[jcmanson]

http://www.meacsports.com/ViewArticle.d ... =204905645

They will be a provision member beginning in July.

This puts the MEAC at an odd 13 members. I'm wondering if they have a 14th team they are in talks with, or if another team is going to be moving either to another conference or dropping to D2 or lower.

[Sly Fox]

I didn't think they would ever let them in. That tells you a great deal about where the MEAC is today and where it is heading.

[ATrain]

The MEAC wants 14...who is going to be the 14th?

[JK37]

The MEAC wants 14...who is going to be the 14th?

Could this instead be a preemptory move to the exodus which may take place if the purported MEAC/SWAC football arrangement became a reality?

[ToTheLeft]

Yeah, I can't see the MEAC going for a 14th since, really, there is no 14th team out there other than TSU, unless they dig up a DII or lower school. I think this is preemptive for the losses of SCST, Del. State, and possibly Norfolk or Hampton. I think all those schools would bolt if there was a removal of the playoff bid.

[ATrain]

"We are pleased to extend membership and welcome Savannah State University to the MEAC family," said MEAC Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas. "The addition of SSU keeps us in compliance with our long range and strategic plan of adding up to 14 members. Adding SSU to the membership completes the geographical footprint that bridges our South Carolina and Florida institutions."

[Chantzilla]

Don't mean to get off subject w/ SSU & MEAC...

However, these same questions can apply to our conference since we added Campbell last May. Does KK have his eye on a 12th team, or is some team(s) looking to bolt soon?

You guys heard anything?

[Sly Fox]

Uh, you guys were begging to join the SoCon recently and we have made no secret of our intentions to step up. Even VMI has difficulty hiding their disappointment in the Big South experience. So yeah, I think there are plenty of candidates to leave. If Kyle really wanted another, Longwood is practically begging for an invite.

[flamesfilmguy]

you are probably going to see a DII move up. maybe virginia union to be the 14th team.IMO. I don't think anyone is leaving anytime soon. SCSU won't leave as much as I would LOVE for them to be in the big south. my guess is we go hard after KSU when they add football in a couple of years, or Campbell adds scholly football soon.

As for the SSU being accepted into the MEAC. all the MEAC was waiting for was facility upgrades. and thats what they are getting. The new AD at SSU is an ambitious one. they are upgrading the stadium and have a plan in place to build a field house to replace those forsaken "locker rooms" in the endzone. the gym is being redone as well. that was all the MEAC wanted.

[Libertine]

As for the SSU being accepted into the MEAC. all the MEAC was waiting for was facility upgrades. and thats what they are getting. The new AD at SSU is an ambitious one. they are upgrading the stadium and have a plan in place to build a field house to replace those forsaken "locker rooms" in the endzone. the gym is being redone as well. that was all the MEAC wanted.

Not quite. The MEAC extended provisional membership to SSU pending the facility upgrades and a couple of other factors but, if facilities were the primary issue, the conference could have gone this route several years ago. What the MEAC was really waiting for was for SSU to get off of their NCAA probation which finally ended in January.
As for the "the new AD at SSU", there isn't one. The current AD is an interim who is only filling the position after Bart Bellairs (formerly the b-ball coach at VMI) resigned the position back in November.

[flamesfilmguy]

My mistake i thought the guy there now was the new one. I also thought they had been off probation for a couple of years now.