Northwood to GMAC?

[GLIAC Fan]

Best be the for GLIAC is to have a current member like Purdue NW start a football team, much like Davenport did a few years ago.

[Uindy18]

No idea who runs this Twitter, but it sounds like GLIAC will be adding a program soon.

https://twitter.com/GreatLakesHoops/...02868028162050

Interesting, I cannot tell if they are trying to just be funny or actually trying to hint at something. I would lean towards the just trying to be funny

[mtsax305]

No idea who runs this Twitter, but it sounds like GLIAC will be adding a program soon.

https://twitter.com/GreatLakesHoops/...02868028162050

[mtsax305]

If Northwood leaves I think you would see GVSU, FSU and maybe SVSU move up a level? GVSU for sure has the facilites not sure about the budgets but...I hope the Wood will stay, seems like a lot more travel to me but then what do I know..

Not sure how the current admin at GV feels about it, but I remember Selgo putting out a big piece about how moving up wouldn't make sense both financially and competitively. Reading that in undergrad I thought it was silly, but it's made more sense to me now. Budgets can be balanced, but the talent gap between the P5 and G5, not to mention FCS, is wider than ever.

Personally, I think transforming the GLIAC into an FCS conference would be amazing for football considering the profiles and types of schools within the conference. Realistically, I figure that doing so would essentially ensure that the non-football teams never win another national championship again.

My dream scenario is that P5 goes to do its own thing and let the cards fall from there. Maybe merge CMU, WMU, and EMU with the rest of the GLIAC to form a new conference in a Division that would combine G5 and FCS. Obviously there are a lot of details that would need to be (and probably could never be) fleshed out, but that's why it's a dream.

[Uindy18]

I don't like this move either. It puts you guys in a tough spot, and geography is not your best friend. I remember reading an article years ago that the GLIAC may consider a Canadian school? I think it was right past the border near Detroit. But other than that I hope you guys can poach and NAIA like Madonna or Tech.

I doubt that a Canadian school would be in the cards. The Canadian college sports system is fairly independent of relations with NCAA schools outside of Simon Fraser in the GNAC. I imagine the NAIA route would be the easiest route for the GLIAC, but the fact that Davenport is now the only private school is troubling.

[ESU Warrior]

I don't like this move either. It puts you guys in a tough spot, and geography is not your best friend. I remember reading an article years ago that the GLIAC may consider a Canadian school? I think it was right past the border near Detroit. But other than that I hope you guys can poach and NAIA like Madonna or Tech.

[Uindy18]

Okay, I was wrong. Wonder what school will be next on the rumor mill.

We are in the same boat. I am really shocked by the news.

[Uindy18]

I have my opinion, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some fairly big change. I feel most for the UP schools since there aren't many good options for them.

If they GLIAC were to full on collapse, do you think they could feasibly play in like the NSIC with the Minnesota Schools?

[Redwing]

Okay, I was wrong. Wonder what school will be next on the rumor mill.

I have my opinion, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some fairly big change. I feel most for the UP schools since there aren't many good options for them.

[UFOILERFAN]

Okay, I was wrong. Wonder what school will be next on the rumor mill.

[GLIAC Fan]

Told ya, no one believed me. Top officials at Ashland, Tiffin and Findlay told me, quality sources.

[Uindy18]

https://www.gonorthwood.com/general/...20210428roa2rd

Well there you go. 2021-22 in GLIAC, 22-23 in GMAC.

Looking forward to the GV/Northwood game at Lubbers this fall, now.

Welp, the GLIAC is in trouble. I still think this is a bad move for Northwood, but I guess I was wrong. This really puts the GLIAC in a tough spot.

[KleShreen]

https://www.gonorthwood.com/general/...20210428roa2rd

Well there you go. 2021-22 in GLIAC, 22-23 in GMAC.

Looking forward to the GV/Northwood game at Lubbers this fall, now.

[WVIAC-F-EVER]

The northeast 10 and Gmac should merge for football

both will have 8 teams, play 3 crossover games and 1 non conference to get to your 11... new haven announced they are going D1

if the gmac stays at 8, their top 4 are as good as anyone d2 but winning 3 or 4 non conference then going 7-1 in conference is too tough... gmac needs more teams so they can get more teams into ncaa playoff like psac....

[michiganfb]

Holy Smokes! A real, live, burning thread in the GLIAC forum that I can't keep up with. Been a while since we've seen that! The topic in and of itself is a little heartbreaking, but I'm trying to find silver linings here.

OK...trying to insinuate myself back into the proceedings, and I see one particular point someone made that needs to be cleared up and that surrounds Indianapolis. UIndy absolutely did NOT leave the GLIAC because they were slotted in the North Division. Nor, was their being in the North "stupidity" on the part of the league for putting them there. Let's break this down:

- First of all, UIndy was only in the North for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. There were literally only two seasons that they were in that set-up.

- UIndy announced their departure for the GLVC prior to the 2011 season. Obviously, they didn't find a way to get the GLVC to reconstitute itself to start offering football in roughly 12 or so months. As Brandon (and I believe Blueblood) astutely point out, schools are having discussions about stuff constantly, and it is likely only a fraction of the time that things actually come to fruition. In other words, most stuff takes a LONG time to make happen. One of the discussions that DID come to fruition was the GLVC offering football, and that had been discussed/in the works for YEARS prior to UIndy joining up. UIndy's GLIAC divisional placement may have "conveniently" offered an additional, perceived benefit to UIndy to depart, but it happened long after GLVC Football was in motion and in no way served as a catalyst. The GLIAC was in no way surprised by UIndy's announcement.

- League By-Laws. As someone (I believe Blueblood again) noted, the GLVC's by-laws obligate its members to play their sports in that conference if the conference offers said sport. Hence, UIndy knew full well that once the GLVC was able to offer football they would be moving the sport to that league. No surprises, no hurt feelings, no vendettas. In fact, they also fulfilled their obligation to the GLIAC of announcing their intentions a year early. Furthermore, UIndy continued associate memberships in the GLIAC for at least a couple of other sports for quite some time AFTER football left. In fact, I believe they won a GLIAC Women's Lacrosse title as recently as 2019...and that sport has since shifted its play to the GLVC as a result of the league adding that sport to its offering. Why would UIndy continue to participate in the GLIAC for another eight or ten years if they were so bent about "how they were treated". Just doesn't line up.

- The Why - Maybe should have started with this, but WHY the North? Very simple. At that point in time the GLIAC had 14 full-time members. One of those members, Lake Superior State, doesn't offer football. It was a very logical, simple solution to have UIndy fill Lake State's football "void" in the divisional alignment. Was it fair? Maybe not. Could the league have gotten a bit more creative about it? Perhaps. But let's be real, the premise of UIndy leaving for the GLVC at that point had to be viewed as imminent so all parties knew that the solution was as temporary as it was simple.

- My last thought on this is in regards to the "fairness" of the arrangement, and the perceived "unfairness" that revolved around how much "extra travel" UIndy would have to do as a North member. Was it unfair to make them travel more? Perhaps...but just how much more did they have to travel, really? With two, seven-team divisions and a ten-game conference slate, GLIAC teams in 2010 and 2011 played all six of their division-mates (three home, three away), and four cross-overs (two home, two away). Even if they had been in the South, UIndy was still going to have two road-games against North teams. The reality is that they basically traded one, perceived "shorter" road trip for a single, perceived "longer" one each of those two seasons. I actually reviewed their schedules from those two years, and the only "crummy" straw they drew was going to the U.P. both seasons. With that said, the scheduling ideology of the league at that time would have created a scenario where South Teams were UP-bound at least once every 2nd or third year anyway. So, statistically they didn't end up going much more than they would have had they been in the South. And lastly, given that they had been playing at least one game in the UP nearly every year since joining the MIFC in 1993, this two year stretch was hardly anything earth-shattering.


Sorry, Gang. There's a bunch of your life you won't get back having read that...don't worry, writing takes longer than reading so I'm the true loser in this equation.


Beyond all of that, I agree with the posters who offer that the Ohio-centric conference was in the works for quite a while. I also agree that there are some logistical advantages for some of the schools that are more than obvious and are all but impossible to ignore.

I absolutely believe that some of the schools who have left the league were in no way trying to "duck" anyone. Their performances on the fields/courts spoke for themselves. I also absolutely believe that at least some of the schools that left were seeking a perceived home with less rigor, and saw no longer having to play some GLIAC teams as a valuable (albeit unstated) fringe benefit.

Back on topic, I still don't see what Northwood gets out of making this move. The geography/cost is worse, I don't foresee them being anymore competitive, and they will create recruiting and branding issues that don't exist presently. The premise that they "look like" the schools in the GMAC is inarguable, but is that truly the primary rationale that will drive this? Curious.

I don't have to be so critical with my choice of words but I know when I am right amount something.