WAC
Louisiana Tech
Idaho
New Mexico State
Utah State
San Jose State
Texas-San Antonio
Texas State
Denver
Louisiana Tech
Idaho
New Mexico State
Utah State
San Jose State
Texas-San Antonio
Texas State
Denver
Seattle
From: Sam Marcos Record
by Tyler Mayforth
When the Western Athletic Conference last publicly discussed expansion in Nov. 2010, Seattle University was among four schools considered for inclusion. The Redhawks, however, were on the outside, looking in, when WAC commissioner Karl Benson extended invitations to only Texas State, Texas-San Antonio and the University of Denver.
Seven months later, Benson finally let SU join the party. Benson announced Wednesday that the Redhawks accepted an invitation to join the WAC as a non football-playing member beginning July 1, 2012.
“Timing is sometimes everything,” Benson said of SU’s invitation. “When those other schools made their presentations to us in Dallas back in November, it was a different WAC landscape.”
So what changed in seven months? For one, the WAC needed another member after losing the University of Hawaii in December.
When the Warriors announced they’d be leaving the WAC to join the Big West and Mountain West, Benson’s pride and joy was back in scramble mode. The WAC was left with only seven football-playing members beginning July 1, 2012.
Benson and the remaining athletic directors scrambled to find a football-playing member from January to April. Yet, they couldn’t find a suitable option.
“We have been in contact with at least 10 or 12 FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) and FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) football-playing schools, but the state of the economy hasn’t allowed some of those schools to move up,” Benson said. “We decided to shift our focus to finding a non football-playing member at that time.”
Once Benson narrowed those other choices, the WAC was left with three options — SU, Cal State Bakersfield and Utah Valley University. At the end, SU was the only school left standing.
“Those other schools made presentations as well and while we applaud and respect what they’ve done, at this time, the WAC board of directors believed Seattle University had the athletic and academic characteristics as well as media market the WAC needed at this time,” Benson said.
12 comments:
Seattle is a good invite from DU's perspective. NBA legend Elgin Baylor's alma mater, a similar school to DU, no football program and fun city for our student athletes to travel to.
Lessens the pain of losing Hawaii.
Agree. Could see a WAC rivalry develop between DU and SU as the only two privates in the conference.
Curious about the stanley cup. We should have more alumn on it than any other school right?
11:40 strikes again. You are clearly a Sioux or CC fan trying to impersonate a DU fan to make us look dumb (i wasn't quite sure when you posted about the WJC team).
So, by "we" you mean the Tigers or the Sioux. Go ask on Sioux Sports or Randy May's website.
Seriously man. You are pathetic. Don't you have anything better to do in your life? You post anonymous worthless comments on your hockey rival's blog and giggle to yourself about the reactions from its fans? Pathetic.
No I think we do. Wow dude chill out
Glenn Anderson is one of the only DU player that I know of on Stanley Cup. He's on there six times.
DU alum Ron Grahame's son and wife's names are on the Cup.
Incoming forward Larkin Jacobson's step-father Ruslan Fedotenko has won it twice.
Former DU star John MacMillan played on two Stanley Cup winning teams in Toronto but may not have played in enough games to be engraved on the Cup [Correct me if I'm wrong]. MacMillan is the only DU player to ever win a National Championship at DU and a Stanley Cup.
Former DU coach Ralph Backstrom won the Cup six times with Montreal.
Former DU star Craig Patrick got his name on the Cup twice as General Manager of the Penguins in 91 & 92. He also was Herb's assistant coach on the Miracle on Ice Team in 1980.
Jim Wiste, Keith Magnuson, Peter McNab & Matt Carle lost Stanley Cup finals. There may be others.
Thanks DG Imaws Kcup Chill WOW
lol 1:36. I'm curious...how many names do your Sioux and/or Tigers have on the Cup?
Toews won the Conn Smythe...
I'm starting to question DU's move to the WAC... at first I was excited, now looking at the list of schools, I'm am much less so. It is not the same WAC I thought it was. I'm starting to question our departure from the Sun Belt... Carry On!
In the long run the move to the WAC will be a step up. Clearly not having a top-notch football program limits DU's options.
DU will benefit in all sports by recruiting in Texas, California and the west.
Adding Seattle helps solidify DU as a member of the WAC.
DU doesn't conference options, and DU had little choice but to join the WAC. The WAC probably isn't better than the Sun Belt in terms of quality, but at least most of the schools are closer to Denver and have a little bit more regional identification here.
The reality that DU's sports menu is unique for its location, and probably more of a Patriot League school than a WAC school. Without football, DU will always have limited options.
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