11-18-2011, 05:07 PM
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/201...|FRONTPAGE
A fear that Northern Kentucky University would be too powerful for other Ohio Valley Conference members will keep NKU out of that Division I conference, NKU said Thursday.
NKU still says it should receive an invitation by the end of the year and be playing Division I sports by fall of 2012. After a four-year probation, that would make it eligible for the âMarch Madnessâ menâs basketball championship and other national tournaments.
But the expansion to Division I wonât be in the OVC, leaving the Georgia-based Atlantic Sun and the Illinois-based Summit League as the top possibilities.
Eight of the 11 OVC members, including Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and Murray State, voted in a late Tuesday teleconference to invite NKU to join starting next fall, according to NKU. But 75 percent is required for an invitation, leaving the Norse one vote short.
The OVC did not disclose the vote breakdown.
âConcerns of competitive balance were cited as the reason, with some institutions feeling that NKUâs facilities, geographic recruiting advantages and competitive funding model could result in our dominating the conference,â NKU President Jim Votruba wrote Thursday in an e-mail to the campus community.
NKU doesnât play football, which loses money at most colleges. And the three-year-old Bank of Kentucky Center would have been among the best arenas in the league, giving NKU an immediate leg up.
The OVC responded that it had simply decided not to invite any more members. Belmont University joins next year as the 12th member.
âFrom my personal perspective this is certainly nothing that should be interpreted as negative regarding Northern Kentucky Universityâs application,â Eastern Kentucky University President Doug Whitlock said. âThis was just not the time to expand.â
The national merry-go-round among Division I athletic programs has reached well beyond the Big East, Atlantic Coast Conference and other traditional powerhouses.
The Atlantic Sun is one of those looking to expand, Commissioner Ted Gumbart said. The 10-member conference does not include football.
âWeâre not in active discussions with anyone but we are taking a look at what those opportunities might be,â Gumbart said. âI think thereâs certainly enough there (with NKU) to continue those conversations.â
NKU, which competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in Division II, is simply trying to join the game with an expansion to Division I.
Its teams have been powerful in Division II. The menâs soccer team won the national championship last year, joining the womenâs basketball team in 2008.
Earlier this month, the menâs basketball team scored an exhibition victory over Big East Conference powerhouse West Virginia.
The expansion into Division I will nearly double the current $4.2 million athletic budget, including the addition of one sport. But NKU leaders think they will recover those costs in additional publicity, ticket sales, sponsorships and student enrollment.
They have been talking to the OVC for more than a year and hosted a site visit earlier this year.
They also have talked to the Horizon League â which includes Butler University, a Final Four participant the last two years â but the Horizon has said itâs not taking new members.
So NKU will turn to the Atlantic Sun Conference and the Summit League, which had approached it before about membership.
The Atlantic Sun includes East Tennessee State, Jacksonville and Kennesaw State. NKU would rank third in total enrollment.
The Summit League includes Oakland, Oral Roberts, IUPUI and Fort Wayne. Its current members average about 12,300 total students, about 3,000 less than NKUâs current enrollment.
Assistant Commissioner David Brauer said the Summit League is monitoring potential members.
âWe are award of Northern Kentucky University and its potential interest in moving up to Division I,â Brauer said.
A fear that Northern Kentucky University would be too powerful for other Ohio Valley Conference members will keep NKU out of that Division I conference, NKU said Thursday.
NKU still says it should receive an invitation by the end of the year and be playing Division I sports by fall of 2012. After a four-year probation, that would make it eligible for the âMarch Madnessâ menâs basketball championship and other national tournaments.
But the expansion to Division I wonât be in the OVC, leaving the Georgia-based Atlantic Sun and the Illinois-based Summit League as the top possibilities.
Eight of the 11 OVC members, including Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and Murray State, voted in a late Tuesday teleconference to invite NKU to join starting next fall, according to NKU. But 75 percent is required for an invitation, leaving the Norse one vote short.
The OVC did not disclose the vote breakdown.
âConcerns of competitive balance were cited as the reason, with some institutions feeling that NKUâs facilities, geographic recruiting advantages and competitive funding model could result in our dominating the conference,â NKU President Jim Votruba wrote Thursday in an e-mail to the campus community.
NKU doesnât play football, which loses money at most colleges. And the three-year-old Bank of Kentucky Center would have been among the best arenas in the league, giving NKU an immediate leg up.
The OVC responded that it had simply decided not to invite any more members. Belmont University joins next year as the 12th member.
âFrom my personal perspective this is certainly nothing that should be interpreted as negative regarding Northern Kentucky Universityâs application,â Eastern Kentucky University President Doug Whitlock said. âThis was just not the time to expand.â
The national merry-go-round among Division I athletic programs has reached well beyond the Big East, Atlantic Coast Conference and other traditional powerhouses.
The Atlantic Sun is one of those looking to expand, Commissioner Ted Gumbart said. The 10-member conference does not include football.
âWeâre not in active discussions with anyone but we are taking a look at what those opportunities might be,â Gumbart said. âI think thereâs certainly enough there (with NKU) to continue those conversations.â
NKU, which competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in Division II, is simply trying to join the game with an expansion to Division I.
Its teams have been powerful in Division II. The menâs soccer team won the national championship last year, joining the womenâs basketball team in 2008.
Earlier this month, the menâs basketball team scored an exhibition victory over Big East Conference powerhouse West Virginia.
The expansion into Division I will nearly double the current $4.2 million athletic budget, including the addition of one sport. But NKU leaders think they will recover those costs in additional publicity, ticket sales, sponsorships and student enrollment.
They have been talking to the OVC for more than a year and hosted a site visit earlier this year.
They also have talked to the Horizon League â which includes Butler University, a Final Four participant the last two years â but the Horizon has said itâs not taking new members.
So NKU will turn to the Atlantic Sun Conference and the Summit League, which had approached it before about membership.
The Atlantic Sun includes East Tennessee State, Jacksonville and Kennesaw State. NKU would rank third in total enrollment.
The Summit League includes Oakland, Oral Roberts, IUPUI and Fort Wayne. Its current members average about 12,300 total students, about 3,000 less than NKUâs current enrollment.
Assistant Commissioner David Brauer said the Summit League is monitoring potential members.
âWe are award of Northern Kentucky University and its potential interest in moving up to Division I,â Brauer said.