OT: Hartford Athletics Possible Drop to D3

[rollskies]

Hadn’t seen this posted here yet, so thought I would share. This would be such a shame if this goes through, especially after their first trip to the NCAA tourney. I have become a big fan of Hartford basketball and John Gallagher this year.

Edit: As i’ve seen a few other people point out, this is not just about men’s basketball. There are other teams there that have had success in recent years that this would hurt.

 

[CTBasketball]

More will follow. It’s very expensive to upkeep sports that don’t bring in revenue.

 

[alexd]

I remember when they moved up to D1 in 1985. They went all out with concerts after their HCC games.

Postgame Entertainment

 

[husky429]

Very expensive. Would be sad though... they have solid facilities for a low-major team and Gallagher is a talent.

 

[WrenchFan69]

I think the basketball programs are the only scholarship sports at the school? Maybe baseball has a few with some matching schollies in women's sports? And they're still so far in the red they're looking into dropping. The golden era of college sports is almost certainly behind us at this point

 

[HooperScooper]

I think the basketball programs are the only scholarship sports at the school? Maybe baseball has a few with some matching schollies in women's sports? And they're still so far in the red they're looking into dropping. The golden era of college sports is almost certainly behind us at this point

Schools like Hartford added to the golden age of college sports? ?

 

[ZenConn]

Sad. And they made the tournament this year too.

 

[husky429]

Very expensive. Would be sad though... they have solid facilities for a low-major team and Gallagher is a talent.

To put in perspective... players at uconn get their own practice facility, film room and everything else. They're treated like kings. At uhart, the players share the gym with intramural volleyball and their film room is an old dusty projector and the players literally sit on the floor to watch.

They're obviously not as big, strong or talented as high major teams but the dedication to their game is just as high without the promise of a lucrative professional career. These kids show up early to practice, put up shots before their AM classes, etc. just like our players.

So much respect for low major players.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Schools like Hartford added to the golden age of college sports? ?

No but they won't be the last to go

 

[navery12]

 

[huskiesouth]

When Hartford went from Div. 2 to Div. 1 there were many directly involved in the Athletic Department who lobbied hard to go instead to Div. 3. Hindsight is often 20-20 or better.

 

[CCSU97]

CCSU went through this in 2017 and had to drop M/W Golf to help the bottom line.

How about a revenue sharing model where the P5/G5 schools help subsidize athletic programs at places like CCSU instead of paying elite athletes that go pro anyway.

 

[TRest]

CCSU went through this in 2017 and had to drop M/W Golf to help the bottom line.

How about a revenue sharing model where the P5/G5 schools help subsidize athletic programs at places like CCSU instead of paying elite athletes that go pro anyway.

The P5 wants fewer division 1 schools.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Everyone is saying this is final but everything official I read is not quite

 

[WrenchFan69]

Entrepeneur and investor who doesn't understand losing $13m a year is bad business? Feel for the kid but come on

 

[Kolumbo]

Interesting. It is the smallest and only private school in America East, a conference with all public northeast schools. It only has an endowment of $179 million, I assumed it was much larger than that. I pictured it more as a Patriot Conference member but those schools have much more cashe. Perhaps the Northeast Conference is a better fit.

What's also interesting, it is listed at 200 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford, but almost the entire campus is in Hartford. Including its satellite cafeteria, The Spigot.

 

[TRest]

When I moved to West Hartford over 25 years ago it was a party school for Long Island kids, who I believe have moved on to Quinnipiac.

 

[king conn]

Am I the only one that thought our new soccer team was dropping down another level?

 

[8893]

@Waquoit

 

[huskiesouth]

Interesting. It is the smallest and only private school in America East, a conference with all public northeast schools. It only has an endowment of $179 million, I assumed it was much larger than that. I pictured it more as a Patriot Conference member but those schools have much more cashe. Perhaps the Northeast Conference is a better fit.

What's also interesting, it is listed at 200 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford, but almost the entire campus is in Hartford. Including its satellite cafeteria, The Spigot.

Worked at the Spigot my last 3 semesters, great memories and an education unto itself.

 

[uconNYC]

Was worried for second. Thought it was related to the soccer team.

 

[HooperScooper]

No but they won't be the last to go

You are probably right.

 

[formerlurker]

I remember when they moved up to D1 in 1985. They went all out with concerts after their HCC games.

Postgame Entertainment

Not even ashamed to say I was at the Anne Murray concert with my Mom as a 14yo and had a blast. My job as the youngest kid growing up in the 70's was helping my Mom do the dishes after dinner. It never felt like work because Mom always had music on that she and I would jam to. Anne Murray, Leo Sayer, Janis Ian, Diana Ross...great times. I think my Dad bought the tickets and let me give them to my mom as a gift from me. She returned the favor by taking me to see Dion at The Oakdale Theater a year or two later.

 

[CCSU97]

Interesting. It is the smallest and only private school in America East, a conference with all public northeast schools. It only has an endowment of $179 million, I assumed it was much larger than that. I pictured it more as a Patriot Conference member but those schools have much more cashe. Perhaps the Northeast Conference is a better fit.

What's also interesting, it is listed at 200 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford, but almost the entire campus is in Hartford. Including its satellite cafeteria, The Spigot.

The AE isn't the same league Hartford joined back in 1985. Gone are Canisius, Niagara, Siena, Colgate, Northeastern, Boston U. Replaced by 3 SUNYs, UMBC, UMass Lowell, and NJIT. They just don't fit and have the smallest following in the league.

What is surprising is how stagnant the university has been when compared to Quinnipiac and even Sacred Heart. QU and SHU joined D-I about 15 years after UHa, but they have grown both academically and athletically the last 20 years. Outside of this NCAA tourney, Hartford hasn't made much of a splash in anything. The have become the forgotten D-I program in the state and have been crowded out.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

When I moved to West Hartford over 25 years ago it was a party school for Long Island kids, who I believe have moved on to Quinnipiac.

25 years ago, Quinnipiac College was a party school for Long Island and Jersey kids. Many of the QC students could not get into good schools.

With next to zero interest in the Univ of Hartford, I hope the school's low level D1 level student-athletes still continue at that level. If not, it will be surprising for the hoops coach to stick around West Hartford.