Small Colleges Starting Football

[Ralph Turner]

New school timeline...

2010 -- Pacific (NWC)

2011 -- Presentation (UMAC), Stevenson (non-football sponsoring Capital AC); Birmingham-Southern (SCAC) completes reclassification.

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

2013 -- George Fox (NWC).

[K-Mack]

New school timeline...

2010 -- Pacific (NWC)

2011 -- Presentation (UMAC), Stevenson (non-football sponsoring Capital AC); Birmingham-Southern (SCAC) completes reclassification.

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

2013 -- George Fox (NWC).

Thanks for this. Is UNO on board yet/sponsoring football? What's the latest on Centenary? Is there someone we're forgetting?

It always takes me part of the summer to remember where everything stands ... Fun to re-read stuff I wrote and be like "I don't remember knowing that!"

[Ralph Turner]

New school timeline...

2010 -- Pacific (NWC)

2011 -- Presentation (UMAC), Stevenson (non-football sponsoring Capital AC); Birmingham-Southern (SCAC) completes reclassification.

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

2013 -- George Fox (NWC).

Thanks for this. Is UNO on board yet/sponsoring football? What's the latest on Centenary? Is there someone we're forgetting?

It always takes me part of the summer to remember where everything stands ... Fun to re-read stuff I wrote and be like "I don't remember knowing that!"

I think that Centenary will add it so that their senior class will be eligible for the playoffs and off the re-classifying schedule.  Centenary will be in its last year of the Summit League contract for 2010-11.  The NCAA has not made public the re-classifying timeline for Centenary.

Not sure of the status of Hendrix, and Concordia has a new campus and is adding sports.  I have not heard if football is in the mix.

[CKBeber329]

Going off of Ralph's:

New school timeline...

2011 -- Presentation (UMAC), Stevenson (MAC); Birmingham-Southern (SCAC) completes reclassification, New Orleans (Independent)?

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent), Misericordia (MAC)

2013 -- George Fox (NWC).

Any word on Hendrix?

[Ron Boerger]

Re Hendrix:  there's a story in the "what we're reading" section off the main page.  It's basically "we want to do it but we don't know when conditions will permit."  NO timeline.  

UNO wants to join the ASC.   A story last August inferred that UNO would be next on the list to join if any of the current members leave, and stated that there are teams looking to exit. 

[sflzman]

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

Any thoughts that Finlandia would possibly move into the MIAA in the near future?

I know for sure that they are closer than a lot of usual non-con games at Alma.....

[Ralph Turner]

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

Any thoughts that Finlandia would possibly move into the MIAA in the near future?

I know for sure that they are closer than a lot of usual non-con games at Alma.....

Does Finlandia fit the "mission and vision" of the MIAA?

[Mr. Ypsi]

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

Any thoughts that Finlandia would possibly move into the MIAA in the near future?

I know for sure that they are closer than a lot of usual non-con games at Alma.....

Does Finlandia fit the "mission and vision" of the MIAA?

I don't know one way or the other on that.  But I do know I campaigned to get Finlandia switched to the West region - getting to Wisconsin (or even Minnesota) is a heckuva lot easier than getting to the lower peninsula!  Can you imagine the winter sports teams having to cross the Big Mac 2-3 times a week?!

Finlandia is an 8-10 hour drive (each way) from the rest of the MIAA.

[doolittledog]

I think there was talk when Findlandia announced they were adding football that they were looking at the UMAC and the Northern Athletics Conference...among others. 

[hickory_cornhusker]

They already play in the WIAC in men's soccer. Maybe they can join the UW schools for all sports.

[Ralph Turner]

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

Any thoughts that Finlandia would possibly move into the MIAA in the near future?

I know for sure that they are closer than a lot of usual non-con games at Alma.....

Does Finlandia fit the "mission and vision" of the MIAA?

I don't know one way or the other on that.  But I do know I campaigned to get Finlandia switched to the West region - getting to Wisconsin (or even Minnesota) is a heckuva lot easier than getting to the lower peninsula!  Can you imagine the winter sports teams having to cross the Big Mac 2-3 times a week?!

Finlandia is an 8-10 hour drive (each way) from the rest of the MIAA.

Yes, and I applaud your efforts to that effect.  (+1!)  When D-III moved to expand the definition of in-region in the middle of the last decade, Finlandia was an excellent example of how to do it and who might benefit.

[Ralph Turner]

I think there was talk when Findlandia announced they were adding football that they were looking at the UMAC and the Northern Athletics Conference...among others. 

They already play in the WIAC in men's soccer. Maybe they can join the UW schools for all sports.

In which conference are they most likely to succeed with respect to conference championships and playoff bids.

Which conference(s) needs their teams to sustain an AQ?

[sflzman]

They already play in the WIAC in men's soccer. Maybe they can join the UW schools for all sports.

Yea but does Finlandia really want to go to the WIAC, the best d3 conference, and go 0-10 every season?

[sflzman]

2012 -- Finlandia (Independent)

Any thoughts that Finlandia would possibly move into the MIAA in the near future?

I know for sure that they are closer than a lot of usual non-con games at Alma.....

Does Finlandia fit the "mission and vision" of the MIAA?

What is that mission and vision exactly? Finlandia is a very comprable school to most in the MIAA....

[Mr. Ypsi]

They already play in the WIAC in men's soccer. Maybe they can join the UW schools for all sports.

Yea but does Finlandia really want to go to the WIAC, the best d3 conference, and go 0-10 every season?

Since the WIAC is the UW campuses in d3, I can't imagine a small private school in the UP fully joining (or being allowed to join) that conference!

Whatever conference (if any) they join is going to entail a heckuva lot of travel, but there are a couple closer (and easier) than the MIAA - just because they are in Michigan doesn't mean they are really in the same state as the MIAA!