Horizon/OVC
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leatherface
- Posts: 423
- Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2014 4:42 pm
Darn, I was hoping IUPUI and IPFW might join the Horizon. That would give WESTERN a good reason to leave for the OVC.
Over the weekend, Northern Kentucky decided to end its relationship with the Atlantic Sun Conference and move to the Horizon League, leaving the A-Sun with seven teams and questions about its future.
NCAA rules require a multisport conference to maintain seven active members to qualify for an automatic bid in men's and women's basketball, and six active members for all other sports. The A-Sun's seven members (Florida Gulf Coast , Jacksonville , Kennesaw State , Lipscomb , North Florida , USC Upstate and Stetson) currently eligible for NCAA postseason participation shall continue to be eligible for all NCAA postseason play, including automatic bids in all sports.
It's a very precarious time for the league. It has had five departures since 2008, and added no new net members following Northern Kentucky's exodus. If one more team decides to exit the league -- which given its recent history, seems to be a possibility -- the league's NCAA tournament bid will come under review.
There has not been a seven-team league to receive an NCAA tournament bid in the 2000s, although some have played seasons with seven tournament-eligible teams (including the WAC last season). The last league to play a season with seven teams was the Great West, which ended up disbanding in early part of this decade.
It seems like the Atlantic Sun will actively pursue new members. The league has been around since 1978 and had a team in the NCAA tournament for every season since 1981.
Over the past three years, the A-Sun has given us memorable moments such as Florida Gulf Coast's terrific run in 2013 and Mercer's upset of Duke in 2014, which is the first time the league had ever won NCAA tournament games in back-to-back years.
NCAA rules require a multisport conference to maintain seven active members to qualify for an automatic bid in men's and women's basketball, and six active members for all other sports. The A-Sun's seven members (Florida Gulf Coast , Jacksonville , Kennesaw State , Lipscomb , North Florida , USC Upstate and Stetson) currently eligible for NCAA postseason participation shall continue to be eligible for all NCAA postseason play, including automatic bids in all sports.
It's a very precarious time for the league. It has had five departures since 2008, and added no new net members following Northern Kentucky's exodus. If one more team decides to exit the league -- which given its recent history, seems to be a possibility -- the league's NCAA tournament bid will come under review.
There has not been a seven-team league to receive an NCAA tournament bid in the 2000s, although some have played seasons with seven tournament-eligible teams (including the WAC last season). The last league to play a season with seven teams was the Great West, which ended up disbanding in early part of this decade.
It seems like the Atlantic Sun will actively pursue new members. The league has been around since 1978 and had a team in the NCAA tournament for every season since 1981.
Over the past three years, the A-Sun has given us memorable moments such as Florida Gulf Coast's terrific run in 2013 and Mercer's upset of Duke in 2014, which is the first time the league had ever won NCAA tournament games in back-to-back years.