Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Anything we're missing?
Sundayamqb
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by Sundayamqb » Sat May 23, 2020 1:21 am

van wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 8:15 am
Sundayamqb wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 11:31 pm
van wrote: Thu May 21, 2020 2:53 pm "Sonny, for just over $60K a year you could be a DII football star"
Why not look at DIII -- no athletic scholarships, but you start focusing on giving money university-wide to ACADEMIC stars, those who show exemplary leadership and other non-athletic merit (combined with need). Why can't Lehigh become a Carnegie-Mellon or Amherst academically? Someone else would need to do the math on this, but in DIII you shouldn't need 75 players getting a full "athletic" ride.
a bit naive, we join the MAC or Centennial conference, give only need based scholarships, maybe recruit enough quality players to be competitive with say 55 equivalencies, save a little money based on 9 game season and shorter travel and get to rub elbows with Del Valley, Wilkes, Gettysburg, F&M, Moravian, etc, return to the 60's
DIII schools are giving various kinds of "merit" money based on academic prowess and other off-the-field leadership skills. Some schools give $ to recruits from diverse locations (think the South). Throw in need-based aid -- Lehigh was competitive in FCS/IAA before athletic scholarships -- and you might have decent packages.

Meantime, maybe it would encourage Lehigh to find a way to cap the outlandish tuition/expenses students face.

Somehow nearby Muhlenberg -- a private college with a hefty price tag -- last year found a way to get enough studs to go 13-1 in DIII football and play four games in the NCAA playoffs. The Mules beat Moravian, 52-7.


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van
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by van » Sat May 23, 2020 7:56 am

yeah, we should strive to be like Muhlenberg
TMH
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by TMH » Sat May 23, 2020 11:56 am

That will not happen in my lifetime. Lehigh's futuristic model is to grow the reputation we have along the Northeast corridor nationally and internationally, not get smaller. BTW, I am with Rich in that we need to create our own identity rather then emulate every thing the Ivies do.

As to athletics:
I still remember an article written decades ago by the President of Texas A & M who was lamenting the fact that they just had an unveiling of a major addition to their biology department and it got Page 17 coverage in their local newspaper. During the same weekend, their football team beat Texas and it was the banner headline on the sports page of the New York Times.

Yes, the win over Duke was lightening in a bottle but it's value was priceless. As we all remember "lehigh" was the most googled word on the internet for 36 hours. Applications rose significantly the next year andeven though it leveled off over the next few years, it became far easier for Lehigh to make inroads nationally. Coaches in other sports all told me, it opened doors for them for them too. CJ never even heard of Lehigh until we recruited him. Canton, OH and much of the rest of the state knew of CJ though and his decision to come here began putting us on the map.
Patriot League/EIWA Championships should be our immediate goal because besides bragging rights, it is the gateway to the Div 1 NCAA tournaments and even in defeat provides Lehigh with a lot of exposure. Yet we have had other successes. I still remember making it to the Sweet 16 in Men's soccer. We've had I believe 4 Track/CC athletes earn All-American status in the last decade. Chick and Gaffney were among a host of Lax players earning similar honors. Softball beat Texas A & M not once but twice in the same NCAA Tournament and of course wrestling has done Lehigh proud.
All of this is a draw to bring the best student-athletes to Lehigh. Those who can excel in mutiple areas at the same time are probably best equipped to tackle the real world when they graduate.
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RichH
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by RichH » Sat May 23, 2020 1:03 pm

TMH wrote: Sat May 23, 2020 11:56 am That will not happen in my lifetime. Lehigh's futuristic model is to grow the reputation we have along the Northeast corridor nationally and internationally, not get smaller. BTW, I am with Rich in that we need to create our own identity rather then emulate every thing the Ivies do.

As to athletics:
I still remember an article written decades ago by the President of Texas A & M who was lamenting the fact that they just had an unveiling of a major addition to their biology department and it got Page 17 coverage in their local newspaper. During the same weekend, their football team beat Texas and it was the banner headline on the sports page of the New York Times.

Yes, the win over Duke was lightening in a bottle but it's value was priceless. As we all remember "lehigh" was the most googled word on the internet for 36 hours. Applications rose significantly the next year andeven though it leveled off over the next few years, it became far easier for Lehigh to make inroads nationally. Coaches in other sports all told me, it opened doors for them for them too. CJ never even heard of Lehigh until we recruited him. Canton, OH and much of the rest of the state knew of CJ though and his decision to come here began putting us on the map.
Patriot League/EIWA Championships should be our immediate goal because besides bragging rights, it is the gateway to the Div 1 NCAA tournaments and even in defeat provides Lehigh with a lot of exposure. Yet we have had other successes. I still remember making it to the Sweet 16 in Men's soccer. We've had I believe 4 Track/CC athletes earn All-American status in the last decade. Chick and Gaffney were among a host of Lax players earning similar honors. Softball beat Texas A & M not once but twice in the same NCAA Tournament and of course wrestling has done Lehigh proud.
All of this is a draw to bring the best student-athletes to Lehigh. Those who can excel in mutiple areas at the same time are probably best equipped to tackle the real world when they graduate.
+1
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by Richb-3 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:39 am

If Lehigh were D3 it would belong not in the Centennial with little liberal arts colleges, but the UAA with medim size research universities like Chicago and Carnegie-Mellon. Hopkins belongs there also, and use to be there.

But, no, we belong in D1. I do like the idea, and have myself so advocated, of more subdivisions within D1. How about Baseball and Softball. Leave us face it. Cold weather schools cannot compete with Sun Belt Teams who can play and practice all year long
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by van » Tue Jul 14, 2020 10:52 am

might belong in UAA from a peer perspective, but travel costs would be prohibitive and there is little history with those schools, suspect that none of my student-athlete friends would have chosen Lehigh if we were DIII, they would look to Bucknell, Lafayette, Villanova, Drexel, etc instead, lot of competitive choices for the academically inclined athlete that wants to have D1 experience
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by Richb-3 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:13 am

If I may. I wonder why Marist was not approached to be the 8th member of the PL Football Conference) They do not look to be significantly weaker academically than say Fordham (probably ahead of Loyola Md). It would be a lot cheaper for them than flying to Florida, Iowa, or San Diego It would make it easier to schedule with Ivy, just the PL would have an 11th game and playoffs
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van
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by van » Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:50 am

my theory is, PL is holding out for Nova and unless we lose the autobid there is no compelling reason to add a FB school unless it is Nova or perhaps Richmond or W&M, Nova is my personal favorite
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by RichH » Tue Jul 14, 2020 1:31 pm

van wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:50 am my theory is, PL is holding out for Nova and unless we lose the autobid there is no compelling reason to add a FB school unless it is Nova or perhaps Richmond or W&M, Nova is my personal favorite
True. Very unlikely to get a Nova UR or W&M with redshirt rules and schollie cap. Dont see any having a need to move.
Nor do we have a current need. I see the rumors involving GU and Fordham but neither has a league to move to. Only possible option for Rams is the Big South. Not a particularly appealing destination. GU's only option would be the PFL. Ugh.
For us, Duquesne and Marist have shown interest. Dukes would be a plus competitively. Marist not so much.A huge jump from the PFL.
Heppel has said the primary goalbis a full member not another associate
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Re: Reduce COVID impact - go DII or DIII

Post by LU808 » Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:08 pm

RichH wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 1:31 pm
van wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 11:50 am my theory is, PL is holding out for Nova and unless we lose the autobid there is no compelling reason to add a FB school unless it is Nova or perhaps Richmond or W&M, Nova is my personal favorite
True. Very unlikely to get a Nova UR or W&M with redshirt rules and schollie cap. Dont see any having a need to move.
Nor do we have a current need. I see the rumors involving GU and Fordham but neither has a league to move to. Only possible option for Rams is the Big South. Not a particularly appealing destination. GU's only option would be the PFL. Ugh.
For us, Duquesne and Marist have shown interest. Dukes would be a plus competitively. Marist not so much.A huge jump from the PFL.
Heppel has said the primary goalbis a full member not another associate
LIU was suppose top be a cakewalk too....but they gave us a heck of a game!
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