Baseball Is NOT DEAD at Furman

[MidlandsPaladin]

https://bringbackpaladinba.wixsite.com/ ... an-ba/blog

According to the web page:

A supporter of the Bring Back Furman Baseball campaign has informed me of his recent discussion with athletic director Jason Donnelly. According to this person, baseball has been a hot topic at board meetings since the program's cancelation in 2020, and it sounds as though administration and the athletics department are open to the idea of baseball coming back. In addition, Furman plans to continue upkeep of the baseball facilities, so there is no concern of demolition.
Although male enrollment has been down in the past years, there has been a promising shift in numbers, meaning that Furman will be more likely to reinstate the program.

[Affirm]

https://bringbackpaladinba.wixsite.com/ ... an-ba/blog

According to the web page:

A supporter of the Bring Back Furman Baseball campaign has informed me of his recent discussion with athletic director Jason Donnelly. According to this person, baseball has been a hot topic at board meetings since the program's cancelation in 2020, and it sounds as though administration and the athletics department are open to the idea of baseball coming back. In addition, Furman plans to continue upkeep of the baseball facilities, so there is no concern of demolition.
Although male enrollment has been down in the past years, there has been a promising shift in numbers, meaning that Furman will be more likely to reinstate the program.

Maybe we’ll see donors stepping up in time to get that started up by the beginning of Furman’s
201st year = 2026-2027 school year. That’s only 3.5 years away. We will have already celebrated the 200th anniversary of Furman’s existence by then.
Of course, there will also have to be donors stepping up to fund a “Title IX balancing” women’s sport at the same time. What sport will that be?
Field Hockey?
Beach Volleyball?
Swimming & Diving?
Rowing?
Bowling?
Rifle?
Something else?
What additional women’s sport(s) would make the most overall sense (financial, etc.) for Furman in balancing the Title IX requirements when and if baseball returns?
Other thoughts for making it possibly easier (in light of Title IX) to bring back baseball include:
1. Move to Division 3 in all sports.
2. Move to Pioneer Football League.
Both those possibilities would seem highly, almost insurmountably, unpopular, even to just bring up.

[FUpaladin08]

Without knowing anything about it Field Hockey seems like it could be played in the same facility as lacrosse, and would be a larger team to offset baseball. I also have know idea if field hockey is a sport popular with the students Furman recruits. Some other “out of the box” ideas considering the availability in Greenville: cycling, bowling, maybe even bass fishing? Not sure about NCAA affiliations with these other than bowling though?

[Affirm]

Without knowing anything about it Field Hockey seems like it could be played in the same facility as lacrosse, and would be a larger team to offset baseball. I also have know idea if field hockey is a sport popular with the students Furman recruits. Some other “out of the box” ideas considering the availability in Greenville: cycling, bowling, maybe even bass fishing? Not sure about NCAA affiliations with these other than bowling though?

Cycling and fishing are not NCAA.
Bowling is NCAA.

[FUBeAR]

https://bringbackpaladinba.wixsite.com/ ... an-ba/blog

According to the web page:

A supporter of the Bring Back Furman Baseball campaign has informed me of his recent discussion with athletic director Jason Donnelly. According to this person, baseball has been a hot topic at board meetings since the program's cancelation in 2020, and it sounds as though administration and the athletics department are open to the idea of baseball coming back. In addition, Furman plans to continue upkeep of the baseball facilities, so there is no concern of demolition.
Although male enrollment has been down in the past years, there has been a promising shift in numbers, meaning that Furman will be more likely to reinstate the program.

Maybe we’ll see donors stepping up in time to get that started up by the beginning of Furman’s
201st year = 2026-2027 school year. That’s only 3.5 years away. We will have already celebrated the 200th anniversary of Furman’s existence by then.
Of course, there will also have to be donors stepping up to fund a “Title IX balancing” women’s sport at the same time. What sport will that be?
Field Hockey?
Beach Volleyball?
Swimming & Diving?
Rowing?
Bowling?
Rifle?
Something else?
What additional women’s sport(s) would make the most overall sense (financial, etc.) for Furman in balancing the Title IX requirements when and if baseball returns?
Other thoughts for making it possibly easier (in light of Title IX) to bring back baseball include:
1. Move to Division 3 in all sports.
2. Move to Pioneer Football League.
Both those possibilities would seem highly, almost insurmountably, unpopular, even to just bring up.

Yes - this is a silly idea which Furman has absolutely no intention of ever considering. It is just a silly idea that no serious person would even mention.

We can (and should), however, do something which makes more sense to address the issue you raise.

To man, er, populate the revived Baseball Team, we should simply only recruit HS, JUCO, or Transfer Baseball Players who identify as Women. Sure, Baseball is (foolishly & quaintly) classified by the NCAA as a Men’s Sport, but with their very visible support of Vanderbilt fairly recently using a Woman in Football (also foolishly & quaintly classified as a Men’s Sport), they could do nothing less than wildly celebrate Furman’s revived Baseball Team, composed entirely of Players who identify as Women.

Perfect Logic! Easy peasy, no muss, no fuss, no Title IX issue, and Paladin Baseball is restored and golden!!!

[Affirm]

ANOTHER SUGGESTION FOR A D1 WOMEN’S SPORT FOR FURMAN TO CONSIDER CHOOSING FOR TITLE IX COMPLIANCE WHEN CONSIDERING THE POSSIBLE RESUMPTION OF BASEBALL:
**Women’s Gymnastics**
(Clemson is currently starting up a Women’s Gymnastics program.
UGA has had their program for years.)
… ALSO:
**Women’s Acrobatics & Tumbling** (see Presbyterian College Athletics)
…ALSO:
**Women’s Wrestling** (either NCAA D1 as PC apparently is in, or another sanctioning body that a lot of more well-known & big-time schools are in)

[Sad Din]

https://bringbackpaladinba.wixsite.com/ ... an-ba/blog

According to the web page:

A supporter of the Bring Back Furman Baseball campaign has informed me of his recent discussion with athletic director Jason Donnelly. According to this person, baseball has been a hot topic at board meetings since the program's cancelation in 2020, and it sounds as though administration and the athletics department are open to the idea of baseball coming back. In addition, Furman plans to continue upkeep of the baseball facilities, so there is no concern of demolition.
Although male enrollment has been down in the past years, there has been a promising shift in numbers, meaning that Furman will be more likely to reinstate the program.

Focus folks! Timmons!

[cavedweller2]

Field Hockey. Swimming and Diving to include an Olympian. And Rifle all used to exist at Furman.

[apaladin]

Y’all do know there are currently 9 womens sports to 7 for men. No need to add any womens sports. Currently Wofford has 9 men’s including baseball and 10 womens. The title 9 excuse was total BS.

[FurmAlum]

1. Move to Division 3 in all sports. DUMB!

2. Move to Pioneer Football League. DUMBER!

Our Football team is on the cusp of a Top 5 FCS team next year, our basketball team is arguably the best in the SoCon and has a great chance to make the NCAA tourney for the first time in 43 years, our track/cross country, soccer, both men's and women's golf, and women's tennis are nationally relevant in Division 1.

Affirm, why would we want to go backwards?

[Affirm]

https://bringbackpaladinba.wixsite.com/ ... an-ba/blog

According to the web page:

A supporter of the Bring Back Furman Baseball campaign has informed me of his recent discussion with athletic director Jason Donnelly. According to this person, baseball has been a hot topic at board meetings since the program's cancelation in 2020, and it sounds as though administration and the athletics department are open to the idea of baseball coming back. In addition, Furman plans to continue upkeep of the baseball facilities, so there is no concern of demolition.
Although male enrollment has been down in the past years, there has been a promising shift in numbers, meaning that Furman will be more likely to reinstate the program.

Focus folks! Timmons!

Right. The renovated Timmons will have to include space needed to accommodate whatever new women's sports program(s) are going to be added for Title IX compliance when and if we reinstate baseball.

[Affirm]

1. Move to Division 3 in all sports. DUMB!

2. Move to Pioneer Football League. DUMBER!

Our Football team is on the cusp of a Top 5 FCS team next year, our basketball team is arguably the best in the SoCon and has a great chance to make the NCAA tourney for the first time in 43 years, our track/cross country, soccer, both men's and women's golf, and women's tennis are nationally relevant in Division 1.

Affirm, why would we want to go backwards?

I did not say what we want to do. I just said what we need to consider if we want to consider reinstating baseball, which is the topic at hand.

[apaladin]

Affirm, please just stop the nonsense, please!! If FU did as you wish there would be zero donations to athletics.

Furman could build a pretty decent team thru transfers quickly. Just ask other SoCon teams.

[Affirm]

Y’all do know there are currently 9 womens sports to 7 for men. No need to add any womens sports. Currently Wofford has 9 men’s including baseball and 10 womens. The title 9 excuse was total BS.

It is my understanding that it is not the number of sports, but instead is, at least generally and to some extent, the numbers of students per gender - enrolled in the school compared to playing on teams.
It is my belief that Title IX is not BS, neither the letter nor the spirit of the law..

[apaladin]

Title IX is not but the excuse was BS.