Future of Division III

[jknezek]

This. If I was the HCAC I'd be going all out to lure in Centre. Centre has always been a tough geographic fit, the HCAC is probably their best bet overall. As for swimming/diving, I suspect they could affiliate somewhere. One sport with lots of travel is better than all sports with impossible trips.

The HCAC holds a S&D championship, so that would let the kids compete for individual and team championships, and as you qualify for nationals solely on times (diving is different and still has regional qualifiers) there wouldn't be any need to affiliate elsewhere.  You can travel for dual meets and other competitions as desired. 

And looking at last year's results, they had six men's teams compete, seven women's including Manchester, so joining would preserve that status quo.

Edited mine too late. This would make more sense...

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Asbury makes a lot of sense to me.  It's a decent geographic fit and I'm not sure the CCS will hold together anyway.

[jknezek]

Asbury makes a lot of sense to me.  It's a decent geographic fit and I'm not sure the CCS will hold together anyway.

HCAC is down to 6 for football after this defection. It's enough, but no margin for error. Asbury doesn't help with that issue.

[WUPHF]

Asbury makes a lot of sense to me.  It's a decent geographic fit and I'm not sure the CCS will hold together anyway.

I was just going to say that...

If I am the President of Asbury, I am cancelling meetings to make calls today.

If I am the President of Spalding, I might e-mail, because what do I have to lose?  Also, I could give football a try...

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Asbury makes a lot of sense to me.  It's a decent geographic fit and I'm not sure the CCS will hold together anyway.

HCAC is down to 6 for football after this defection. It's enough, but no margin for error. Asbury doesn't help with that issue.

For smaller conferences these days, I think beggars can't be choosers.  Get the teams in, figure out the AQs later.  This is the UEC model, right?

There are always SLIAC football teams to grab if you get desperate.

[WUPHF]

There are always SLIAC football teams to grab if you get desperate.

I wonder if Greenville ever reached out to the HCAC.

That affiliation must be much better than the commutes to Minnesota.

[y_jack_lok]

There are always SLIAC football teams to grab if you get desperate.

I wonder if Greenville ever reached out to the HCAC.

That affiliation must be much better than the commutes to Minnesota.

You're talking football only, right?

[d3boardssearcher]

They couldn't do just football only in the HCAC. I believe that new core member requirement rule that passed last year would mean they have to join a league fully as long as that league is not a single sport conference.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

They couldn't do just football only in the HCAC. I believe that new core member requirement rule that passed last year would mean they have to join a league fully as long as that league is not a single sport conference.

I don't think that's true.  The rule was just to force core members to play a conference schedule in every sport they sponsor.  It doesn't effect affiliate members.  I believe you still only need four core members in a sport to get an AQ (as long as you meet the minimum total).

The whole rule was entirely because Johns Hopkins women's tennis team refused to play in the Centennial Conference, trusting they'd get an at-large into the national tournament every year anyway.

[d3boardssearcher]

I definitely could have misread that rule when it happened.

[Berewyn]

I'm not saying it's anyone's first choice, but ... if the HCAC drops below the AQ minimum for football, there's at least the possibility that the remaining schools could become affiliate members of OAC football per the two conferences' new strategic alliance.