Robert Morris Considering Options to Leave Northeast Conference. Top contenders are the Horizon and MAAC. RMU is from Pittsburgh.... that is not good for the MAAC.
Pittsburgh Sports Now has learned that Robert Morris has also been considering joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and that as recently as this winter, the MAAC was seen by some in the athletics department as a better fit for RMU...That conference, with teams in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, is made up of exclusively private schools, with endowments ranging from $32 to $388 million. The closest opponents in the MAAC would be Niagara and Canisius near Buffalo, New York....
Ensor's MAAC is becoming the NEC 2.0
Marist from the NEC in 1997 Rider from the NEC in 1997 Monmouth from the NEC in 2013 Quinnipiac from the NEC in 2013
Robert Morris from the NEC in ?? Wagner from the NEC in ??
Former Members that left the MAAC Army to the Patriot in 1990 Fordham to the Patriot in 1990 Holy Cross to the Patriot in 1990 La Salle to the A-10 in 1992 Loyola Maryland to the Patriot in 2013
Last season Robert Morris Men's Basketball averaged 1,770 fans at home in their $50 million 4,000 seat UPMC Center. The Stags averaged 1,670 last season.
Robert Morris University has been a part of the NEC since 1988 and has done a remarkable job of consistently competing for conference championships. During that time, the Colonials have appeared in six NCAA Tournaments, picking up a First Four win over fellow 16-seed North Florida back in 2015. The Colonials also took 2-seed Villanova to overtime in 2010, which would have been a major upset. The team has finished near the top of the conference almost regularly in the past few decades, but how would they fare by changing leagues?
The Horizon League includes Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Wisconsin–Green Bay, IUPUI, Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Illinois-Chicago, Wright State, Youngstown State.
After reading the article it would seem to me that RMU is bound for Horizon league. The 11 team imbalance in the Horizon league if RMU moves is really not an issue. The MAAC has handled the 11 team set -up very well come tournament time.
I did not remember how far west RMU really is until I looked on goggle maps. Travel to RMU really makes no sense for the MAAC schools who are primarily located in the tri-State area around NYC with the exception of NU/Canisus.
And, if you're keeping score at home, Robert Morris is NOT in the Forbes TOP 600 colleges or universities in the Nation. They'll fit right in with Monmouth, Niagara, and St Peter's.
Fairfield to Robert Morris University - 445 miles (18 miles past Pittsburgh, PA on I-79)
Fairfield to Niagara - 444 miles Fairfield to Canisius -425 miles
Fairfield to Siena - 145 miles Fairfield to Monmouth - 125 miles Fairfield to Rider - 115 miles
Fairfield to Marist - 80 miles Fairfield to St. Peter's - 65 miles Fairfield to Manhattan - 50 miles Fairfield to Iona - 40 miles Fairfield to Quinnipiac - 35 miles
I’m against RMU joining the MAAC. It would mean increased travel budget in a time schools are looking to cut back that expense. Also RMU would have the lowest endowment in the MAAC and $$ is an important measure of future success. Low academic profile and name recognition.
