Updated 1/6/18: MVC Expansion Poll

[ACECARD]

Murray State gave Alabama all it wanted tonight, but lost 78-72. Not looking forward to the Aces playing the Racers in about 3 weeks at Murray. They will be in the Big Dance.

[RacerJoeD]

A disappointing game for Racer fans as the team really didn’t play well. The length and athleticism of Bama caused problems.
Bright note- after going for a triple double against Missouri State last game, Ja Morant went for 38 points, 9 boards and 5 assists.

[Adunk33]

I switched my vote from NKU to Belmont for two reasons.

First, getting the Nashville market would be great.

Second, they are crushing opponents this season. Granted, they have not played the cream of the crop, but they are averaging almost 95 points per game. And they are doing it with a very young core. Just two seniors on the team, two juniors, two sophomores, and nine freshmen. They have a very high ceiling in the coming years, and it would be beneficial to get them in now while these younger guys are maturing, so by their senior year they will be competitive in the league. I think this year's Belmont team would finish at least top 4 in the MVC.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I switched my vote from NKU to Belmont for two reasons.

First, getting the Nashville market would be great.

Second, they are crushing opponents this season. Granted, they have not played the cream of the crop, but they are averaging almost 95 points per game. And they are doing it with a very young core. Just two seniors on the team, two juniors, two sophomores, and nine freshmen. They have a very high ceiling in the coming years, and it would be beneficial to get them in now while these younger guys are maturing, so by their senior year they will be competitive in the league. I think this year's Belmont team would finish at least top 4 in the MVC.

I agree. SO did I. Although Cincy isn't a bad market. Belmont is just better.

[sixth ace]

Last I heard Belmont isn't interested in the MVC. NKU is

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Last I heard Belmont isn't interested in the MVC. NKU is

.........yeah, were just discussing. We're all well aware of Belmont's situation. Thanks for your input......I guess.....

[VUGrad1314]

Here's some realignment musings because I think we may be getting closer to something actually happening:


After nine years as an associate member of the MVC in Men's Soccer Central Arkansas is moving to the Sun Belt Conference to take up associate member status there. On the surface this looks like a ho-hum move that only affects one program at one school. However, this could touch off a series of moves that could significantly alter the conference landscape throughout the midwest as well as the WAC. Here's why:

NCAA leagues need at least 6 members in order to have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The defection of Central Arkansas leaves the MVC at 6 men's soccer members (Loyola Valpo Missouri State Evansville Drake and Bradley). Luckily, this appears to be a stable group meaning that the MVC's auto bid shouldn't be under any immediate threat; however, when coupled with pressure from football brought on by North Dakota's anticipated accession to the MVFC in 2020 giving the conference 11 teams, as well as the difficult scheduling landscape in men's basketball, it feels like expansionary pressure is only building for the MVC as it looks to shore up men's soccer, balance football, and bolster men's basketball. Here's where things get interesting:

Murray State sponsors all 3 of these key sports received a site visit the last time the MVC went looking for a team and was extremely receptive to the idea of joining in addition to being a good fit within the conference footprint. They would have to be the odds-on favorite for a spot given their success in many key sports assuming their new AD is as pro-MVC as the previous one. The OVC would probably look to North Alabama Kennesaw State Western Illinois or Robert Morris (football only) as football replacements for Murray State. If the replacement team is indeed football only then Lipscomb is a very likely olympic sports replacement unless a school like Belmont blocks them.

Of course, the MVC has long held to the position that 11 teams is untenable. In the past, they have approached Belmont and have been rebuffed. Perhaps the loss of Murray State changes their thinking but that seems unlikely. It is more likely that the 12th team comes from the Horizon League which is where the MVC has gone the past two times it has needed replacements.

The danger there is that any defection from the HL of any schools the MVC might want (Milwaukee UIC NKU Wright State most likely) threatens the HL's auto bid in baseball. This is easily fixable by adding Fort Wayne or Western Illinois or by coaxing a school like Bellarmine or Southern Indiana to move up. If the HL adds a SL team it throws multiple sports into danger of losing their auto bids.

The SL can stave off this disaster with D2 move ups (Bellarmine USI Augustana or a Minnesota school) or by readmitting UMKC and Chicago State from the WAC. Both teams would likely relish the travel cost savings but their departure would drop the WAC to just 6 total members threatening its very existence once CSU-Bakersfield leaves in 2020. Would the remaining schools wait around to see what moves could be made to stabilize the conference or would they seek more stable homes? My money is on the latter.

Whether it comes from the SL the HL the MVC the MWC(Gonzaga? BYU? New Mexico State?) or even the WCC (Seattle? Denver? Cal-Baptist? Grand Canyon?) It feels as though we are one move away from significantly altering the college sports landscape.

[Redhawk]

Like Adunk I was initially reluctant on Belmont but they continue to be a strong program and their
future looks really bright. So if after 58 pages of a lot of nonsense we are still at Murray State and
Belmont as the best two options for expansion.

With Murray St being a for sure thing the question becomes how does Doug Elgin convince Belmont
to make the move up to the MVC? What are the advantages? In the current landscape both the MVC & OVC are one bid leagues so it all boils down to the conference tournaments and the the path is much easier in the OVC.

The public/private mix of MSU and Belmont is a slam dunk for the MVC president's approval but how can
Belmont be convinced to step-up?

[jsaluki080]

Here's some realignment musings because I think we may be getting closer to something actually happening:


After nine years as an associate member of the MVC in Men's Soccer Central Arkansas is moving to the Sun Belt Conference to take up associate member status there. On the surface this looks like a ho-hum move that only affects one program at one school. However, this could touch off a series of moves that could significantly alter the conference landscape throughout the midwest as well as the WAC. Here's why:

NCAA leagues need at least 6 members in order to have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The defection of Central Arkansas leaves the MVC at 6 men's soccer members (Loyola Valpo Missouri State Evansville Drake and Bradley). Luckily, this appears to be a stable group meaning that the MVC's auto bid shouldn't be under any immediate threat; however, when coupled with pressure from football brought on by North Dakota's anticipated accession to the MVFC in 2020 giving the conference 11 teams, as well as the difficult scheduling landscape in men's basketball, it feels like expansionary pressure is only building for the MVC as it looks to shore up men's soccer, balance football, and bolster men's basketball. Here's where things get interesting:

Murray State sponsors all 3 of these key sports received a site visit the last time the MVC went looking for a team and was extremely receptive to the idea of joining in addition to being a good fit within the conference footprint. They would have to be the odds-on favorite for a spot given their success in many key sports assuming their new AD is as pro-MVC as the previous one. The OVC would probably look to North Alabama Kennesaw State Western Illinois or Robert Morris (football only) as football replacements for Murray State. If the replacement team is indeed football only then Lipscomb is a very likely olympic sports replacement unless a school like Belmont blocks them.

Of course, the MVC has long held to the position that 11 teams is untenable. In the past, they have approached Belmont and have been rebuffed. Perhaps the loss of Murray State changes their thinking but that seems unlikely. It is more likely that the 12th team comes from the Horizon League which is where the MVC has gone the past two times it has needed replacements.

The danger there is that any defection from the HL of any schools the MVC might want (Milwaukee UIC NKU Wright State most likely) threatens the HL's auto bid in baseball. This is easily fixable by adding Fort Wayne or Western Illinois or by coaxing a school like Bellarmine or Southern Indiana to move up. If the HL adds a SL team it throws multiple sports into danger of losing their auto bids.

The SL can stave off this disaster with D2 move ups (Bellarmine USI Augustana or a Minnesota school) or by readmitting UMKC and Chicago State from the WAC. Both teams would likely relish the travel cost savings but their departure would drop the WAC to just 6 total members threatening its very existence once CSU-Bakersfield leaves in 2020. Would the remaining schools wait around to see what moves could be made to stabilize the conference or would they seek more stable homes? My money is on the latter.

Whether it comes from the SL the HL the MVC the MWC(Gonzaga? BYU? New Mexico State?) or even the WCC (Seattle? Denver? Cal-Baptist? Grand Canyon?) It feels as though we are one move away from significantly altering the college sports landscape.

An enjoyable read and it’s especially interesting for me to hear how other sports could effect a leagues decisions. I really only care about basketball so I never considered other things before.

Everybody basically already agreed Murray is the essentially the next team to join the MVC. It’s just a question who is the twelfth. That’s really what I was hoping to get from your post. I still maintain we snatch up Murray asap, then wait for the pieces to fall before taking #12.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Here's some realignment musings because I think we may be getting closer to something actually happening:


After nine years as an associate member of the MVC in Men's Soccer Central Arkansas is moving to the Sun Belt Conference to take up associate member status there. On the surface this looks like a ho-hum move that only affects one program at one school. However, this could touch off a series of moves that could significantly alter the conference landscape throughout the midwest as well as the WAC. Here's why:

NCAA leagues need at least 6 members in order to have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The defection of Central Arkansas leaves the MVC at 6 men's soccer members (Loyola Valpo Missouri State Evansville Drake and Bradley). Luckily, this appears to be a stable group meaning that the MVC's auto bid shouldn't be under any immediate threat; however, when coupled with pressure from football brought on by North Dakota's anticipated accession to the MVFC in 2020 giving the conference 11 teams, as well as the difficult scheduling landscape in men's basketball, it feels like expansionary pressure is only building for the MVC as it looks to shore up men's soccer, balance football, and bolster men's basketball. Here's where things get interesting:

Murray State sponsors all 3 of these key sports received a site visit the last time the MVC went looking for a team and was extremely receptive to the idea of joining in addition to being a good fit within the conference footprint. They would have to be the odds-on favorite for a spot given their success in many key sports assuming their new AD is as pro-MVC as the previous one. The OVC would probably look to North Alabama Kennesaw State Western Illinois or Robert Morris (football only) as football replacements for Murray State. If the replacement team is indeed football only then Lipscomb is a very likely olympic sports replacement unless a school like Belmont blocks them.

Of course, the MVC has long held to the position that 11 teams is untenable. In the past, they have approached Belmont and have been rebuffed. Perhaps the loss of Murray State changes their thinking but that seems unlikely. It is more likely that the 12th team comes from the Horizon League which is where the MVC has gone the past two times it has needed replacements.

The danger there is that any defection from the HL of any schools the MVC might want (Milwaukee UIC NKU Wright State most likely) threatens the HL's auto bid in baseball. This is easily fixable by adding Fort Wayne or Western Illinois or by coaxing a school like Bellarmine or Southern Indiana to move up. If the HL adds a SL team it throws multiple sports into danger of losing their auto bids.

The SL can stave off this disaster with D2 move ups (Bellarmine USI Augustana or a Minnesota school) or by readmitting UMKC and Chicago State from the WAC. Both teams would likely relish the travel cost savings but their departure would drop the WAC to just 6 total members threatening its very existence once CSU-Bakersfield leaves in 2020. Would the remaining schools wait around to see what moves could be made to stabilize the conference or would they seek more stable homes? My money is on the latter.

Whether it comes from the SL the HL the MVC the MWC(Gonzaga? BYU? New Mexico State?) or even the WCC (Seattle? Denver? Cal-Baptist? Grand Canyon?) It feels as though we are one move away from significantly altering the college sports landscape.

An enjoyable read and it’s especially interesting for me to hear how other sports could effect a leagues decisions. I really only care about basketball so I never considered other things before.

Everybody basically already agreed Murray is the essentially the next team to join the MVC. It’s just a question who is the twelfth. That’s really what I was hoping to get from your post. I still maintain we snatch up Murray asap, then wait for the pieces to fall before taking #12.

Wouldn't surprise me if the 12th is Wichita State