FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[D3 Poster]

~ "I knew the WIAC, and sir you are no WIAC"...sorry, couldn't resist. I do like the top of the NCAC, but the bottom has a long, long way to go.

[LG67]

There is a distinct possibility that Mount won't win the OAC this year.  And, JCU won't either. . . should they have stayed?

[wally_wabash]

I know people claimed JCU "Ran away" from Mount, when leaving the OAC; but I will die on the Hill that the NCAC is not only a better fit for JCU academically, but also for sports pedigree. When in the OAC, JCU had the Mount game and MAYBE a game against Heidelberg, ONU, and BW (though the rock has remained in University Heights since 2013, sooooo)..

And especially with the addition of WashU, the NCAC playoff representatives in the playoffs are far more prepared than most because you have 4 guaranteed tough conference games between WashU, JCU, DePauw, Wabash and Dennison. I am convinced that JCU was so well prepared for a Semifinals run last season because they all the above mentioned, save for WashU, on their schedule.

I fully expect the NCAC to continue to grow in pedigree from a football standpoint, because I do believe Dennison and Wabash will continue to grow and develop, and as long as the other three maintain where they are at, we could have WIAC type craziness of week in and week out games.

The NCAC is absolutely a meat grinder league right now, even with Wittenberg wandering around aimlessly in the abyss (temporarily, I assume).  There's room for even more depth here. 

[JCUStreaks70]

~ "I knew the WIAC, and sir you are no WIAC"...sorry, couldn't resist. I do like the top of the NCAC, but the bottom has a long, long way to go.

NCAC as a whole is NO WHERE near the WIAC, my point was that, if you are one of the 5, you have 4 conference games which help you come December. That is not the case for most conferences

[Whitecarrera]

Has this become the most inactive conference board on the site?

[HSCTiger74]

Has this become the most inactive conference board on the site?

Not even close. Check out the UMAC board, or a couple of the smaller NE conferences.

[WAF-WDE]

The Wabash College Board of Trustees e-newsletter hit my inbox this morning.  I noted a very interesting tidbit that appears to be relevant to a relatively broad audience:

"For many private colleges, net tuition revenue has fallen to levels equal to public flagship universities.  The road ahead will be bumpy."

I have not been able to find the source information underlying this tidbit.  Thus, I wonder if the quoted statement instead means that "For many private colleges, net tuition revenue has fallen to levels equal to LIST PRICE TUITION at public flagship universities."   If net tuition revenue at many private colleges has fallen to levels equal to NET tuition revenue at public flagship universities, then private colleges are indeed in DEEP trouble, as they don't have state appropriations to help subsidize their educational offerings.

Nonetheless, I think I understand why Wabash is trying to grow freshman enrollment from 248 (Fall 2026) to 265 (Fall 2027) - it looks like they are trying to take advantage of economies of scale.  I also suspect they will use athletics and other extracurricular activities as magnets for prospective students. Wabash will be fighting an uphill battle against birthrate trends and the decreased interest in college among men.

[WAF-WDE]

...

The NCAC is absolutely a meat grinder league right now, even with Wittenberg wandering around aimlessly in the abyss (temporarily, I assume).  There's room for even more depth here. 

Wally, I think Wittenberg's struggles in football reflect the systemic challenges it is facing.  Elsewhere in this thread I noted a comment from the Wabash College BoT that highlights one of the most pressing challenges.

[WAF-WDE]

I apologize if this has been reported on D3football.com, but a group of former and current D3 athletes is suing the NCAA over its ban on athletic scholarships at D3 institutions.  Details here:

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/ncaa-division-iii-athletes-sue-over-ban-athletic-scholarships-2026-10-26/

[WAF-WDE]

I apologize if this has been reported on D3football.com, but a group of former and current D3 athletes is suing the NCAA over its ban on athletic scholarships at D3 institutions.  Details here:

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/ncaa-division-iii-athletes-sue-over-ban-athletic-scholarships-2026-10-26/

It looks like this lawsuit is being discussed on the "Future of Division III" board.  Sorry for bringing the topic here - we can engage with the topic at FoD3.