Leatherneck Nation

leatherface wrote:Western needs some "rivalry" schools to be added to the Summit. MVFC has Illinois State, and it seems we always play Eastern, so this should help in gaining interest from folks. In the Summit, there just aren't any schools where we can really have a rivalry in all sports. Someone to really rally against across the board.

Would Eastern Illinois return to the Summit? It would seem that viable candidates for the conference would have been identified and courted to a degree that is ethical. WIU remains as the only founding member in the conference which is very good. I believe that the Summit is a strong conference at this time and it has been on an upward trajectory. The Dakota schools would likely be happy with another strong member in Illinois as much as adding UMKC back into the league even though it is just further down the I-29 corridor. What is the reason that EIU left for the OVC? When they left, the conference should have been a strong entity.

Are the North Dakota Schools great?

yes.

Is WIU anywhere within a reasonable proximity to Vermilion, Bookings, Fargo, Grand Forks, Winnipeg?

Is there really no hope that the DI schools that are not at the top tier of sports can't stop jockeying to try to one up other schools to claim that Hey we are not P5....but just a perceived skosh better than this or that neighboring traditionally similar sized institution with similar projected academic objectives.

Edited: for my lack of proper usage of English.

Also, that actually was a pretty good post Old Hare. I should have given you props.

Sounds like it's happening, official announcement later today or tomorrow probably.
In the Summit as of Fall 2018, likely joining the MVFC for football starting in 2020.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/ ... conference

Great, more Dakota-centric. I wish WIU along with us other "east" teams would just re brand and go back to the old gateway for football and basketball. Maybe coax some other schools to come along.

And I know new gateway is not possible. I just think it's aggravating being in conference that is so heavily weighted to one region.

Too bad something couldn't be aligned with schoola in the Missouri/Illinois/Iowa region.

Makes sense for the western Summit teams and Summit in general. I only see more long travel, expense, and more time out of class for Western's athletes. It's what it is. Western has no closer options. Having them in the MVFC not as much of an issue. I do agree that the Dakota's working together for their interests will continue to have too much influence in the conference.

Wonder what Youngstown State thinks about this ???

It will mean another long trip to the Dakotas for them.

Western welcomes the North Dakota Fighting Hawks to the Summit League and the MVFC.
http://www.goleathernecks.com/news/2017 ... =athletics

One of the posters on the Penguin board mentioned that the location of the new addition to the MVFC doesn't matter. They have to fly anyway and adding a few hundred miles isn't really significant.

If the MVFC splits into two divisions, how do you see the Leathernecks fitting in?