"HURST OUT OF PSAC?

[Fightingscot82]

Massey’s “All Seasons” page for Westminster says they spent two years in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference which then merged with another league to form the GLIAC. They didn’t do very well and dropped to D3 before the merger. So they have tried before.

I think Westminster was the last holdout of NAIA football in the region. Geneva and Waynesburg were also NAIA for years. NAIA is scholarship football and in most cases fits somewhere between D3 and D2.

[TheBigCat2192]

I think Westminster was the last holdout of NAIA football in the region. Geneva and Waynesburg were also NAIA for years. NAIA is scholarship football and in most cases fits somewhere between D3 and D2.

It looks like they were NAIA up until they tried to make a go of it in the MIAC then dropped down to D3.

[Ram040506]

Probably not now that the GMAC is Region 3 in football which means they will be going far for any playoffs. I’m sure the GMAC was already clumped with Midwestern leagues for other sports playoffs.

Must matter in sports not related to this forum lol

[ctrabs74]

It definitely leaned toward Phillly in the dark ages when I attended, and I believe it still does. The biggest difference is that you have hundreds of minority students, when the campuses in the '60s, outside of Cheyney, were mostly lily white. I could be wrong, but I don't think students from the D.C. area have ever been a significant presence at Ship.

I only mentioned DC because I seemed to recall that the cable TV systems at Ship carried stations from DC, but you're correct in that there's a heavy Philly presence at Shippensburg.

[ctrabs74]

It looks like they were NAIA up until they tried to make a go of it in the MIAC then dropped down to D3.

Westminster (Pa.) (not to be confused with Westminster (Utah) from the RMAC) was part of the GLIAC for three years (1997-2000) before ultimately dropping to D3. I think you're referring to what was called the Midwestern Intercollegiate Football Conference, of which Westminster was a part of for the 1998 season before the MIFC was disbanded and the GLIAC began sponsoring football again in 1999.

[ctrabs74]

Probably not now that the GMAC is Region 3 in football which means they will be going far for any playoffs. I’m sure the GMAC was already clumped with Midwestern leagues for other sports playoffs.

Correct. The GMAC is part of the Midwest Region for non-football sports along with the GLIAC and GLVC.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Westminster (Pa.) (not to be confused with Westminster (Utah) from the RMAC) was part of the GLIAC for three years (1997-2000) before ultimately dropping to D3. I think you're referring to what was called the Midwestern Intercollegiate Football Conference, of which Westminster was a part of for the 1998 season before the MIFC was disbanded and the GLIAC began sponsoring football again in 1999.

Two of my high school friends played at Westminster during their brief GLIAC run. It wasn't a fun experience for them.

[Fightingscot82]

Mercyhurst's non-conference schedule this coming fall:

@ Youngstown State
@ Sacramento State
@ Montana State
@ South Dakota State

That's a sh*t ton of travel and 4 very likely almost certain losses.

[Finchwidget]

Mercyhurst's non-conference schedule this coming fall:

@ Youngstown State
@ Sacramento State
@ Montana State
@ South Dakota State

That's a sh*t ton of travel and 4 very likely almost certain losses.

I believe I saw that they also have a game @ FBS New Mexico lined up for 2026 as well

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I believe I saw that they also have a game @ FBS New Mexico lined up for 2026 as well

Their phone is probably ringing off the hook.

They count as a D1 game and they stink. Easy W for most FCS teams.

[Finchwidget]

Their phone is probably ringing off the hook.

They count as a D1 game and they stink. Easy W for most FCS teams.

For an FBS team to be able to count an FCS win towards their bowl eligibility (and by consequence, for an FBS team to even consider scheduling an FCS team in most cases), the FCS team has to average at least 80% of the maximum allowable scholarships per year over a two year period. To Mercyhurst's credit, the fact that they've seemingly met this benchmark only 2 years into their transition seems to indicate that they're trying to make a concerted effort to become competitive in D1. However, to your credit, I doubt that alone will make them immediately competitive, so they'll probably continue to be an easy win for most opponents.

I do have to wonder why they keep taking away games so far west though. Is it a money thing, or are they just having that hard of a time finding opponents east of the Mississippi?

[Tdobson]

I can’t see any of those schools paying the hurst to come to play them?

[IUPNation]

Mercyhurst's non-conference schedule this coming fall:

@ Youngstown State
@ Sacramento State
@ Montana State
@ South Dakota State

That's a sh*t ton of travel and 4 very likely almost certain losses.

The Bend Over Schedule.

[BigCatcirca73]

Mercyhurst's non-conference schedule this coming fall:

@ Youngstown State
@ Sacramento State
@ Montana State
@ South Dakota State

That's a sh*t ton of travel and 4 very likely almost certain losses.

Montana St & SD St are guaranteed pounding. Both FCS Final Four teams this year - they never have 'down' years.

[Fightingscot82]

I can’t see any of those schools paying the hurst to come to play them?

Guarantees are a standard in FCS and FBS. That's the added attraction of playing down, the guarantee is less.