Wanted to separate this from the other OVC threads as this is a D1 realignment move. Press conference forthcoming in the morning

IIRC, David St. called this way back when

Guess we need a countdown clock for OVC Hockey

Lindenwood
Tennessee State
UA-Huntsville
Alaska and UA-Anchorage as associate members

I'd never heard of this university until I read this post. Turns out it has 8,000 students and is the second-oldest college or university west of the Mississippi river.

Without knowing anything about them, I would guess they are likely better off staying in D2. Moves to D1 typically just cost a lot of money. Lindenwood isn't UCF 25 years ago, adding a thousand students a year in enrollment.

Be interesting to see which conference they end up in, they do sponsor football.

Lindenwood make a huge mistake by moving to D2 in the first place. When they were NAIA, they should have gone straight to D1. D2 has just been a waste of their time.

If it is this Lindenwood, they are a College Rugby power. Currently ranked #2 in the D1A Rugby Top 25.

https://www.facebook.com/lindenwoodrugby...577548324/

(02-23-2022 08:17 AM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  Guess we need a countdown clock for OVC Hockey

Lindenwood
Tennessee State
UA-Huntsville
Alaska and UA-Anchorage as associate members

I wish people would stop talking about Tennessee State hockey. Their study said the same thing every study said- "Sure, if you can pay $30M+ in start up funds, it could work here." Great. Where's the $30M?

The University of Alabama system does not want to sponsor hockey in Huntsville. The community has rallied around it, but the system has finally found the golden ticket to killing it- a conference requirement.

Lindenwood hockey is likely dead now that their money will need to go to a D1 upgrade in all sports.

Anchorage has a one year stay of execution. That isn't a sustainable way to run a program. What recruit is going to commit to a school that only has one year of funding?

(02-23-2022 08:38 AM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:17 AM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  Guess we need a countdown clock for OVC Hockey

Lindenwood
Tennessee State
UA-Huntsville
Alaska and UA-Anchorage as associate members

I wish people would stop talking about Tennessee State hockey. Their study said the same thing every study said- "Sure, if you can pay $30M+ in start up funds, it could work here." Great. Where's the $30M?

The University of Alabama system does not want to sponsor hockey in Huntsville. The community has rallied around it, but the system has finally found the golden ticket to killing it- a conference requirement.

Lindenwood hockey is likely dead now that their money will need to go to a D1 upgrade in all sports.

Anchorage has a one year stay of execution. That isn't a sustainable way to run a program. What recruit is going to commit to a school that only has one year of funding?

Doubtful. They have been waiting for the right moment to go D1 so I’m sure it’s all in the plan. They have never taken many steps backwards and I am sure they won’t on hockey now.

(02-23-2022 08:19 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  I'd never heard of this university until I read this post. Turns out it has 8,000 students and is the second-oldest college or university west of the Mississippi river.

Without knowing anything about them, I would guess they are likely better off staying in D2. Moves to D1 typically just cost a lot of money. Lindenwood isn't UCF 25 years ago, adding a thousand students a year in enrollment.

And that's why they wanted to go Division I.

(02-23-2022 08:38 AM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:17 AM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  Guess we need a countdown clock for OVC Hockey

Lindenwood
Tennessee State
UA-Huntsville
Alaska and UA-Anchorage as associate members

I wish people would stop talking about Tennessee State hockey. Their study said the same thing every study said- "Sure, if you can pay $30M+ in start up funds, it could work here." Great. Where's the $30M?

The University of Alabama system does not want to sponsor hockey in Huntsville. The community has rallied around it, but the system has finally found the golden ticket to killing it- a conference requirement.

Lindenwood hockey is likely dead now that their money will need to go to a D1 upgrade in all sports.

Anchorage has a one year stay of execution. That isn't a sustainable way to run a program. What recruit is going to commit to a school that only has one year of funding?

Is Tennessee State hockey officially a no go due to cost?
NHL and Preds should have moved mountains to make that a reality.

(02-23-2022 08:53 AM)solohawks Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:38 AM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:17 AM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  Guess we need a countdown clock for OVC Hockey

Lindenwood
Tennessee State
UA-Huntsville
Alaska and UA-Anchorage as associate members

I wish people would stop talking about Tennessee State hockey. Their study said the same thing every study said- "Sure, if you can pay $30M+ in start up funds, it could work here." Great. Where's the $30M?

The University of Alabama system does not want to sponsor hockey in Huntsville. The community has rallied around it, but the system has finally found the golden ticket to killing it- a conference requirement.

Lindenwood hockey is likely dead now that their money will need to go to a D1 upgrade in all sports.

Anchorage has a one year stay of execution. That isn't a sustainable way to run a program. What recruit is going to commit to a school that only has one year of funding?

Is Tennessee State hockey officially a no go due to cost?
NHL and Preds should have moved mountains to make that a reality.

The Nashville media (I'm a member) has not reported on the effort since the news broke that TSU and the Preds were exploring the idea. I don't foresee it happening. But if done correctly, it could be a cool move for TSU.

Lindenwood offers an endowment of about $130 million. Very respectable for a smallish private university.

Saint Louis University is the oldest U.S. university located west of the Miss River. Lindenwood is the second oldest (as Quo noted).

(02-23-2022 08:49 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:19 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  I'd never heard of this university until I read this post. Turns out it has 8,000 students and is the second-oldest college or university west of the Mississippi river.

Without knowing anything about them, I would guess they are likely better off staying in D2. Moves to D1 typically just cost a lot of money. Lindenwood isn't UCF 25 years ago, adding a thousand students a year in enrollment.

And that's why they wanted to go Division I.

JB, I am very doubtful that Lindenwood is going to start adding a thousand students a year, or more or less any students a year, as a result of moving from the GVCL (or whatever it is) to the OVC (whatever that is, LOL).

UCF was already, before D1 football, enrolling a thousand more students a year. In my experience, that is typically how a move to D1 works, it is an effect of rising enrollment and growth, not a cause.

(02-23-2022 08:59 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Lindenwood offers an endowment of about $130 million. Very respectable for a smallish private university.

Saint Louis University is the oldest U.S. university located west of the Miss River. Lindenwood is the second oldest (as Quo noted).

Sounds like if they grow properly and succeed at D1, the MVC will come knocking at their door

(02-23-2022 09:00 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:49 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:19 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  I'd never heard of this university until I read this post. Turns out it has 8,000 students and is the second-oldest college or university west of the Mississippi river.

Without knowing anything about them, I would guess they are likely better off staying in D2. Moves to D1 typically just cost a lot of money. Lindenwood isn't UCF 25 years ago, adding a thousand students a year in enrollment.

And that's why they wanted to go Division I.

JB, I am very doubtful that Lindenwood is going to start adding a thousand students a year, or more or less any students a year, as a result of moving from the GVCL (or whatever it is) to the OVC (whatever that is, LOL).

its not about growth over the next 5-10 years. its about surviving the enrollment crash. Lindenwood just classed themselves with the top 500 or so colleges.

(02-23-2022 09:00 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:49 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:19 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  I'd never heard of this university until I read this post. Turns out it has 8,000 students and is the second-oldest college or university west of the Mississippi river.

Without knowing anything about them, I would guess they are likely better off staying in D2. Moves to D1 typically just cost a lot of money. Lindenwood isn't UCF 25 years ago, adding a thousand students a year in enrollment.

And that's why they wanted to go Division I.

JB, I am very doubtful that Lindenwood is going to start adding a thousand students a year, or more or less any students a year, as a result of moving from the GVCL (or whatever it is) to the OVC (whatever that is, LOL).

UCF was already, before D1 football, enrolling a thousand more students a year. In my experience, that is typically how a move to D1 works, it is an effect of rising enrollment and growth, not a cause.

Late 80’s-early 90’s era Lindenwood had less than a thousand students.

Since you’ve never heard of the place, here’s some background.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/cg...nt_reports

(02-23-2022 08:12 AM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  IIRC, David St. called this way back when

When did he specifically say that they were going to join the OVC in 2022?

(02-23-2022 09:20 AM)Todor Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 09:00 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:49 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:19 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  I'd never heard of this university until I read this post. Turns out it has 8,000 students and is the second-oldest college or university west of the Mississippi river.

Without knowing anything about them, I would guess they are likely better off staying in D2. Moves to D1 typically just cost a lot of money. Lindenwood isn't UCF 25 years ago, adding a thousand students a year in enrollment.

And that's why they wanted to go Division I.

JB, I am very doubtful that Lindenwood is going to start adding a thousand students a year, or more or less any students a year, as a result of moving from the GVCL (or whatever it is) to the OVC (whatever that is, LOL).

UCF was already, before D1 football, enrolling a thousand more students a year. In my experience, that is typically how a move to D1 works, it is an effect of rising enrollment and growth, not a cause.

Late 80’s-early 90’s era Lindenwood had less than a thousand students.

Since you’ve never heard of the place, here’s some background.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/cg...nt_reports

Right, but that growth basically happened in the 1990s. That 1997 reports says that in 1998 or 1999, enrollment is projected to be about 8k, basically the same as it is today, 23 years later.

And dovetailing what I said above, this growth apparently happened while the school was in the NAIA. It didn't happen as a result of big moves up in athletics, at least none I can see.

Lindenwood can do what they want, of course, but IMO the past track record of move-ups shows that typically, these moves just cost the school more money without commensurate benefits. But every school that does it thinks it will be the next UCF, etc.

(02-23-2022 09:17 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 09:00 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:49 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(02-23-2022 08:19 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  I'd never heard of this university until I read this post. Turns out it has 8,000 students and is the second-oldest college or university west of the Mississippi river.

Without knowing anything about them, I would guess they are likely better off staying in D2. Moves to D1 typically just cost a lot of money. Lindenwood isn't UCF 25 years ago, adding a thousand students a year in enrollment.

And that's why they wanted to go Division I.

JB, I am very doubtful that Lindenwood is going to start adding a thousand students a year, or more or less any students a year, as a result of moving from the GVCL (or whatever it is) to the OVC (whatever that is, LOL).

its not about growth over the next 5-10 years. its about surviving the enrollment crash. Lindenwood just classed themselves with the top 500 or so colleges.

In the minds of who, and by what definition of 'top'? E.g., the Ivy League schools are FCS, not FBS, but they are at the top of the heap. They'd remain at the top if they dropped down to D3.Heck, by US News, Lindenwood already is a top 500 school, they are ranked like in the top 400 category for national universities.

I just have grave doubts that any kids turning 18 in 2024 are going to say to themselves "oh, Lindenwood wasn't on my radar, but now that they have joined the Mighty OVC, well, I'm applying!"

What is IMO much more likely is that salaries for athletic staff will go up, now that they have the D1 label.

But I've been wrong before. Good luck to Lindenwood, they seem to be a fine, venerable institution.