NCAA News Archive - 2010

back to 2010 | Back to NCAA News Archive Index

    • Print
    Gulf South and Sunshine State to stage in-region affair

    May 25, 2010 8:48:31 AM

    By David Pickle
    The NCAA News

     

    Valdosta State recently announced plans to host a conference challenge men's basketball event next fall, matching teams from the Gulf South and Sunshine State Conferences.

    The event, which will be played November 12-13, will include Alabama-Huntsville, North Alabama, Delta State and Valdosta State from the Gulf South and Florida Southern, Eckerd, Saint Leo and Rollins from the Sunshine State.

    The challenge format promotes in-region, out-of-conference competition among Division II teams.

    Bylaw 17.3.5.5 provides that once every three years, an institution may exempt a maximum of two contests played as part of a conference challenge event. The legislation, which became effective in August 2009, defines a conference challenge event as one in which:

    Janet Montgomery, chair of the Division II Championships Committee and senior woman administrator at West Alabama, said the event is an example of what's possible within Division II.

    "This is what we're trying to promote," Montgomery said. "The whole theme of Division II is in-region play, and these two conferences are working daily in all their sports to achieve that sort of camaraderie."

    She said the Gulf South and Sunshine State Conferences have collaborated previously on similar events in softball and volleyball. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Great Lakes Valley Conference also used the approach in volleyball in 2008 (before the legislation was passed) and 2009.

    "It's taken some time," she said. "There are travel limitations because of the distances these teams have to travel are tremendous, and sometimes finances play a part in that. That's why they've set them up in areas like Valdosta, where it's closer for Sunshine State schools to travel. The travel's not easy, but at least it's a midway point."

    Valdosta State Athletics Director Herb Reinhard confirmed that geography played a role in his institution hosting the event.

    "Within our conference, our geography here at Valdosta is horrible," he said. "We're on the edge. But when it comes to doing something like this between the Gulf South Conference and the Sunshine State, we're blessed to be sitting right in the middle. This is a great opportunity for these schools not to have to travel a tremendous amount and play each other on a neutral court. We're excited about it."

    Valdosta State coach Mike Helfer is tending to the details of the event, in which 16 games will be played over a two-day period (the legislation allows for the competition to take place at more than one site, if necessary). Some special needs will have to be accommodated – such as slotting Delta State in an early game on the second day so its 13-hour return trip can begin as early as possible – but the positives will greatly outweigh the headaches.

    "I think our community is going to be excited," Reinhard said. "If you look at the institutions that are involved, if they were not in the Division II basketball tournament last year, they certainly have been over the last two or three years."

    Montgomery said the idea is a winner all the way around.

    "I'm not really sure if other conferences are doing this or if they aren't," she said, "but to those that are not doing it, it's a tremendous opportunity that they're missing. These challenges give you a chance to see somebody else in your region who's not in your conference and that helps you when you get into postseason play so you get an idea of the level and ability of the people you're playing against or that you're vying against to get these postseason bids."