Updated 1/6/18: MVC Expansion Poll

[MissouriValleyUnite]

The jacksfan who brought up Wright St made a great point:
- 66 RPI in Year 2 under Nagy (likely there for long haul)
- On track for 9th 20-win season in 12 years (1 was 19 wins)
- Best fan base in the Horizon

MVC needs to take a lot longer look at the Raiders.

My Plan A would be NKU and if they decline then Plan B Wright St. I trust WSU to be reliable - I don’t trust UWM.

[Mikovio]

I'd rather the Valley get a toehold in Wisconsin where there's

UW
Marquette
UW-GB

instead of Ohio where there's

OSU
Dayton
Xavier
Cincinnati
Miami (OH)
Ohio
Toledo
Bowling Green
Akron
Kent State
Cleveland State
Youngstown
... and I'm probably forgetting a couple.

Establishing a presence in Ohio is a lost cause. No Ohio kids are going to consider MVC schools because we added an Ohio school that's 10th on the state's totem pole.

UWM has more students, more money, larger market, more NCAA appearances and wins than Wright State. Nagy was probably a great hire away from SDSU but where does this assurance that he's there for the "long haul" come from? They're not that big of a fish. But if he does leave they might just hire the next up and comer from the Dakota grouping. UWM is as big of a fish if not bigger.

I just don't want to see the Valley take the midmajor du jour. With all due respect, that's how we got Evansville and passed on Butler. Coaches come and go. ADs come and go. You need to look at resources, investment, institutional commitment. The teams that have those are the best bets long term. Always have been. Wichita is exhibit A.

[mule]

I just don't want to see the Valley take the midmajor du jour. With all due respect, that's how we got Evansville and passed on Butler.

I can agree with the rest of your post being sound and reasonable. On this point you don't know wtf you are talking about. So, here is a little history of why Evansville was chose over Butler.
"The Missouri Valley Conference office and most presidents of MVC schools began courting UE, primarily because Evansville would enhance men's basketball in the conference.

Not everyone was excited about the Aces joining the Valley. The MVC men's basketball coaches took a straw vote and were unanimous in their opinion that Evansville should not be added. The coaches were not excited about competing with one more strong program for a conference championship.

By the summer of 1993, it was clear that most in the MVC hierarchy wanted Evansville, and the feeling became mutual. The MVC was the most competitive league on a national scale among UE's options, and included longtime region rivals Indiana State and -S,outhern Illinois. Also, men's basketball had always been the MVC's foundation, just as it was at Evansville. The one major negative was cost. Competing in the MVC would require additional funding in many sports if UE expected to compete with higher budget state schools such as Illinois State and Wichita State. Additional travel expenses would also be impossible to avoid, especially compared to a 'bus league' such as the OVC.

On November 4, 1993, Evansville was voted into the MVC as the 11th member, joining Bradley, Creighton, Drake, Illinois State, Indiana State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Southwest Missouri, Tulsa and Wichita State. Evansville officially began competing in the new league in the fall of 1994. Evansville needed only four years to win conference team championships in men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's soccer, and its first softball title came in 2000."

Butler and UE both competed in the same conference (The Midwestern Collegiate Conference) from 1977 to 1993. From 1990-1993, UE's conference record was 9-6, 15-1, 11-2, and 13-4 while Butler's was 2-12, 10-4, 7-3, and 6-8. During those years UE's attendance per game averaged 10,784, 10,198, 11,740, and 10,230. Butler had the largest and most historic basketball arena in the state of Indiana in Hinkle Fieldhouse, but it was 61 years old in 1989 before it got it's first renovation. Nothing about Butler and everything about UE screamed out to the MVC.

[rally]

I'd rather the Valley get a toehold in Wisconsin where there's

UW
Marquette
UW-GB

instead of Ohio where there's

OSU
Dayton
Xavier
Cincinnati
Miami (OH)
Ohio
Toledo
Bowling Green
Akron
Kent State
Cleveland State
Youngstown
... and I'm probably forgetting a couple.

Establishing a presence in Ohio is a lost cause. No Ohio kids are going to consider MVC schools because we added an Ohio school that's 10th on the state's totem pole.

UWM has more students, more money, larger market, more NCAA appearances and wins than Wright State. Nagy was probably a great hire away from SDSU but where does this assurance that he's there for the "long haul" come from? They're not that big of a fish. But if he does leave they might just hire the next up and comer from the Dakota grouping. UWM is as big of a fish if not bigger.

I just don't want to see the Valley take the midmajor du jour. With all due respect, that's how we got Evansville and passed on Butler. Coaches come and go. ADs come and go. You need to look at resources, investment, institutional commitment. The teams that have those are the best bets long term. Always have been. Wichita is exhibit A.

I think you also need to consider which school benefits more from joining the Valley.

Currently, I don't disagree that Wright State gets lost in there with the MAC and other Horizon schools. Move them to the Valley? I could see that putting them ahead of the MAC/Horizon schools in terms of perception. I also think NKU would realize the same benefit, which is why I would have them ahead of WSU.

With UWM, they are already #3 or #4 in Wisconsin. Moving them to the Valley really only solidifies them at #3 depending on who you currently view them UWGB.

[Drakey]

I just don't want to see the Valley take the midmajor du jour. With all due respect, that's how we got Evansville and passed on Butler.

I can agree with the rest of your post being sound and reasonable. On this point you don't know wtf you are talking about. So, here is a little history of why Evansville was chose over Butler.
"The Missouri Valley Conference office and most presidents of MVC schools began courting UE, primarily because Evansville would enhance men's basketball in the conference.

Not everyone was excited about the Aces joining the Valley. The MVC men's basketball coaches took a straw vote and were unanimous in their opinion that Evansville should not be added. The coaches were not excited about competing with one more strong program for a conference championship.

By the summer of 1993, it was clear that most in the MVC hierarchy wanted Evansville, and the feeling became mutual. The MVC was the most competitive league on a national scale among UE's options, and included longtime region rivals Indiana State and -S,outhern Illinois. Also, men's basketball had always been the MVC's foundation, just as it was at Evansville. The one major negative was cost. Competing in the MVC would require additional funding in many sports if UE expected to compete with higher budget state schools such as Illinois State and Wichita State. Additional travel expenses would also be impossible to avoid, especially compared to a 'bus league' such as the OVC.

On November 4, 1993, Evansville was voted into the MVC as the 11th member, joining Bradley, Creighton, Drake, Illinois State, Indiana State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Southwest Missouri, Tulsa and Wichita State. Evansville officially began competing in the new league in the fall of 1994. Evansville needed only four years to win conference team championships in men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's soccer, and its first softball title came in 2000."

Butler and UE both competed in the same conference (The Midwestern Collegiate Conference) from 1977 to 1993. From 1990-1993, UE's conference record was 9-6, 15-1, 11-2, and 13-4 while Butler's was 2-12, 10-4, 7-3, and 6-8. During those years UE's attendance per game averaged 10,784, 10,198, 11,740, and 10,230. Butler had the largest and most historic basketball arena in the state of Indiana in Hinkle Fieldhouse, but it was 61 years old in 1989 before it got it's first renovation. Nothing about Butler and everything about UE screamed out to the MVC.

This is absolutely correct. Butler got lucky. At the time Evansville was added they definitely had a better program. If Butler had joined the Valley, they would not have had all of those NCAA appearances and would still be in the Valley. Sometimes things just work out.

[Mikovio]

Eh I think you're right that it was more luck than anything. Stevens started as a volunteer in their athletic department and their endowment is much smaller than I expected. Being the top college program in Indianapolis though is a built in advantage that parlayed their spark into the Big East. It meant a larger potential base of support and something to sell to TV networks should they ever get going. Now, does that mean it was the better choice for the Valley in 1993? In retrospect of course but at the time it was less clear and their potential seemed remote. Fewer channels and smaller media deals back then too.

[jsaluki080]

Why is the MVC so adverse to an odd number? There isn’t a great 12th team willing to join yet. So I say we add only Murray for next season (18-19), then we wait another season or 2 to see if NKU, Milwaukee, or another school is looking better and/or if something happens (realignment) and Belmont/SLU change their minds.

[BCPanther]

Why is the MVC so adverse to an odd number? There isn’t a great 12th team willing to join yet. So I say we add only Murray for next season (18-19), then we wait another season or 2 to see if NKU, Milwaukee, or another school is looking better and/or if something happens (realignment) and Belmont/SLU change their minds.

An odd number makes WBB and VB scheduling a nightmare and really, really shafts Missouri State. They'd be the odd team out without a travel partner and would lead to either the other schools having to play 3 days in a row or make Missouri State have to play all their games on weeknights and miss a ton of class when nobody else is in that situation.

An odd number works just fine for Men's Basketball but really isn't sustainable long term.

[Kip Dynamite]

Why is the MVC so adverse to an odd number? There isn’t a great 12th team willing to join yet. So I say we add only Murray for next season (18-19), then we wait another season or 2 to see if NKU, Milwaukee, or another school is looking better and/or if something happens (realignment) and Belmont/SLU change their minds.

An odd number makes WBB and VB scheduling a nightmare and really, really shafts Missouri State. They'd be the odd team out without a travel partner and would lead to either the other schools having to play 3 days in a row or make Missouri State have to play all their games on weeknights and miss a ton of class when nobody else is in that situation.

An odd number works just fine for Men's Basketball but really isn't sustainable long term.

I agree with BC. Mo State has to have a suitable travel partner to make this thing work and the head of the expansion committee is the President of MSU. Whatever decisions are made will be made with that in mind.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

Update: Murray State and Northern Kentucky would both lead the MVC today in KenPom.

Meanwhile, UWM is being outdrawn in-state by D3 WIAC schools (seriously, look it up) as their RPI has fallen to 247. Fortunately, their 69-55 loss to Concordia-St Paul doesn’t count.