Thomas More to NCAA DivII

[Mustang]

I haven't seen any discussion about this here on the site.

What are everyone's thoughts about this move out of NAIA and into NCAA Division II.

I've got some mixed emotions, in that TMC has provided area athletes a "pay to play" option over the years.  This has been good in that the student-athlete gets the chance to play at the "next level", while getting a good education, and TMC gets a paying student.

I'm thinking NCAA DivII is a whole, more selective animal, and that where presently the Saints have close to a hundred players listed on their football roster, and freely "recruit" local athletes, they are going to have to step up their talent requirements in order to compete at the Division II level, and severely restrict the number of "pay to play" student athletes in their fold. 

To me, this will leave Mount St. Joe as the only local "pay to play" school available to Division III or NAIA talented players. 

[nkypete]

On the other hand, going to Division II provides an option that did not previously exist in the the Greater Cincinnati area for that level.

[Jack of all Trades]

NAIA is not necessarily pay to play.  That way for some but not all.  They h e struggled to compete at NAIA level over last few years and they will struggle mightily moving to D2 imo.

[rjs4470]

4 hours ago, Jack of all Trades said:

NAIA is not necessarily pay to play.  That way for some but not all.  They h e struggled to compete at NAIA level over last few years and they will struggle mightily moving to D2 imo.

The move to NAIA allowed them to start offering real athletic scholarships so they weren't totally pay to play. The highest levels of NAIA are pretty equivalent to D2 in terms of talent and quality of play. I'm not sure whether this move helps them or hurts them. I know it likely will make them travel more.