Can they compete in this league?

 

Great arena, nice campus location in a large metropolitan area, school rising in academic standing ... it is all on the coach as to whether they can complete. He has no excuses IMO. I am talking long term, not the next couple years.

The Horizon League Executive Council approved an agreement in principle with Olympia Entertainment to host the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Tournament in the city of Detroit.

 

Under terms of the five-year agreement, Olympia Entertainment will host the men’s basketball tournament beginning in 2016.

 

“The addition of the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Championship is a perfect compliment to our wide range of existing sports and entertainment events at our downtown Detroit venues,” said Tom Wilson, President of Olympia Entertainment. “We look forward to providing an outstanding and memorable tournament experience for the schools, their fans and all participating student athletes.”

 

The first two years of the tournament will be contested at venerable Joe Louis Arena, home to the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings, before moving to the state-of-the-art Detroit Events Center, currently under construction in downtown Detroit.

 

“The partnership with Olympia Entertainment is a unique and exciting opportunity,” Horizon League Commissioner Jon LeCrone said. “We want to provide a great tournament experience for all of our key constituents -- student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans -- and we are excited to work with Olympia and our institutions on that goal.”

 

Among the planned tournament enhancements will be a celebratory event for the participating teams, increased fan participation experiences and multi-event ticketing packages. A multiple-layer branding and marketing effort will also be a feature of the agreement. Additionally, the Horizon League will have an increased presence in Detroit via future League meetings and media events.

 

The 2016 Horizon League men’s basketball championship game will keep its current Tuesday, March 8, slot on ESPN or ESPN2 at 7 p.m. ET. Additional game dates, times, network information, and tournament format will be announced at a later date.

A big step for men’s basketball athletes in the Horizon League occurred on Monday as the league’s Board of Directors unanimously passed cost-of-attendance legislation late last week.

 

The measure comes in men’s basketball and “for at least an equal number of female student-athletes in a League-sponsored sport or sports.”

 

Federally created guidelines estimate that must stipends added in the cost-of-attendance initiative are between $2,000 to $4,000 for each athlete annually.

 

“On behalf of the Horizon League Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce passage of this recommendation from the Executive Council,” University of Detroit Mercy President Dr. Antoine Garibaldi, Ph.D. said. “This resolution aligns with our strategic plan and guides the current and future direction of the Horizon League.”

 

It’s nice that men’s basketball athletes — and their female counterparts in other sports, as part of Title IX — will get that extra stipend to not have to worry about covering the cost of other things while under basketball scholarship. It serves as a nice recruiting tool for the Horizon League’s coaches. Many other mid-major men’s basketball leagues could be forced to follow suit in the near future to match what the Horizon League has done because they have a clear advantage here. They can offer real dollars to student-athletes that similar counterparts are not offering.

 

While cost-of-attendance measures were passed with the “power five” conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 12, SEC) in January, this is a strong step for a mid-major league like the Horizon League to take.

 

Full cost of attendance was initially passed by NCAA legislators in 2011 but was later voted down by the full membership.

NKU is getting Jeff Garrett as a transfer from Bama. He will sit one year.

Next season, Valpo will likely be 18-20 points better than NKU. They have a ways to go but Coach Brannen will get it done

there is the possiblity of another domino falling in mid-major realignment soon involving a state school, as EKU has aspirations for moving up to FBS for football, and could be Sun Belt bound.

NKU is getting Jeff Garrett as a transfer from Bama. He will sit one year.

 

He red shirted this season so would he be a Soph in 2016/2017?

 

He was a 3 star recruit, 18/10/4assists,2 blocks.

He red shirted this season so would he be a Soph in 2016/2017?

 

He was a 3 star recruit, 18/10/4assists,2 blocks.

 

You get 5 years to play 4 unless you lose 2 seasons to injury. So yes, he will be a sophomore after sitting out a year...

The Atlantic Sun allowed NKU to compete in their conference tournament early. Does the move to the Horizon League mean that they are ineligible for the Horizon League tournament this year since its their last year of probation?

The Atlantic Sun allowed NKU to compete in their conference tournament early. Does the move to the Horizon League mean that they are ineligible for the Horizon League tournament this year since its their last year of probation?

 

I thought the article I read said they were eligible for the NCAA tournament in 2016, so that would mean this coming season, wouldn't it?

I thought the article I read said they were eligible for the NCAA tournament in 2016, so that would mean this coming season, wouldn't it?

 

I am pretty certain that they had at least one more season where they weren't eligible for the big dance.

I am pretty certain that they had at least one more season where they weren't eligible for the big dance.

 

They did. The article talking about them moving to the Horizon League mentioned they were eligible next season though, which makes me wonder if something has changed due to the conference shift? :idunno:

there is the possiblity of another domino falling in mid-major realignment soon involving a state school, as EKU has aspirations for moving up to FBS for football, and could be Sun Belt bound.

 

I continue to hear that EKU is looking to move their football to FBS and the ASun is the most likely destination. Hold up was the visitor accommodations at RKS. EKU announce last fall that they'd be remodeling the stadium to woo the ASun.

Now that it has happened, do you feel differently about them moving to the Horizon League @BB guy?

I know it's the right move for NKU financially, but I liked going to Nashville, Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, and Deland over Cleveland, Younstown and Detroit.