Should Jamestown be accepted into the NSIC?

[debergfan]

If Jamestown gets to a point where they are 4th in the all-sports standings like University of Mary has been each of the last two years, that is absolutely a win for the conference. I know football is the only thing people like to talk about on this forum, but they are making these decisions for the athletic department as a whole, not just for football.

And they won't. Jamestown will be the Crookston of the west.

[Stanger86]

And they won't. Jamestown will be the Crookston of the west.

I disagree. (I know, shocker)

I legitimately believe that they will not spend a single year at the very bottom of the all-sports standings. Even just the very fact that Jamestown offers more NSIC-sponsored sports (these are not the ones in jeopardy of being cut) than UMC gives them an immediate step up from the Golden Eagles.

[Purple Mav Man]

Minot's basketball isn't bad. Actually it's been good for the conference.

They certainly aren’t. Fairly decent in fact, of late. So it’ll likely be more wins for them, as zimmy stated 🙂

[Purple Mav Man]

I disagree. (I know, shocker)

I legitimately believe that they will not spend a single year at the very bottom of the all-sports standings. Even just the very fact that Jamestown offers more NSIC-sponsored sports (these are not the ones in jeopardy of being cut) than UMC gives them an immediate step up from the Golden Eagles.

I agree. No one will touch Crookston there since they basically offer 3 sports.

[oldyellaHer69]

Mary game #1, first D2 win one year early coming up #JIMS

[SW_Mustang]

Odd thing is Crookston has had a solid baseball team for the last several years. Maybe the only thing they have going for them.

NSIC baseball is great. Kinda wish more people cared about it, but it is what it is.

[Stanger86]

Odd thing is Crookston has had a solid baseball team for the last several years. Maybe the only thing they have going for them.

NSIC baseball is great. Kinda wish more people cared about it, but it is what it is.

I've always thought it takes someone with local ties to a school or region, or at least a commitment to recruiting regionally, to really develop a program at these smaller schools. What do ya know, arguably the two winningest coaches UMC has had in the last decades are Mike Roysland in WBB (local legend up there) and Steve Gust in baseball (both grew up and coached in region).

[SW_Mustang]

I've always thought it takes someone with local ties to a school or region, or at least a commitment to recruiting regionally, to really develop a program at these smaller schools. What do ya know, arguably the two winningest coaches UMC has had in the last decades are Mike Roysland in WBB (local legend up there) and Steve Gust in baseball (both grew up and coached in region).

I agree. When it comes to small college sports, I like a mix of coaches who know the local stuff and administrators that know the greater world beyond it.

Obviously that's an ideal situation to get a mix of perspectives and the application of such is somewhere in the middle.

[Purple Mav Man]

I've always thought it takes someone with local ties to a school or region, or at least a commitment to recruiting regionally, to really develop a program at these smaller schools. What do ya know, arguably the two winningest coaches UMC has had in the last decades are Mike Roysland in WBB (local legend up there) and Steve Gust in baseball (both grew up and coached in region).

It’s especially true at high schools with University in their name. A la Crookston.

And in remote areas where people don’t trust a name they don’t know.

[Stanger86]

It’s especially true at high schools with University in their name. A la Crookston.

I'm really trying to stay away from going down these rabbit holes that make up roughly 100 of the 126 pages of this thread, but I think comments like this are why some people have the perception that segments of MSU fans think they are too good for Division II. There's an attitude coming through these comments that says you don't think they deserve to be at the same level as mighty Mankato. I think this same attitude is a big reason why the Dakota States moved up to FCS in the first place, and I think we're seeing that attitude seep into Mankato more and more as well.

I am well aware that UM-Crookston is one of the least funded and most poorly run athletic departments in Division II. But for whatever reason, they have chosen to stay at the Division II level because they feel it's what's best for them as a university. Rather than tearing them down because you feel like they don't belong or tearing down that region of the state as a whole, why not look for ways that they can enhance and improve their program standing within Division II?

[zimmy21]

I'm really trying to stay away from going down these rabbit holes that make up roughly 100 of the 126 pages of this thread, but I think comments like this are why some people have the perception that segments of MSU fans think they are too good for Division II. There's an attitude coming through these comments that says you don't think they deserve to be at the same level as mighty Mankato. I think this same attitude is a big reason why the Dakota States moved up to FCS in the first place, and I think we're seeing that attitude seep into Mankato more and more as well.

I am well aware that UM-Crookston is one of the least funded and most poorly run athletic departments in Division II. But for whatever reason, they have chosen to stay at the Division II level because they feel it's what's best for them as a university. Rather than tearing them down because you feel like they don't belong or tearing down that region of the state as a whole, why not look for ways that they can enhance and improve their program standing within Division II?

Hefty assumptions...and you know what assuming does.

If we have to be the realists here then by all means I'll be it. UMC has no business in D2. It has no business being a 4 year school, and I struggle to see the need for the school to exist in general.

MSU in my own opinion belongs at the next level, despite what the vast majority of voices says here. That doesn't mean that I think we are entirely better than every school in the NSIC at everything. I think we have been lackluster in volleyball, and tennis. I think Augie and us belong with the xDSU/UxD schools and we've stinted our own growth

[Stanger86]

If we have to be the realists here then by all means I'll be it. UMC has no business in D2. It has no business being a 4 year school, and I struggle to see the need for the school to exist in general.

To counter, it used to be that no sport at UMC was successful. However, in the last decade or so, a few programs there have shown that success is possible within Division II. So I don't consider them a complete lost cause. It just takes a lot of work.

SMSU used to be one of the worst athletic programs in many sports as well. But over time, the athletic department has found its niches where it can be successful. SMSU is never at the top of the all-sports standings, but I don't remember the last time I've heard someone say we're in over our heads in Division II. I do think that's possible for UMC and Jamestown as well, even if it doesn't result in all-sport dominance at any point. Maybe that's low expectations, but overall I feel like we are an average Division II institution, which is respectable considering a lot of factors.

[SW_Mustang]

MSU doesn't offer DI anything, much like xDSU doesn't offer DI anything. I'd argue no DII program does. Not even GVSU or UWF. DI isn't better by having them - in fact the more financial leeches DI let's in, the worse they get.

Double whammy for MSU because they aren't a flagship and never will be. I wish they were but they aren't - unfortunately meaning they are not peers with the xDSU schools by any conceivable measure.

Same logic in my mind applies to Crookston. We really don't need divisions anymore if we're not going to have any standards - and I'd much rather have Jamestown than Crookston.

[vikingfaithful]

MSU doesn't offer DI anything, much like xDSU doesn't offer DI anything. I'd argue no DII program does. Not even GVSU or UWF. DI isn't better by having them - in fact the more financial leeches DI let's in, the worse they get.

Double whammy for MSU because they aren't a flagship and never will be. I wish they were but they aren't - unfortunately meaning they are not peers with the xDSU schools by any conceivable measure.

Same logic in my mind applies to Crookston. We really don't need divisions anymore if we're not going to have any standards - and I'd much rather have Jamestown than Crookston.

In that regard I fully agree with you, just as I would prefer Morningside, Northwestern IA. or Grand Valley over St. Cloud. I would trade SCSU with UIU- at least the Peacocks have a football team!

[CheapSkate]

If we have to be the realists here then by all means I'll be it. UMC has no business in D2. It has no business being a 4 year school, and I struggle to see the need for the school to exist in general.

+1 for the realist