G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

[Inkblot]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Thanks for the information. That Omaha history brings back bad memories for me. My junior (or senior) year we dropped wrestling due to Title IX a couple weeks after winning the conference title. We were D1 in wrestling and obviously hadn't just won the national championship, but knowing a few of those guys personally, it was tough.

Florida Tech just won the women's golf national championship after announcing they're dropping it.

[BeachinLaker]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

I think you're being kind to UNC. I think their move has been an F.

UNC is in a similar situation as EMU. A far larger and more followed university is in the town right next to theirs. A move up needs to make sense both financially and geographically.

[chargerblue]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

UNC is in a similar situation as EMU. A far larger and more followed university is in the town right next to theirs. A move up needs to make sense both financially and geographically.

Two teams that made the jump around the same time were Cal Davis and Eastern Washington. Both made the FCS playoffs and eventually met in the quarterfinals...but you still never hear about them. Maybe as D2 fans we were more tuned into them. I miss both programs being a part of D2. Davis won 6 straight directors cups in D2. They're not competing overall at that level in D1...let alone in the Big Sky as they are yet to win an all-sports trophy.

[Inkblot]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Two teams that made the jump around the same time were Cal Davis and Eastern Washington. Both made the FCS playoffs and eventually met in the quarterfinals...but you still never hear about them. Maybe as D2 fans we were more tuned into them. I miss both programs being a part of D2. Davis won 6 straight directors cups in D2. They're not competing overall at that level in D1...let alone in the Big Sky as they are yet to win an all-sports trophy.

Eastern Washington moved to D1 in the mid-80's, nearly 20 years before UC Davis. Also, UC Davis competes in the Big West in sports other than football, but the point stands that they haven't won an all-sports trophy.

[chargerblue]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Eastern Washington moved to D1 in the mid-80's, nearly 20 years before UC Davis. Also, UC Davis competes in the Big West in sports other than football, but the point stands that they haven't won an all-sports trophy.

Wow! I really blew that post. I will chalk it up to being in the middle of 1100 report cards. I do still think the tears on the horse look pretty good. I had to add a second one because the first alone just looked like a tat for killing someone in prison.

[BeachinLaker]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Two teams that made the jump around the same time were Cal Davis and Eastern Washington. Both made the FCS playoffs and eventually met in the quarterfinals...but you still never hear about them. Maybe as D2 fans we were more tuned into them. I miss both programs being a part of D2. Davis won 6 straight directors cups in D2. They're not competing overall at that level in D1...let alone in the Big Sky as they are yet to win an all-sports trophy.

GVSU really tried to model itself after UC-Davis in the late 90s-early 00s. If I remember correctly, I believe both our academic and athletic leaders traveled to Davis to learn from them. With the obvious exception of UC-Davis being a public research university and having a medical school and GVSU not being one and not having a medical school, I'd say we did a good job of following their lead in terms of campus and athletics. I am honestly surprised they haven't been more successful in football than they have been but it looks like they're turning things around if last year is any indication of their direction.

[bigmrg74]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

What is the reason behind why **most of** the Dakota schools have experienced success in their move up?

Omaha made the Division 1 baseball tournament and got some love Monday during the selection show from Kyle Peterson because, apparently, one of their players is his neighbor. That's pretty cool, but did that 10-15 seconds on Monday make it worth moving their entire athletic department to D1? And, correct me if I'm wrong, but Omaha dropped football when they went D1, did they not?

They dropped football and wrestling, and Trev Alberts had the balls to call the wrestling coach as they were all celebrating their NCAA D2 championship to tell them that they're dropping the program. F Trev Alberts!!!

[chapmaja]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

I still don't see Northwood leaving. What would they gain by leaving the GLIAC?

Travel savings? The farthest trips for Northwood are to UWP/PNW (non-football) and the UP schools (MTU and NMU). MTU is 445 from Northwood while UWP is 375. The remaining schools in the GLIAC (SVSU, Ferris, GVSU, LSSU, WSU) are well within a days drive except Ashland, who is 265 miles. LSSU is 228 miles.

Within the GLIAC there are 4 schools closer than the nearest GMAC school, LSSU is just slightly farther than the next longest trip (Findlay and Tiffin).


The closest GMAC school is Hillsdale, which is 147, but is substantially non-expressway, increasing driving time. The remaining schools are all over 4 hours drives from Northwood, while some are as far as 8 hours plus (TNU, KWC) and many are over 6 hours (Alderson-Broaddus, Ohio Valley)

I simply don't see Northwood making the move because of the travel distance involved.

Ashland on the other hand is a more difficult situation for the GLIAC. Ashland's athletic programs are much better suited for the GLIAC, but travel wise Ashland is much better suited to the GMAC. I could see them going either way.

I don't see Indy leaving the GLVC yet, but that could happen in the future.

[chapmaja]

Re: G-MAC / GLIAC Updates

Eastern Washington moved to D1 in the mid-80's, nearly 20 years before UC Davis. Also, UC Davis competes in the Big West in sports other than football, but the point stands that they haven't won an all-sports trophy.

I wonder if football is the reason they haven't won the All-Sports trophy. There are only three schools in the conference which offer football, UC-Davis and Cal Poly at the FCS level and Hawaii at the FBS level. UC-Davis has finished as high as second in the all sports competition in the Big West twice, 2014-2015 and 2017-2018.