Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Atlantic Ten and Colonial Athletic Association--two midmajors just trying to hang with the big boys

These two high midmajor conferences have much in common.  Both leagues have highly competitive basketball and are primarily made up of schools on the eastern seaboard.  Where these conferences differ is that the A-10 gets a lot more respect and far more respect than their brethren in the CAA.  In recent years it almost always seems that the team most deserving of an at-large bid to the dance to get left out comes from this league as the case in 2012 when St Bonaventure's victory in the A-10 tourney final cost Drexel a trip to the dance.  The CAA also differs somewhat in that it plays FCS football, albeit with many associate members from other conferences.

The loss of Temple by the A-10 means that now the contagion that is conference realignment has spread to the non-football conferences.  The A-10 as of yet has been cautious about expansion and hasn't been vocal about their plans but the internet rumor out there is that they are looking to go to 16 by adding Butler, VCU, and George Mason.  All three are darling Cinderella's that made it to the Final Four in the past decade and while I think the later two are good moves I disagree with the inclusion of Butler.  From what I've heard the midwestern schools (Xavier, Dayton, and St Louis) want a fourth Midwestern team but what I don't think the A-10 is realizing is the context of the Bulldogs' two-year long Cinderella story.  Indiana was under sanctions from the NCAA and thus their was a power vacuum in the basketball-crazy Hoosier State. They had a special coach in Brad Stevens and the leadership and performance of a few diamonds in the rough that the major programs overlooked such as Gordon Haywood.  They have also been playing in the Horizon where the competition and travel is far less rigorous than in the A-10.  Also, if you read my post on the potential split of the Big East and the creation of a Catholic League, the three Midwestern schools were all on my list of schools likely to be added with Xavier being a certain lock.  Why expand to accommodate members who are going to leave as soon as a better offer comes?  Personally, I think the A-10 would be better off only adding one school and holding at 14 for the time being or, if they insist on going to 16, picking up Hofstra or Drexel.  

As for the CAA, this conference is starting to bleed members.  Georgia St's departure will drop this league down to 11, and only 5 of those full members sponsor FCS football.  Defections by VCU and George Mason would drop the league to 9.  I think FCS football has to be a priority even though full members Delaware, Old Dominion, and James Madison have FBS aspirations.  Prying away Appalachian St from the SoCon would be a huge coup if the Mountaineers were interested.  Charlotte as a full member would also be a great addition but the 49ers want to play FBS ball so the marriage would only be temporary.  The Big South is probably the place to turn.  Football only affiliate Stony Brook, who plays in the America East for their other sports would make sense and help pull the conference footprint northern.  Liberty and Coastal Carolina are also options.  Coastal Carolina would also serve as a travel for the often disgruntled UNC-Wilmington Seahawks who dread seeing their league drift north.  The CAA could also go for the AmEast's jugular and take Stony Brook, New Hampshire, and Maine all in as full members.  Boston University of the AmEast, who doesn't play football, has also been tossed around as a travel partner for Northeastern.  Another off the wall candidate out there is Central Connecticut St who is the awkward lone state school in the private school NEC--taking them, with their FCS football would add both stability to the CAA without completely shaking up the conference home of football affiliates New Hampshire and Maine.  It's really hard to determine what the CAA will ultimately do as their are so many working parts--schools pushing to move the footprint north, schools pushing to move the footprint south, FBS aspirations, FCS stability, commitment to basketball...

No comments:

Post a Comment