Merrimack Upgrading to DI (FCS) | The Boneyard

Merrimack Upgrading to DI (FCS)

Makes perfect sense.

Cause it makes a lot more sense for the NEC to have 11 members than 10.

And with the region's surging young population, particularly those interested in sports, there's definitely need for another D1 school.
 
I am surprised as a decade ago, Merrimack was not in good financial shape, which is no surprise as a small, private, Catholic university tucked among some behemoth's in the region. It has a reputation of being a back-up school for kids hwo can't get into Boston College and/or Holly Cross, such as St. Anslem's in NH and St. Micheal's in Vermont.

That said, NCAA D II sports seem to be in a bind. I wonder down the road if D II will look more like today's D I FCS type teams while D I focus on the big conferences. That would leave current D II schools to upgrade to a FCS level of financing, facilities, and scholarships, while the others drop down to DIII.
 
uconnbill said:
Good now maybe you can go an follow them since you have such distain for UConn.
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He would rather root for Brandeis or Yeshiva. Just saying.

When does the University of Bridgeport go D1?? Way better campus than SHU and Fairfield U.
 
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vowelguy said:
Makes perfect sense.

Cause it makes a lot more sense for the NEC to have 11 members than 10.

And with the region's surging young population, particularly those interested in sports, there's definitely need for another D1 school.
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Good for Merrimack! Have to imagine the NEC is headed to 10 or 12.
 
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Purple Stein said:
Good for Merrimack! Have to imagine the NEC is headed to 10 or 12.
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Wait a minute ... I was duped! Only 7 football members of the NEC.
 
Purple Stein said:
Good for Merrimack! Have to imagine the NEC is headed to 10 or 12.
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Conferences in the lower rungs of Division 1 are always looking for a few extra members. The padding helps should a couple older members end up leaving for greener pastures, that way the conference doesn't have to sweat out the possibility of the NCAA taking away their automatic bid to various tournaments.

Of course, Merrimack is already Division 1 in ice hockey. They also play baseball, so I imagine it is possible they could show up as a midweek opponent for Jim Penders and company.
 
Northeast Conference (11 members)
Bryant
Central Connecticut
Fairleigh Dickinson
LIU-Brooklyn
+ Merrimack
Mt. St. Mary's
Robert Morris
Sacred Heart
St. Francis Brooklyn
Saint Francis (PA)
Wagner

NEC Football (7 teams)
Bryant
Central Connecticut
Duquesne (A-10)
+ Merrimack
Robert Morris
Saint Francis U.
Wagner


Not sure how long the NEC will stay at 11. Supposedly fellow NE-10 members Bentley and LIU-Post are interested in reclassifying to Division I. Also, conference realignment rumors at times have some NEC teams leaving - Robert Morris (Horizon), Wagner (MAAC), Central Conn. (America East).
 
CCSU97 said:
Not sure how long the NEC will stay at 11. Supposedly fellow NE-10 members Bentley and LIU-Post are interested in reclassifying to Division I. Also, conference realignment rumors at times have some NEC teams leaving - Robert Morris (Horizon), Wagner (MAAC), Central Conn. (America East).
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It would not surprise me if the Horizon added Robert Morris sooner rather than later. It'd be a bit messy for Robert Morris to find home for all of their programs, but I think they'd do it.
 
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Fishy said:
It would not surprise me if the Horizon added Robert Morris sooner rather than later. It'd be a bit messy for Robert Morris to find home for all of their programs, but I think they'd do it.
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There is still a chance that Robert Morris could go to the Horizon League; however RMU was already passed over recently when the Horizon took Northern Kentucky (2015) and IUPUI (2017) . Most people think Purdue-Ft. Wayne (formerly known as IPFW) is the leading contender to join the league next.

The lack of a baseball team is a real issue for the Horizon League, additionally RMU will likely have to find other conferences for its football and lacrosse programs.

RMU Sports
Men's & Womens' Basketball - NEC ---> Horizon
Men's & Women's Soccer - NEC ---> Horizon
Men's Golf - NEC ---> Horizon
Softball - NEC ---> Horizon
Volleyball - NEC ---> Horizon
Women's X-Country/Track - NEC ---> Horizon
---
Men's & Women's Lacrosse - NEC ---> ??? (MAAC)
Football - NEC ---> ??? (Big South)
---
Men's Ice Hockey - Atlantic Hockey
Women's Ice Hockey - College Hockey America
Women's Rowing - MAAC

Sure, BobbyMo to the Horizon League is certainly not out of the realm of possibilities, but if it does happen only 3 Men's sports would actually be in the Horizon League (Basketball, Soccer, and Golf).
 
CCSU97 said:
Northeast Conference (11 members)
Bryant
Central Connecticut
Fairleigh Dickinson
LIU-Brooklyn
+ Merrimack
Mt. St. Mary's
Robert Morris
Sacred Heart
St. Francis Brooklyn
Saint Francis (PA)
Wagner

NEC Football (7 teams)
Bryant
Central Connecticut
Duquesne (A-10)
+ Merrimack
Robert Morris
Saint Francis U.
Wagner


Not sure how long the NEC will stay at 11. Supposedly fellow NE-10 members Bentley and LIU-Post are interested in reclassifying to Division I. Also, conference realignment rumors at times have some NEC teams leaving - Robert Morris (Horizon), Wagner (MAAC), Central Conn. (America East).
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Where would CCSU put their football team? AmericaEast doesn't sponsor football...
 
HuskyDogArt said:
Where would CCSU put their football team? AmericaEast doesn't sponsor football...
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America East teams play in the CAA. Where CCSU would be destroyed in football.

America East does make more sense in that it's all public schools except for Hartford.
 
Purple Stein said:
America East teams play in the CAA. Where CCSU would be destroyed in football.

America East does make more sense in that it's all public schools except for Hartford.
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Oops, I forgot the UNH and Maine were CAA football members ..I doubt CCSU would want to put football in the CAA... Though I think they might get better with a good conference like the CAA...
 
HuskyDogArt said:
Oops, I forgot the UNH and Maine were CAA football members ..I doubt CCSU would want to put football in the CAA... Though I think they might get better with a good conference like the CAA...
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Ideally, CCSU would put its sports in America East and football in the CAA - however, that is very, very doubtful anytime in the near future. Central hasn't received any interest from those leagues and the school hasn't put the necessary $$$ or effort into getting their attention. CCSU lacks the funding or institutional support to make a conference change at this time. Men's Basketball would certainly be much better off playing a conference schedule of regional publics, rather than the small private schools in the NEC.

Football in the CAA would require a lot more effort, and we would probably struggle for a while - but we wouldn't get destroyed forever. Don't forget both Albany and Stony Brook were NEC Football affiliate members before building new stadiums and investing in their programs. Arute Field is already comparable to the facilities at URI, Maine, and UNH and needs modest improvements. Central has already shown it can recruit well in-state and in the region at the FCS level. With the proper coaches, support and budget, CCSU could compete with New England and New York FCS schools. The ceiling is probably UNH/SBU, benchmark is probably Maine, and we can't do much worse than URI/Albany. CCSU will never compete with the JMU, but remember very few programs can.
 
In more Northeast Conference news ...

Long Island University (LIU) will be merging its athletic departments in to one D-I program in the NEC.

LIU-Brooklyn (Blackbirds) are D-I members of the NEC.
LIU-Post (Pioneers) are D-II members of the NE-10.

Basically, this adds a new FCS football team to the NEC without further expansion in basketball.
www.one.liu.edu

All of LIU's teams will continue competing in their current conferences for the 2018-19 academic year, honoring schedules with opponents. The unification will be effective for competition beginning in Fall 2019. The university will elevate seven current Post programs to Division I, including expanding its membership in the Northeast Conference with men's cross country, men's lacrosse, and football, which will make the transition to the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

http://www.northeastconference.org/news ... aspx?path=
 
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CCSU97 said:
In more Northeast Conference news ...

Long Island University (LIU) will be merging its athletic departments in to one D-I program in the NEC.

LIU-Brooklyn (Blackbirds) are D-I members of the NEC.
LIU-Post (Pioneers) are D-II members of the NE-10.

Basically, this adds a new FCS football team to the NEC without further expansion in basketball.
www.one.liu.edu

All of LIU's teams will continue competing in their current conferences for the 2018-19 academic year, honoring schedules with opponents. The unification will be effective for competition beginning in Fall 2019. The university will elevate seven current Post programs to Division I, including expanding its membership in the Northeast Conference with men's cross country, men's lacrosse, and football, which will make the transition to the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

http://www.northeastconference.org/news ... aspx?path=
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Also it adds another Mens Division 1 Lacrosse School in Region, while UConn sits idle. They are adding womens sports to accomindate the upgrades in scholarships because of the move.
 
Merrimack lacrosse won the D2 championship last season.
 
whaler11 said:
The Big Ten is coming for UConn before America East comes for Central.
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After the state condenses all the directional schools into one, they might have a shot at America East
 
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@CCSU97 I am an advocate for CT State. Been saying it for years!

Their football team has turned the corner in the conference. They’ve been getting $ games the last 2 years vs Cuse and Ball State. I hope they are investing into their football program with Ross as HC. They need to keep him around and get into the CAA. CCSUfans are a very patient crew. Hope something good comes to New Britain in the next couple of years.
 
Austin316 said:
@CCSU97 I am an advocate for CT State. Been saying it for years!

Their football team has turned the corner in the conference. They’ve been getting $ games the last 2 years vs Cuse and Ball State. I hope they are investing into their football program with Ross as HC. They need to keep him around and get into the CAA. CCSUfans are a very patient crew. Hope something good comes to New Britain in the next couple of years.
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We will see. I'm a lot more skeptical ... this football regime can't seem to win FCS non-conference games, the school administration is bleeding athletics dry (dropped M/W golf and 35 schollys), we have less media coverage than we had a decade ago (which was minute), and many fans/students are losing patience with lack of success in the lowly NEC.

There are always small glimmers of hope, but overall we need an huge infusion of cash (unlikely in the current fiscal environment) and wholesale changes in how the university is perceived both in-state and regionally (which no leader has been willing to address). Unfortunately, adding schools like Merrimack isn't helping our image either.

Yes, football has a chance to repeat as NEC champs this year, but is also likely facing a first-round out in the playoffs if they make it. Eastern Michigan is the FBS opponent on next year's schedule, but nothing on the books after that.
 
CCSU97 said:
We will see. I'm a lot more skeptical ... this football regime can't seem to win FCS non-conference games, the school administration is bleeding athletics dry (dropped M/W golf and 35 schollys), we have less media coverage than we had a decade ago (which was minute), and many fans/students are losing patience with lack of success in the lowly NEC.

There are always small glimmers of hope, but overall we need an huge infusion of cash (unlikely in the current fiscal environment) and wholesale changes in how the university is perceived both in-state and regionally (which no leader has been willing to address). Unfortunately, adding schools like Merrimack isn't helping our image either.

Yes, football has a chance to repeat as NEC champs this year, but is also likely facing a first-round out in the playoffs if they make it. Eastern Michigan is the FBS opponent on next year's schedule, but nothing on the books after that.
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Fingers crossed. They got screwed last year in the FCS playoffs by their own doing. Dolegado starting qb was ticketed for throwing an off campus party (if I recall correctly) and was waived from playing in their first playoff since the 09 Butler bowl game. They lost 14-0 to UNH and should have been a contender. I don’t understand CCSU’s parenting philosophy when it comes to managing their students.
 
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