With the addition of men’s soccer, men’s golf and women’s golf to the Ohio Valley Conference for next year, and continued Horizon League membership for men’s and women’s tennis, this leaves a few sports without either conference membership or anything but an at large bid to nationals.

Neither track or cross country depend on a conference to qualify for nationals, so while a conference home would be welcomed, it doesn’t affect postseason opportunities. Track has had a number of All Americans in the last few years, and that achievement was not boosted by conference membership in any way.

That is 11 competitive seasons per year that have access to nationals. The four that do not are below-

Mens and women’s basketball are the biggest issue, of course. However, neither has been good enough to challenge for a national tournament recently. Alternatives such as the NIT and CBI/CIT type tournaments do provide opportunities however, if the wins were there.

Volleyball had been fairly successful in recent years and has a postseason bid as an at large team. The NCAA is a nice goal, but the NIVC is more realistic and Chicago has already proven they can achieve an at large bid to it, so the lack of a conference feels a little less pressing.

Women’s soccer is the other sport without a good postseason chance. Their level of play isn’t currently at the point of challenging for a national tournament, so it will likely not suffer from a lack of national tournament access for the time being.

Therefor, women’s soccer is the only CSU sport that that would depend on an NCAA at large bid for any postseason chance.

Current roster counts indicate 110 athletes that have access to NCAA National Championships, 58 do not (excluding alternative tournaments). Including alternative post season chances, it’s 158 with, 19 without barring an at large bid.

I think the administration needs to get things to where the athletes get to have a shot at a title of some sort in theory, at least. If you take away that, you take away the dream. But it will be a process. We are getting there gradually.