If Missouri State leaves, who do you add?

[Buxcies]

Stay put and let things settle for a few years. There's been so much turnover already, we don't want to rush in to a bad addition. UIC was done solely for the Chicago market and their potential. UMKC, Bellarmine, St. Thomas, Milwaukee, Omaha, NKU, etc would all be done on the same basis. We should see which of these schools can elevate themselves for more than 1 season before we make any drastic decisions.

[So iLL 24]

Stay put and let things settle for a few years. There's been so much turnover already, we don't want to rush in to a bad addition. UIC was done solely for the Chicago market and their potential. UMKC, Bellarmine, St. Thomas, Milwaukee, Omaha, NKU, etc would all be done on the same basis. We should see which of these schools can elevate themselves for more than 1 season before we make any drastic decisions.

Elevate themselves in what way? They have 4 NCAA appearances and 2 NIT appearances in the last 20 years. Better than almost all of the valley schools and better than every other school mentioned as a potential replacement.

If Milwaukee were added they would have the highest endowment compared to other public valley schools outside of UIC and 27,000+ students who attend there (once again ranking the highest behind UIC).

Their facilities are above average especially compared to some current valley members. They also add a metropolitan area of 1.5 million

[TBS_20]

On paper Milwaukee is a great add. However, in real life they lack they currently lack desire.

UMKC is not MVC worthy

Omaha isn't MVC worthy.

NKU also doesn't have the desire right now.

St. Thomas has done decent for a new D1 team so they don't have recent success but they are appealing because this is the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

NDSU there isn't a good reason to keep them out

SDSU there isn't a good reason to keep them out and don't cry because Belmont has to fly an hour further to the XDSU's.

Denver isnt MVC worthy and too far away.

Bellarmine. I like them for what they are. Good OVC get. But, laughable for the MVC.

Chattanooga is interesting but do they have the desire and is their program even MVC worthy? I don't know enough about them.

[Birgs]

Just spitballing

Northern Lights
---------------------
St. Thomas
UW-Green Bay/Milwaukee
UNI
Drake
UIC
Valpo


Great Lakes
---------------------
Detroit/Oakland
Bradley
Illinois State
SEMO/SIU-E
Indiana State
Southern Illinois


Rivers
--------------------
Belmont
Evansville
Northern Kentucky/So. Indiana
Murray State
Belmont
Bellarmine

[TBS_20]

Just spitballing

Northern Lights
---------------------
St. Thomas
UW-Green Bay/Milwaukee
UNI
Drake
UIC
Valpo


Great Lakes
---------------------
Detroit/Oakland
Bradley
Illinois State
SEMO/SIU-E
Indiana State
Southern Illinois


Rivers
--------------------
Belmont
Evansville
Northern Kentucky/So. Indiana
Murray State
Belmont
Bellarmine

We're a top 10 basketball conference with 2 Final Four appearances in the past 10 years. Why would they even discuss Bellarmine, Southern Indiana, Green Bay, Oakland, Detroit, SEMO, and SIU-E? I get NKU and St. Thomas because of their TV market and decent programs. Even with bigger TV markets I can't take Omaha, UMKC, and Milwaukee seriously.

At this stage the only realistic options are NDSU, SDSU, NKU, and St. Thomas. If that's not acceptable its best just to stay and see how alignment shakes out.

[Birgs]

"We're a top 10 basketball conference with 2 Final Four appearances in the past 10 years."

...and both of those programs have flown the coop.

I really would prefer to keep football and basketball separate. Maintain private/public balance. Reaffirm a regional footprint rather than western expansion.

South Dakota State is intriguing, but logistically an outlier. NDSU is going BIG Sky/Pac-10 or whatever that fallout is.

I don't think UT-Arlington, Omaha, UMKC, Oral Roberts fit.

Also, there is credence in staying put. Sometimes less is more. Murray and Belmont were steals. Maybe we let that paint dry. It'd be a cool fit for NKU and Bellarmine to join that mid-south as travel partners.

Valpo and Evansville are dredges to the league, but we need to recognize history and travel considerations for olympic and Title sports...and the MVC has always been all about keeping an equal balance of Publics & Privates.

[squirrel]

I'm more bullish on Bellarmine than most of the options. They have long-range goals (one of which is to the be THE Catholic institution in the south by 2030) which they will easily attain, IMO. I think they are well-positioned in the A-Sun, though, too. I'm overall bullish on several of their members (Liberty, FGCU and Bellarmine) establishing a much higher level reputation with viability. I would not be surprised to see FGCU add football in the next few years. (New president was hired from LSU and every other word out of his mouth is football and NIL).

[squirrel]

Pete Thamel is indicating Kennesaw St to CUSA.

[SalukiWorld]

Missouri State football sure looking Sun Belt worthy lately

[Dawgbit]

Help me out here, why would MO State leave the MVC? I seem to have forgotten.