University of Jamestown reportedly applies for NSIC membership

[zimmy21]

https://www.inforum.com/sports/colle...ic-sources-say


This could be interesting. Finally some movement on backfilling

[Tundra_Man]

Deleted. I'm an idiot.

[ctrabs74]

https://www.inforum.com/sports/colle...ic-sources-say

This could be interesting. Finally some movement on backfilling

Jamestown would be the smallest of the current NSIC schools (enrollment is about 1K, if I'm not mistaken). UJ's longest road trip in the NSIC would be to Winona State (465 miles; roughly 7 hours), which would be shorter than at least five current rivals in their current league, the GPAC.

Conversely, there are at least six potential NSIC rivals (Bemidji, Mary, Crookston, Moorhead, Minot, Northern State) which are closer to Jamestown than UJ's closest GPAC rival, Dakota Wesleyan (248 miles, roughly 4 hours).

I'd be curious to see what other NAIA schools within the NSIC's footprint would be a logical fit for the league, should they want to expand past 16 (14 football) schools.

[ctrabs74]

An odd number of teams would be problematic. I wonder if the NSIC would make it conditional on another school joining as well? Kind of like when they brought in USF and Minot at the same time.

Following Upper Iowa's departure for the GLVC, the NSIC is currently at 15 members (13 for football), so simply adding Jamestown would appear to be adequate to avoid the odd-number of teams scenario.

[zimmy21]

An odd number of teams would be problematic. I wonder if the NSIC would make it conditional on another school joining as well? Kind of like when they brought in USF and Minot at the same time.

The odd number is what caused the scheduling panic this spring. Thanks a lot UIU. If Jamestown is added it would balance the conference at 14 football schools. And back to 16 squads do the Olympic sports can continue the travel buddy system

[SW_Mustang]

They'll fit in from an infrastructure standpoint, fwiw.

[Thunder]

It was only a matter of time. As we have discussed on here, Jamestown isn't a perfect fit but it is the best available option. I'm assuming this information would not come out if it weren't almost a certainty that Jamestown would be accepted into the NSIC. This gets the conference back to even numbers for scheduling ease. RIP to the nonconference football games (I hope not, but more than likely this leads back to the silo). I'm also assuming this means Augie is here to stay for at least a while, which is what we have heard from most of our AU board members.

[MrAugustana]

So...how does this shake out in terms of conference divisions?

[zimmy21]

I understand the need to make moves, but I don't know if this will signal some larger changes that are due to happen.. From early reports, Minnesota State grew again in enrollment this year with more freshman living on campus in the last 5 years. I know enrollment isn't everything, but the climate and culture of adding smaller schools around 1k students seems like it's really time for the larger schools to consider talking to the Summit.

[zimmy21]

So...how does this shake out in terms of conference divisions?

I would imagine football would go...


North - UMD, Bemidji, Moorhead, Mary, Minot, Jamestown, Northern
South - Winona, Concordia, Mankato, Southwest, Sioux Falls, Augustana, Wayne

Maybe they switch to MN Division and Dakotas-Nebraska division

[CollegeFBGuy]

I understand the desire for Non conference games, but having an even number and full schedules for all of the teams is a better option.

[SW_Mustang]

I understand the need to make moves, but I don't know if this will signal some larger changes that are due to happen.. From early reports, Minnesota State grew again in enrollment this year with more freshman living on campus in the last 5 years. I know enrollment isn't everything, but the climate and culture of adding smaller schools around 1k students seems like it's really time for the larger schools to consider talking to the Summit.

Are there any other viable candidates besides Augie and MSU?

I wouldn't mind kicking SCSU over to the Summit - they'd fit in well given how irrelevant they've been in the NSIC with no football and how laughably irrelevant the Summit is in D1. But they'd need a lot more money to do that.

[Tundra_Man]

Following Upper Iowa's departure for the GLVC, the NSIC is currently at 15 members (13 for football), so simply adding Jamestown would appear to be adequate to avoid the odd-number of teams scenario.

The odd number is what caused the scheduling panic this spring. Thanks a lot UIU. If Jamestown is added it would balance the conference at 14 football schools. And back to 16 squads do the Olympic sports can continue the travel buddy system

You're right. For some reason I spaced it that Upper Iowa had left at the end of last season. My bad.

[zimmy21]

Are there any other viable candidates besides Augie and MSU?

I wouldn't mind kicking SCSU over to the Summit - they'd fit in well given how irrelevant they've been in the NSIC with no football and how laughably irrelevant the Summit is in D1. But they'd need a lot more money to do that.

Doubtful, if any Duluth at this point.

As for as relevance goes, I don't know if we could be any more irrelevant as a conference in general but adding tiny schools from middle of nowhere North Dakota is helping anything

[Stanger86]

Perfect fit for everything off the field/court. Eastern folks will grumble, but it's a perfect fit for the NSIC footprint. Right along I94, within 100 miles of three NSIC schools, etc.

And I know this is the football board, but the NSIC's premiere sport is volleyball, where Jamestown is the reigning NAIA national champion.