Marty Gordon
Radford University needs to take the next step in its athletic history by pushing for an invitation to the Southern Conference (SoCo).
The New River Valley school has had great success in the Big South, but now’s the time to move into an athletic conference that is meant for them. Now’s the time to look at its long-term future.
There is nothing wrong with the Big South, but I think the university has been there a year too long. Liberty leaves the Big South this month, and it wasn’t long ago that many people thought Radford would be the first to leave.
I opened this door two weeks ago when I mentioned how Liberty’s leaving will affect not only the Big South but Radford as a whole. Liberty and Radford have been great state rivals, and the breakup was a good one, so the two could still play many sports down the road. But it just won’t have the same meaning without it being a conference rival.
The Southern includes Virginia Military Institute, a natural state rival for Radford.
Other current members include: University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Citadel, East Tennessee State, Furman, Mercer, Samford, UNC-Greensboro (former Big South school), VMI, Western Carolina and Wofford. The travel time between all of the schools would be a plus for Radford.
There is also a natural connection to the Wofford basketball program with a former Radford High School graduate, Mike Young, as its coach. Wow, what a game that would be every year.
Radford’s offering includes some very successful baseball and basketball programs, which would give the conference another footprint on the national stage. Women’s basketball, soccer and track would also give the new conference some great competition.
The group of schools in the SoCo would also provide a great scheduling base for Radford across the board, and even saving the school money on travel expenses.
On the flip side, the move offers everything Radford needs. A fresh start could give the school better in-state recruitment and maybe a bigger one nationally. The gate for all the sports would also increase with home games against ETSU and Furman. The rivalries would be amazing.
It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. But just like on the “Bachelor,” someone needs to step forward with the rose.
John Iamarino, the Southern Conference’s commissioner, was recently asked about possible expansion.
Here’s his response: “Invariably, when I am asked to speak at a social function, whether it’s students or faculty or a coaches’ group, there is one question I’m always sure to receive—is the Southern Conference considering expansion? My guess is that most of my peers at other Division I conferences are hit with this question just as often.
“Let’s face it. After all the realignment that took place in the past decade, it’s a natural reaction. Of the 32 D-I conferences, the Ivy League is likely the only one that truly doesn’t have to worry about membership issues. Since its formation in 1954, the Ivy has had zero membership changes.
“But for the rest of us, membership issues are never very far from our thoughts. In the case of the Southern Conference, I suppose it is natural that people would expect a conference of 10 that previously had 12 members to be looking to add. The reality is this – we constantly monitor what occurs both within and outside our league relative to membership issues.”
SoCo would probably look to add two schools instead of just one, so Radford needs to find a possible partner. I would say look no further than another South Carolina school in Winthrop, which would be another great fit.
Winthrop has consistently been on the national stage in Division I basketball. Together, the two schools could make the Southern even greater than it already is.
The Radford administration needs to start this discussion and at least see what happens. The Big South needs Radford to stay, but Radford needs to look the southern and the bottom line is the southern needs Radford.
I also encourage readers and RU fans to push this effort on social media–twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. HASHTAGaddRUtotheSouthernCONFERENCE. The leadership at RU should also place this idea on the table and SoCo should make the invite.
Remember back when political leaders pushed for Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference. We could use your help in making RU’s dream come true too.
It’s a marriage made in heaven, and now is the time for Radford to get down on one knee and propose.
