My alma mater's academics on par with UNC Pembroke, is located in the greater Birmingham area, and has been making some good deep runs in the NCAA Div 2 basketball tournament from the Peach Belt. Why doesn't the A-Sun want to give Montevallo a shot?

(03-31-2015 04:35 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  My alma mater's academics on par with UNC Pembroke, is located in the greater Birmingham area, and has been making some good deep runs in the NCAA Div 2 basketball tournament from the Peach Belt. Why doesn't the A-Sun want to give Montevallo a shot?

Your enrollment is small and there a number of Ga and Flat schools that would be better alternatives. Even North Alabama in your state has a much better shot.

Unless Montevallo has a major endowment, practically no chance.

3000 students. I suppose they could do it. But not sure its going to work out very well for them. There are two other D1 schools in Birmingham (and 1 in Tuscaloosa). Lots of competition for the sports dollar out there. They'd probably have real difficulty with the casual fan.

Yea, of the schools out there, I would say the following area schools would have a better shot at it than Montevallo.

1) UAH - triple the enrollment. Would be only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Huntsville and Decatur)
2) Mississippi College - double the enrollment. Would be the only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Jackson). If not them, Belhaven.
3) UNA - double the enrollment. Only school in a 100k+ metro.
4) Huntingdon - smaller but would have Montgomery's (400k metro) non-HBCU to itself.
5) Delta State

Shelby, Chilton, Bibb, and Talladega counties need to become Alabama's version of the Inland Empire.

The alternative would be for Montevsllo to go private. Had Fob James been successful in cutting Alabama down to six four-year schools like he proposed, it may have very well happened.

an invitation.

(03-31-2015 09:24 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Shelby, Chilton, Bibb, and Talladega counties need to become Alabama's version of the Inland Empire.

The alternative would be for Montevsllo to go private. Had Fob James been successful in cutting Alabama down to six four-year schools like he proposed, it may have very well happened.

There's not much of a shared identity. Nor do I think one will be created.

(03-31-2015 04:49 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 04:35 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  My alma mater's academics on par with UNC Pembroke, is located in the greater Birmingham area, and has been making some good deep runs in the NCAA Div 2 basketball tournament from the Peach Belt. Why doesn't the A-Sun want to give Montevallo a shot?

Your enrollment is small and there a number of Ga and Flat schools that would be better alternatives. Even North Alabama in your state has a much better shot.

Unless Montevallo has a major endowment, practically no chance.

And you're basing this off of enrollment?? Montevallo's enrollment is really growing, and it has some good pull in Montgomery as well. Not sure what Montevallo's endowment is, will definitely have to look that up.

I'm fairly certain that UNA has no desire to join the A-Sun. None. UNA has the OVC in its sights because it is a football school. Montevallo actually used to be in the same conference as UNA (Gulf South Conference) but Montevallo left because Montevallo is not a football school and the majority of schools GSC are football schools. Montevallo prides itself on its men's basketball, baseball, and men's & women's soccer teams, the type of schools that the A-Sun needs.

(03-31-2015 04:51 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  3000 students. I suppose they could do it. But not sure its going to work out very well for them. There are two other D1 schools in Birmingham (and 1 in Tuscaloosa). Lots of competition for the sports dollar out there. They'd probably have real difficulty with the casual fan.

Yea, of the schools out there, I would say the following area schools would have a better shot at it than Montevallo.

1) UAH - triple the enrollment. Would be only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Huntsville and Decatur)

Makes better sense than the UNA selection, but Montevallo's academics are superior.

Quote:2) Mississippi College - double the enrollment. Would be the only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Jackson). If not them, Belhaven.

Never heard of Mississippi College.

Quote:3) UNA - double the enrollment. Only school in a 100k+ metro.
4) Huntingdon - smaller but would have Montgomery's (400k metro) non-HBCU to itself.
5) Delta State

UNA=football school.
Huntingdon????
Delta State---they actually should go IA also.

(04-01-2015 10:48 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 04:49 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 04:35 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  My alma mater's academics on par with UNC Pembroke, is located in the greater Birmingham area, and has been making some good deep runs in the NCAA Div 2 basketball tournament from the Peach Belt. Why doesn't the A-Sun want to give Montevallo a shot?

Your enrollment is small and there a number of Ga and Flat schools that would be better alternatives. Even North Alabama in your state has a much better shot.

Unless Montevallo has a major endowment, practically no chance.

And you're basing this off of enrollment?? Montevallo's enrollment is really growing, and it has some good pull in Montgomery as well. Not sure what Montevallo's endowment is, will definitely have to look that up.

I'm fairly certain that UNA has no desire to join the A-Sun. None. UNA has the OVC in its sights because it is a football school. Montevallo actually used to be in the same conference as UNA (Gulf South Conference) but Montevallo left because Montevallo is not a football school and the majority of schools GSC are football schools. Montevallo prides itself on its men's basketball, baseball, and men's & women's soccer teams, the type of schools that the A-Sun needs.

(03-31-2015 04:51 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  3000 students. I suppose they could do it. But not sure its going to work out very well for them. There are two other D1 schools in Birmingham (and 1 in Tuscaloosa). Lots of competition for the sports dollar out there. They'd probably have real difficulty with the casual fan.

Yea, of the schools out there, I would say the following area schools would have a better shot at it than Montevallo.

1) UAH - triple the enrollment. Would be only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Huntsville and Decatur)

Makes better sense than the UNA selection, but Montevallo's academics are superior.

Quote:2) Mississippi College - double the enrollment. Would be the only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Jackson). If not them, Belhaven.

Never heard of Mississippi College.

Quote:3) UNA - double the enrollment. Only school in a 100k+ metro.
4) Huntingdon - smaller but would have Montgomery's (400k metro) non-HBCU to itself.
5) Delta State

UNA=football school.
Huntingdon????
Delta State---they actually should go IA also.

Assuming that no more than 10 percent of your students can be counted on to go to any given game (and that is actually probably high), you'll need outside support. Where is Montevallo's support going to come from? Other schools tap local alumni, which is a problem for less urban schools. Other schools tap a large captive population for casual fans, which Montevallo is going to have issues with.

Its not that Montevallo is a bad school, its just that D1 basketball is going to be harder for them to pull off than others.

---

There are three cities in the South with no non-HBCU team. Huntsville, Montgomery, and Jackson. Colleges in those cities would have a much easier time than others in gaining fan support. Please note. There's nothing wrong with the HBCU teams. Its just that their marketing and focus is not at the whole community (or it isn't effective).

(04-01-2015 11:17 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 10:48 AM)DawgNBama Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 04:49 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 04:35 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  My alma mater's academics on par with UNC Pembroke, is located in the greater Birmingham area, and has been making some good deep runs in the NCAA Div 2 basketball tournament from the Peach Belt. Why doesn't the A-Sun want to give Montevallo a shot?

Your enrollment is small and there a number of Ga and Flat schools that would be better alternatives. Even North Alabama in your state has a much better shot.

Unless Montevallo has a major endowment, practically no chance.

And you're basing this off of enrollment?? Montevallo's enrollment is really growing, and it has some good pull in Montgomery as well. Not sure what Montevallo's endowment is, will definitely have to look that up.

I'm fairly certain that UNA has no desire to join the A-Sun. None. UNA has the OVC in its sights because it is a football school. Montevallo actually used to be in the same conference as UNA (Gulf South Conference) but Montevallo left because Montevallo is not a football school and the majority of schools GSC are football schools. Montevallo prides itself on its men's basketball, baseball, and men's & women's soccer teams, the type of schools that the A-Sun needs.

(03-31-2015 04:51 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  3000 students. I suppose they could do it. But not sure its going to work out very well for them. There are two other D1 schools in Birmingham (and 1 in Tuscaloosa). Lots of competition for the sports dollar out there. They'd probably have real difficulty with the casual fan.

Yea, of the schools out there, I would say the following area schools would have a better shot at it than Montevallo.

1) UAH - triple the enrollment. Would be only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Huntsville and Decatur)

Makes better sense than the UNA selection, but Montevallo's academics are superior.

Quote:2) Mississippi College - double the enrollment. Would be the only non-HBCU in a 600k+ metro (Jackson). If not them, Belhaven.

Never heard of Mississippi College.

Quote:3) UNA - double the enrollment. Only school in a 100k+ metro.
4) Huntingdon - smaller but would have Montgomery's (400k metro) non-HBCU to itself.
5) Delta State

UNA=football school.
Huntingdon????
Delta State---they actually should go IA also.

Assuming that no more than 10 percent of your students can be counted on to go to any given game (and that is actually probably high), you'll need outside support. Where is Montevallo's support going to come from? Other schools tap local alumni, which is a problem for less urban schools. Other schools tap a large captive population for casual fans, which Montevallo is going to have issues with.

Its not that Montevallo is a bad school, its just that D1 basketball is going to be harder for them to pull off than others.

---

There are three cities in the South with no non-HBCU team. Huntsville, Montgomery, and Jackson. Colleges in those cities would have a much easier time than others in gaining fan support. Please note. There's nothing wrong with the HBCU teams. Its just that their marketing and focus is not at the whole community (or it isn't effective).

Please explain.

I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

As for the endowments, which I don't think are particularly useful metrics, UNA's is about 40% larger than Montevallo's.

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

I honestly thought that UNA had a legit shot a joining the OVC or the Big South.

(04-01-2015 12:09 PM)GreenHornet33 Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

I honestly thought that UNA had a legit shot a joining the OVC or the Big South.

The administration itself put the clamps on it. They were not prepared to increase costs for students.

It was probably a good idea anyways. Enrollment is down for the 3rd or 4th year straight, about 1,000 kids overall.

(04-01-2015 12:11 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 12:09 PM)GreenHornet33 Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

I honestly thought that UNA had a legit shot a joining the OVC or the Big South.

The administration itself put the clamps on it. They were not prepared to increase costs for students.

It was probably a good idea anyways. Enrollment is down for the 3rd or 4th year straight, about 1,000 kids overall.

I read about this in the Huntsville Times back during the football season. I heard that UNA would start being a lot more aggressive as far as marketing the school than they've been in the past. I’ve seen a few of the #MyUNA billboards a little north of Warrior and a few off of 565 in the Huntsville area.

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

Is there something wrong with you or are you just WAY out of the loop?

(04-01-2015 12:09 PM)GreenHornet33 Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

I honestly thought that UNA had a legit shot a joining the OVC or the Big South.

No matter what pinheads want, D1 is still going to happen at UNA. They are being cautious because of the earthquake-like nature of FCS in the South at this time which is a smart move. OVC is off the table because they no longer accept D2 schools. Stupid move when you consider UNA isn't your typical D2 school.

(03-31-2015 04:49 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 04:35 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  My alma mater's academics on par with UNC Pembroke, is located in the greater Birmingham area, and has been making some good deep runs in the NCAA Div 2 basketball tournament from the Peach Belt. Why doesn't the A-Sun want to give Montevallo a shot?

Your enrollment is small and there a number of Ga and Flat schools that would be better alternatives. Even North Alabama in your state has a much better shot.

Unless Montevallo has a major endowment, practically no chance.

I think they should look at adding football first. I have seen schools who announced that they are going to add football have an increase in students. West Florida did that, and the student body went up.

(06-01-2015 07:43 PM)High Plains Drifter Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

Is there something wrong with you or are you just WAY out of the loop?

I'm glad you are keeping hope alive but the truth is it isn't going to happen.

The 'delay' meant death.

One of the cornerstones of the move up was the planned increase in enrollment. The opposite has happened and UNA's enrollment has declined, a lot.

Yea, they've thrown up two brand new shiny buildings, that are quite impressive, and are throwing up new dorms off Pine street but its hardly enough.

UNA has a future, but it isn't as a D1 athletic program. A D1 move just means a financial move the university would be ill advised to sign up for.

(06-01-2015 08:15 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(06-01-2015 07:43 PM)High Plains Drifter Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

Is there something wrong with you or are you just WAY out of the loop?

I'm glad you are keeping hope alive but the truth is it isn't going to happen.

The 'delay' meant death.

One of the cornerstones of the move up was the planned increase in enrollment. The opposite has happened and UNA's enrollment has declined, a lot.

Yea, they've thrown up two brand new shiny buildings, that are quite impressive, and are throwing up new dorms off Pine street but its hardly enough.

UNA has a future, but it isn't as a D1 athletic program. A D1 move just means a financial move the university would be ill advised to sign up for.

Would they still go if the call finally comes? If they make the announcement going to D1? I bet the school can get more students enrolled. Kids would look and see that they could see their team play a SEC team in the future. That could get the buzz for UNA back.

(06-01-2015 08:36 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(06-01-2015 08:15 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(06-01-2015 07:43 PM)High Plains Drifter Wrote:  

(04-01-2015 12:05 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I think you would have a really hard time saying Montevallo holds any academic edge over UNA. There just isn't much, if any, daylight there.

But, UNA's D1 dreams have been dead since 11/12.

Is there something wrong with you or are you just WAY out of the loop?

I'm glad you are keeping hope alive but the truth is it isn't going to happen.

The 'delay' meant death.

One of the cornerstones of the move up was the planned increase in enrollment. The opposite has happened and UNA's enrollment has declined, a lot.

Yea, they've thrown up two brand new shiny buildings, that are quite impressive, and are throwing up new dorms off Pine street but its hardly enough.

UNA has a future, but it isn't as a D1 athletic program. A D1 move just means a financial move the university would be ill advised to sign up for.

Would they still go if the call finally comes? If they make the announcement going to D1? I bet the school can get more students enrolled. Kids would look and see that they could see their team play a SEC team in the future. That could get the buzz for UNA back.

It would trigger a whole new conversation on the topic.

UNA was in a good place 4 years ago to try and make a jump. Circumstances have changed quite a bit since then and the university and athletic department have done absolutely nothing they claimed they were going to do when talk died out 4 years ago.

Like I said, the school is struggling for students right now and fighting that, fighting it well I might add, so the athletic move is not high on the priorities list.