[ATrain]

Didn't see this posted and was to lazy to use the search button, but UNO is dropping to Division III and withdrawing from the Sunbelt. They were a non-football school and leave the Sunbelt with 12 members overall, so there probably won't be any rippled effects from this.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/sto ... AHeadlines

[Schfourteenteen]

Louisiana proposed a major cut in athletics funding a while back, prompting the discussion of the future of LA schools and their D-I status.

From looking at this situation, it seems they were already sunk before that.

[flamesbball84]

Centenary is another D1 in Louisiana that is going to D3 as well.

[uncafan]

Kinda saddened by this news...but also not surprised at all. I remember traveling with UNCA baseball to New Orleans the spring after Katrina. UNCA played Tulane, Southern, and UNO on the spring break trip and I remember the UNO baseball coaches telling us they weren't sure how they were going to (financially) stay viable even through the next year or so. UNCA had an off-day in New Orleans and UNO graciously let us have full access to their 'weight room facility.' I remember arriving and being led into the field house/gym area which was being used to house an upstairs 'weight room' that over-looked a couple basketball courts w/ no stands, just an open gym with drop down hoops. To give you an idea the 'weight room' was probably -- maybe double the size of the indoor cage @ LU's baseball field and just an open space where they had a bunch of machines and free weights, med balls etc. It was my understanding that this was the only facility available to the athletes to use....

They told us the UNO basketball teams were playing on those courts and that all athletic teams were using the facility at the time because of damage to other facilities. I guess with the weight room and another balcony you might have been able to fit a few hundred fans, plus some courtside seating. But it made the Justice center in Asheville look like a palace.

The baseball field/stadium was literally in the middle of hundreds of trailers that were set up in small communities for those displaced from the storm. I remember the one night game in particular because beyond the fences we could see young kids playing in the dirt 'roads' between the trailers. And one or two adults sitting outside their trailers in lawn chairs. Other than that the trailers were eerily quiet, no cars, no signs of life... The devastation in certain areas of the city was shocking to me at the time -- but hearing the UNO people describe how everything was hit I'm honestly surprised they've made it this long...

Its too bad...but, Definitely nice to see the saints win tonight.