FCS Conference Shuffling

If you want to talk about Monmouth University Football, Quincy University Basketball, Notre Dame Men's Soccer, or whatever, this is the place.
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ST_Lawson
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Looks like the CAA might not be done expanding, considering adding two more HBCUs with NC A&T and Howard

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Another not-technically-fcs (since they don't have football), but could impact some things in our region...Southern Indiana has voted to move up to DI: https://gousieagles.com/news/2022/2/7/u ... ion-i.aspx

Public university with 9,000 students in Evansville, IN. They play basketball in the really nice "Screaming Eagles Arena" (seats 4,800) and have been mentioned frequently in the conversations around the Ohio Valley and the Horizon League.

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Sure would be nice if Western had an arena as nice as USI's. I would say we play in a D-II caliber/type arena, however, most D-II facilities are significantly nicer than Western Hall as evidenced by the image Scott posted. 
 
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Western_101 wrote: Tue Feb 08, 2022 2:28 am Sure would be nice if Western had an arena as nice as USI's. I would say we play in a D-II caliber/type arena, however, most D-II facilities are significantly nicer than Western Hall as evidenced by the image Scott posted. 
 




 
It is not the quality of the arena that really bothers me.  As is, it should be the best home court advantage in all of D1.  Most places people sit on concrete.  Try stomping your feet on that to make noise.  Western Hall has good old-fashioned plywood throughout the lower bowl.  More importantly, people are very close to the action.  That place should be rockin' if you could get enough students to show up now and then.  I wish we had video of the EIU games (same conference then) from the 70s.  7000 people who were glad to be there.  You could not hear yourself think, it was that loud.

Update: The record book says all-time attendance record is 8003 from the 80-81 season.  I think I was there for that one.  I think there was a sign hanging from the rafters.  "WE GOT THAT OLD JACK MAGIC" and yes they did.
 
 
 
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sealhall74 wrote: Tue Feb 08, 2022 9:48 am
Western_101 wrote: Tue Feb 08, 2022 2:28 am Sure would be nice if Western had an arena as nice as USI's. I would say we play in a D-II caliber/type arena, however, most D-II facilities are significantly nicer than Western Hall as evidenced by the image Scott posted. 
 





 
It is not the quality of the arena that really bothers me.  As is, it should be the best home court advantage in all of D1.  Most places people sit on concrete.  Try stomping your feet on that to make noise.  Western Hall has good old-fashioned plywood throughout the lower bowl.  More importantly, people are very close to the action.  That place should be rockin' if you could get enough students to show up now and then.  I wish we had video of the EIU games (same conference then) from the 70s.  7000 people who were glad to be there.  You could not hear yourself think, it was that loud.

Update: The record book says all-time attendance record is 8003 from the 80-81 season.  I think I was there for that one.  I think there was a sign hanging from the rafters.  "WE GOT THAT OLD JACK MAGIC" and yes they did.
 
 
 

 
Seal, you are talking about plywood being great and events that took place over 40 years ago?

Screaming Eagles Arena is a gem. Also the lower levels are retractable and the seats are not affixed to concrete. It appears that most of the seats in the arena are chairs and the sight lines are tremendous with no obstructions either. With an official seating capacity of 4,800 it also has a larger capacity than Western Hall (4,421). Almost forgot, their arena has a very nice center court scoreboard/videoboard.

Yeah, I'm going to go with the USI's arena.
 
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NC A&T has been invited to the CAA. A couple of years ago they left the MEAC for the Big South.



Also lots of rumors of potential moves coming in the next few weeks...could be a pretty crazy time for reorganization.
Bryant (private NEC school in Rhode Island) is also reportedly moving to the Big South.
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Looks like some big-time movement on the OVC front. Could open the door for WIU to take the olympic sports to the OVC.

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Sounds like Lindenwood is going to be announcing a move to DI...probably OVC...this morning.

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An SIUE and Lindenwood road trip to STL would be the ideal long weekend sports getaway.  Close to home, good shopping in the area. Sign me up for the first charter.  Back to back mens and womens hoops games one would hope.  None of this Summit nonsense with mirrored scheduling home and away.

And might as well add I would rather do a long weekend football road trip to Charleston SC than Fargo ND.   An overnight stay in the The Smokies would be perfect halfway point.  Well, maybe a little further than half.  ;)
 
 
 
 
 
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sealhall74 wrote: Wed Feb 23, 2022 8:41 am An SIUE and Lindenwood road trip to STL would be the ideal long weekend sports getaway.  Close to home, good shopping in the area. Sign me up for the first charter.  Back to back mens and womens hoops games one would hope.  None of this Summit nonsense with mirrored scheduling home and away.

And might as well add I would rather do a long weekend football road trip to Charleston SC than Fargo ND.   An overnight stay in the The Smokies would be perfect halfway point.  Well, maybe a little further than half.  ;)
 
 
 
 
 



 
Another benefit of football in the OVC, non-conf scheduling becomes a whole lot easier.  I assume The Birds and The Dogs would gladly play the Neck each and every year.  Within season, you could even have a "Which Valley is Best" Illinois school "mini-tournament" (2 out of conference games, 1 in conference game).  Winner (probably need a tiebreaker or two) hangs on to the trophy until dethroned.
 
 
 
Last edited by sealhall74 on Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:59 am, edited 2 times in total.
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