New RMLC Teams?

[BigheadTodd]

Any word on teams applying for membership? Is this the year Weber finally makes it's triumphant return? What about SLCC? There has to be tons of players there. There was talk last season of teams at Southern Utah, and Snow. What about eastern utah, and dixie? How about UCCS, or other Colorado teams? New mexico?

[James Foote]

Metropolitan State College of Denver will be applying for RMLC membership for the 2007-08 season.

[Phantanimal]

It would be great for WSU get a team back together. It seems like their reformation has been talked about for 4 years now and no juice. They have a great location there in between Provo and Logan but, as you previously mentioned Todd, no one really wants to step up.

UCCS and Metro have good things going for them. I predict both of them enter the RMLC no problem this Fall. One of my boys is from Price, UT and he attended CEU a few years ago before transferring... lacrosse will most likely not catch on any time soon in Carbon County. Dixie and SUU would be viable considering the growth of lax in Vegas and Arizona as well as SLC. Once again it just takes one group of dedicated players to step up and take the plunge. I got an e-mail from a kid wanting to start a team at SLCC while I was still in school but it never happened. I think it would be hard to get a group of committed players at a school like that.

The RMLC B is going to be huge!!

[ramerica]

Is Westminster bumping up to division A?

I think they could compete just fine. In a couple of years they could contend.

[James Foote]

Is Westminster bumping up to division A?

I think they could compete just fine. In a couple of years they could contend.

I heard (through the grapevine) that they were going D-III next season. Can anyone confirm?

[Sonny]

I heard (through the grapevine) that they were going D-III next season. Can anyone confirm?

Don't believe everything you hear. Westminster is a NAIA school, they can't go NCAA Div. 3.

LINK:
http://www.westminstercollege.edu/athletics/index.cfm?parent=1&detail=7044

[James Foote]

Very nice, thanks for the info Sonny. In that case, does anyone know if they'll attempt a move to A?

[Phantanimal]

I think that a few clubs from the RMLC B could step up to A and not affect the character of what the RMLC A has become. UVSC, Westminster, UNC or FLC would be my suggestions. A move like that would force those clubs to mature and then USU wouldn't be the only "black sheep" in A. That way RMLC A teams could potentially schedule a set # of games so so they could pick and choose who they play from A instead of being forced to play a team they will beat by 20 goals. Maybe CSU or whoever may beat any of those afformentioned teams by 20 goals but after 5 years the conference will have balanced itself out and those teams will find a way to stay competetive. Change will occur in the RMLC it's just a matter of time.

[ineedmorecowbell]

i do know that westminster intends to become a division II school. it's one of the reasons mason left to to coach there. however, nothing will happen for a couple of years at least.

[BigheadTodd]

I think that a few clubs from the RMLC B could step up to A and not affect the character of what the RMLC A has become. UVSC, Westminster, UNC or FLC would be my suggestions. A move like that would force those clubs to mature and then USU wouldn't be the only "black sheep" in A. That way RMLC A teams could potentially schedule a set # of games so so they could pick and choose who they play from A instead of being forced to play a team they will beat by 20 goals. Maybe CSU or whoever may beat any of those afformentioned teams by 20 goals but after 5 years the conference will have balanced itself out and those teams will find a way to stay competetive. Change will occur in the RMLC it's just a matter of time.

No offense to USU, but I think the better idea would be to alter the guidelines of the a-b split. Tying it to D1 football is not effective. I think every league should make thier own decisions on the split. For every USU or Wyoming that is not ready(at this time) to compete at the A level, there is a sonoma, or uscb that technically should be in B but play up. The ability of a lacrosse team has nothing at all to do with how many fans a D1 football team averages per game(that is actually a guideline for having BCSlevel/D1afootball)

[canalacrosse]

Westminister didnt blow away the comp. in division B by any means and didnt take over the national championship. so why does everyone keep talking about them going A?

They have a big budget is what people keep telling me and they intend to go NCAA but there are so many hoops to jump through to go NCAA it DOES NOT happen over night and is a couple years away.

We plan to revisit the issue of westminister going div. A in our fall meeting. I just hate the notion of forcing a team up or down in a division. So hopefully we just let them pick.....

Either way our conference is going to grow and its going to be exciting.

[James Foote]

Westminister didnt blow away the comp. in division B by any means and didnt take over the national championship. so why does everyone keep talking about them going A?

They have a big budget is what people keep telling me and they intend to go NCAA but there are so many hoops to jump through to go NCAA it DOES NOT happen over night and is a couple years away.

We plan to revisit the issue of westminister going div. A in our fall meeting. I just hate the notion of forcing a team up or down in a division. So hopefully we just let them pick.....

Either way our conference is going to grow and its going to be exciting.

They were a 15-2 team last season, handled the competition fairly well, and are a solid team. They're just the first team to come to mind in Div B that might consider the move up. I'm not sure what their plans are, but we know jumping to a varsity sport doesn't happen overnight. I'm looking forward to the development in the offseason of the conference and am excited to see what '08 will bring us.

[Sonny]

No offense to USU, but I think the better idea would be to alter the guidelines of the a-b split. Tying it to D1 football is not effective. I think every league should make thier own decisions on the split.

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with your analysis of the current MCLA A/B split. But if there is no national definition that applies to Division B teams from coast to coast, there is no reason or basis to conduct a national MCLA Division B Tournament.

[ramerica]

Westminister didnt blow away the comp. in division B by any means and didnt take over the national championship. so why does everyone keep talking about them going A?

They have a big budget is what people keep telling me and they intend to go NCAA but there are so many hoops to jump through to go NCAA it DOES NOT happen over night and is a couple years away.

We plan to revisit the issue of westminister going div. A in our fall meeting. I just hate the notion of forcing a team up or down in a division. So hopefully we just let them pick.....

Either way our conference is going to grow and its going to be exciting.

They were a 15-2 team last season, handled the competition fairly well, and are a solid team. They're just the first team to come to mind in Div B that might consider the move up. I'm not sure what their plans are, but we know jumping to a varsity sport doesn't happen overnight. I'm looking forward to the development in the offseason of the conference and am excited to see what '08 will bring us.

They also did that with mostly freshman. That is why I think they will ramp up quickly.

[Phantanimal]

They also did that with mostly freshman. That is why I think they will ramp up quickly.

Great point! They can only go up. Remember that 2007 was their first season and they played in the B national championship. They have to continue to prove themselves with better, tougher competition to get the school on board with future plans.

No offense to USU, but I think the better idea would be to alter the guidelines of the a-b split. Tying it to D1 football is not effective. I think every league should make their own decisions on the split. For every USU or Wyoming that is not ready(at this time) to compete at the A level, there is a sonoma, or uscb that technically should be in B but play up. The ability of a lacrosse team has nothing at all to do with how many fans a D1 football team averages per game(that is actually a guideline for having BCSlevel/D1afootball)

Agreed, the tie to football is inherently flawed - apples and oranges ... Look at St. Mary's in the WCLL A or St. Cloud in the UMLL A. They don't have a D1 programs and they aren't near the caliber of SSU, UCSB or UMD, but there they are in A. Is it to fill space? Is it to put the coals under the fire of a smaller program? Perhaps it satisfies some conference requirement...

I think every league should make their own decisions on the split.

The RMLC did... Wyoming never played A, and in 2005 they decided to knock Boise down to B which lead to their withdrawl from the RMLC and membership in the PNCLL.

Teams should be able to choose... the RMLC is the only A conference with less than 7 teams (PNCLL-A) in A. Yet potentially, 14 teams may be RMLC B teams as of Fall 07.