Duquesne to NEC

[UAalum72]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says starting in 2008.

 

They'll be adding scholarships. Will probably strengthen the NEC for the time being, for as long as Albany stays in it.

[GreatDanes06]

with the loss of Stony Brook, this is a solid pick-up for the conference. Like you said however, depends how much it will effect UAlbany being that they are looking to upgrade as well. Nice new market to tap into...Western Pennsylvania.

[Dane Pound]

Seems like good news to me and another sign that the conference is looking to improve. The four teams remaining in the MAAC might have to start playing each other twice a season starting in 2008.

[GreatDanes06]

DP...I think this will be the final blow to MAAC football. La Salle, Marist, Iona and St. Peter's will leave by 2008. All four would be nice additions to NEC football (maybe even create two division, with the winners playing in a championship game)

 

ok, time to play around:

 

North Division

UAlbany

Marist

Duquesne

C. Conn St.

Sacred Heart

St. Francis

 

South

Monmouth

Iona

La Salle

St. Peter's

Robert Morris

Wagner

[Dane Pound]

Agreed. They've been hanging by a thread for a while. I thought Marist might be a candidate for the NEC as well. They seemed more committed to it than Iona, Lasalle or St. Petes.

 

Duquense should have made this move five years ago if they would have seen the writing on wall. Maybe they just enjoyed winning those 10 MAAC conference championships in 12 years. Those days should be over when they move to the NEC.

[GODANESGO]

Happy to see this. Adds a nice name to our conference as well as a fun, though long, place for a road trip to catch a game.

 

As an aside, when I saw the thread title I didn't realize it was football and not basketball. My jaw about hit the floor until I read the whole thing..ha.

[danefan]

I see the NEC in 2008 more like this:

 

Duquesne

C. Conn St.

Sacred Heart

St. Francis

Monmouth

Iona

Robert Morris

Wagner

 

 

 

I think UA will be somewhere else. (maybe the Big South?? who knows).

 

We shall see!!!!!!

[danefan]

Agreed. They've been hanging by a thread for a while. I thought Marist might be a candidate for the NEC as well. They seemed more committed to it than Iona, Lasalle or St. Petes.

 

Duquense should have made this move five years ago if they would have seen the writing on wall. Maybe they just enjoyed winning those 10 MAAC conference championships in 12 years. Those days should be over when they move to the NEC.

 

 

Marist won't go to the NEC out of spite. The admins think the NEC schools are below their academic standards. If Marist goes anywhere, it will be to the Patriot. I'll think they'll drop football before going to the PFL or NEC

[UAalum72]

If you wanted a football road trip to western PA, we've alway had Robert Morris every other year, as well as St. Francis. I hope we don't have to budget for travelling three times in one year - though that's what RMU and SFUPA have to do.

 

Marist fans generally don't seem to want to play the NEC, but they're running out of options.

[GODANESGO]

If you wanted a football road trip to western PA, we've alway had Robert Morris every other year, as well as St. Francis.

 

Good point..didn't realize RMU was as close to Pittsburgh as it is.

[WCDBvoiceofUA]

For competitive balance and geographics I think this would be a better breakdown.

 

East

Iona

St. Peter's

Wagner

Sacred Heart

Monmouth

Marist

 

West

Duquense

St. Francis

Robert Morris

LaSalle

UAlbany

CCSU

[Dane96]

For competitive balance and geographics I think this would be a better breakdown.

 

East

Iona

St. Peter's

Wagner

Sacred Heart

Monmouth

Marist

 

West

Duquense

St. Francis

Robert Morris

LaSalle

UAlbany

CCSU

 

Not to be a wet blanket...but I pooh on that conference. Marist is the only school (outside of Duquense) showing the willingness to play at the level UA wants to be at....and that IS A STRETCH....

 

Yes, they are getting a new stadium (tiny), but they have shown no committment to scholarships...and frankly probably couldnt afford to do it.

 

LaSalle, St. Pete's and Iona are not going to have football at our level of commitment. A league with those teams...IS A SERIOUS STEP DOWN.

 

If things change...maybe I would be more receptive...but as of now...forget that.

[ATL_DANE]

I agree, that's going down. I'd love to move to up. To me, up would be the new CAA. Better yet, CAA all sports member.... Before everyone gets started, I know that's not going to happen. I'm just saying, that's what I'd like to see.

[Dane96]

I agree, that's going down. I'd love to move to up. To me, up would be the new CAA. Better yet, CAA all sports member.... Before everyone gets started, I know that's not going to happen. I'm just saying, that's what I'd like to see.

 

 

That could happen....and should happen if the AE doesn't buck up and get football. That being said, I think UVM and other AE schools who were against football see the potential benefit of football. Heck they see the benefit of being a REAL CONFERENCE....and are spending $$$ to get there (FINALLY!!!).

 

The AE has nowhere to go but up...and could definately challenge the CAA if it ramps up hoops and convinces UMASS and URI to come home.

 

Bottom line...there will be a serious shakeup with Georgia State and ODU coming on board to the CAA for football.

 

If the AE doesnt seize upon that opportunity, I say we follow President Hall's words when he said there is SOME MOVEMENT left to go upwards for Albany. THAT WOULD BE THE CAA!!!

[UAalum72]

Duq is OK and Marist barely acceptable for NEC football, but the others don't bring anything - St. Pete and LaSalle were the two lowest ranked teams in Div. I, and Iona is barely ahead of St. Francis. The NEC doesn't need any of that.

 

I really hope the AE gets it together for FB, because we're in the middle of its geographic footprint, while we'd be an outlier with long drives to almost all of the CAA teams.