2008 Woodie Awards
USD Coyotes to join SDSU in Division I
Like SDSU, the Coyotes will go through the four-year D-I probation period.
Travis Kriens
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Sports
Starting next season, SDSU will not be the only Division I school in South Dakota.
On Nov. 29, 2006, the University of South Dakota announced that it would be making the move to Division I athletics. The South Dakota Board of Regents unanimously voted in favor of the move by a 9-0 vote on Dec. 14, 2006. USD's hand was forced since they had no choice but to make the jump. In the past five years, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado and North Dakota all announced that they were moving up to Division I, leaving USD with no strong rivals and forcing the North Central Conference to close its doors after 86 years.
Mick Garry has been the Coyotes beat writer for the Argus Leader since 1990 and thinks that the exit of schools from the NCC has been the biggest factor in USD's decision.
"USD's move to Division I was dictated by the demise of the North Central Conference more than anything else. Because SDSU's and NDSU's departure from that conference played a part in the league's demise, certainly the actions of SDSU and NDSU had an effect on USD's decision-making process," he said. "But if the NCC had remained with schools like UND, Nebraska-Omaha, St. Cloud and Minnesota State included, USD would have stayed in Division II, regardless of what SDSU and NDSU did. Some might argue that, but if the Jacks' and the Bison's actions were the immediate cause, USD would have pulled the trigger sooner on Division I. Instead they waited until the conference unraveled, which in my mind means that the NCC's folding was a bigger factor."
The move to Division I has already seen a change at head coach for the women's basketball team. Chad Lavin announced before the season that the 2007-08 season would be his last, citing personal reasons. Lavin's last season on the bench was his most successful. The Coyotes reached the Division II national championship game with a record of 33-2, losing to Northern Kentucky 63-58. (The same Northern Kentucky that SDSU defeated to win the D-II National Championship in 2003). Ryun Williams, the winningest women's basketball coach in Wayne State (Neb.) history and former USD player, was named Lavin's replacement last week.
On Nov. 29, 2006, the University of South Dakota announced that it would be making the move to Division I athletics. The South Dakota Board of Regents unanimously voted in favor of the move by a 9-0 vote on Dec. 14, 2006. USD's hand was forced since they had no choice but to make the jump. In the past five years, South Dakota State, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado and North Dakota all announced that they were moving up to Division I, leaving USD with no strong rivals and forcing the North Central Conference to close its doors after 86 years.
Mick Garry has been the Coyotes beat writer for the Argus Leader since 1990 and thinks that the exit of schools from the NCC has been the biggest factor in USD's decision.
"USD's move to Division I was dictated by the demise of the North Central Conference more than anything else. Because SDSU's and NDSU's departure from that conference played a part in the league's demise, certainly the actions of SDSU and NDSU had an effect on USD's decision-making process," he said. "But if the NCC had remained with schools like UND, Nebraska-Omaha, St. Cloud and Minnesota State included, USD would have stayed in Division II, regardless of what SDSU and NDSU did. Some might argue that, but if the Jacks' and the Bison's actions were the immediate cause, USD would have pulled the trigger sooner on Division I. Instead they waited until the conference unraveled, which in my mind means that the NCC's folding was a bigger factor."
The move to Division I has already seen a change at head coach for the women's basketball team. Chad Lavin announced before the season that the 2007-08 season would be his last, citing personal reasons. Lavin's last season on the bench was his most successful. The Coyotes reached the Division II national championship game with a record of 33-2, losing to Northern Kentucky 63-58. (The same Northern Kentucky that SDSU defeated to win the D-II National Championship in 2003). Ryun Williams, the winningest women's basketball coach in Wayne State (Neb.) history and former USD player, was named Lavin's replacement last week.
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