. I surely didn't want to see an MEC reach like Point Park or something. We're already stuck with UPJ and Mansfield.

Culturally, SV doesn't fit in at all. They'll eventually cry about all the same stuff Seton Hill does. They can't compete with state schools because they have actual academic standards, blah blah blah.

If SV actually is the target, I'd 100% assume the exalted ruler Murray already swung and missed several times.

[IUP24]

SV has been a name thrown around for years. It certainly could now be the 'smoke there's fire' philosophy.

Great fit geographically. Not sure about much else.

For those unaware, SV is in Latrobe (roughly 25-30 minutes from IUP and about 15 minutes from Seton Hill).

SV is also the longtime training camp home of the Yinzers. Small school ... similar to Seton Hill.

There is actual smoke to that rumor. I have a friend that works at SVC and he is pretty tight with some higher ups there. They are desperately trying to join the PSAC, and there is supposed interest from the PSAC as well.

I don't understand how this makes sense for either party.

[TheBigCat2192]

SV has been a name thrown around for years. It certainly could now be the 'smoke there's fire' philosophy.

Great fit geographically. Not sure about much else.

For those unaware, SV is in Latrobe (roughly 25-30 minutes from IUP and about 15 minutes from Seton Hill).

SV is also the longtime training camp home of the Yinzers. Small school ... similar to Seton Hill.

Adding another Seton Hill is about the last thing I’m interested in. I’d rather keep the divisions uneven than make a bad addition out of panic.

[IUPNation]

..or just get UPJ to add foosball. Can’t Narduzzi stash some lesser players in Johnstown and promise if they are good they can transfer to Forbes Ave?