WAC football officially dead after 2012

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_21355122/wac-drop-football-after-2012-season

So the questions about Idaho and NMSU are no longer academic.

[dgtw]

Now that it is no longer academic, discussion of it should be right up mpls' alley.

[Sam_Kats]

Poor Texas State...

[aceinthehole]

Deja vu?

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?108355-WAC-not-dead-yet-Making-play-for-Big-Sky-schools&p=1790295&viewfull=1#post1790295

Most of us knew the WAC's fate back in May, but I'm glad we can make this "official" now and move on.

xnodx

[DFW HOYA]

The WAC needs at least three schools to make it to seven in basketball, or it's over. Assuming no one would leave a more stable league to join them, here are the choices of schools uncommited by 2013:

Scheduled for 2013-14:
Denver
Idaho
NM State
Seattle

Possibilities:
Chicago State
NJIT
Texas-Pan Am
Utah Valley
Cal-Bakersfield
New Orleans

[eagle07]

Official WAC expansion map, from commisioners desk. There were no other options.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4688976925_272f315e2d.jpg

[dgtw]

The WAC needs at least three schools to make it to seven in basketball, or it's over. Assuming no one would leave a more stable league to join them, here are the choices of schools uncommited by 2013:

Scheduled for 2013-14:
Denver
Idaho
NM State
Seattle

Possibilities:
Chicago State
NJIT
Texas-Pan Am
Utah Valley
Cal-Bakersfield
New Orleans

New Orleans is joining the Southland and Idaho is going to the Big Sky.

[biobengal]

Official WAC expansion map, from commisioners desk. There were no other options.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4688976925_272f315e2d.jpg

So you're saying there's a chance, Alaska-Anchorage and BYU Hawaii could be in the mix.

[DFW HOYA]

New Orleans is joining the Southland and Idaho is going to the Big Sky.

UNO did not receive an invitation today--the SLC went for Div. II Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.

But among those who's left...

Cal-Bakersfield wants the Big West but could take this in the interim.
Utah Valley? Maybe.

But who would be the third, or the fourth if Idaho gives notice?
Pan-Am? No one wants to travel to Edinburg.
Chicago State? No.
NJIT? Not even worth the conversation.

That's why the WAC is still on life support but the "do not resuscitate" decision isn't far off.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The WAC needs at least three schools to make it to seven in basketball, or it's over. Assuming no one would leave a more stable league to join them, here are the choices of schools uncommited by 2013:

Scheduled for 2013-14:
Denver
Idaho
NM State
Seattle

Possibilities:
Chicago State
NJIT
Texas-Pan Am
Utah Valley
Cal-Bakersfield
New Orleans

They might be able to cobble it together with all of those teams minus UNO (who is almost certainly going to the Southland). These five schools would go from zero chance at the NCAA tournament to one bid. I think they would jump at the chance.

[slycat]

Poor Texas State...

Why? We are only playing there one year and moving on. NMSU and Idaho are the only two that haven't found a place to play.

[TheRevSFA]

UNO did not receive an invitation today--the SLC went for Div. II Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.

But among those who's left...

Cal-Bakersfield wants the Big West but could take this in the interim.
Utah Valley? Maybe.

But who would be the third, or the fourth if Idaho gives notice?
Pan-Am? No one wants to travel to Edinburg.
Chicago State? No.
NJIT? Not even worth the conversation.

That's why the WAC is still on life support but the "do not resuscitate" decision isn't far off.

UNO will get the invite. There's no way the SLC passes up the NOLA market.

[TheRevSFA]

Why? We are only playing there one year and moving on. NMSU and Idaho are the only two that haven't found a place to play.

Granted, I could be mistaken, but when moving up was being discussed, and they said the Sun Belt, didn't all the Bobcat faithful bitch and complain that it was a ****ty conference? Now it's paradise :D

[Tod]

Why? We are only playing there one year and moving on. NMSU and Idaho are the only two that haven't found a place to play.

Some people are just having a hard time keeping up with it all. Including me.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

UNO did not receive an invitation today--the SLC went for Div. II Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.

But among those who's left...

Cal-Bakersfield wants the Big West but could take this in the interim.
Utah Valley? Maybe.

But who would be the third, or the fourth if Idaho gives notice?
Pan-Am? No one wants to travel to Edinburg.
Chicago State? No.
NJIT? Not even worth the conversation.

That's why the WAC is still on life support but the "do not resuscitate" decision isn't far off.

Remember, though, the decision for these schools are, broadly speaking, NCAA tournament-less purgatory or far-flung conference that's the butt of jokes. I know which I would take. And it's better than the Great West situation, which they jumped at last time.

UNO is different, because they have a much better situation. The Southland is the perfect situation for them - regional conference, lower costs - if the SLC wants them.

[slycat]

Granted, I could be mistaken, but when moving up was being discussed, and they said the Sun Belt, didn't all the Bobcat faithful bitch and complain that it was a ****ty conference? Now it's paradise :D

Some did but it's better then no home. Plus Sun Belt has slightly better bowl tie ins and tv deal then the watered down WAC had. Fans are growing on it but annoyed that schools like UTSA and UNCC are going to CUSA with little or no football being played.

I like the travel for Sun Belt better but hope it improves to attract tv deals and such. All with time I suppose.

[Sam_Kats]

Granted, I could be mistaken, but when moving up was being discussed, and they said the Sun Belt, didn't all the Bobcat faithful bitch and complain that it was a ****ty conference? Now it's paradise :D

Yes, that was my point.

[Smitty]

Wait I thought it was a sure bet that a East Coast WAC was going to be developed and the FCS darlings would be invited.

[WH49er]

App State will save you....

[MplsBison]

Probably what the remaining I-A conferences wanted. This will increase their payouts from the I-A playoff.

Also removes another avenue for I-AA teams to move up. The gate is welded good an shut now. Good on Texas St, GA St, ODU, etc. for getting out and up while the getting was good. The rest of us are pretty much stuck here.

[MplsBison]

UNO did not receive an invitation today--the SLC went for Div. II Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word.

But among those who's left...

Cal-Bakersfield wants the Big West but could take this in the interim.
Utah Valley? Maybe.

But who would be the third, or the fourth if Idaho gives notice?
Pan-Am? No one wants to travel to Edinburg.
Chicago State? No.
NJIT? Not even worth the conversation.

That's why the WAC is still on life support but the "do not resuscitate" decision isn't far off.

Damn shame.

There goes an auto-bid to the tournament and the tournament credits that Nevada and Utah St earned while members of the WAC.

MWC won't get either of those, they'll simply evaporate.

[dgtw]

Men
Baseball (NMSU, Seattle, CS Bakersfield, CS Sacramento)
Basketball (Denver, NMSU, Seattle)
Cross Country (NMSU, Seattle)
Golf (Denver, NMSU, Seattle, Idaho)
Tennis (Denver, NMSU)
Track, Indoor (Seattle)
Track, Outdoor (Seattle)

Women
Basketball (Denver, NMSU, Seattle)
Cross Country (NMSU, Seattle)
Golf (Denver, NMSU, Seattle)
Gymnastics (Denver, Boise State, CS Sacramento, Southern Utah)
Soccer (Denver, NMSU, Seattle)
Softball (NMSU, Seattle)
Swimming (Denver, NMSU, Seattle, CS Bakersfield, North Dakota, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Idaho)
Tennis (Denver, NMSU, Seattle)
Track, Indoor (NMSU, Seattle)
Track, Outdoor (NMSU, Seattle)
Volleyball (Denver, NMSU, Seattle)

Other
Denver
Men's ice hockey
Men's lacrosse
Men's soccer
Men's swimming
Skiing
Women's lacrosse

NMSU
Women's equestrian

Seattle
Men's soccer
Men's swimming
Women's rowing

Men
Baseball 4
Basketball 3
Cross Country 2
Golf 4
Tennis 2
Track, Indoor 1
Track, Outdoor 1

Women
Basketball 3
Cross Country 2
Golf 3
Gymnastics 4
Soccer 3
Softball 2
Swimming 8
Tennis 3
Track, Indoor 2
Track, Outdoor 2
Volleyball 3

[dgtw]

If the WAC is going to survive, they cannot afford to be picky about who they take in. The need warm bodies and unless the remaining three have an invite we don't know about, they need to take in the Great West members and go from there.

The Great West is down to four members.

Chicago State
Baseball
Basketball (B)
Cross Country (B)
Golf (B)
Tennis (B)
Track (B)
Volleyball (W)

NJIT
Baseball
Basketball (B)
Cross Country (B)
Fencing (B)
Soccer (B)
Swimming (M)
Tennis (B)
Track (B)
Volleyball (B)

UTPA
Baseball
Basketball (B)
Cross Country (B)
Golf (B)
Tennis (B)
Track (B)
Volleyball (W)

Utah Valley
Baseball
Basketball (B)
Cross Country (B)
Golf (B)
Soccer (W)
Softball
Track (B)
Volleyball (W)
Wrestling

While the league would be far flung, it should give them enough to be able to sponsor enough sports to retain NCAA recognition as a conference. They would also pick up three women's soccer affiliates (all from the MEAC), two baseball affiliates (NY Tech and Northern Colorado), and CS Bakersfield for outdoor track (both) and women's tennis.