Finally, some movement in the SoCon

According to sources familiar with the Southern Conference's membership search, VMI, Mercer and ETSU were agreed on by the current voting members of the SoCon and will receive visits by the membership committee prior to the president's meeting at the end of May. 

Both VMI (1924-2003) and ETSU (1978-2005) are former members of the conference, while Mercer, a private school has no past association with the SoCon.

Will the SoCon's additions stop at three?

“As we looked at options, we decided to look at replacing the three schools we’re losing, and then see what the landscape looks like before we continue.” said SoCon commissioner John Iamarino.

So, the SoCon may not be through adding to it's membership.

If the visits go as expected, Iamarino said the conference could extend formal invitations by the end of June.

"The potential for that is there, yes," Iamarino said. "That's a possible outcome. ... When you decide to go visit a campus, that indicates there's some genuine interest on both parts."

In looking at the first group of possible new members, VMI already plays football at the scholarship FCS level, while ETSU is restarting its program at the FCS scholarship level and Mercer will play in the non scholarship Pioneer League this fall. However, Mercer's invitation is contingent on committing to becoming a scholarship program per the Macon Telegraph.

Is this a group of schools that WCU wants to be associated with?  Is the new SoCon, comprised of mostly small enrollment schools where the Catamounts, Mocs, and Bucs belong?  Maybe it's time for WCU to explore it's options as far as a new conference home is concerned.


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