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  • UNA year 2 post breakup

    We still have a few TUNA that stop by, wondering what year thoughts are about the FCS move after a full season of sports.


  • #2
    Well, it's certainly been interesting. Last year was kind of exciting with many "firsts" like each squad (other than football) winning their first ASUN contest, player awards, and several teams making the conference tournaments. UNA was eligible for conference awards and titles from the very beginning in the ASUN (which is not the norm for other conferences when a team is in transition). The highlights of the year included our women's soccer team making it to the conference title match and the women's hoops team starting the year with a win over Vandy and wrapping up the season with a run to the semi-finals of the WBI. Transitioning teams are eligible for post-season tournaments if they are not NCAA-sponsored. That varies sport-to-sport. For example, the NIT in men's hoops is sponsored by the NCAA while the WNIT isn't, etc. Other memorable moments were our baseball team beating ranked Ole Miss and going to extra innings with Auburn - who went to the College World Series a couple of weeks later. Oddly, our baseball team didn't have much success otherwise. Our men's hoops team traveled to face off with then #2 Gonzaga but it wasn't pretty.

    In football, it's been a different story. The ASUN doesn't sponsor football and the Big South has an agreement to allow ASUN teams to play in their league. UNA, along with Kennesaw State, does while Stetson and Jacksonville participate in the non-scholly Pioneer League. After the run to the D2 title game in 2016, you'll recall UNA limped out of the GSC football world with a 5-5 record in 2017. The Lions played as an independent last season with a 7-3 record that was half FCS/half D2 with one pretty cool matchup on the road game with FCS dominating NDSU up in Fargo.

    This season, the Lions are playing a full slate of Big South games (just won their first-ever matchup yesterday) but they do not count in conference standings and UNA is not eligible for the league title. This has made it very challenging for recruiting (and scheduling). So, I'd say the reclassification has affected football the most. Due to the lack of depth, UNA is 2-2 so far in games they've led at the half this season after losing those leads to Montana (very good team) and AL A&M (not very good).

    Other than that, our other traditional stand-out programs like men's hoops and volleyball started over last season with new coaches and almost completely new rosters. That was pretty tough. For example, our volleyball team has 10+ freshman this season. The ASUN is very competitive at the top (which usually includes FGCU and Liberty in most sports) so there are definitely growing pains. Otherwise, I've really enjoyed watching our teams play DI schools we've never played and compete in the ASUN. Almost every game is on ESPN+ and that's also been cool for this alum living in Florida.
    Last edited by UNALions; 09-29-2019, 07:46 PM.
    Go GSC and Roar LIONS!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by UNALions View Post
      Well, it's certainly been interesting. Last year was kind of exciting with many "firsts" like each squad (other than football) winning their first ASUN contest, player awards, and several teams making the conference tournaments. UNA was eligible for conference awards and titles from the very beginning in the ASUN (which is not the norm for other conferences when a team is in transition). The highlights of the year included our women's soccer team making it to the conference title match and the women's hoops team starting the year with a win over Vandy and wrapping up the season with a run to the semi-finals of the WBI. Transitioning teams are eligible for post-season tournaments if they are not NCAA-sponsored. That varies sport-to-sport. For example, the NIT in men's hoops is sponsored by the NCAA while the WNIT isn't, etc. Other memorable moments were our baseball team beating ranked Ole Miss and going to extra innings with Auburn - who went to the College World Series a couple of weeks later. Oddly, our baseball team didn't have much success otherwise. Our men's hoops team traveled to face off with then #2 Gonzaga but it wasn't pretty.

      In football, it's been a different story. The ASUN doesn't sponsor football and the Big South has an agreement to allow ASUN teams to play in their league. UNA, along with Kennesaw State, does while Stetson and Jacksonville participate in the non-scholly Pioneer League. After the run to the D2 title game in 2016, you'll recall UNA limped out of the GSC football world with a 5-5 record in 2017. The Lions played as an independent last season with a 7-3 record that was half FCS/half D2 with one pretty cool matchup on the road game with FCS dominating NDSU up in Fargo.

      This season, the Lions are playing a full slate of Big South games (just won their first-ever matchup yesterday) but they do not count in conference standings and UNA is not eligible for the league title. This has made it very challenging for recruiting (and scheduling). So, I'd say the reclassification has affected football the most. Due to the lack of depth, UNA is 2-2 so far in games they've led at the half this season after losing those leads to Montana (very good team) and AL A&M (not very good).

      Other than that, our other traditional stand-out programs like men's hoops and volleyball started over last season with new coaches and almost completely new rosters. That was pretty tough. For example, our volleyball team has 10+ freshman this season. The ASUN is very competitive at the top (which usually includes FGCU and Liberty in most sports) so there are definitely growing pains. Otherwise, I've really enjoyed watching our teams play DI schools we've never played and compete in the ASUN. Almost every game is on ESPN+ and that's also been cool for this alum living in Florida.
      Thanks for this update. Please keep us informed as we watch a former "Family Member" spread their wings.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Larold View Post

        Thanks for this update. Please keep us informed as we watch a former "Family Member" spread their wings.
        Yes, all the best to Lions. Besides Delta State , you were my favorite team to hate. :)

        btw, didn't win one strange game, like 5 - 2 or some ridiculous score?

        <>

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Wide_Right View Post

          Yes, all the best to Lions. Besides Delta State , you were my favorite team to hate. :)

          btw, didn't win one strange game, like 5 - 2 or some ridiculous score?

          Comment


          • #6
            Haha.....that was my first Perfect Pick in the Pick'em that year. Picked VSU to win by 5.

            #BlazerNation

            Comment


            • #7
              I never realized how much contribution this forum was getting from UNA fans. Truth be told it's just not the same without you guys, it feels a bit empty.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by BlazerLady View Post

                Haha.....that was my first Perfect Pick in the Pick'em that year. Picked VSU to win by 5.
                I remember your pick! Weren't both teams ranked very highly, also? Crazy game. UNA and VSU had a lot of great ones. One recently mentioned on the UNA forums was the 1994 double-OT playoff game.
                Go GSC and Roar LIONS!!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by boyblue View Post
                  I never realized how much contribution this forum was getting from UNA fans. Truth be told it's just not the same without you guys, it feels a bit empty.
                  I think you mean this sincerely but, otherwise, you could also mean we have a bunch of opinionated homers that love to post on message boards. LOL. Just kidding (kinda). Come on over to the UNAPride.com forums and you'll get your fill of us in about five minutes, I'm sure! Haha.
                  Go GSC and Roar LIONS!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I truly appreciate the kind words from you all! Y'all know I've enjoyed being a part of the board for years - especially after blogging about the conference for 5 of them - and I won't be going away anytime soon. Go GSC!!!!
                    Go GSC and Roar LIONS!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by UNALions View Post

                      I think you mean this sincerely but, otherwise, you could also mean we have a bunch of opinionated homers that love to post on message boards. LOL. Just kidding (kinda). Come on over to the UNAPride.com forums and you'll get your fill of us in about five minutes, I'm sure! Haha.
                      LOL, No, it's that you have loyal fans. I know when I first joined this forum, I'd be on here every year until a particular season started to go south and then I'd leave until the next year. I've grown from then and support the Blazers no matter the result, that's how most of your fans are.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by boyblue View Post

                        LOL, No, it's that you have loyal fans. I know when I first joined this forum, I'd be on here every year until a particular season started to go south and then I'd leave until the next year. I've grown from then and support the Blazers no matter the result, that's how most of your fans are.
                        I hear ya. Haha. The Blazers certainly deserve that support and I'm very happy that UNA has a core group of die-hards, as well.
                        Go GSC and Roar LIONS!!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Awesome, I WILL check it out.
                          <>

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Wide_Right View Post

                            Awesome, I WILL check it out.
                            I'm going to try to go to Brookings, SD when they take on UNA in men's basketball on November 18th so I can add them to college teams that I have watched in person. Fun place to watch a game.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by laker View Post

                              I'm going to try to go to Brookings, SD when they take on UNA in men's basketball on November 18th so I can add them to college teams that I have watched in person. Fun place to watch a game.
                              That's cool! I'm not sure if we've ever played the Jackrabbits in anything before when they were D2. I'm looking forward (or maybe not, lol) to our guys facing off with Indiana and Florida State this season. Our women's team comes up near you twice to play Iowa and Iowa State.
                              Go GSC and Roar LIONS!!

                              Comment

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