https://delawarestatenews.net/sport/dels...g-in-meac/

Read: the NEC and any other conferences they reached out to turned them down.

If not for the Howard President, this league would’ve been history.

(07-02-2020 09:11 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  If not for the Howard President, this league would’ve been history.

It could still very well be history within the next year, if Howard or another school manages to escape or someone drops to DII.

To remain certified as a D1 conference, doesn't the MEAC still need to have an additional school that offers baseball to meet the minimum number for an automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Tournament? Don't they also need that baseball team in order to sponsor the minimum number of men's sports? Does the MEAC also need a seventh football member, or is six enough for football to qualify as a conference-sponsored sport?

Delaware State staying is good news for the league's survival, but the MEAC isn't out of the woods yet.

(07-02-2020 09:45 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  To remain certified as a D1 conference, doesn't the MEAC still need to have an additional school that offers baseball to meet the minimum number for an automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Tournament? Don't they also need that baseball team in order to sponsor the minimum number of men's sports? Does the MEAC also need a seventh football member, or is six enough for football to qualify as a conference-sponsored sport?

Delaware State staying is good news for the league's survival, but the MEAC isn't out of the woods yet.

They're short on baseball, but I think they can be out of compliance for 2 years and still qualify. They have the bare minimum of necessary FB members for FCS.

(07-02-2020 09:07 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Read: the NEC and any other conferences they reached out to turned them down.

I'd assume that, but, then, there's this in that article...

Quote:Wilson pointed out that DSU has several staff members who have roles in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. That list is led by DelState faculty member Charlie Wilson, who will be the MEAC’s president for the next two years.

I wouldn't put it past DSU having made a decision out of pride and optics for the MEAC because of that relationship.

(07-02-2020 09:49 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 09:07 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Read: the NEC and any other conferences they reached out to turned them down.

I'd assume that, but, then, there's this in that article...

Quote:Wilson pointed out that DSU has several staff members who have roles in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. That list is led by DelState faculty member Charlie Wilson, who will be the MEAC’s president for the next two years.

I wouldn't put it past DSU having made a decision out of pride and optics for the MEAC because of that relationship.

Could also be a “not yet” answer by the NEC, Delaware St, or both

Bingo! "not yet" is probably the real answer. And it's more because of the calendar and when RMU, FAMU and BCU moved that it didn't leave anywhere near enough time on the clock to go through the full vetting process to get an invite.

But having missed the deadline to jump starting July 1st 2021, they now have almost 12 months to get things set up to join July 1st 2022.

Norfolk State, NCCU, and SC State all know this too. But they too will look for an exit. But until they have that exit, like Howard they will praise the MEAC, the HBCU conference experience for their students, athletes and alumni, and say this is where they want to be. BUt when they have their ticket ... different tune.

(07-02-2020 10:20 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 09:49 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 09:07 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Read: the NEC and any other conferences they reached out to turned them down.

I'd assume that, but, then, there's this in that article...

Quote:Wilson pointed out that DSU has several staff members who have roles in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. That list is led by DelState faculty member Charlie Wilson, who will be the MEAC’s president for the next two years.

I wouldn't put it past DSU having made a decision out of pride and optics for the MEAC because of that relationship.

Could also be a “not yet” answer by the NEC, Delaware St, or both

How embarrassing it would be if it was DSU who suddenly asked to pump the brakes?

And I can see DSU doing that. I think there is some division there between alumni, faculty, and leadership. I mean, heck, while one side has looked beyond HBCU, you have a faculty member leading MEAC.

It wouldn’t surprise me if one side raced ahead, and when it got too real that change was about to happen, folks screamed to stick with MEAC.

I think if NEC was really not interested, they would have responded better than they did.

(07-02-2020 09:45 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  To remain certified as a D1 conference, doesn't the MEAC still need to have an additional school that offers baseball to meet the minimum number for an automatic bid to the NCAA Baseball Tournament? Don't they also need that baseball team in order to sponsor the minimum number of men's sports? ...

No, if you sponsor Basketball and FCS Football, that's enough men's team sports. Basketball and two men's team sports is for non-FB conferences.

I think I recall reading the Basketball autobid rules, that you do need a men's team sport other than basketball with six multi-sport members to qualify for the autobid ... that is also FCS football, but is why they can't do something like just blessing SC State to toddle off the to ASUN and letting them keep playing FCS football in the MEAC.

They do lose the baseball autobid in two year's time if they can't find an all-sport add that plays baseball or -- and I don't know where in the world they would find this -- a baseball affiliate.