Southland/WAC shakeup

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ST_Lawson
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So, what we know now about the new WAC:
  • most schools joining as of July 2021 (had originally planned July 2022, but the Southland decided to force them out early)
  • Two divisions: Southwest (Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Lamar, Abilene Christian, Tarleton State, UT-Rio Grande Valley) and West (Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, Cal Baptist, Seattle, Utah Valley, Southern Utah, Dixie State)
  • Southern Utah joining July 2022, Chicago State leaving at the same time
  • NM State will continue as FBS Independent for now
  • UTRGV planning on football in 2023
  • Conference seeking a 14th member which will also have football and align with the SW/Texas division
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meganeck
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ST_Lawson wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 12:02 pm So, what we know now about the new WAC:
  • most schools joining as of July 2021 (had originally planned July 2022, but the Southland decided to force them out early)
  • Two divisions: Southwest (Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Lamar, Abilene Christian, Tarleton State, UT-Rio Grande Valley) and West (Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, Cal Baptist, Seattle, Utah Valley, Southern Utah, Dixie State)
  • Southern Utah joining July 2022, Chicago State leaving at the same time
  • NM State will continue as FBS Independent for now
  • UTRGV planning on football in 2023
  • Conference seeking a 14th member which will also have football and align with the SW/Texas division
Scott, a couple things
1) Do you know does Grand Canyon have a football stadium to play in? are they building one? Just curious
2) Just your early thoughts - any plus or minuses for WIU with this news. Or for the MVFC?
meganeck
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Please Summit League do not invite Chicago St to join, yes they would probably be an easy win in most sports, but they really wouldn't add anyting to the conference in my opinion.
leatherneckcountry
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meganeck wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:47 pm Please Summit League do not invite Chicago St to join, yes they would probably be an easy win in most sports, but they really wouldn't add anyting to the conference in my opinion.
I'm not sure that they will stay D1
meganeck
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leatherneckcountry wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:50 pm
meganeck wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:47 pm Please Summit League do not invite Chicago St to join, yes they would probably be an easy win in most sports, but they really wouldn't add anyting to the conference in my opinion.
I'm not sure that they will stay D1
Honestly they shouldn't.
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ST_Lawson
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meganeck wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 2:45 pm Scott, a couple things
1) Do you know does Grand Canyon have a football stadium to play in? are they building one? Just curious
2) Just your early thoughts - any plus or minuses for WIU with this news. Or for the MVFC?
1. GCU has an absolutely beautiful soccer stadium that holds ~6k fans: https://gculopes.com/facilities/gcu-stadium/24
I don't know if they would use that for football or not.
It looks like there's also a large lot right across the road from one of their large parking garages on campus (if the map imagery is up to date...it may not be though, so idk). If they wanted to, they could probably build a very nice stadium there: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.5152516 ... a=!3m1!1e3

2. I don't think much of this will affect Western or the MVFC in the near term. None of the teams leaving for the WAC were considered possibilities for MVFC expansion. Central Arkansas is a name that had been floated around as a possibility at times, but they're planning on going to the Atlantic Sun/Big South group (last I heard). The rest of the Southland is probably going to have to look for DII teams to move up to FCS, because outside of the SWAC (a HBCU conference), there's not really much else around there.
Of things that I've seen in the last few months or so, I think the one that has the most potential to impact our situation is the (still rumored, I think) move of Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State to the ASUN/Big South (along with UCA). If that were to happen, it would leave the Ohio Valley with 7 football playing members, and they might want to add another school to fill in a bit.

I can't imagine the Summit League would invite Chicago State back with all their problems. I'm hoping they finally see this occasion as a good reason to drop down divisions.
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Update to this situation. Sounds like the WAC is "formally vetting" Incarnate Word for addition to their conference. This would make the new WAC football:
Abilene Christian
Dixie State
Incarnate Word
Lamar
Sam Houston State
Stephen F. Austin
Southern Utah
Tarleton State

and non-football schools:
Cal Baptist
Grand Canyon
New Mexico State (football is FBS independent)
Seattle University
UT-Rio Grande Valley
Utah Valley
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ST_Lawson
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Here's a good article about the Chicago State situation: https://sportsenthusiasts.net/2021/04/1 ... r-the-wac/
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