Division 1A in Edmond?

[SteelClip49]

with the recent problems UCO has had with the NCAA there has been a halt on the possibility of UCO football and other sports becoming 1A. I did a story with Executive VP Steve Kreidler about UCO in general and he said with more money coming in, in general and the continuation of upgrading facilities over the next few years, there is a possibility UCO could wind up as 1A in football and basketball within the next 5-10 years....hopefully much sooner than 10 years. I haven't seen any news articles on this but have done stories with media relations and the XVP about this and it's certainly not a low-key deal and could become a much bigger deal in the coming months.

If this does happen, what conference do you see UCO in?

I figure they would start out as an independent then perhaps move to the Sun Belt or wind up in the WAC or MWC..... your thoughts?

[meoveryouxinfinity]

I have had many classes at UCO. I loved it. Cheaper, smaller class sizes, MUCH better professors, Edmond (which I consider a pro) etc. The problem for the Bronchos, according to me, is their students. I'd bet more than 85% are commuters. I'd also bet a good number of those students are not interested in attending any school events--including football & basketball games. That's just what I encountered. I had about 30 hours worth of UCO classes, on average I had one or two greek people in a particular class. They were the ONLY involved students. But who knows, maybe if the games meant something more people would show up.

[Jimminy Crimson]

It'll be a race to see who gets to 1A first: UCO or OCU (granted they don't have football, but still)

[bluedogok]

Well, OCU was D-I before moving to NAIA. UCO going would be no different than any other school in a bigger city like Univ. of Houston althoguh UCO does have much more on (and near campus) campus students than when I was in school.

UT-San Antonio has voted to add football and their goal is I-A, basketball already is there. Texas State (San Marcos) is in the planning stages of moving from I-AA to I-A in the near future.

[Paperclip]

OCU isn't going to 1-A. That was recently announced. They don't have enough sports and they're not crazy about the NCAA's mandatory 7 year moratorium on post-season play for new members.

[reevie]

UCO should join the Sun Belt initially, play a few season there to get their feet wet and build a D1 program, then look at moving into a C-USA or WAC in the long term.

[Ardmore_Sooner]

...they're not crazy about the NCAA's mandatory 7 year moratorium on post-season play for new members.

Is there a reasoning behind this rule?

[RedstickSooner]

Is there a reasoning behind this rule?

The NCAA is capricious and cruel? :)

[OK2LA]

How many different names has this school had? I grew up there, and back then it was called Central Sate University - OR Central Mistake whenever you flunked out of OU/OSU, and you had to come back home.

I know that it was named something else besides those two - anyone?

[ucosooner]

Territorial Normal School, Central Oklahoma Normal School, Central State Normal School, Central State College, Central State University, University of Central Oklahoma

[SteelClip49]

I graduated from UCO this past May and it's not a school you go to when flunking out of OU or OSU. Frankly, UCO is just as good of a school as OU and OSU except you don't have the Division 1A moniker. It has the best broadcasting department in the state and it's a great school to be at....and for any fan of OU and OSU, it sits nicely in between the two.

[Jimminy Crimson]

Growing up in Edmond, we jokingly referred to it as Broncho High.

Good school, FWIW.

[ucosooner]

I graduated from UCO this past May and it's not a school you go to when flunking out of OU or OSU. Frankly, UCO is just as good of a school as OU and OSU except you don't have the Division 1A moniker. It has the best broadcasting department in the state and it's a great school to be at....and for any fan of OU and OSU, it sits nicely in between the two.

Didn't you go to OU at one point?

[OK2LA]

I graduated from UCO this past May and it's not a school you go to when flunking out of OU or OSU. Frankly, UCO is just as good of a school as OU and OSU except you don't have the Division 1A moniker. It has the best broadcasting department in the state and it's a great school to be at....and for any fan of OU and OSU, it sits nicely in between the two.

Don't take it personally. Yes it is a school that people from Edmond went to when they flunked out of OU/OSU. It's a fact. There were many before and after me. That's what it was lovingly referred to back in the day - Central Mistake or as Jiminy stated - Broncho High. It's a good school, but I wouldn't put it in the same category as OU. Surely they have excellent departments - I don't doubt that, but when I went there, I made a 3.8 w/out much work. It was much easier than OU. Then again - I wasn't boozin it up Thurs - Sat either. :D

[OU_Sooners75]

with the recent problems UCO has had with the NCAA there has been a halt on the possibility of UCO football and other sports becoming 1A. I did a story with Executive VP Steve Kreidler about UCO in general and he said with more money coming in, in general and the continuation of upgrading facilities over the next few years, there is a possibility UCO could wind up as 1A in football and basketball within the next 5-10 years....hopefully much sooner than 10 years. I haven't seen any news articles on this but have done stories with media relations and the XVP about this and it's certainly not a low-key deal and could become a much bigger deal in the coming months.

If this does happen, what conference do you see UCO in?

I figure they would start out as an independent then perhaps move to the Sun Belt or wind up in the WAC or MWC..... your thoughts?


Wouldnt they be D1AA instead? They are currently DII arent they?

[SteelClip49]

ucosooner....spent 2 years at OSU-OKC, 2 at OU and 2 at UCO.

I figured they would make the move to 1AA but all I have been hearing is 1A. I think it's possible but maybe they should take it step by step and go into 1AA for a few seasons while they are still in the process of becoming 1A quality.

[bluedogok]

I think the NCAA requires you to step up through the divisions because you have to have some proof of attendance to move up. Most of the new startups (like Smellsofbourbon's school) had to spend some time in I-AA before being allowed to move to I-A.

[hurricane'bone]

I think minimum attendance for 1A is at least 17,000 p/game. Does UCO's stadium even hold 17,000?

[Jimminy Crimson]

I think minimum attendance for 1A is at least 17,000 p/game. Does UCO's stadium even hold 17,000?

If they finish out the stadium project, it'd be somewhere in the 20's, if I remember right from the MLS studies. Right now, I think for an "Edlam" game, they can get around 11-13,000 in.

[Big Red Ron]

It'll be a race to see who gets to 1A first: UCO or OCU (granted they don't have football, but still)Mick is busting his tail to get Oklahoma City University moved to D1, NCAA, Basketball.

UCU probably should get there first but there's no denying OCU's basketball success.

Actually they could both be D1 in basketball within 5 years. Like I said, with OCU getting there first.

[Big Red Ron]

Also, I don't think UCO will be a D1 football school in my lifetime. [no age jokes jimminy ;)] Basketball, yes. Football, no.

[OU_Sooners75]

ucosooner....spent 2 years at OSU-OKC, 2 at OU and 2 at UCO.

I figured they would make the move to 1AA but all I have been hearing is 1A. I think it's possible but maybe they should take it step by step and go into 1AA for a few seasons while they are still in the process of becoming 1A quality.

D-1A in football requires a probational period. They also have to meet certain requirements. Like a certain average attendance (not sure what else to be honest). I think the average attendance is set at 15,000 per game. UCO does not come close to that.

They would be D-1 in all sports. It is just football is split into 2 seperate divisions to keep the stronger and bigger schools matched up against each other.

[OU_Sooners75]

Also, I don't think UCO will be a D1 football school in my lifetime. [no age jokes jimminy ;)] Basketball, yes. Football, no.

D-1AA they can be in football.

[Landthief 1972]

Despite Pres. Webb's fervent dreams every night to any god who will hear him, UCO is never going to be a Div I school. The student body is indifferent to anything on campus out side of the Greeks (and even they don't support athletics). If the Edmond schools didn't play at Wantland, there would never have been a need to renovate. I remember during homecoming we had guys in my fraternity who skipped out at halftime to go to OU games, or at least watch the game on TV.

[TAFBSooner]

Territorial Normal School, Central Oklahoma Normal School, Central State Normal School, Central State College, Central State University, University of Central Oklahoma

I seem to remember Central Oklahoma State University at one point. At the same time Ada became East Central Oklahoma State University, etc. I think that was mercifully short-lived.

[CrimsonandCreamForever]

I pretty much agree with everyone who says there is not enough student support. I spent two and a half years at OU, didn't fail out, but didn't really do that great, took a year off, and now I'm in my second year at UCO, looking to finish up in May.

Most of the students here are "second time around" people, like me, and/or more of the "non-traditional" types. I can say that I'm not nearly as involved with extra-curricular type stuff here as I was at OU. I'm just concentrating on graduating and don't really care about much else. The vast majority of the student body here thinks this way, which is why they'll never get the support from the students.

I would dare to say this might change if UCO became even on the same level, name recognition-wise, as say a Tulsa or a U of H, but I seriously doubt it. IIRC, UCO went pretty deep in the DII basketball tourney this past year, and most of the students had no clue. Most people just want to get their paper and move on.