If Elgin Goes Raiding - School Profiles

[Rusty 54]

If Elgin wants to expand the Valley, here are some profiles of some of the schools that I have seen mentioned.

Valparaiso
Valparaiso, IN, population 31,730
Private
Enrollment – 4,061
Conference - Horizon
Football – Pioneer league
Arena size – 5,000
Success – Horizon regular season champion last season, last NCAA Tournament was in 2004.


UIC
Chicago, IL, population 2,707,120
Public
Enrollment – 28,091
Conference - Horizon
No Football
Arena size – 8,000
Success – Second in the Horizon in 2003-2004, last NCAA Tournament in 2004


Loyola
Chicago, IL, population 2,707,120
Private
Enrollment - 16,040
Conference - Horizon
No Football
Arena size – 4,486
Success – bottom dwellers of the Horizon since 2007-2008, last NCAA Tournament in 1985


Wright State
Dayton, OH, population 142,148
Public
Enrollment – 19,721
Conference - Horizon
No Football
Arena size – 10,400
Success – Second in Horizon in 2009-2010 and 2007-2008, generally seem to be middle to top of the league. Last NCAA Tournament in 2007.


Oral Roberts
Tulsa, OK, population 396,466
Private
Enrollment – 3,790
Conference - Southland (Was in the Summit)
No Football
Arena size – 10,575
Success - Just moved to Southland, won Summit League in 2011-2012 and 2007-2008, top three finish every year since Summit was formed in 2007. NCAA Tournaments in 2006, 2007, 2008.


* Info comes from wikipedia, google and athletic department sites *

[saluki762]

More likely.

Murray State
Murray, KY, population 17,741
Public
Enrollment ??“ 10,800
Conference - Ohio Valley
Football ??“ Ohio Valley
Arena size ??“ 8602
Success ??“ 6 NCAA appearances in last 11 years. 2 NCAA wins.

[Gary the Gargoyle]

More likely.

Murray State
Murray, KY, population 17,741
Public
Enrollment ??“ 10,800
Conference - Ohio Valley
Football ??“ Ohio Valley
Arena size ??“ 8602
Success ??“ 6 NCAA appearances in last 11 years. 2 NCAA wins.

I love the media market that they bring. A town the size of Morton.

[saluki762]

I love the media market that they bring. A town the size of Morton.

I didn't say better, I said more likely.

[Da Coach]

I love the media market that they bring. A town the size of Morton.

Or Carbondale....and not whole lot different than Cedar Falls, or Terre Haute,

[Rusty 54]

More likely.

Murray State

Thanks! Murray State a school I was going to add this morning if no one else did.

I like Murray State as a basketball program more than any of the Horizon schools. Loyola or UIC do not deliver Chicago. Looked at a message board of Murray State and at least some of their fans want in the Valley, which is worth something when you combine it with the success they have had.

[thefish7]

An additional stat for these profiles-- 2012 avg. home attendance:

Valpo - 3383
UIC - 2934
Loyola - 2277
Wright St - 3903
Oral Roberts - 4494
Murray St - 6144


For reference, all MVC schools:
Bradley - 7640
Creighton - 16665
Drake - 3965
Evansville - 5135
Illinois St - 4783
Indiana St - 5433
Missouri St - 7050
Northern Iowa - 4406
Southern Illinois - 3299
Wichita St - 10391

[thefish7]

Also just for reference here. Endowment numbers:

Valpo - $140.8M
UIC - $244M
Loyola - $388.7M
Wright St - $82.3M
Oral Roberts - $37.8M
Murray St - $32.8M

MVC:
Bradley - $198.5M
Creighton - $375.2M
Drake - $158M
Evansville - $78.7M
Illinois St - $88.4M
Indiana St - $75M
Missouri St - $60M
Northern Iowa - $65.8M
Southern Illinois - $100M
Wichita st - $170.1M

[thefish7]

5 other schools that could be possibilities depending on how the chips fall.

Butler University
Indianapolis, IN - Population 829,817
Private
Enrollment - 4667
Endowment - $155M
Conference - Atlantic 10
Football - Non-scholarship/Pioneer League
Arena Size - 10,000
Avg Attendance - 6599
Success - 6 NCAA tournament appearances in the last 10 years, 2 sweet sixteens, 2 appearances in final.

Dayton University
Dayton, OH - Population 141,527
Private
Enrollment - 10,068
Endowment - $598.4M
Conference - Atlantic 10
Football - Pioneer League
Arena size - 13,435
Avg Attendance - 12,154
Success - 3 NCAA tournament appearances in the last 10 years. 1 win in 2009.

DePaul University
Chicago, IL - Population 2.7M
Private
Enrollment - 25,398
Endowment - $414M
Conference - Big East
Football - None
Arena size - 17,500
Avg Attendance - 7740
Success - 1 NCAA tournament appearance in the last 10 years, 1 win.

University of Detroit Mercy
Detroit, MI - Population 713,777
Private
Enrollment - 9399
Endowment - $26M
Conference - Horizon
Football - None
Arena size - 8295
Avg Attendance - 2272
Success - 1 NCAA tournament appearance in the last 10 years.

Saint Louis University
St. Louis, MO - Population 318,069
Private
Enrollment - 15085
Endowment - $880.3M
Conference - Atlantic 10
Football - None
Arena Size - 10,600
Avg Attendance - 7757
Success - 1 NCAA tournament appearance in last ten years. 2012, 1 win.

[tornado]

The schools we have the most in common with are those who might sit in a city of at least 100,000, do not have football and who draw at least reasonably well and have decent basketball tradition... and it would be nice if they also have decent men's soccer...
It's hard to deny the fact that without having football - we do have limited choices........

That, to me, means (not necessarily in order of preference) Drake, DePaul, UW-Milwaukee, Detroit, Dayton. SLU, ORU, UIC, Loyola, Butler if they're still not scooped up....
plus maybe Valpo...and if we want to reach out a little further...LaSalle, SBU, ODU, Green Bay, Ball State, Belmont, Davison, Oakland, Nebraska-Omaha

[Braves4Life]

That is a really good list of schools tornado. I can live with that.

[electricmayhem]

Or Carbondale....and not whole lot different than Cedar Falls, or Terre Haute,

According to census, Terre Haute has a metropolitan area of about 170,000 people.

Also, why do we keep talking about DePaul like they might just decide to scrap their affiliation with the new conference and join the Valley? Same with some of the other schools that made recent jumps - see Bulldogs, Butler - what makes us think they would come to the Valley?

Why stop there? Why not see if other former Valley members will return? Louisville or Kansas, anyone?

I know we all love our Braves and our league, but the Valley arrogance during this process is becoming nauseating. Let's hope we can get a few solid schools in the league and go from there.

[lake Camelot]

Would love to have Dayton,Depaul or SLU. But I don't see it happening. Is Western Kentucky a no because of football?

[thefish7]

According to census, Terre Haute has a metropolitan area of about 170,000 people.

Also, why do we keep talking about DePaul like they might just decide to scrap their affiliation with the new conference and join the Valley? Same with some of the other schools that made recent jumps - see Bulldogs, Butler - what makes us think they would come to the Valley?

Why stop there? Why not see if other former Valley members will return? Louisville or Kansas, anyone?

I know we all love our Braves and our league, but the Valley arrogance during this process is becoming nauseating. Let's hope we can get a few solid schools in the league and go from there.

All depends on what the rest of those 6 schools want when it comes to DePaul. They may want a stronger program (doubt it), or DePaul could be looking to get into a smaller conference. What if the GT, Marquette types want to get into a conference with St Mary's, Gonzaga, and Creighton to go national, and DePaul isn't in their plans? Should we not make a run at DePaul because we fear we'd look arrogant?

Assuming those 7 stay together, and decide to go Catholic only, and 10 max. That means they could rob the A10 of Dayton, Xavier and SLU. In that case, Butler's going to be way out on the edge of a really terrible conference. That could make Butler change their mind about the A10. And if Butler is on the table, you take them right quick.

It's not arrogant to believe the MVC is indeed a powerful conference-- it is. It also serves no purpose to assume that no one is interested and meekly take on a program like Loyola or Valpo. That may be necessary, but right now there are lots of ways this "Catholic 7" thing could go, and a lot of the possibilities mean a nice midwestern program or 2 might turn orphan.

[Da Coach]

According to census, Terre Haute has a metropolitan area of about 170,000 people.

Also, why do we keep talking about DePaul like they might just decide to scrap their affiliation with the new conference and join the Valley? Same with some of the other schools that made recent jumps - see Bulldogs, Butler - what makes us think they would come to the Valley?

Why stop there? Why not see if other former Valley members will return? Louisville or Kansas, anyone?

I know we all love our Braves and our league, but the Valley arrogance during this process is becoming nauseating. Let's hope we can get a few solid schools in the league and go from there.

The possibility of DePaul having interest in joining the MVC was rumored on a number of internet websites. I can't vouch for any validity in this rumor, and it makes little sense to me-

https://twitter.com/ChicagoHoops/status/279997421952573440

And there are now reports that the Presidents of the MVC schools will meet tomorrow to discuss the Valley's options-

https://twitter.com/JoeQuinnShow/status/280451477556850688