While this is all terrible news, maybe it will have more runners look at schools that do not have football? The one great thing about our sport is that you do not HAVE to go to one of the big schools to run fast. Fast is fast, whether you run that CU or Podunk U Montana.
I'll give you a heads up, you will be surprised by the schools that are about to opt into the settlement. I'm a current coach at a school just like them and half of our conference is considering opting in. Don't discount small schools just because they're small from opting in. There's pressure from conferences for schools to opt in and potential restrictions to conference championships such as roster limits that are being talked about to force schools (even schools that are enrollment driven) to opt in. The current thought is if you want to play power 4 teams in basketball you're going to have to opt in or they are going to cut you out. Maybe not right now but down the line that's going to be the benchmark for being D1. If we see restrictions put in place like that and access to the ncaa basketball tournament is restricted to schools that have opted in to even get a automatic qualifier in the smaller conferences then you will see the small schools opt in.
Funny that after decades of these smaller schools trying to move up to D1 athletics, the P4 schools are basically going to create a super-division of opt-ins and essentially turn the other D1's all into 2nd division schools again. It's like hitting a reset button decades later.
I'll give you a heads up, you will be surprised by the schools that are about to opt into the settlement. I'm a current coach at a school just like them and half of our conference is considering opting in. Don't discount small schools just because they're small from opting in. There's pressure from conferences for schools to opt in and potential restrictions to conference championships such as roster limits that are being talked about to force schools (even schools that are enrollment driven) to opt in. The current thought is if you want to play power 4 teams in basketball you're going to have to opt in or they are going to cut you out. Maybe not right now but down the line that's going to be the benchmark for being D1. If we see restrictions put in place like that and access to the ncaa basketball tournament is restricted to schools that have opted in to even get a automatic qualifier in the smaller conferences then you will see the small schools opt in.
Okay now we are getting somewhere. My son is being recruited by a school in the MAAC and what you just said was the caveat to low D1 schools changing course and that is the NCAA tournament in basketball. That if the settlement led to a restriction on being included in THAT, then schools on that level would not want to lose that option.
Schools like UMBC have made it to the big dance and beat #1 seed Virginia. George Mason went to the Final Four.
So yes. If there is talk that if schools don’t opt in it will prevent NCAA tournament contention then that truly would change everything I guess.
When I wrote the post I had the MAAC schools in mind. Schools where the conference has said that Basketball is the priority sport. St. Peter's made the conference a lot of money when they made their tournament run. Current thought is that the settlement won't have a basketball restriction placed on it but the settlement is for 10 years. The P4 schools have hinted that they just won't schedule you if you aren't going to opt in as not opting in makes you seem like you're a second tier D1 school. Not having access to the tournament might happen to schools that don't opt in 2-3 years down the line because the P4 push for it. Plenty of schools have reasons to not opt in, finances are a major part of it. But schools care about perception and not opting in may leave you with schools that are not doing great financially or you don't want to be "associated" with. MAAC, America East, Patriot, Colonial schools have some tough choices to make. Lots of solid small programs that develop talent are going to go through some big changes.
When I wrote the post I had the MAAC schools in mind. Schools where the conference has said that Basketball is the priority sport. St. Peter's made the conference a lot of money when they made their tournament run. Current thought is that the settlement won't have a basketball restriction placed on it but the settlement is for 10 years. The P4 schools have hinted that they just won't schedule you if you aren't going to opt in as not opting in makes you seem like you're a second tier D1 school. Not having access to the tournament might happen to schools that don't opt in 2-3 years down the line because the P4 push for it. Plenty of schools have reasons to not opt in, finances are a major part of it. But schools care about perception and not opting in may leave you with schools that are not doing great financially or you don't want to be "associated" with. MAAC, America East, Patriot, Colonial schools have some tough choices to make. Lots of solid small programs that develop talent are going to go through some big changes.
Lets use American University as an example.
Both their XC roster and upcoming track rosters are posted.
They currently have 18 men for XC
They currently have 26 men on track team
The new limits are 17 for XC and 45 for track
Nothing says they have to pay anyone. Maybe only a few are on scholarship and the rest just want a roster spot.
They have no football.
My question is, besides having to cut one from the XC team, what is the effect of having to opt in? How would it increase operating costs anymore than what it already does to the point where they may have to cut the program?
What I do know is that maybe 5/6 athletic departments are even thinking about track right now. The rest will use track to manage the department numbers
When I talk about the changes our sense is you will see less drastic changes in terms of programs being cut. I think it comes down to funding of the programs and that’s where you will see changes. Reduction in scholarship is more likely than scholarship staying the same. I’ve seen it in recruiting (stole a girl that was promised a scholarship from another school last summer that found out the program was cutting scholarship and had to pull the offer).
When I talk about drastic changes that’s what I mean. A team that was funded to be competitive and could have a couple kids make it to the prelim and get lucky and get a kid or two to nationals might not be funded to the same level because the institution can now directly pay it’s basketball student-athletes. Cuts have to be made somewhere, AD’s very rarely care about XCTF unfortunately. Look for scholarship reductions at these programs. If schools have large rosters and they are cutting to fit the roster cap and can maintain scholarship look for improvement for these programs cause they can spend more money on less kids and raise their standard.
When I talk about the changes our sense is you will see less drastic changes in terms of programs being cut. I think it comes down to funding of the programs and that’s where you will see changes. Reduction in scholarship is more likely than scholarship staying the same. I’ve seen it in recruiting (stole a girl that was promised a scholarship from another school last summer that found out the program was cutting scholarship and had to pull the offer).
When I talk about drastic changes that’s what I mean. A team that was funded to be competitive and could have a couple kids make it to the prelim and get lucky and get a kid or two to nationals might not be funded to the same level because the institution can now directly pay it’s basketball student-athletes. Cuts have to be made somewhere, AD’s very rarely care about XCTF unfortunately. Look for scholarship reductions at these programs. If schools have large rosters and they are cutting to fit the roster cap and can maintain scholarship look for improvement for these programs cause they can spend more money on less kids and raise their standard.
Plus the Portal will be nothing like anyone has seen
TBD. It’s not like there will be huge money to attract transfers and how many kids who get cut will look to transfer to a less competitive school to keep running once it’s already clear their ceiling doesn’t include a pro career? At some point they should be focusing on the school choice for the degree, not the running opportunity.
Absolutely. I really think more kids from the transfer portal will be walk on than scholarship kind of kids
One more thing. Many of the non power 4 schools have track and field because it increases enrollment for the school. Enrollment is obviously needed for schools to continue functioning. Some programs know there is a whole market of student athlete that would NOT consider the school without popular HS sports like track and field.
Schools like Mount St Marys in Maryland or American U in DC that have no football team will not be opting in unless they feel the need to do it for basketball which is doubtful. Schools like that use track for to help with enrollment.
I'm not disagreeing because I know nothing of this subject, but is a few track people really a meaningful increase in enrollment?
One more thing. Many of the non power 4 schools have track and field because it increases enrollment for the school. Enrollment is obviously needed for schools to continue functioning. Some programs know there is a whole market of student athlete that would NOT consider the school without popular HS sports like track and field.
Schools like Mount St Marys in Maryland or American U in DC that have no football team will not be opting in unless they feel the need to do it for basketball which is doubtful. Schools like that use track for to help with enrollment.
I'm not disagreeing because I know nothing of this subject, but is a few track people really a meaningful increase in enrollment?
I wonder the same thing but yeah it appears for some schools, it is worth it. One program can have 100+ athletes on the men's track team alone. If the avg tuition after any aid or scholarships is $30k, then that is approximately 3 million. And yeah, some enrollment schools do have that many men on their team.
Interesting post. I would point out though that American is an outlier in the Patriot League since they barely have any non-distance athletes on the team.
A school like Bucknell would be an interesting example. Their track team is well above 45 athletes and they have historically been at least regionally competitive. Their basketball team has made the dance in recent years too which I'm sure is good publicity for the school. They have a football program too
Seems to me that for a school with a normal amount of sprinters/field athletes, this would be a very hard decision
I'm not disagreeing because I know nothing of this subject, but is a few track people really a meaningful increase in enrollment?
It’s the combined total of sports across regional liberal arts colleges (not Williams / Amherst / etc). Even if it’s a weak school, they can ensure enrollment and 4 years of tuition by having teams.
If you're a school like Bucknell, why not just go D3? For schools like that it doesn't seem like there is any point to being D1 anymore. What does D1 even mean now? Maybe carve out M/W basketball to stay in D1, but the rest would be better off in D3. M/W XC will never make D1 nationals again, but could be top 10 in D3 consistently.