Bluefield State Wants To Join The CIAA

[boatcapt]

BSC should really consider ALL options which would benefit ALL of their sports the best. For future needs, I believe Conference Carolinas (they may change the name) would be their best all around option.

While I can see the benefit to CC of adding BSC (football) what are the benefits to Bjuefield over two conferences (MEC and CIAA) that already play football?

[Tech Boys]

While I can see the benefit to CC of adding BSC (football) what are the benefits to Bjuefield over two conferences (MEC and CIAA) that already play football?

If Bluefield State joins the CC and the CC adds football, then all BSC sports will be under one banner. The MEC has all BSC sports except Bowling and Women's Wrestling. BSC would have to have affiliate homes for nearly half of their teams by joining the CIAA. I know it won't happen but the SAC has all BSC sports except Bowling. Having all sports in one conference can save a school some money by not having to pay multiple membership fees.

[Futholic]

If Bluefield State joins the CC and the CC adds football, then all BSC sports will be under one banner. The MEC has all BSC sports except Bowling and Women's Wrestling. BSC would have to have affiliate homes for nearly half of their teams by joining the CIAA. I know it won't happen but the SAC has all BSC sports except Bowling. Having all sports in one conference can save a school some money by not having to pay multiple membership fees.

Yes, but I doubt they care about most of those sports . Their main priorities are football and basketball...

[boatcapt]

If Bluefield State joins the CC and the CC adds football, then all BSC sports will be under one banner. The MEC has all BSC sports except Bowling and Women's Wrestling. BSC would have to have affiliate homes for nearly half of their teams by joining the CIAA. I know it won't happen but the SAC has all BSC sports except Bowling. Having all sports in one conference can save a school some money by not having to pay multiple membership fees.

I can't find much on BSC's bowling program. There is a link on their athletic web page but no roster/schedule/coaches or news. There is a Twitter page for the "Bluefield State College Bowling Team" but that hasn't had a post since Feb 2021. Also no news articles that I can find about BSC Bowling. Leads me to believe that Bluefield either doesn't have a bowling team OR that they have plans to start one, but haven't done so yet. Women's wrestling has been announces as a sport starting in the 2022-23 school year, but no coach hired as of yet.

Given the status of both these sports at BSC, I doubt a conference having them would much of an inducement over another conference. But I would imagine CC would play that card as it seems to be one of the only ones they have.

[Tech Boys]

I can't find much on BSC's bowling program. There is a link on their athletic web page but no roster/schedule/coaches or news. There is a Twitter page for the "Bluefield State College Bowling Team" but that hasn't had a post since Feb 2021. Also no news articles that I can find about BSC Bowling. Leads me to believe that Bluefield either doesn't have a bowling team OR that they have plans to start one, but haven't done so yet. Women's wrestling has been announces as a sport starting in the 2022-23 school year, but no coach hired as of yet.

Given the status of both these sports at BSC, I doubt a conference having them would much of an inducement over another conference. But I would imagine CC would play that card as it seems to be one of the only ones they have.

Bowling is one of the 12 sports BSC added for 2021-22; my guess is there is something slowing down getting Bowling started. It's actually the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas partnership that will house Women's Wrestling starting in 2023-24. So when you leave out Bowling and Women's Wrestling the CC and the MEC still sponsor all BSC sports and (to correct myself from above) the SAC sponsors all BSC sports except Acrobatics & Tumbling while the CIAA still does not sponsor nearly half of BSC's sports. When travel is added to the decision between the CC and the MEC, this is where the MEC stands out by a good margin.

[shipfbfan1]

In the past some of us have talked about the possibility of Bluefield State joining the CIAA. Bluefield State has been an indpendent since the WVIAC split, and during those years they seem to constantly pop up on the schedules of CIAA schools. They also now have football, and the writing is on the wall that Conference Carolinas could sponsor football soon which would see Chowan leave.

The one issue is that Bluefield sponsors a lot of sports that the CIAA doesn't sponsor so you have to wonder how comfortable they would be still practically being an independent for so many of their sports. Another concern is that Bluefield could be using the CIAA to become more attractive in hopes that the MEC will one day give them an invite.

I am not exactly opposed to this as a contingency plan for if/when Chowan leaves, as our only other options are try to purge Benedict from the SIAC or get Christopher Newport to move up to D2.

https://www.wvnstv.com/news/local-ne...t-of-the-ciaa/

[ctrabs74]

Considering the CIAA recently moved their basketball tournament to Baltimore - and I'm not implying that's the only factor involved here - I could see the three Maryland MEAC schools ending up in the CIAA if they wanted to move from FCS to D2.

[boatcapt]

Don't know about Morgan or Coppin State(s), but UMES is pretty welded to D1 and their alumni base will fight any hint of moving down to DII pretty vigorously.

[canadarican]

Don't know about Morgan or Coppin State(s), but UMES is pretty welded to D1 and their alumni base will fight any hint of moving down to DII pretty vigorously.

Agreed. I also don't understand why (unless severe financial issues) any school in D1 would want to step down to D2.

Although former SAC member Presbyterian probably needs to LOL

[LegalRam]

I'm fairly certain that if any MEAC member wanted to move down to D2 the CIAA would welcome them with open arms. For years it's been common knowledge that SC State and Norfolk State have had funding issues, yet they still keep on trucking. So at this point I doubt that any CIAA school would elect to drop to D2 even if it was the best finiancial move to make.

In the event Howard does leave, and the MEAC implodes, I think you are right that the Big South would jump at the chance to grab NSU, NCCU, and SC State. SC State could also be on the radar of the SWAC. With the NEC bleeding members I could see Del State and Maryland schools all being on the radar for the NEC. American East could be another landing spot in the event that conference wants to throw UMBC a bone and give them some close travel options.