OVC Expansion

Athletics Department, Facilities, etc.
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may know
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Door open? They're losing 2 FB members.

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ST_Lawson
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may know wrote: Mon Nov 16, 2020 3:02 pm Door open? They're losing 2 FB members.
That's a possibility. It'd be a much more condensed footprint without JSU and EKU. Indiana State is right in that region too (and I've heard rumblings from some of their fans over the years that the OVC would be a better fit for them as well),

OVC minus JSU and EKU, but plus ISUb and WIU would look like this for everything except football: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid= ... sp=sharing
For football, you'd drop Morehead State (in the Pioneer League, they're the furthest east one), Belmont (no football, they're in Nashville), and SIU-Edwardsville (no football).
I'd hate losing our longstanding football rivalry with Illinois State, but if it's a choice between this version of the Ohio Valley or us having to go DII or something, I'd prefer joining this OVC.
Hopefully some of our old MVFC "rivals" would be willing to set up some OOC games with us...Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Southern Illinois.
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Just FYI, I’ve also seen rumors of both the OVC and the ASun being interested in Central Arkansas also.


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I've just came to grips that as long as were D1 we'll be stuck in the summit and we have to deal with it.
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I think it's likely that the OVC would add WIU and then either Southern Indiana or Lipscomb as the 12th school. I have my doubts that Indiana State would be willing to give up MVC basketball, but I could see us being a football-only member in the OVC.

Without WIU in the MVFC our travel expenses will go up which has been a concern. We are under an agreement that we only have to make one trip to the Dakotas each season, but without WIU I doubt that is possible. Making only trips to IL, KY, SEMO, and TN would be very beneficial to us in my opinion. We could literally bus to every school. Leaving the MVFC also wouldn't effect our MVC membership since they are separate conferences.

It would also benefit the OVC to take us on as a football only since we would hypothetically give them a 9th football school (if their 12th option didn't have football) which works great for scheduling bye weeks and only forces schools most years to have 3 non-conference games rather than 4.
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Sycamorefan96 wrote: Sat Nov 21, 2020 1:16 pm I think it's likely that the OVC would add WIU and then either Southern Indiana or Lipscomb as the 12th school. I have my doubts that Indiana State would be willing to give up MVC basketball, but I could see us being a football-only member in the OVC.

Without WIU in the MVFC our travel expenses will go up which has been a concern. We are under an agreement that we only have to make one trip to the Dakotas each season, but without WIU I doubt that is possible. Making only trips to IL, KY, SEMO, and TN would be very beneficial to us in my opinion. We could literally bus to every school. Leaving the MVFC also wouldn't effect our MVC membership since they are separate conferences.

It would also benefit the OVC to take us on as a football only since we would hypothetically give them a 9th football school (if their 12th option didn't have football) which works great for scheduling bye weeks and only forces schools most years to have 3 non-conference games rather than 4.
Lipscomb and Bellarmine are the two schools I've heard tied to going to the OVC.
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With the official announcement from the ASun today that JSU, EKU, and UCA are joining their conference, discussion of OVC replacements has picked up. I've been seeing a lot of chatter involving us. Mostly speculation at this point, I think, but it does appear to be ramping up a bit.
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I would like to see us join the OVC. No more 12 hour bus rides to up near the Canadian border. We could get back to having some semblance of in-state rivalries across all programs. We might have to drop Swim&Dive and Mens Soccer or go the Associate Member route somewhere else . However, we could easily replace those with Rifle which is a conference-supported sport. Not a terrible thing. Rifle is our best shot at a national championship IMO. What would "Rock" say? Has the new Pres given any indications about his level of support for Athletics?
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sealhall74 wrote: Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:23 am I would like to see us join the OVC. No more 12 hour bus rides to up near the Canadian border. We could get back to having some semblance of in-state rivalries across all programs. We might have to drop Swim&Dive and Mens Soccer or go the Associate Member route somewhere else . However, we could easily replace those with Rifle which is a conference-supported sport. Not a terrible thing. Rifle is our best shot at a national championship IMO. What would "Rock" say? Has the new Pres given any indications about his level of support for Athletics?
Just wanted to mention, we did already drop swimming & diving. Soccer could stick with the Summit (EIU is currently an affiliate with the Summit for Men's Soccer), go with something like the MAC (where SIU-E has previously been an affiliate in Men's Soccer), or the Missouri Valley (where SIU-E will become an affiliate in Men's Soccer next school year). Horizon League also offers Men's Soccer, but it doesn't appear that they currently have any affiliates in their conference, so I don't know if that's something they're not open to in general or what.
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From a football fan point of view, I’d love to see us go OVC, however with Illinois State, Indiana State, and Southern IL. Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee FCS conference, and we keep our rivalry with Illinois state. I know there are tons of moving pieces when schools changes conferences but I’d like them come with us.

I will say joining the OVC in football would make us a conference title contender, where in the MVFC we aren’t any where near that.


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