With today’s announcement that the MAAC is adding Sacred Heart and Merrimack next season, wondering which conference Stag fans would like to see the school in. Of course, we have to make the assumption that the AE, CAA, A-10 or Patriot would take us as a member if we applied, which is definitely not a given.
I tried to include the conferences that make the most sense geographically. If someone votes other, please state which conference you think Fairfield belongs in.
Post by alsostagparty on Oct 23, 2023 15:11:14 GMT -5
My preference would be A10 just because of the caliber of competition. That may be a pipe dream. Ideally I would like a newly created conference wooing Catholic schools which have a good D1 basketball history away from the A10, Patriot, etc. The model would be the Big East in its infancy.
Last Edit: Oct 23, 2023 15:16:34 GMT -5 by alsostagparty
My preference would be A10 just because of the caliber of competition. That may be a pipe dream. Ideally I would like a newly created conference wooing Catholic schools which have a good D1 basketball history away from the A10, Patriot, etc. The model would be the Big East in its infancy.
I don’t think a newly created conference gets an automatic(c) bid immediately. The NCAA has lots of requirements that existing conferences must be sure to meet to retain their automatic(c) bid to the national tournament. I don’t think any university president wants to forgo their school’s unit from the NCAAT for however many years the NCAA says this new conference must wait before it receives an automatic(c) bid, if ever.
Post by alsostagparty on Oct 23, 2023 15:50:25 GMT -5
I’d wait four years to be recognized by the NCAA for an automatic. The MAAC is being watered down. Look at MAAC members now vs. when it began. No comparison…and it has been a slow transition that we allowed to happen, chipping away one little change at a time. We used to have strong rivalries with Holy Cross and Fordham. Now they won’t even play us. I’m sorry but Fairfield is beginning to look out of place among the schools in the new MAAC. Will they soon be our peers in academics as well, or at lease viewed as such by people who don’t know the school? What do they say about the company you keep?
Last Edit: Oct 23, 2023 16:09:15 GMT -5 by alsostagparty
I say stay in the MAAC for now and win! Once you develop a consistent winning program then look to move. Right now The patriot league( my strategic preference) does not want FF. We have little in common with AE ( state institutions) and the CAA and it’s southern schools do nothing for me. The A-10 is a pipe dream perpetuated by Gene Doris .
I’d wait four years to be recognized by the NCAA for an automati. The MAAC is being watered down.
Please provide the link showing that a newly created conference receives an automatic(c) bid to the NCAAT if they wait 4 years. I think you’re confusing a school going from D2 to D1 with colleges creating a brand new conference. Even if you’re right about a new conference getting an automatic(c) bid after 4 years, I don’t think any university president or AD would want to go 4 years without the potential of being in the NCAAT or receiving their share of the conference’s haul from the NCAAT.
Note: An oddity of this message board is if you write automati without writing automatic(c) bid, it posts as automati.
As previously stated, FF needs to grab Northeastern and approach the Patriot League for admission. There is NO WAY Northeastern is happy with the ridiculous travel and the expansion in the CAA. Fairfield would give the Patriot League 10 for Lacrosse. (Northeastern does NOT have Lacrosse) The Patriot League has only 6 Baseball programs, so the addition of Fairfield and Northeastern would give them 8. They have 7 for softball and the addition of Fairfield would give them 8. (Northeastern does NOT have Softball. Men's and Women's Basketball would be 2 six team Divisions, North and South. Fairfield, Northeastern, Boston University, Holy Cross, Army, and Colgate in the North and Bucknell, Lafayette, Lehigh, Loyola, Navy, and American in the South. Its where FAIRFIELD BELONGS and the entry of Fairfield and Northeastern is certainly more attractive to the Patriot League than any other additions. IMO, FF needs to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
As previously stated, FF needs to grab Northeastern and approach the Patriot League for admission. There is NO WAY Northeastern is happy with the ridiculous travel and the expansion in the CAA. Fairfield would give the Patriot League 10 for Lacrosse. (Northeastern does NOT have Lacrosse) The Patriot League has only 6 Baseball programs, so the addition of Fairfield and Northeastern would give them 8. They have 7 for softball and the addition of Fairfield would give them 8. (Northeastern does NOT have Softball. Men's and Women's Basketball would be 2 six team Divisions, North and South. Fairfield, Northeastern, Boston University, Holy Cross, Army, and Colgate in the North and Bucknell, Lafayette, Lehigh, Loyola, Navy, and American in the South. Its where FAIRFIELD BELONGS and the entry of Fairfield and Northeastern is certainly more attractive to the Patriot League than any other additions. IMO, FF needs to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
My preference is also the Patriot at this point but I can’t imagine they’d put Army in one division and Navy in the other division.
Post by reindeerfan on Oct 23, 2023 16:45:44 GMT -5
Big East wasn't a choice but that would have been my vote . I mean as long as we get to choose But we don't. We have had no better options for 40 years.
The bottom line is we are in the MAAC because no better opportunities have come along. The idea that we have some say is silly. We take the first good offer that comes along if one ever does. I haven't been big on the Patriot but at this point, it is better than the MAAC. A10 if my dream, that's not happening though. Neither is the big east.
People in the administration are still telling me we are going to the CAA despite the cricket sounds coming from Richmond. Not ideal but better than the MAAC