The 10-team WAC minus UTRGV is a solid mid-major basketball conference, if they can stay together. I hope they do.

Doubtful with all the movement coming up soon. Seattle, Cal Baptist, and Grand Canyon are all in danger of being poached by the WCC if Gonzaga leaves, and Tarleton is gearing up for an FBS move. The WAC could lose up to 4 more teams in the next year or 2. The WAC should be looking to add some schools soon. To be honest, the D2 prospects are better than anyone in the Southland.

(03-20-2024 09:30 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  

(03-20-2024 09:19 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  It gets the Southland up to 11 members with nine playing football. So that benefits them as they can have a full eight game schedule.

It drops the WAC to ten. It leaves them with four in Texas who are all fairly close to each other and sheds the more remote Texas school. That will help everyone on travel.

On the downside it kills their chances (for now) of sponsoring football as just five members field a team so they will have to keep the UAC alliance going and hope the ASUN doesn’t expand on their end.

It’s finally time Angelo State, Central Oklahoma, & West Texas A&M to move up from DII and UTA to restart football.

Those 4 + SFA/TSU/ACU/SUU/UTU would give the WAC 9 football members and they can let the ASUN figure out their own football needs. Maybe they can finally add UWF/Valdosta St. to get them to 7 + add 2 affiliates. (The Big South 2 or those 2 that left the NEC)

LIKE ^^^

Add UTD to list as a non-FB playmate for UTA...

(03-20-2024 09:30 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  

(03-20-2024 09:19 PM)AssKickingChicken Wrote:  It gets the Southland up to 11 members with nine playing football. So that benefits them as they can have a full eight game schedule.

It drops the WAC to ten. It leaves them with four in Texas who are all fairly close to each other and sheds the more remote Texas school. That will help everyone on travel.

On the downside it kills their chances (for now) of sponsoring football as just five members field a team so they will have to keep the UAC alliance going and hope the ASUN doesn’t expand on their end.

It’s finally time Angelo State, Central Oklahoma, & West Texas A&M to move up from DII and UTA to restart football.

I can’t recall who, but there’s one member here who’s very bullish on Central Oklahoma and their plans to expand their stadium. They’ve warned us to keep an eye on them as they ascend to FBS one day.

(03-20-2024 09:48 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  The Texas wing of the WAC is just frittering away to nothing.

The WAC and UTRGV was always a marriage of convenience. The WAC gave UTRGV a conference home and UTRGV gave the WAC a conference body. This marriage had to end at some point. The WAC still has UTA, Tarleton, SFA, and ACU. They will be a better basketball conference without UTRGV, and no one really wants to travel to the Valley.

The WAC will be fine with ten members but should be working actively to add two more as a hedge against further departures. Ideally both should be in or near Texas to balance the geography of the conference.

The obvious place to look for candidates is the D2 Lone Star conference, which has grown to an unwieldy 17 members and has two more incoming over the next two years. Most of the members are recent additions with enrollments under 5,000 students.

I think one of the oldest and largest Lone Star schools, West Texas A&M University, should continue to be a prime target. The Amarillo market has a metro population of over 300,000 and there are no other D1 schools in the vicinity. Even though Walter Wendler opposes a move up, he's 73 years old and won't be president forever. WTAMU enrollment is down 10% over the last three years, from over 9,000 to a bit over 8,000, and upgrading athletics could help turn the trend around. The school's recently built football stadium seats 8,500 but is designed to be expandable to 14,000. The men's basketball team plays in a modern 4,700-seat arena, is 29-4 this season, and has reached the Elite Eight of the D2 national championship tournament.

Angelo State University is another legacy Lone Star member with the potential to move up to the WAC. The San Angelo metro area population is over 120,000. ASU enrollment recently surpassed 11,000. The school's football stadium is undersized, seating only 5,700, but the basketball team plays in a 6,500-seat arena and the baseball team has a 4,200-seat on-campus stadium that was built with amenities suitable for a minor league pro team.

(03-20-2024 10:58 PM)Spolovilo4EVER Wrote:  The WAC is FAR ABOVE the ASUN and especially Southland. just look at the conference NET RANKINGS WAC #14 ( WAS 12) ASUN #26 Southland #27 RGV like Lamar could not be competitive in the WAC and joined a league that would give them a chance to be competitive. NO WAY ACU or SFA would rejoin the Southland.

Sure but if UTA, ACU, and SFA moved back to the SLC surely that would even out the NET ranking some. The SLC would gain 3 decent bball schools and the WAC would have to backfill with 3 unknowns.

A move for UTRGV that makes a lot of geographical sense and will save them a good amount of money for travel costs. This also brings back the Battle of South Texas as the Vaqueros are reunited with rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Not convinced this will lead to a mass exodus of other WAC Texas schools as people are speculating.

(03-20-2024 09:39 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  I wonder if they could get SFA to comeback to the SLC while theyre at it?

Could be wrong but in my opinion it's the same reason I don't see Oral Roberts return to the Southland. It would be a big step down in competition for them. Especially in hoops.

In Stephen F Austin's case moving back is essentially giving up on the FBS hopes too. Still believe SFA's goal in the future is to join CUSA. Same with Tarleton.

(03-20-2024 10:08 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(03-20-2024 09:41 PM)esayem Wrote:  North Texas has an interesting history. It seems like they wanted to follow Houston's footsteps into the SWC with Hayden Fry as their coach and they even played in Cowboys Stadium. This is before they joined the Southland.

Then known as North Texas State, the Eagles did play at Texas Stadium (not Cowboys Stadium, the placeholder name for Jerry World before AT&T) with hopes of additional SWC expansion that never came. Ironically, as they moved back on campus to play in I-AA, SMU moved from the Cotton Bowl to Texas Stadium, averaging almost 50,000 a game in 1978 and 1979.

Ah, okay. Thanks for the correction. I meant the one in Irving with the hole in the roof.

Without UTRGV, the WAC has 5 schools that sponsor soccer and 5 schools that sponsor football.

To be in compliance under current rules they need a 6th to sponsor either sport

The Summit is going to fall out of compliance after this sports year with WIU moving that program to the OVC with the others

It will be interesting to see what happens with that situation for these two conferences.

I also wouldnt be surprised if UT Arlington joined the Southland and gave them a 9/12 model.

(03-21-2024 11:15 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Without UTRGV, the WAC has 5 schools that sponsor soccer and 5 schools that sponsor football.

To be in compliance under current rules they need a 6th to sponsor either sport

The Summit is going to fall out of compliance after this sports year with WIU moving that program to the OVC with the others

It will be interesting to see what happens with that situation for these two conferences.

I also wouldnt be surprised if UT Arlington joined the Southland and gave them a 9/12 model.

The WAC still has UNLV, SJSU, and Air Force as affiliate members for men's soccer, so they are okay for now. The WAC does not sponsor football. The WAC football schools are part of the United Athletic Conference.

Here where WAC could look.

Texas Woman's is co-ed 15,877
Angelo State 10,928
UTT 9317
West Texas A&M 9241
Texas A&M International 8505
Texas A&M-Kingsville 6092
UTPB 5848
Midwestern State 5784
Eastern New Mexico 4991
Dallas Baptist 4348
Cameron 3418
UTD 31,570
Fort Hays State 14,102
UCO 13,250
UAFS 5379
Metro State 16,995
Colo-Colo. Springs 11,439
Colo. Christian 8964
Colo. Mesa 8905
Colo. Mines 7408
CSU-Pueblo 6617
Regis 4668

They could go further east into Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri.

I doubt UTA would want to go to Southland but I would be all for the move, gets rid of the only eastern team without football. D2 prospects out west are extremely limited is the problem and doubtful anyone else wants to leave the Big Sky. N Col would be the only possibility and that is trading one bottom dweller for another. As far as the Southland, McNeese burned their bridge and it would be a hard pass on any of the other LA schools. UIW we did not really want anyway and they burned their bridge as well. HCU is a big HELL NO and A&M CC does not play football and does not help. A&M Commerce is unattractive and belongs in the Southland with the other uglies. The D2 candidates have far move upside than anyone in the Southland. The Southland is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to D1. I think the Top 5 candidates the WAC will go after is West Texas A&M, Angelo State, Colorado Mesa, Colorado School of Mines, Central Oklahoma. The only other D1 candidates I could see as a remote possibility, but highly doubtful, would be Weber and Central Arkansas.

(03-21-2024 11:30 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:15 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Without UTRGV, the WAC has 5 schools that sponsor soccer and 5 schools that sponsor football.

To be in compliance under current rules they need a 6th to sponsor either sport

The Summit is going to fall out of compliance after this sports year with WIU moving that program to the OVC with the others

It will be interesting to see what happens with that situation for these two conferences.

I also wouldnt be surprised if UT Arlington joined the Southland and gave them a 9/12 model.

The WAC still has UNLV, SJSU, and Air Force as affiliate members for men's soccer, so they are okay for now. The WAC does not sponsor football. The WAC football schools are part of the United Athletic Conference.

Key phrase, For now, Relying on the MWC schools long term is very risky.

Also if I'm not mistaken, the UAC isn't officially recognized by the NCAA
https://web.archive.org/web/202307050526...st-denied/

So the WAC is technically the conference under which the UAC league secures the auto bid.

(03-21-2024 12:08 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:30 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:15 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Without UTRGV, the WAC has 5 schools that sponsor soccer and 5 schools that sponsor football.

To be in compliance under current rules they need a 6th to sponsor either sport

The Summit is going to fall out of compliance after this sports year with WIU moving that program to the OVC with the others

It will be interesting to see what happens with that situation for these two conferences.

I also wouldnt be surprised if UT Arlington joined the Southland and gave them a 9/12 model.

The WAC still has UNLV, SJSU, and Air Force as affiliate members for men's soccer, so they are okay for now. The WAC does not sponsor football. The WAC football schools are part of the United Athletic Conference.

Key phrase, For now, Relying on the MWC schools long term is very risky.

Also if I'm not mistaken, the UAC isn't officially recognized by the NCAA
https://web.archive.org/web/202307050526...st-denied/

So the WAC is technically the conference under which the UAC league secures the auto bid.

Actually the ASUN owns the autobid. At least that is my understanding from what I read last year.

(03-21-2024 12:12 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 12:08 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:30 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:15 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Without UTRGV, the WAC has 5 schools that sponsor soccer and 5 schools that sponsor football.

To be in compliance under current rules they need a 6th to sponsor either sport

The Summit is going to fall out of compliance after this sports year with WIU moving that program to the OVC with the others

It will be interesting to see what happens with that situation for these two conferences.

I also wouldnt be surprised if UT Arlington joined the Southland and gave them a 9/12 model.

The WAC still has UNLV, SJSU, and Air Force as affiliate members for men's soccer, so they are okay for now. The WAC does not sponsor football. The WAC football schools are part of the United Athletic Conference.

Key phrase, For now, Relying on the MWC schools long term is very risky.

Also if I'm not mistaken, the UAC isn't officially recognized by the NCAA
https://web.archive.org/web/202307050526...st-denied/

So the WAC is technically the conference under which the UAC league secures the auto bid.

Actually the ASUN owns the autobid. At least that is my understanding from what I read last year.

The ASUN WAC challenge was under the WAC correct? The ASUN schools basically joined the WAC as affiliates. Wouldnt the UAC just be a continuation of this with more formal structure separating it from the sponsoring conference....a la CAA and CAA Football?

(03-21-2024 12:19 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 12:12 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 12:08 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:30 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:15 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Without UTRGV, the WAC has 5 schools that sponsor soccer and 5 schools that sponsor football.

To be in compliance under current rules they need a 6th to sponsor either sport

The Summit is going to fall out of compliance after this sports year with WIU moving that program to the OVC with the others

It will be interesting to see what happens with that situation for these two conferences.

I also wouldnt be surprised if UT Arlington joined the Southland and gave them a 9/12 model.

The WAC still has UNLV, SJSU, and Air Force as affiliate members for men's soccer, so they are okay for now. The WAC does not sponsor football. The WAC football schools are part of the United Athletic Conference.

Key phrase, For now, Relying on the MWC schools long term is very risky.

Also if I'm not mistaken, the UAC isn't officially recognized by the NCAA
https://web.archive.org/web/202307050526...st-denied/

So the WAC is technically the conference under which the UAC league secures the auto bid.

Actually the ASUN owns the autobid. At least that is my understanding from what I read last year.

The ASUN WAC challenge was under the WAC correct? The ASUN schools basically joined the WAC as affiliates. Wouldnt the UAC just be a continuation of this with more formal structure separating it from the sponsoring conference....a la CAA and CAA Football?

The opposite. The ASUN still has their football auto-bid with the WAC schools as affiliates.

(03-21-2024 12:08 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:30 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:15 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Without UTRGV, the WAC has 5 schools that sponsor soccer and 5 schools that sponsor football.

To be in compliance under current rules they need a 6th to sponsor either sport

The Summit is going to fall out of compliance after this sports year with WIU moving that program to the OVC with the others

It will be interesting to see what happens with that situation for these two conferences.

I also wouldnt be surprised if UT Arlington joined the Southland and gave them a 9/12 model.

The WAC still has UNLV, SJSU, and Air Force as affiliate members for men's soccer, so they are okay for now. The WAC does not sponsor football. The WAC football schools are part of the United Athletic Conference.

Key phrase, For now, Relying on the MWC schools long term is very risky.

Also if I'm not mistaken, the UAC isn't officially recognized by the NCAA
https://web.archive.org/web/202307050526...st-denied/

So the WAC is technically the conference under which the UAC league secures the auto bid.

The WAC will have nine men's soccer schools in 2024. San Diego State is joining the WAC for men's soccer in 2024. They were in the Pac-12. The WAC usually puts two schools into the NCAA men's tournament, so it is a good soccer conference. The MWC schools have been members since 2013. They could leave eventually if there is a merger of the Pac-2 & MWC, but who knows when and if that is going to happen.

The WAC does not currently sponsor football. The WAC football schools are in the UAC, with Oliver Luck as the Commissioner. I have no idea if there will eventually be a WAC football conference, but there is no WAC football league at this point.

(03-21-2024 11:34 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  Here where WAC could look.
Texas Woman's is co-ed 15,877

TWU has no men's sports. Apparently, Title IX rules don't apply.

(03-21-2024 01:01 PM)DFW HOYA Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:34 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  Here where WAC could look.
Texas Woman's is co-ed 15,877

TWU has no men's sports. Apparently, Title IX rules don't apply.

It is still basically a Women's College - over 90% female