MVCfans.com

Maybe it's time also in light of these new names to update the poll options. Seems to me Mr Schroeder wouldn't name drop without reason to do so. Who knows? Maybe Belmont was just playing it cool and just wanted to see how we'd adjust post-Wichita and now they like what they see and want to join. I say keep it simple: Murray and Belmont and if Belmont says no add NKU.

Give me Arlington. Easy, cheap flights from everywher in the Valley into Dallas for non-revenue sports.

Established 12th year head coach in Scott Cross with an almost .600 winning percentage while taking them from the Southland to the Sun Belt with a quick transition year in the WAC. Only 2 years below .500 in the league (2 7-9 years in the Southland in his first 5). They aren't Little Rock because Cross isn't bolting as soon as he can.

Pair them with NMSU and let's get this done. Apparently there are a bunch of cheap regional airlines to get from Dallas to Las Cruces for non-revenues. Plus going to 12 means that the eastern schools would probably only have to send Volleyball and WBB there every other year.

MBB obviously wouldn't be in divisions but if you split WBB and Volleyball east-west.

Why Arlington/SFA over Murray?

* 29 straight winning seasons
* 2 NCAA wins this decade
* 2 top 25 teams this decade
* History of losing by 1 possession to teams in NCAAs who make title game (Butler) or win it all (Kansas)
* Done over a span of several coaches (Gottfried, Cronin, Kennedy, Prohm)
* Reputation for fans travelling and outnumbering entire OVC combined in Nashville

I would be absolutely shocked if Murray State got left at the altar after how intense the courtship between them and the MVC got last year. The article even took time to mention that Murray State "fel like an MVC Institution" and even had the support of some MVC Coaches. Schools are always going to choose a school closer to their footprint than schools further away especially if that school would be isolated. Plus the further you stray from your footprint the more likely it is that a school gets poached. Murray State is already in at #11. Accept it. Embrace it. It's going to happen. I think it'll be between Belmont NKU and Milwaukee for the 12th spot. Quite frankly, that wouldn't make for a bad 14 team league if they were all on board. For all their warts Milwaukee is rising and would be a great upside addition to gamble on amid multiple quality additions.

Good news: Omaha not one of the 10 schools mentioned.

MissouriValleyUnite wrote:Good news: Omaha not one of the 10 schools mentioned.

Nor UIC UMKC or Oral Roberts. Getting those off the list is good.

SEMO and Denver are barftacular. SDSU GCU Oakland and UT-Arlington just don't make sense without another team The article spoke about Murray State as though they were a frontrunner. If they wanted Milwaukee they could have just taken them. This is between Belmont and Northern Kentucky. I take this article as a sign that Belmont may be coming around or that they are beginning to take NKU seriously, Either outcome is brilliant for the MVC.

Hard pass on anyone in the Southland. Tinier budges, horrible SoSs. I don't think anyone, even SFA, would survive a step up in class like that.

UTA would make sense if it wasn't for geography. I always though a UALR/UTA package deal wasn't the worst idea in the world, but UALR isn't peaking very well and UTA.....they've been a trendy mid-major for a few years now but haven't been able to keep sustained success going.

Also notable that South Dakota St is listed but North Dakota St isn’t.

Hard time seeing the Jackrabbits giving up the Sioux Falls tourney, but is Murray+South Dakota St on the table? I’d be fine with that.

MissouriValleyUnite wrote:Also notable that South Dakota St is listed but North Dakota St isn’t.

Hard time seeing the Jackrabbits giving up the Sioux Falls tourney, but is Murray+South Dakota St on the table? I’d be fine with that.

I think it would be very tough due to the tournament being there and they have 3 Dakota teams in the conference. I think they should leave but their proximity to important games will probably be to much for them to pull the trigger.