I don't think there's another thread on Conference Realignment on this forum. (There's one on the men's forum, but not here that I can tell.) Although there's been some discussion on some of the conferences' threads (e.g., ACC), I think it might be helpful to have a thread devoted specifically to this topic. The latest news I know of is that University of the Pacific is leaving the Big West Conference for the West Coast Conference, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year (in other words, not this coming year, but the next year). With the addition of BYU prior to the 2011 season, this will bring the WCC up to 10 members. Pacific does not have men's soccer, by the way, but I've read on the men's college forum that they are planning on adding men's soccer beginning with the 2015 season. From an average conference strength perspective, it appears this will reduce the WCC's strength. Using the conference's average Adjusted RPI as a measure of conference strength, Pacific's average ARPI over the last five years has been 0.0543 less than the WCC's average ARPI (with BYU added in only for the 2011 season).
A quick reference chart for those who need it is below. The 2013 Big East season will be nuts if Pittsburgh and Syracuse can't negotiate an early buyout to get the to the ACC by 2013. ACC -In: Pittsburgh (2014), Syracuse (2014) Atlantic 10 -Out: Temple (2013) Atlantic Sun -In: Northern Kentucky (2012) -Out: Belmont (2012) Big XII -In: TCU (2012), West Virginia (2012) -Out: Missouri (2012), Texas A&M (2012) Big East -In: Houston (2013), Memphis (2013), Temple (2013), SMU (2013), UCF (2013) -Out: Pittsburgh (2014), Syracuse (2014), West Virginia (2012) Big Sky -In: North Dakota (2012), Southern Utah (2012) Big South -In: Longwood (2012) Big West -In: Hawaii (2012), San Diego State (2013) -Out: Pacific (2013) Conference USA -Out: Houston (2013), Memphis (2013), SMU (2013), UCF (2013) Great West -Out: Houston Baptist (2013), North Dakota (2012) Mountain West -In: Fresno State (2012), Nevada (2012) -Out: Boise State (2013), San Diego State (2013), TCU (2012) Ohio Valley -In: Belmont (2012) SEC -In: Missouri (2012), Texas A&M (2012) Southland -In: Houston Baptist (2013), Oral Roberts (2012) -Out: Texas State (2012), UTSA (2012) Summit -In: Nebraska-Omaha (2012) -Out: Oral Roberts (2012), Southern Utah (2012) Sun Belt -Out: Denver (2012) WAC -In: Boise State (2013), Denver (2012), Seattle (2012), Texas State (2012), UTSA (2012) -Out: Fresno State (2012), Hawaii (2012), Nevada (2012) WCC -In: Pacific (2013)
Why will it be nuts? Pitt, AFAIK, has been horrible in the Big East. Are they going to be better in the ACC with the coaching change?
It has nothing to do with quality of the teams involved and everything to do with the fact that the Big East would be a twenty team league for one season.
I heard something last night that indicated that one might be stalling, but it was heard, not seen. Could be completely wrong on that.
Am very intrigued by Texas A&M move to SEC. Already a fairly competitive conference and likely to get better as the pipeline to Youth players in Texas gets a little wider.
Virginia Commonwealth, whose conference soccer schedules had already been posted as a CAA member, has defected to the Atlantic10 effective 7/1/12. Several A10 schedules make no mention of VA Commonwealth as an opponent, (their natural rivals in U.Richmond have them on the exhibition schedule for August). I have seen no official indications whether the Rams are participating in CAA for one more season or not. Can anyone shed light on this? Will they play a full slate, and if so, in which conference?Will they be tourney eligible or lame ducks?
I read today that VCU and Butler are both entering the A10 effective immediately. This is good for the A10 because the schedule required an even number of teams (16). However, the conference tournament may have just gotten much harder to qualify with only 37% of teams advancing, and 5th through 9th place tiebreakers are already often coming down to the point.
I know Butler is re-doing their schedule to accommodate the A10 this year, so I'd assume VCU is as well . . .
Saint Louis released their schedule today and they play both Butler and VCU. It seems like the entire conference schedule's been shuffled with the new teams. Still nine games in A10 play.
The few teams that did release corrected schedules are using dates of Nov 7 - 11 or Nov 8-12 for conference tournament in CHARLOTTE. Would a five day event happen? Would it mean 8 or 10 qualifying teams, and 4 rounds and an off day? I wish there were enough time in the schedule to have a play-in round the Saturday before for places 3-10 or 5-8, and then have the tourney start Thursday with 6 teams. 9 regular season games with 15 opponents available seems too problematic to me - schedule parity is thrown out the window. However, the coaches seem to like the non-conf flexibility and the playoff game atmosphere that a reg. season game now has.
Boston University is going to the Patriot League. Just announced and effective for fall 2013. America East members must be thrilled, there is now a legit chance to win the conference. Patriot League members must not be so happy though...
From a women's soccer perspective, this is good move for BU. America East is one of the weakest of the conferences for women's soccer from an average RPI perspective. Although the Patriot League isn't great, it's significantly stronger than America East from an RPI perspective. This means that if BU can be at the top of the Patriot League, it's RPI will be significantly better because its conference strength of schedule will be better.
So BU replaces Navy? Definitely a step up for BU - the Patriot League is solid athletically and academically. And it will help their RPI . . .
I don't know. Navy is listed on the Patriot League site in the announcement for BU, but I suppose there could be changes coming. ACC just added Pitt and Syracuse for 2013 (I think) but I suppose if FSU leaves a spot could open up.
Navy only going to Big East for Football in '15. Staying in the Patriot for everything else (at least for now!). Boston move to Patriot may be good for them but they raise the bar big-time for Patriot schools that don't want to spend alot on sports. Remember the Patriot was supposed to not have scholarships!!?? America East should not be surprised by this and just went from average DI conf to below Avg in almost all sports- no chance of getting an at-large now in the AE. You could see the Patriot maybe getting an at-large with Boston becoming the clear favorite but patriot teams have been down recently. What happened at Bucknell for example and American?? Amazing how the conf shuffle that started with a greedy football itch is now affecting 2/3 of DI and thousands of athletes in all sports.....
No longer true in Basketball and some other sports. It doesn't apply to Navy anyway. Everyone there is on scholarship....if you call serving six years a scholarship.
We hashed this out a while back, didn't we . . . my understanding is that the Patriot League limits football scholarships, but otherwise allows full funding (although many of the schools don't fully fund women's soccer or much else beyond basketball).