We’ve heard discussion dating back months about the Great South and USA South, including possible mergers. The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer ran a story today stating that the USA South has spoken with Huntingdon, LaGrange and Piedmont.
Two years ago, four of the Great South members (the three above and Maryville, Tenn.) met with the USAC commissioner and were received favorably before the schools’ presidents shot them down. Since then, of course, the USAC has booted Chowan, which elected to leave D-III entirely. In basketball and in most men’s sports, they are down to seven members, the bare minimum to receive an automatic bid.
Those four GSAC members may still drop out of the conference and go elsewhere as a group. Perhaps they can pull Oglethorpe out of the SCAC or some teams out of the ASC and reach seven that way. But if the USAC adds the GSAC’s four in some way, shape or form, the league runs the risk of losing Shenandoah and Christopher Newport to travel issues.
In women’s sports, the conference is in good shape, with Peace, Mary Baldwin and most recently Meredith added to the league. There has been zero talk of what would happen with the GSAC’s women’s schools: Agnes Scott, Spelman and Wesleyan (Ga.). Add those three to Peace, Meredith and Mary Baldwin gives six teams to a South Region women’s conference, with Salem College in North Carolina in the D-III membership pipeline. Hollins or Randolph-Macon Woman’s College could be enticed out of the ODAC if needed as well.
At one point, the thought was that the four GSAC schools could pull Louisiana College and Mississippi College out of the ASC and get closer to seven teams that way.
If Shenandoah and Christopher Newport were to leave the USA South, where would they go? There’s been plenty of talk about Shenandoah and the MAC, and the CAC would be a possibility for either school (though both would have to find a home for football). The CAC’s public/private split is already somewhat contentious, however, and CNU would probably struggle to find a home and remain in Division III.
I don’t know what’s going on here but it is clear to me that for whatever reasons the ADs at LaGrange, Maryville, Huntingdon and Piedmont no longer want to be associated with Fisk, Agnes Scott, Spelman and Wesleyan in the GSAC. That’s fine, but they are certainly handling it in a less than dignified manner.
Just because they might not want to be associated with your alma mater anymore doesn’t mean “they are certainly handling it in a less than dignified manner.”
You’ve got to read between the lines Pat.
I am, but I am also not taking it personally. 🙂
You are right Pat…