https://extrapoints.substack.com/p/a-c ... oads-where
A conference at a crossroads. Where does the CAA go from here?
The league has plenty of assets, but in a world where more realignment may be coming, where does the CAA go from here?
In 2020, it’s hard to figure out exactly what the CAA’s identity is.
The league currently has 10 full members, in seven different states. Many of those schools are relatively large, with enrollments over 20,000, but four have enrollments under 11,000, with Elon, the smallest, at less than 7,000. Four schools are private.
Once you add in the affiliate members, things get even more complicated. Six other schools compete in the CAA in FCS football--Albany, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond, Stony Brook and Villanova. The result is a league that is indisputably good at FCS football, but also one that is neither northern nor southern, public or private, big or small.
It includes schools like Northeastern, New Hampshire and Maine, where hockey is a critical part of their athletic department mission. It includes UNC-Wilmington, where baseball is more important.
Even the CAA’s commissioner, Joe D'Antonio, admitted trying to nail down “what makes a CAA school” is a tricky question. When I asked him, he told me that CAA schools are committed in competing athletically at the highest levels, and for caring deeply about academics, citing the league’s strong conference-wide APR scores, but admitted that it can be “tough to identify a common bond.”
A conference at a crossroads. Where does the CAA go from here?
The league has plenty of assets, but in a world where more realignment may be coming, where does the CAA go from here?
In 2020, it’s hard to figure out exactly what the CAA’s identity is.
The league currently has 10 full members, in seven different states. Many of those schools are relatively large, with enrollments over 20,000, but four have enrollments under 11,000, with Elon, the smallest, at less than 7,000. Four schools are private.
Once you add in the affiliate members, things get even more complicated. Six other schools compete in the CAA in FCS football--Albany, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond, Stony Brook and Villanova. The result is a league that is indisputably good at FCS football, but also one that is neither northern nor southern, public or private, big or small.
It includes schools like Northeastern, New Hampshire and Maine, where hockey is a critical part of their athletic department mission. It includes UNC-Wilmington, where baseball is more important.
Even the CAA’s commissioner, Joe D'Antonio, admitted trying to nail down “what makes a CAA school” is a tricky question. When I asked him, he told me that CAA schools are committed in competing athletically at the highest levels, and for caring deeply about academics, citing the league’s strong conference-wide APR scores, but admitted that it can be “tough to identify a common bond.”
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers,
For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother
For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother
