http://krod.com/rumors-flying-that-utep-...witter_top

Some tidbits from article:

"The MWC currently has 11 teams for basketball and coaches are pushing for the league to add a 12th member for hoops."

" As for football, the MWC currently has 12 teams. Hawaii is a football only school, so adding UTEP would make 13 teams. However, Hawaii’s financial struggles with athletics are well documented and they’re future in the MWC is also a big question mark. Just two years ago, the school’s athletic director went on record saying that there was a chance that Hawaii would have to drop football. However, the Warriors now have a new athletic director and head football coach, and their future in Division 1 college football appears stable."

"It doesn’t take a genius to realize that school President Diana Natalicio and Athletic Director Bob Stull have to get UTEP out of CUSA as soon as possible. The league just lost a fortune on their new TV contract, they get zero respect for men’s and women’s basketball, and football is not near the top mid major conferences in the country."

One interesting side note with the UTEP to the MWC story is the potential ripple effect on NMSU. The Aggies were denied entry into the Sun Belt after the 2017 season, and the program has been on the verge of returning to an Independent for football. However, if the Miners do leave CUSA for the MWC, then the Aggies would line up as a perfect replacement for them in CUSA. NMSU AD Mario Moccia can only hope for that as the best possible outcome for his athletic program."

If UTEP were to leave, CUSA would either stay at 13 or poach a team from the SBC.

No reason for NMSU or its fans to hope for the impossible. Been doing enough of that lately

(04-25-2016 02:17 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  If UTEP were to leave, CUSA would either stay at 13 or poach a team from the SBC.

No reason for NMSU or its fans to hope for the impossible. Been doing enough of that lately

Yep. I think we have a better chance being invited for all sports back to the Sun Belt then we do being invited to CUSA. So I don't think much of a chance.

(04-25-2016 02:33 PM)theultimateaggie Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:17 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  If UTEP were to leave, CUSA would either stay at 13 or poach a team from the SBC.

No reason for NMSU or its fans to hope for the impossible. Been doing enough of that lately

Yep. I think we have a better chance being invited for all sports back to the Sun Belt then we do being invited to CUSA. So I don't think much of a chance.

I think it would come down to who CUSA took from the SBC. Depending on who was taken, NMSU may have a slim chance for an invite. However I think an Eastern school would have a better chance of being invited, FCS move up.

I know UTEP has longed to be in a more "western" orientated conference and from what I've read it seems the MWC would like to get the footprint back into Texas after they lost TCU, but I don't know how they could make it work unless they did drop Hawaii entirely (I would think with the strong ties the Warrior program has with likes of Fresno, SJSU, Boise, Nevada and Utah State) I highly doubt they would be voted out to be replaced with the Miners

The question is could UTEP move their basketball to the MWC and the rest of their sports remain in the CUSA? Would CUSA allow that? That would seem to be a very unprecedented move (maybe? possibly?)

(04-25-2016 02:45 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:33 PM)theultimateaggie Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:17 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  If UTEP were to leave, CUSA would either stay at 13 or poach a team from the SBC.

No reason for NMSU or its fans to hope for the impossible. Been doing enough of that lately

Yep. I think we have a better chance being invited for all sports back to the Sun Belt then we do being invited to CUSA. So I don't think much of a chance.

I think it would come down to who CUSA took from the SBC. Depending on who was taken, NMSU may have a slim chance for an invite. However I think an Eastern school would have a better chance of being invited, FCS move up.

You thinking JMU?

(04-25-2016 02:58 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  I know UTEP has longed to be in a more "western" orientated conference and from what I've read it seems the MWC would like to get the footprint back into Texas after they lost TCU, but I don't know how they could make it work unless they did drop Hawaii entirely (I would think with the strong ties the Warrior program has with likes of Fresno, SJSU, Boise, Nevada and Utah State) I highly doubt they would be voted out to be replaced with the Miners

The question is could UTEP move their basketball to the MWC and the rest of their sports remain in the CUSA? Would CUSA allow that? That would seem to be a very unprecedented move (maybe? possibly?)

MWC could go to 14 football if Hawaii stays. With a lifeline deal to Idaho or NMSU pending Hawaii keeping football?

(04-25-2016 02:58 PM)The4thOption Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:45 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:33 PM)theultimateaggie Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:17 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  If UTEP were to leave, CUSA would either stay at 13 or poach a team from the SBC.

No reason for NMSU or its fans to hope for the impossible. Been doing enough of that lately

Yep. I think we have a better chance being invited for all sports back to the Sun Belt then we do being invited to CUSA. So I don't think much of a chance.

I think it would come down to who CUSA took from the SBC. Depending on who was taken, NMSU may have a slim chance for an invite. However I think an Eastern school would have a better chance of being invited, FCS move up.

You thinking JMU?

I think any of the usual schools that come up as new members for the SBC would be considered. However an eastern school would probably be the new member, as there are more options in the east.

(04-25-2016 03:07 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:58 PM)The4thOption Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:45 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:33 PM)theultimateaggie Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 02:17 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  If UTEP were to leave, CUSA would either stay at 13 or poach a team from the SBC.

No reason for NMSU or its fans to hope for the impossible. Been doing enough of that lately

Yep. I think we have a better chance being invited for all sports back to the Sun Belt then we do being invited to CUSA. So I don't think much of a chance.

I think it would come down to who CUSA took from the SBC. Depending on who was taken, NMSU may have a slim chance for an invite. However I think an Eastern school would have a better chance of being invited, FCS move up.

You thinking JMU?

I think any of the usual schools that come up as new members for the SBC would be considered. However an eastern school would probably be the new member, as there are more SBC schools in the east who would rather drop into oblivion than make the no-brainer decision to add NMSU all sports.

FIFY

With the exception of JMU, there is no eastern school that brings the all-sports profile of NMSU. UTEP doesn't bring much to the table in football, so there isn't much lost there. In basketball, that would be a big loss, so NMSU would keep their profile up there.

Travel costs may be an issue, so that is what it is there, but being so close to UTEP, isn't a loss or gain for C-USA schools.

This seems like an attempt to make a story where none really exists. The only mentioned source of the rumors was internet fan message boards. hmmm.

And then to add that a move by UTEP to the MWC might open a door to CUSA for NMSU is just pure speculation, without any real understanding.

The irony here to me - is that if UTEP had not left the WAC back in 2007, they would have most assuredly ended up in the MWC when the WAC imploded and everyone (well, almost ) moved to the MWC. Just like NMSU's move from the Sun Belt to the WAC blew up. Not saying they were bad moves at the time - just ironic that both schools are (were) trying to get back to where they started.

(04-25-2016 03:31 PM)NuMexAg Wrote:  This seems like an attempt to make a story where none really exists. The only mentioned source of the rumors was internet fan message boards. hmmm.

And then to add that a move by UTEP to the MWC might open a door to CUSA for NMSU is just pure speculation, without any real understanding.

The irony here to me - is that if UTEP had not left the WAC back in 2007, they would have most assuredly ended up in the MWC when the WAC imploded and everyone (well, almost ) moved to the MWC. Just like NMSU's move from the Sun Belt to the WAC blew up. Not saying they were bad moves at the time - just ironic that both schools are (were) trying to get back to where they started.

well utep is certainly an outlier to cusa or the sbc. they fit better with the western schools and that mountain time zone. they could go to mwc along with byu. there has been some talk about byu warming up to that conference. the top poachable prospect in the sbc is still u-laf as far as facilities and fan support and so on. stAte would be a not so distant second.

I have no doubt that UTEP would love to be part of the MWC . . .

I have no doubt that the MW would like to have 12 BB schools, but I don't think they take UTEP if it means being at 13 for FB . . . just not a good number . . .

Unless Hawaii drops FB, which doesn't look likely at this time, I don't think this story has much traction . . .

UTEP would love to be MWC. UTEP would also love to keep playing in places like Houston and San Antonio.

Which is more important?

(04-25-2016 04:07 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  UTEP would love to be MWC. UTEP would also love to keep playing in places like Houston and San Antonio.

Which is more important?

No reason they couldn't do both . . . Join the MW, and schedule San Antonio, Houston, other TX Markets as OOC . . Having "History" with UTSA and Rice probably facilitates that, even if they left CUSA . .

The solution is to take UTEP and UTSA. Throw some facilities stipulations like the MWC did with UTAH ST so that UTSA is up to snuff with rest of the conference. This is especially true with their Basketball facilities.

UTSA
UTEP
UNM
Air Force
CSU
WYO
USU

Fresno
Boise
SDSU
SJSU
UNLV
Nevada
Hawaii

(04-25-2016 04:28 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 04:07 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  UTEP would love to be MWC. UTEP would also love to keep playing in places like Houston and San Antonio.

Which is more important?

No reason they couldn't do both . . . Join the MW, and schedule San Antonio, Houston, other TX Markets as OOC . . Having "History" with UTSA and Rice probably facilitates that, even if they left CUSA . .

If I'm UTSA and Rice I'd have little interest in an OOC with a UTEP that bailed.

(04-25-2016 02:58 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  I know UTEP has longed to be in a more "western" orientated conference and from what I've read it seems the MWC would like to get the footprint back into Texas after they lost TCU, but I don't know how they could make it work unless they did drop Hawaii entirely (I would think with the strong ties the Warrior program has with likes of Fresno, SJSU, Boise, Nevada and Utah State) I highly doubt they would be voted out to be replaced with the Miners

The question is could UTEP move their basketball to the MWC and the rest of their sports remain in the CUSA? Would CUSA allow that? That would seem to be a very unprecedented move (maybe? possibly?)

Nope. CUSA is an all sports only conference. That's why UAB was going to be kicked out without football.

(04-25-2016 04:35 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 04:28 PM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 04:07 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  UTEP would love to be MWC. UTEP would also love to keep playing in places like Houston and San Antonio.

Which is more important?

No reason they couldn't do both . . . Join the MW, and schedule San Antonio, Houston, other TX Markets as OOC . . Having "History" with UTSA and Rice probably facilitates that, even if they left CUSA . .

If I'm UTSA and Rice I'd have little interest in an OOC with a UTEP that bailed.

Why not use it as fuel. . . to kick their Arse . . .

Oh sure, just automatically give a second slot to UTSA.