"I think we're going to really get specific about potential expansion candidates," John Iamarino said to the timesfreepress.com.
"I need to hear from this group what their thoughts are -- who we're looking for, what the right number should be, are we ready to expand or do we need more time to sift things through?
"We've reached the point where we have to make some decisions, so I hope we'll start that process with the athletic directors."
Since this is an athletic director's meeting, no formal invitations could result from this meeting, membership issues would come by a vote of the Chancellors/Presidents.
With the College of Charleston’s scheduled departure at the end of June, the SoCon faces the loss of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern as well, possibly to a FBS conference, which would leave the conference with as few as nine members in men’s basketball and seven in football.
Iamarino will not revel any specific targets for expansion, "But the names of Mercer, UNC Wilmington and Richmond were floated recently by an official at one SoCon school, The Post and Courier has confirmed." according to an article by the Charleston Post and Courier.
Message board traffic has also put out the names of VMI and East Tennessee State as candidates being considered.
It now looks as if the SoCon is being proactive, I just hope they vote to except new members, without regard to ASU & GSU's status, as both will leave as soon as possible, and probably with little notice. I see nothing wrong with going to 14 members.
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Any thoughts on Coastal Carolina University as a possible member?
ReplyDeleteIn my personal opinion, the South Carolina schools (Furman, Wofford, & the Citadel) will lobby hard to keep another SC football school out (ie CCU). They were previously joined by CofC in this effort for a different reason. I think the only support CCU had/has was/is the public schools, and little, if any from the privates. With the departure of Charleston, there is now 3 SC schools in the conference, many feel that four from one state is excessive, and want to expand the footprint, back into Georgia, as well as Tennessee.
DeleteVery nice article. We'll see what comes out of this meeting, can't wait.
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