Expanded NCAA Division I

[buzzcut]

The thread about the NCAA considering amending it's rules about admission of Canadian universites got me thinking about a concept I've been doing on CollegeSportsInfo.com's message boards about a Division I that had Canadian members. Here's a concept of such an arrangement.

I-A

Atlantic Coast

Atlantic: Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami(FL), North Carolina, Virginia

Coastal: Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia

Big East

Eastern: Army, Boston College, Connecticut, Navy, Rutgers, Villanova

Western: Cincinnati, Louisville, Marshall, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse

Big Ten

Eastern: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue

Western: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, Wisconsin

Big 12

Northern: Arkansas, Colorado State, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska

Southern: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Texas Tech

Conference-USA

Eastern: UAB, Central Florida, East Carolina, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Tulane

Western: Baylor, Houston, Rice, Southern Methodist, Texas-El Paso, Tulsa

Mid-American

Eastern: Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami(OH), Ohio

Western: Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Western Michigan

Pacific-12

Northern: Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Utah, Washington, Washington State

Southern: Arizona, Arizona State, California, UCLA, Southern California, Stanford

Southeastern

Eastern: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Western: Alabama, Auburn, Louisiana State, Memphis, Mississippi, Mississippi State

Sun Belt: Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Troy, Western Kentucky

Western Athletic

Mountain: Air Force, Brigham Young, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Utah State, Wyoming

Pacific: Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, UNLV, San Diego State

I-AA

Note: For the Canadian based conferences, an * will denote a non-football member.

Atlantic-10: Albany, Central Connecticut State, Duquesne(except football), Fordham, Georgetown(football only), Holy Cross(football only), La Salle, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Stony Brook, Temple

Big Sky: Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Southern Utah, Weber State, Western State(D-II)

Canada West(New)(All from CIS)

Eastern: Brandon*, Lethbridge*, Manitoba, Regina*, Saskatchewan, Winnipeg

Western: Alberta, British Columbia, Calgary, Simon Fraser, Trinity Western*, Victoria*

Colonial

Northern: Bucknell, Colgate, Hofstra, Lafayette, Lehigh, Northeastern

Southern: Delaware, James Madison, Old Dominion, Richmond, Towson, William & Mary

Gateway(New)

Eastern: Central State(OH)(D-II), Findlay(D-II), Grand Valley State(D-II), Indiana State, Wayne State(MI)(D-II), Youngstown State

Western: Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Western Illinois

Great West(New): Azusa Pacific(Football only), UC Davis, Cal Poly, Central Washington(D-II), Humboldt State(D-II), Portland State, Sacramento State, San Diego, San Jose State, Western Oregon(D-II), Western Washington(D-II)

Ivy: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Yale

Maritimes(New)(CIS): Acadia, Cape Breton*, Dalhousie, Memorial(NF)*, Moncton*, Mount Allison, New Brunswick*, Prince Edward Island*, St. Francis Xavier, St. Mary's(NS)*, St. Thomas(NB)*

Mid-Eastern: Delaware State, Hampton, Howard, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central(D-II), South Carolina State, Virginia Union(D-II), Winston-Salem State(D-II)

Midlands(New)(All D-II upgrades, except Southern Nazarene)

Northern: Central Missouri State, Fort Hays State, Missouri Western State, Northwest Missouri State, Truman State, Washburn

Southern: Central Oklahoma, Emporia State, Missouri Southern State, Northeastern State(OK), Pittsburg State(KS), Southern Nazarene(NAIA)

North Central(New)(All D-II and D-III upgrades)

Eastern: Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State-Mankato, St. Cloud State, St. Thomas(MN), Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Western: Nebraska-Kearney, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State

Northeast(Football Only): Catholic, Iona, Johns Hopkins, Marist, MIT, Monmouth, Sacred Heart, St. Francis(PA), St. Peter's, Wagner

Ohio Valley: Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Morehead State, Murray State, North Alabama(D-II), Samford, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee-Martin, Tennessee Tech

Ontario(New)(CIS): Carleton*, Guelph, McMaster, Ottawa, Queen's, Ryerson*, Toronto, Waterloo, Western Ontario, Wilfrid Laurier, Windsor, York

Pioneer(Football only): Butler, Dayton, Drake, Duquesne, Indiana(PA), Lindenwood, Mount Union, Quincy, Robert Morris, Valparaiso

Quebec(New)(CIS): Bishop's, Concordia(QC), Laval, McGill, Montreal, Quebec-Montreal(UQAM)*, Quebec-Trois Rivieres(UQTR)*, Sherbrooke, Superior Tech(ETS)*

South Atlantic(New): Carson-Newman(D-II), Catawba(D-II), Charleston Southern, Davidson, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Presbyterian(D-II), Valdosta State(D-II), VMI, West Georgia(D-II)

Southern: Appalachian State, Chattanooga, The Citadel, Coastal Carolina, Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern, Liberty, Western Carolina, Wofford

Southern Intercollegiate(New): Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, Clark Atlanta(D-II), Florida A&M, Kentucky State(D-II), Lane(D-II), Savannah State, Tennessee State, Tuskegee(D-II)

Southland: Central Arkansas(D-II), Henderson State(D-II), McNeese State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State(D-II), Texas State

SWAC: Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling State, Jackson State, Langston(NAIA/D-II), Mississippi Valley State, Prairie View A&M, Southern University, Texas Southern

I-AAA

American Catholic(New)

Atlantic: Georgetown, Holy Cross, Providence, St. John's, St. Joseph's, Seton Hall

Midwest: Dayton, DePaul, Detroit, Marquette, Saint Louis, Xavier

American South(New): Alabama-Huntsville(D-II), Arkansas-Little Rock, Lamar, Montevallo(D-II), New Orleans, South Alabama, Texas-Arlington, Texas-Pan American, Texas-San Antonio, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Atlantic Sun(New)

Northern: Campbell, High Point, Longwood, UNC Asheville, Radford, South Carolina Upstate(D-II)

Southern: Augusta State(D-II), Florida Gulf Coast(D-II), Kennesaw State, Mercer, North Florida, Stetson

Big West(New)

California: Azusa Pacific(NAIA), Biola(NAIA), UC Riverside, UC San Diego(D-II), Cal State-Bakersfield(D-II), Loyola Marymount

Mountain: Denver, Grand Canyon(D-II), Lewis-Clark State(NAIA), Metro State(D-II), Seattle(D-II), Utah Valley State

Central Atlantic(New)

Northern: Drexel, George Mason, George Washington, Johns Hopkins(D-III), UNC Wilmington, Virginia Commonwealth

Southern: Charlotte, College of Charleston, East Tennessee State, Georgia State, UNC Greensboro, Winthrop

Horizon(New)

Eastern: Cleveland State, Mount Union(D-III), Northern Kentucky(D-II), Point Park(NAIA), Southern Indiana(D-II), Wright State

Western: Chicago State, IPFW, IUPUI, Lindenwood(NAIA), Loyola of Chicago, Quincy(D-II)

Metropolitan(New): FDU, Iona, Long Island, Manhattan, Marist, Monmouth, NJIT(D-II), NYIT(D-II), New York University(D-III), St. Francis(NY), St. Peter's, Wagner

Missouri Valley

Eastern: Butler, Evansville, Oakland, Valparaiso, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Western: Bradley, Creighton, Drake, Illinois-Chicago, UMKC, Wichita State

Pacific Coast(New)

Northern: Gonzaga, Pacific, Portland, Saint Mary's(CA), San Francisco, Santa Clara

Southern: UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, Cal State-Fullerton, Cal State-Northridge, Long Beach State, Pepperdine

Patriot(New)

Northern: Indiana(PA)(D-II), Mount St. Mary's, Philadelphia(D-II), Rider, Robert Morris, St. Francis(PA)

Southern: American, Catholic(D-III), Coppin State, Loyola(MD), Maryland-Baltimore County, Maryland-Eastern Shore

Trans-America(New)

Eastern: Belmont, Birmingham-Southern, Centenary, Christian Brothers(D-II), Drury(D-II), Lipscomb

Western: Dallas Baptist(D-II), Incarnate Word(D-II), Oklahoma City(NAIA), Oral Roberts, St. Edward's(D-II), St. Mary's(TX)(D-II)

Yankee(New)

Eastern: Boston University, Fairfield, Hartford, MIT(D-III), Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart

Western: Binghamton, Canisius, Niagara, St. Bonaventure, Siena, Vermont

Note: This is a fluctuating list and is subject to change. Also, Those schools in the Canadian conferences that have an * next to it are non-football members.

[Seadragon76]

This is an extremely crazy idea, man. A lot of those schools won't move up to Division I play.

[Claystation360]

Yeah , a bit way out having Memphis in the SEC .....

But I do see something happening in the near future .

[dwboiler]

I dont see the point in moving Arkansas to the big twelve, just to replace by memphis, why move two teams when moving memphis to the big twelve would work just as easily.

Also, as a biased big 10 alum, why give us missouri when kentucky, pittsburgh, cincinatti, notre dame, or iowa state would better fit?

[Burkell007]

I dont see the point in moving Arkansas to the big twelve, just to replace by memphis, why move two teams when moving memphis to the big twelve would work just as easily.

Also, as a biased big 10 alum, why give us missouri when kentucky, pittsburgh, cincinatti, notre dame, or iowa state would better fit?

all but kentucky would be good. iowa-iowa st pitt-penn st cincy-ohio st. missouri-illnois

[LMU]

Nice idea, but why the heck did you put LMU in the Big West when all our rivals are in the Pacific Coast, and also considering that the whole point of the WCC is that the entire conference is private religious schools. And you have Azusa Pacific in both AA and AAA.

[buckeyes1]

DUMB Idea leave the confrences how they are. Dont add canadian teams its gonna mess it up and teams are going D1 that cant compete with D1 competition.

[doafhat]

Big 12

Northern: Arkansas, Colorado State, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska

Southern: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Texas Tech

There's been limited speculation about the possibility of Iowa State leaving the Big 12 for the Big Ten and bringing in Utah to to Big 12 to take their place. However, the chances of any Big 12 member leaving the conference for another are very, very low. From what I understand, the Big 12 requires any member school to give a 2-year notice of their intentions to leave and during that two years, the seceding school inflicts heavy monetary penalties from the Big 12 where they face a drastic reduction in conference revenue. This pretty much prevents any Big 12 member from leaving for another BCS conference, because by the time that school enters their new conference, their athletic department would be crippled and they would be forced to play catch-up to the other schools in that conference for years.

Beyond that, there are few reasons for Missouri to leave the Big 12 for the Big Ten. Mizzou has been a member of the Big Six/Eight/Twelve since 1928, and the Big 12 is their home. Missouri may be able to make their rivalry with Illinois into a conference affair, but they would lose that distinction for the Border Showdown with Kansas. Bringing in Arkansas to take their place in the Big 12 North wouldn't work either. Geographically, Fayetteville is almost exactly due east of Stillwater (Oklahoma State), so it would be kind of awkward to call them a "north" team. Also, Arkansas' historical ties are with the Big 12 South teams, thanks to the state of Arkansas sharing a border with Oklahoma and the school's former affiliation with the Texas teams in the Southwest Conference.

Long story short, the Big 12 won't be changing anytime soon.

[Redskins24]

Noooo! Providence College IS the Big East!!

[Fred T. Jane]

You can toss that lame excuse for a university in Ruston (Louisiana Tech) out of the Sun Belt. They left for the WAC and seem quite comfortable sitting at the bottom of the heap there.

-UL-Lafayette Class of 2005

[nugent4president]

As a current student at St. Bonaventure, I can say with certainty that we would rather be in that Catholic league. You know, since Bonaventure was a Saint and all...

[ZBoyer]

Noooo! Providence College IS the Big East!!

You tell me the last time Providence won a meaningful Big East championship.

[pcgd]

The only team that makes sense for the Big(11)Ten is Notre Dame. And they aren't going to join a conference for football ever, so they won't ever join the Big Ten.

I'd love to see a 12th team so there could be a playoff at the end of the year. OR a reduction of one team (I don't know who, all teams make too much sense now...Northwestern but there is too much history, Penn State cause they are the youngin's and so far out of the way of eveyrone? I don't know honestly...) so that everyone can play each other in the regular season for football. I'd hate a team to win the Big Ten cause they don't have to play Ohio State or Michigan and they win the Big Ten's automatic bid.

[Conns09]

Having canadian colleges included would really increase traveling expenses. It would be tough for D1-AA schools to travel to Canada for play-off games. It does happen across america teams play but traveling to Canada would be tough.

But great idea

[gueman]

Just a question...

Do Canadian Universities play Canadian rules?

If so how are you going to work that out?

[Redskins24]

Noooo! Providence College IS the Big East!!

You tell me the last time Providence won a meaningful Big East championship.

Well, they haven't won anything for awhile but the Big East was formed by Dave Gavitt from...Providence College. Gavitt became the first commissioner followed by Michael Tranghese (another PC guy) who actually formed the football conference. Additionally, the Big East is headquartered in Providence. No, PC is not very good now but they were a CRITICAL factor in the Big East's formation.

So to sum it all up...You can't have the BIG EAST without Providence College!!

[rams80]

ummm....Bradley doesn't have a football team.

[Runner]

Dayton should move up to Division 1-AA Scholorship instead of Non-Scholorship. Their team has been atop of the Non-Scholorship polls for years. They are good enough and have enough prestige to move up to 1-AA Scholorship.

[Tazz013]

Marquette drops from I-A Big East to I-AAA?

[ZBoyer]

Marquette drops from I-A Big East to I-AAA?

Well, Marquette doesn't have a football program now. But, if this is for all conferences, I question that as well.