New schools in NSIC

[Stanger86]

Dickinson would be a haul for the Minnesota schools, so I think they would be a very hard sell.

It's actually 10 miles closer to Bismarck than Minot is, for whatever that's worth...

[tman28]

I'd say a 9/9 split. Because of location take SMSU into the Dakota/Nebraska schools. You agree with that?

Duluth
Bemidji
Concordia
Winona
Mary
Minot
Mankato
Moorhead
Upper Iowa

BSU, Mankato, Duluth and Winona battle for the title every year in this case imo. I do like the facilities at Mary and Moorhead though. CSP, Upper Iowa and Minot are gutter in this scenerio football wise imo.
-
Northern
Black Hills
SD Mines
Kearney
Chadron
Wayne
Sioux Falls
Augustana
SMSU

Hmm. Gotta take USF, Kearney and Augie in this scenerio. Kearney maybe more consistent program that the other two. Wayne has to prove it over just this year imo. Northern and BHSU is solid and has the potential to be a good d2 program.... Chadron always seems pretty consistent. Pretty solid all around league here.

[laker]

It's actually 10 miles closer to Bismarck than Minot is, for whatever that's worth...

Stealing from Johnny Carson, "I did not know that!"

[Millsy]

It's actually 10 miles closer to Bismarck than Minot is, for whatever that's worth...

Still, with possible trips to Bismarck, Minot and now Dickinson, with budgets the way they are, it is going to be hard to sell it.

[Matt Witwicki]

Just looking at the D2 schools in the greater area:

Duluth
Bemidji
Concordia
Winona
Southwest
Sioux Falls
Augustana
Moorhead
Mankato
Upper Iowa
-
Northern
UMary
Minot State
Black Hills
SD Mines
Kearney
Chadron
Wayne

That's 18 schools.....I know there's going to be disagreements about who goes where, but I still think the most logical idea is to split into two conferences. A 10/8 split would make a lot of sense geographically. I know it's still very widespread with closer pockets, but it allows for nonconference play and recreates old rivalries.

A. Isn't this all spoken about with the assumption UIU is bolting? If so, it's 17 schools....yes?

Then do you add Jamestown to get to 18..

B. Would this be with the intent of having a NSIC West and NSIC East?

Thanks....I'll hang-up and listen.

[MrMustang]

The trick is going to be getting enough schools to approve a lot of the ideas that have floated around. When Upper Iowa and UMary joined, I think a big reason that it went through was that the two schools were balanced out between east and west. I don't remember if it was actually a package deal, but in effect it was. Both programs were pretty competitive at their level as well, so it wasn't a total Rutgers situation. Everything changed though with the demise of the NCC a year later. The competition shot up as did the league profile. The 2010 league expansion leaned west, but USF was good enough to make it easy enough to approve.

Now we enter an interesting phase. Everyone is looking to add, but I think universities are going to be careful about the next landscape shift. Nobody wants to add a Rutgers. I actually wouldn't rule out an Augie move up in the future as a way to balance things out again. That would slide it down to a 12-team league, perfect for football scheduling. Another angle to consider would be if Wayne America would look at other options.

Right now, the most often discussed options that I see with a chance of acceptance are Morningside (if they're willing) and Jamestown. I think most other options would be shot down pretty quickly.

Why would Wayne possible leave? they are a good fit and we want them too

[MrMustang]

Just looking at the D2 schools in the greater area:

Duluth
Bemidji
Concordia
Winona
Southwest
Sioux Falls
Augustana
Moorhead
Mankato
Upper Iowa
-
Northern
UMary
Minot State
Black Hills
SD Mines
Kearney
Chadron
Wayne

That's 18 schools.....I know there's going to be disagreements about who goes where, but I still think the most logical idea is to split into two conferences. A 10/8 split would make a lot of sense geographically. I know it's still very widespread with closer pockets, but it allows for nonconference play and recreates old rivalries.

stop it .

Why would SMSU want this even,,,, because there are a bunch of Minnesota schools. ? so what. Northern ( 2.5-3 hrs ) and Wayne (3 hrs) are closer for SMSU than UMD, Bemidji, Concordia (sme 3 hrs), Moorhead, and Upper Iowa.

[MrMustang]

Just looking at the D2 schools in the greater area:

Duluth
Bemidji
Concordia
Winona
Southwest
Sioux Falls
Augustana
Moorhead
Mankato
Upper Iowa
-
Northern
UMary
Minot State
Black Hills
SD Mines
Kearney
Chadron
Wayne

That's 18 schools.....I know there's going to be disagreements about who goes where, but I still think the most logical idea is to split into two conferences. A 10/8 split would make a lot of sense geographically. I know it's still very widespread with closer pockets, but it allows for nonconference play and recreates old rivalries.

and why would Northern and Mary want this? They want to wander down to Kearney and Chadron rather than Moorhead, Bemidji, Marshall and Sioux Falls? Not a chance. and Crookston and St Cloud for the other sports (way closer) zero chance they want that

[vikingfaithful]

If UIU were to leave kick Crookston out of league for not being competitive in any sport.

[Brandon]

stop it .

Why would SMSU want this even,,,, because there are a bunch of Minnesota schools. ? so what. Northern ( 2.5-3 hrs ) and Wayne (3 hrs) are closer for SMSU than UMD, Bemidji, Concordia (sme 3 hrs), Moorhead, and Upper Iowa.

and why would Northern and Mary want this? They want to wander down to Kearney and Chadron rather than Moorhead, Bemidji, Marshall and Sioux Falls? Not a chance. and Crookston and St Cloud for the other sports (way closer) zero chance they want that

Why would Mines, Chadron, and Kearney want this?

[tman28]

Why would Mines, Chadron, and Kearney want this?

In my post i had them joining the SD schools and SMSU based on what Vikingfaithful proposed. In that example, the conference would be a very strong one all sports and school wise imo

[Brandon]

It would be a good conference, but what would be their motivation for joining?

[Stanger86]

It would be a good conference, but what would be their motivation for joining?

Chadron, Mines and Kearney have more in common with schools in the Dakotas and Nebraska or with schools in New Mexico?

[Purple Mav Man]

Chadron, Mines and Kearney have more in common with schools in the Dakotas and Nebraska or with schools in New Mexico?

Not to non-sensationalize this, but there is one NM school in NM in the RMAC. Not plural. The rest of the conference is all Colorado (outside of South Dakota)

[MrMustang]

Why would Mines, Chadron, and Kearney want this?

probably not.