Updated 1/6/18: MVC Expansion Poll

[VUGrad1314]

So really our realistic list for expansion going forward if the goal is to add value to the conference is these six schools:

1. Murray State
2. SLU (unlikely)
3. Belmont (unlikely)
4. NKU
5.Wright State
6. South Dakota State (unlikely without another Dakota school)

South Dakota State is not hooked to any of the other Dakotas. They could come alone but I'm not sure there is much incentive for them to move right now. The league tournament is 45 minutes away, they are the dominant program in that league and they are moving the league offices to Sioux Falls as well.

I think competitively they'd love to be with UNI, Illinois State and MoSt and get rid of the NDSU delusion but I don't see the Valley reaching out to them.

Should have added SDSU and NDSU around 2010. MVC made a mistake not taking both of them.

Do you really think adding NDSU in basketball would do enough for the league? I'm not necessarily opposed I just need to see more since this is a basketball league.

[IllinoisState]

It's going to take at least two if not more of the Dakotas to get the one you want. I don't want any of them let alone two or more.

[VUGrad1314]

I did a deeper dive into Wright State as a candidate (particulsrly if a 14 team scenario is in play). Here's what I found (numbers for athletics go back to the 2006-2007 season in basketball and the 2006 season in baseball):

Basketball:
Record: 238-162
2 NCAA Appearances
1 CBI
1 CIT
10 19+ win seasons (9 20+ win seasons)

They are led by a highly respected coach (Scott Nagy) who definitely has the program moving in the right direction

Strong attendance (4000+) would likely increase with better MVC competition coming in

Previous rivalries with Loyola and Valparaiso

Strong non-revenue sports particularly in baseball:


Has won at least 30 games in baseball every year since 2006 except for 2013 when they won 25)

5 Regular Season Horizon League Titles

6 Conference Tournament Titles

6 NCAA Tournament Appearances

2 Super Regionals

Academics\Other Information:

Independent Institution Not part of another system

Research based

Conveys degrees to doctorate level

Ranked #147 by Washington Monthly

Within 5 hours of 5\10 MVC Schools Bradley is 5 hrs 3 minutes away SIU 5:50 away

Along with NKU would give MVC strong presence in a key recruiting area\media market

One major downside is how badly adding teams like Wright State and NKU hurts the travel budgets of UNI Drake and Missouri State as those schools are a whopping 8+ hours away. This feels almost like the Eastern equivalent of adding the Dakotas except neither of these is a flagship. None of these schools really move the needle in basketball like Murray State (SDSU comes closest) but might if they got a recruiting boost from the MVC though they are excellent in other sports. However they add significantly to the travel budgets of multiple member institutions. Is that increase worth what these schools add? That is the question.

[VUGrad1314]

I decided to do the same deep dive on the Dakotas and what I have found is encouraging:

NDSU: and SDSU: a Comparison:
Basketball avg. wins D1 level(13 years\each)
NDSU: 19
SDSU: 18.1


Shrinking the timetable to the past 8 years yields this result: SDSU averaged 10 wins\year their first 5 years
SDSU: 23.25
NDSU: 19.75

NDSU was more historically successful but shows greater volatility

NCAA Tournament wins:
NDSU: 1 (not even Belmont can claim this)
SDSU: 0


Both have strong women's sports:

NDSU has a good softball team Super Regional 2009
SDSU has a strong basketball team with 2 NCAA wins and has only missed the tournament twice since 2009 They have 5 regular season titles and 8 conference tournament titles

Academics:
Both are research Universities
Both convey degrees out to doctorate level
NDSU is a flagship with an endowment of over $200million Not sure of SDSU's status but their endowment is $113million however their budget is nearly 3 times that

Rankings (Forbes \US News\Washington Monthly):

NDSU: 401\192\222
SDSU: 467\122\228

Both would strengthen ties between the MVC and the MVFC

The problem here is travel and I think it is serious enough to keep them from ever getting serious consideration from the MVC. The distance is really only manageableable for the Iowa schools. Add that to the legitimate concerns as to whether or not these schools move the needle for the MVC and whether they would even be interested in leaving a conference they own and it just seems unlikely on all fronts.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

...in the Summit League

Fixed it for you.

[VUGrad1314]

Then what about my post before about Wright State, a program that appears capable of enhancing the MVC's profile in baseball while providing a solid but unspectacular record in basketball (19.8 wins\year over 12 years) with strong attendance. We'll see if Nagy can elevate them further.

[VUGrad1314]

Also I would like to remind anyone bashing the Summit League that it has actually finished ahead of the Horizon League in RPI each of the past 3 years. Getting back to Wright State, one issue I see is that Wright State has the same issue Milwaukee had in that some of their best years were overshadowed by great teams at Butler or (occasionally Cleveland State). If it weren't for the strain this would put on UNI Drake and Missouri State, they would be a borderline no-brainer addition alongside NKU. They're perfect travel partners (1 hour apart) non-football publics, which will no doubt ease private schools' concerns about balance, deliver a consequential media market\recruiting hotbed, and combine the upside of a fast-growing new university with a more stable and reliable brand that does well in multiple sports. With the benefit of MVC recruiting to buoy them, they could really elevate themselves.

[BCPanther]

South Dakota State isn't tied to anyone. They are free to leave if they want BUT they get to play their league tournament 45 minutes away. The league offices are moving to Sioux Falls next summer. They are racking up NCAA birth because they are by far the best run athletic department in that league because they aren't throwing every dime they can find at FCS Football.

The biggest negative on them for me is their TERRIBLE volleyball program (2-25, 0-14 last year). Volleyball is a big deal in the Valley and does produce some revenue.

All that said, I have a hard time thinking they'd really be interested right now. It'll be interesting to see what happens to their basketball program when Otzelberger jumps to that next job, which will probably be after this year with Daum graduating.

[VUGrad1314]

Yeah I'd have to think that one more good year at SDSU should give Otzelberger a chance to jump to a better landing spot. (Psst. How about replacing Barry at Carbondale?)

[BCPanther]

Yeah I'd have to think that one more good year at SDSU should give Otzelberger a chance to jump to a better landing spot. (Psst. How about replacing Barry at Carbondale?)

TJ has to go somewhere with relatively unlimited pockets for him to recruit, if you catch my drift, and SIU isn't that place for him. He's headed for a low level P5 or AAC job.