J. Scott Russell
Times Record News
While it isn’t “unraveling at the seams” as one report claimed, the Lone Star Conference will definitely be smaller as two more Oklahoma schools have applied for membership in another conference.
Northeastern State University announced it was applying for membership in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association on Wednesday and the conference said that fellow LSC member Central Oklahoma, as well as Lindenwood University, had applied to join the 12-team league.
East Central, Southwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State announced their plans to leave the conference and form a new conference with several Arkansas schools on Monday.
Those three schools will still be in the LSC until June of 2012.
If NSU and UCO want to leave at the same time they will have to notify the conference by Aug. 1; wait another year; or pay a financial penalty.
Oklahoma Schools Leaving Lone Star
Shawn Tiemann
Basketball Play-by-Play
Rogers State University
It seems conference realignment's starting to shake NCAA Division 2 to its core...the excerpt below was compiled by my former colleague at Fort Hays State, Gerard Wellbrock of Eagle Radio, up in Kansas. While not on the grand scale of Division 1 realignment, this is far more interesting to follow for me because of my past work with the D2 ranks, and RSU's impending move to that level.
"The Lone Star Conference says three of its Oklahoma members plan to withdraw from the NCAA Division 2 league. Conference commissioner Stan Wagnon says the league has been notified that East Central University in Ada, Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant and Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford are leaving the conference, effective June 2012."
"The presidents of the three schools met last Friday with leaders of six Arkansas Division 2 schools to discuss the possibility of forming a new conference in an attempt to reduce travel. Last month, MIAA presidents received letters from Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State."
Now, I gotta believe RSU would fit in beautifully with the new Oklahoma/Arkansas league that's about to form. But, it begs the question...what on God's green Earth is NSU in Tahlequah thinking? UCO might be on a different plane because of its much higher enrollment in Edmond, but it'll be a PR disaster for NSU to join the MIAA. Not only will the RiverHawks not win, but they'll forfeit natural in-state rivalries that have been in place for decades. They'll also absolutely be lost in the shuffle once Okla. schools join up with this new conference. While NSU's busy meandering its way to such fine locales like Kirksville, MO...Omaha, NE...and Emporia, KS, everyone in Oklahoma that follows small colleges will be discussing this new league with potentially as many as 7 or 8 schools from the Sooner State all stealing the headlines (if there are any to be stolen). RSU would be a great fit for the new league once the jump to D2 is made, and the travel and external costs incurred will be much less than joining the Heartland Conference. Plus, you stay out of the state of Texas in conference play.
Look, NSU is doing the exact opposite of what Fort Hays State did in 2005...FHSU went the common-sense approach. It moved out of a conference it never really belonged in (Rocky Mountain) and moved to a league with members it used to compete against regularly back in the day (The MIAA). Some folks need to realize that even at D2 football-playing schools, all sports are essentially non-revenue. The #1 objective should be to look out for the almighty budget. RSU's brass is definitely going about all this in the right manner. And, I'm blessed to be a very small part of it.
Boyd: The Blocker
By BEN JOHNSONTahlequah Daily Press Sports Editor
When Northeastern State unveiled its depth chart prior to 2010 spring drills, it featured five juniors starting on the offensive line.
Don’t be fooled, though.
Most of the five upperclassmen entered spring practice with limited starting experience in 2009, save for tackles, Phillip Boyd and Colton Ables.
The two bookends soaked up most of the playing time during NSU’s 2-9 season last year. Ables started all 11 games at right tackle while Boyd started in seven contests and played in all but one game – NSU’s 31-14 loss at Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sept. 19.
After receiving ample amounts of playing time last season, Boyd knows he’s looked at as one of the leaders on NSU’s O-line.
“I have to be a leader out there,” said Boyd, whose offense posted 3,073 yards of total offense last year. “But the others are maturing, so hopefully this season, we will do pretty good on the line.”
New Additions to Javelina Roster
The TAMK roster has been updated and includes these newcomers...
DB - Josh Luck - Sr - transfer from Northern Arizona - HM All-Conference as a soph, 44 tackles, 2 Ints, 12 passes broken up as a junior
DB - Kendrick Matthews - Jr - transfer from Kansas State - limited playing time at KSU, 2 star Rivals and Scout recruit out of Fort Bend Marshall HS
WR - Delashaun Dean - Sr - transfer from Arizona - 132 career receptions for UA Wildcats, 4 star Scout and 3 star Rivals recruit out of HS
OT - Sosifa Pinomi - Sr - transfer from El Camino CC/Texas Southern
Off-Topic
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Sherrington: Summer moves slightly improve Mavs' title chances
Gallery: Texas Tech 2010 schedule breakdown, predictions
Athletic director Gerald Myers proud of Texas Tech's athletic facilities
SMU football coach June Jones says he'll sign extension
Solomon: Keenum sets example for future UH stars
Dynamo opens SuperLiga play with win over Pachuca
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