Zoom Meeting

[canadarican]

Allen wont even be in the SIAC long. Based on what I've heard from others, it's a school closure waiting to happen.

[Eagle74]

Whoever is added and no matter how small, I hope the conference requires a minimum of 15 scholarships to start participation in football. The SAC doesn't need another Brevard situation just for patsy scheduling and cheap D2 in-conference wins.

[RedFromMI]

Erskine is adding football, so that is a possibility. Allen is beginning the transition to DII NCAA, and is rumored to be a future part of SIAC.

[cneagle99]

Not sure that I would want them as they are large and public, but Christopher Newport has to be looking to move as their conference is falling apart and football plays in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Travel for them is currently a nightmare and makes trekking to LMU look like a walk in the park.

[canadarican]

If you look at the D3 and NAIA schools that are already in states where the SAC has a presence and they have football, below are the different schools. None of the schools in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee would excite me as new SAC members.

NORTH CAROLINA
Brevard (D3, USA South)
Greensboro (D3, USA South)
Guilford (D3, ODAC)
Methodist (D3, USA South)
North Carolina Wesleyan (D3, USA South)

St. Andrews (NAIA, Mid-South)

SOUTH CAROLINA
Allen (NAIA, Independent)

TENNESSEE
Maryville (D3, SAA)
Rhodes (D3, SAA)
Sewanee (D3, SAA)

Bethel (NAIA, Mid-South)
Cumberland (NAIA, Mid-South)


VIRGINIA
Averett (D3, USA South)
Bridgewater (D3, ODAC)
Christopher Newport (D3, NJAC)
Emory & Henry (D3, ODAC)
Ferrum (D3, ODAC)
Hampden-Sydney (D3, ODAC)
Randolph-Macon (D3, ODAC)
Shenandoah (D3, ODAC)
Southern Virginia (D3, ODAC)
Washington & Lee (D3, ODAC)

Bluefield (NAIA, Mid-South)

[cneagle99]

Looking at a map of SAC locations there is a natural gap between Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill that runs roughly parallel to the NC-TN state line with 8 schools to the east. If #14 is on the western side that seems like a logical division split; although it does mean shifting Lenoir-Rhyne west. What are the chances of either Campbellsville, Cumberlands (KY), Lindsey Wilson College, or Union College (KY) getting the last spot?

Yeah, a while back I suggested that Union and Cumberlands together would be a good combo addition, but it got no traction with anyone else.

[Tech Boys]

Zero. That is a fact not opinion.

Ok, that blows up my W.A.G.

[ironcheftvdinner]

My guess is Erskine.

[canadarican]

Looking at a map of SAC locations there is a natural gap between Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill that runs roughly parallel to the NC-TN state line with 8 schools to the east. If #14 is on the western side that seems like a logical division split; although it does mean shifting Lenoir-Rhyne west. What are the chances of either Campbellsville, Cumberlands (KY), Lindsey Wilson College, or Union College (KY) getting the last spot?

Zero. That is a fact not opinion.

[Tech Boys]

I know we've talked about it 3,000 times...but any W.A.G.'s on who team 14 would possibly be? I'm also trying to sort divisions in my head haha.

Looking at a map of SAC locations there is a natural gap between Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill that runs roughly parallel to the NC-TN state line with 8 schools to the east. If #14 is on the western side that seems like a logical division split; although it does mean shifting Lenoir-Rhyne west. What are the chances of either Campbellsville, Cumberlands (KY), Lindsey Wilson College, or Union College (KY) getting the last spot?

[cneagle99]

Your guess is as good as mine! Maybe Barton would leave the Conference Carolinas now that they have football? Divisions would be fascinating, my first inclination would be to have South Carolina and Charlotte area schools (Anderson, Limestone, Coker, Newberry, Queens, Wingate) in a SAC South or Piedmont SAC and then the more northern teams (Catawba, LR, Mars Hill, CN, Tusculum, LMU, UVA Wise) in a SAC North or Mountain SAC. Fourteenth school gets added to the Piedmont SAC.

My best guess is divisions will look as follows--I actually thought of the Piedmont and Mountain divisions as well. Seems to make sense:

Piedmont: Catawba, Coker, Limestone, Newberry, Queens, Wingate
Mountain: Anderson, Carson-Newman, Lincoln Memorial, Mars Hill, Tusculum, Virginia-Wise

Lenoir-Rhyne is the tipping school and could go either way depending on the location of the new school.

Of course, the nostalgist in me would prefer to see:

Old School: Carson-Newman, Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill, Newberry, Tusculum, Wingate
Newbies: Anderson, Coker, Limestone, Lincoln Memorial, Queens, Virginia-Wise, ?

[canadarican]

Your guess is as good as mine! Maybe Barton would leave the Conference Carolinas now that they have football? Divisions would be fascinating, my first inclination would be to have South Carolina and Charlotte area schools (Anderson, Limestone, Coker, Newberry, Queens, Wingate) in a SAC South or Piedmont SAC and then the more northern teams (Catawba, LR, Mars Hill, CN, Tusculum, LMU, UVA Wise) in a SAC North or Mountain SAC. Fourteenth school gets added to the Piedmont SAC.

A lot of the divisional alignment conversation depends on who #14 is too obviously. But those divisions are interesting for sure!

[canadarican]

Not really sure. I assume it will be a non-football school. With Anderson adding football it seems like 10 would be a good number for football. From CN's perspective, I would like to see either Lee, Lees-McRae or King. But for a dark horse candidate I would not be surprised to see Young Harris. Another more mainstream choice would be Belmont Abbey.

I cannot say anything specific nor will I, but I know for a fact it is not any of these schools or Barton.

[cneagle99]

I know we've talked about it 3,000 times...but any W.A.G.'s on who team 14 would possibly be? I'm also trying to sort divisions in my head haha.

Not really sure. I assume it will be a non-football school. With Anderson adding football it seems like 10 would be a good number for football. From CN's perspective, I would like to see either Lee, Lees-McRae or King. But for a dark horse candidate I would not be surprised to see Young Harris. Another more mainstream choice would be Belmont Abbey.

[Son of Zardoz]

I was last on campus about a month ago discussing some possible upcoming work for the athletics department and while they were still preparing for the upcoming season at that point, they already sounded like they didn't think there would be a fall season (when it comes to football). Can't imagine their outlook has gotten any rosier with the uptick in cases since then. Wonder when the SAC will announce their plans.