Northwood to GMAC?

[UFOILERFAN]

I honestly didn't believe that I would wish I had that time back. I was wrong.

[UIndyFootball]

I should have private messaged him. And I'll do that.

[boatcapt]

KWC and TNU are much like NDC. I think over time they will both find other conferences that work better for them. I think NDC will eventually decide that GMAC will make more sense for them.

As for Northwood, the addition is always rumored but makes little to no sense to me.

As for Uindy, I would only see them moving over if something happens within the GLVC or if the GMAC adds within Indiana. Right now, Indianapolis is on an island in either conference.

To your point about UIndy...more precisely a second Indiana team moving to the GMAC, the question is who? As I read it there are only 3 DII programs in the state and only 1 plays football. Assuming the GMAC finds a second Indiana based DII to pair with UIndy, that would still be a long distance from NDC which kind of nullifies the travel distance argument that seems to be the main reason people are pushing for NDC to the GMAC.

Not that I would want them back, but since we're speculating...The MEC could bring back Seton Hill witch would give NDC three dance partners within 150 miles. Heck, for that matter the MEC could bring back Seton Hill and Bluefield State and add Central State, end their relationship with UNCP and split into 7 team MEC North and MEC South! That would really reduce NDC's driving distance AND give them OOC opportunities to play the close by GMAC schools if they wished!!

Said it before but I'll say it again, the most logical thing would be for the MEC and GMAC to merge and form one conf with an east and west division...Call it the Great Mountain East Conf with east and West divisions...East mostly MEC schools and the West most of the GMAC teams. That would be a heck of a football AND basketball conference!

And the clock keeps ticking.

[Uindy18]

Folks have been speculating about KWC and TNU bring "invited to leave" the GMAC for years. As with the speculation about NDC joining the GMAC, it just never amounts to anything. As I said, UIndy and Northwood, while a bit closer than KWC and TNU, are still over 300 miles from NDC.

While Central and NDC are clearly different, what they share is being a DII in Ohio. So if people truely want an All Ohio DII conference, they should be in the discussion.. in fact,, if travel distance is such an important factor,, they seem to be an ideal fit.

KWC and TNU are much like NDC. I think over time they will both find other conferences that work better for them. I think NDC will eventually decide that GMAC will make more sense for them.

As for Northwood, the addition is always rumored but makes little to no sense to me.

As for Uindy, I would only see them moving over if something happens within the GLVC or if the GMAC adds within Indiana. Right now, Indianapolis is on an island in either conference.

[boatcapt]

Ya, I am familiar with Central State. I just know that being an HBCU in an HBCU conference, they will not really be interested in rejoining (much like Kentucky State in KY). Additionally, Central State really had a messy exit out of the GMAC (large number of rules violations) and doubt they would be invited back.

I would assume the thought process for NDC moving to the GMAC would be something like this:

1. Lowered Travel Costs (increased effectiveness in KWC and TNU end up going elsewhere)
2. Private School in private school conference
3. Comparable Competition Fit
4. Either forgiving or forgetting about what issue became the principal issue as to why they left the original GMAC discussions

Folks have been speculating about KWC and TNU bring "invited to leave" the GMAC for years. As with the speculation about NDC joining the GMAC, it just never amounts to anything. As I said, UIndy and Northwood, while a bit closer than KWC and TNU, are still over 300 miles from NDC.

While Central and NDC are clearly different, what they share is being a DII in Ohio. So if people truely want an All Ohio DII conference, they should be in the discussion.. in fact,, if travel distance is such an important factor,, they seem to be an ideal fit.

[boatcapt]

I would assume UNC-Pembroke would be an overnight as well.

I would assume so also. But I note that with the very limited Associate Membership (only football now?), it would be a once every 2 years expense.

[Uindy18]

Question about travel costs
I was thinking that fuel costs are not a reason to change conferences. However, overnight accommodations are much more significant. Is Concord the only overnight trip for ndc?

I would assume UNC-Pembroke would be an overnight as well.

[Columbuseer]

Question about travel costs
I was thinking that fuel costs are not a reason to change conferences. However, overnight accommodations are much more significant. Is Concord the only overnight trip for ndc?

[Uindy18]

Often "forgotten" in the Ohio conference discussion is Central State. If the desire is to become the de facto DII conference of Ohio, I would think there would be some desire to bring them in. Seems like the NDC to the GMAC discussion now centers on travel budget. Sure, there are schools that are close to NDC but as you point out, there are also conference outliers in KWC and TNU. I'd also note that the "other" schools often rumored on this board to be joining the GMAC, UIndy and Northwood, are over 300 miles from NDC so it's not like there are next door travel wise.

Ya, I am familiar with Central State. I just know that being an HBCU in an HBCU conference, they will not really be interested in rejoining (much like Kentucky State in KY). Additionally, Central State really had a messy exit out of the GMAC (large number of rules violations) and doubt they would be invited back.

I would assume the thought process for NDC moving to the GMAC would be something like this:

1. Lowered Travel Costs (increased effectiveness in KWC and TNU end up going elsewhere)
2. Private School in private school conference
3. Comparable Competition Fit
4. Either forgiving or forgetting about what issue became the principal issue as to why they left the original GMAC discussions

[boatcapt]

Fair point. I am not going to claim that they are leaving tomorrow, but I have to think eventually the travel savings math will end up pushing them towards the GMAC in the end. Especially since the addition of Ashland, I think the future of the GMAC is to become the de facto conference of Ohio. NDC is the final outlier. I would bet if a new administration comes in that was uninvolved with the original GMAC founding discussions and if the KWC/TNU side of the GMAC decide to go elsewhere, NDC will eventually move over. Whether that happens tomorrow or a decade from now, who knows? But I think it will happen eventually.

Often "forgotten" in the Ohio conference discussion is Central State. If the desire is to become the de facto DII conference of Ohio, I would think there would be some desire to bring them in. Seems like the NDC to the GMAC discussion now centers on travel budget. Sure, there are schools that are close to NDC but as you point out, there are also conference outliers in KWC and TNU. I'd also note that the "other" schools often rumored on this board to be joining the GMAC, UIndy and Northwood, are over 300 miles from NDC so it's not like there are next door travel wise.

[Uindy18]

The thought process seems to be that NDC is happy playing in the MEC. I recall a couple of comments from the NDC AD saying how happy they were with the MEC and being a member of the conference.

There has been a lot of traffic over the years about NDC's supposed desire to move to the GMAC to be one with their Ohio "bretheran." Any number of senarios have been posted from "NDC's move to the GMAC is going to be announces at the upcoming conference meeting" all the way to some sort of "prisoner swap" were the GMAC and MEC had supposedly agreed to swap AB and Ohio Valley for NDC (again, to be announced "any day now"). Seems like all these supposed "heard it from a source" posts have been little more that exercises in a fertile imagination.

While NDC (or any school for that matter) doesn't generally make comments about their "happiness" in a particular conference, I would say that their staying in the MEC for all these years now speaks volumes about their intent. Sure, somthing may change in the future, but it seems pretty clear that right now and probably for the foreseable future, NDC is staying in the MEC.

Fair point. I am not going to claim that they are leaving tomorrow, but I have to think eventually the travel savings math will end up pushing them towards the GMAC in the end. Especially since the addition of Ashland, I think the future of the GMAC is to become the de facto conference of Ohio. NDC is the final outlier. I would bet if a new administration comes in that was uninvolved with the original GMAC founding discussions and if the KWC/TNU side of the GMAC decide to go elsewhere, NDC will eventually move over. Whether that happens tomorrow or a decade from now, who knows? But I think it will happen eventually.

[BlueBlood]

Guess the desire for an All Ohio DII sports conference will never die in the hearts of some posters but it's pretty clear that a number of the key schools in the discussion, and the conference itself, have moved on.

Looking forward to hearing the same rumors of an All Ohio conference next year!!

Pretty sure no one is hanging on to an All-Ohio concept. The article was from 2009 - in the era when the PSAC was PA-only and the WVIAC had a state in its name too. Those days are gone.

[boatcapt]

I would love to know what the current thought process is for NDC in regards to staying in the MEC over moving over to the GMAC. I know something happened in those early discussions that made NDC not want to be included with the founding GMAC schools, but the world will probably never know what.

The thought process seems to be that NDC is happy playing in the MEC. I recall a couple of comments from the NDC AD saying how happy they were with the MEC and being a member of the conference.

There has been a lot of traffic over the years about NDC's supposed desire to move to the GMAC to be one with their Ohio "bretheran." Any number of senarios have been posted from "NDC's move to the GMAC is going to be announces at the upcoming conference meeting" all the way to some sort of "prisoner swap" were the GMAC and MEC had supposedly agreed to swap AB and Ohio Valley for NDC (again, to be announced "any day now"). Seems like all these supposed "heard it from a source" posts have been little more that exercises in a fertile imagination.

While NDC (or any school for that matter) doesn't generally make comments about their "happiness" in a particular conference, I would say that their staying in the MEC for all these years now speaks volumes about their intent. Sure, somthing may change in the future, but it seems pretty clear that right now and probably for the foreseable future, NDC is staying in the MEC.

[boatcapt]

I have known about that desire for a long time. A "couple of years" sounded like a new development.

Yea...It was presented in a manner that it was a new, or at least recent, quote from the NDC AD when it actually came from 2009. I have no doubt that there were discussions about an "All Ohio" DII conference. However that was 13 years ago and a number of the partisipants in those discussions have moved out of the GMAC for greener pastures. Heck, even the GMAC has moved beyond the "All Ohio" model.

Guess the desire for an All Ohio DII sports conference will never die in the hearts of some posters but it's pretty clear that a number of the key schools in the discussion, and the conference itself, have moved on.

Looking forward to hearing the same rumors of an All Ohio conference next year!!

[Brandon]

That was my understanding. They weren't competing with the big dawgs, and Gannon is still a bottom feeder. Hurst has done well. I can not speak on many other schools because of my lack of knowledge, but I was told those two schools were vying for acceptance into the PSAC for years, but because they were private the PSAC said no until they lifted their mandate.

Crap I apologize. I didn't read the entire post and just now read that you address the issue of private schools.......