TexasTerror
July 30th, 2006, 10:19 AM
Very big news as this is the first indication that the Southland Conference has submitted legislation regarding the status of Central Arkansas and their hopes at cutting the transitional period in half.
If successful, this would be a major win for UCA and the SLC and possibly lead to numerous other institutions doing the same (North Dakota comes to mind) in efforts that would speed up opprotunities to become part of conferences.
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SLC takes a swinging at cutting dogleg in transition
LAKE CHARLES -
To use a golfing metaphor, Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett is trying to do this for the University of Central Arkansas:
It's a scramble and the ball is in the fairway with a sharp dogleg. Burnett is going to try to shape a shot that cuts the dogleg in half and possibly gets the ball on the green. He faces gusting winds, will have to go through and over some trees, clear a water hazard and avoid the many traps that surrounds the green. It will take skill, luck and the wind blowing the right way.
Burnett and the Southland Conference have legislation before the NCAA that will could cut the waiting and transitional period in half for UCA to become a full-fledged member of the NCAA, thus making all its teams eligible quicker for conference championships and the postseason. The established transition period is five years. UCA has entered its second but, as of July 1, is a full-fledged member of the Southland Conference, which is a key to the legislation.
Most schools who have recently moved from NCAA Division II to Division I have done so as independents, and have had to wait three or four years to get conference affiliation. Some still don't have it. UCA was fortunate that it secured a conference affiliation (and one that is 43 years old with great tradition and respect) in its first year of transition. All UCA teams except football will play a full Southland schedule this season. Football will play a full schedule next season. The catch is no UCA team is eligible for a championship because that leads to postseason, which the Bears are ineligible for because of their provisional status.
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/072906/spo_0729060037.shtml
If successful, this would be a major win for UCA and the SLC and possibly lead to numerous other institutions doing the same (North Dakota comes to mind) in efforts that would speed up opprotunities to become part of conferences.
-----------
SLC takes a swinging at cutting dogleg in transition
LAKE CHARLES -
To use a golfing metaphor, Southland Conference commissioner Tom Burnett is trying to do this for the University of Central Arkansas:
It's a scramble and the ball is in the fairway with a sharp dogleg. Burnett is going to try to shape a shot that cuts the dogleg in half and possibly gets the ball on the green. He faces gusting winds, will have to go through and over some trees, clear a water hazard and avoid the many traps that surrounds the green. It will take skill, luck and the wind blowing the right way.
Burnett and the Southland Conference have legislation before the NCAA that will could cut the waiting and transitional period in half for UCA to become a full-fledged member of the NCAA, thus making all its teams eligible quicker for conference championships and the postseason. The established transition period is five years. UCA has entered its second but, as of July 1, is a full-fledged member of the Southland Conference, which is a key to the legislation.
Most schools who have recently moved from NCAA Division II to Division I have done so as independents, and have had to wait three or four years to get conference affiliation. Some still don't have it. UCA was fortunate that it secured a conference affiliation (and one that is 43 years old with great tradition and respect) in its first year of transition. All UCA teams except football will play a full Southland schedule this season. Football will play a full schedule next season. The catch is no UCA team is eligible for a championship because that leads to postseason, which the Bears are ineligible for because of their provisional status.
http://www.thecabin.net/stories/072906/spo_0729060037.shtml