This move makes TOTAL SENSE. Kansas State will be starting a women's soccer team soon, and will certainly be part of the Big 12. This would be the 10th school to be part of the Big 12. With the success that Kansas is having this year (ranked in the Top 10 in some polls before today's loss), I can imagine Kansas State being a ranked quality team by their 4th or 5th year, and a great rival school for Kansas to play against (and vice-versa). Fertile recruiting states that are nearby (or somewhat close in proximity) are Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas. Their answer for why they are adding a women's soccer team: What are the factors that led to adding soccer? We believe that soccer is the best option for K-State. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and one that is played by almost 4,000 high school young women in the state of Kansas. More than 320 schools and 26,000 student-athletes play soccer at the Division I level, making it the fourth-most widely-sponsored women's sport in Division I behind only basketball, volleyball and cross-country. Kansas City has also become the epicenter of U.S. Soccer with the emergence and popularity of Sporting KC and FC Kansas City in addition to becoming the future home of the U.S. National Team. Soccer's importance in the Big 12 region was underscored in 2013 when the league announced a partnership with Sporting KC to upgrade the MLS club's practice facility in Kansas City’s historic Swope Park to serve as an annual host for the Big 12 women's postseason tournament. http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArti...36&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=209715188&DB_OEM_ID=10410
So just how do you go about getting competitive in a short period of time? One would assume a mix of transfers and incoming recruits, but that leads to some interesting dynamics. Starting with a coaching search in Jan. 2015 and maybe hiring and hitting the ground running by March, most of the better 2016 players will be already committed elsewhere. The coach will have to have a keen eye for talent because he/she won't be able to give away a ton of scholarships to the new recruits if he/she has to fill a roster with transfers (now) and classes to come in the future (2017, 2018). Best scenario would seem to start with a very small roster with maybe 5 quality recruits and 16 transfers (8 seniors, 8 juniors) who are inticed by some pretty solid scholarship money. 8 reruits and a few more transfers for 2017 to build up to 24 players, and then try to build a good program in a decent conference. There is good talent in the region. Tapping that talent pool will be a key. Coach will have to have deep connections with some of the better clubs. I could be way off base. any other ideas on how you build a program from scratch in a Top Conference (as opposed to starting from scratch on a lower tier conference where pressure to produce comes with the territory)? One other question relevant to this subject that I am completely ignorant - but curious - about. How does a player initiate a tranfer? Is it kind of a behind the scenes process where the kid talks to a potential new school to gauge an interest; is it the current coach 'pushing' you out because you are not a fit; a combination of both? Is the potential 'new' coach involved at all in giving a wink to indicate 'get your release and I'll take you'? Look forward to any perspective on this.
Strictly speaking, it is against ncaa regulations for a coach to discuss transfers with any student who has not been cleared to do so by her previous school. You are supposed to burn your bridges first. In practice, discussions often happen with/through players on the prospective team the transfer knew from club or HS to gauge interest. This is of course hard with a new program.