St. Ambrose University is applying for full membership in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (CAAC), hoping to be selected as its 16th member.
Athletic Director Mike Holmes said the conference is seeking to cap membership after the selection process.
“I think there was a little bit of concern on our part that if we did not act in a timely manner to at least investigate that formally, that door could close on us here when we wouldn't want it to,” Holmes said in an interview with WVIK. “So that was kind of what predicated the harder look at it. Of course, I think the primary part was that we had a relationship with them for the past few years.”
The university currently has partial membership for its men’s wrestling, football, E-sports, and men's and women’s lacrosse teams.
“[T]he biggest benefit is that we're not scattered all over the United States. Each conference has some subtle eligibility differences,” Holmes said. “And so to keep track of that and four different conferences that we're in right now is a challenge because we're certifying almost a thousand athletes a year. The second part is just having a place to really call your conference home and identify with them.”
He mentioned it would foster Iowa rivalries with Mount Mercy, Clark, William Penn, and Grandview, which are currently in the conference.
The university also stated that the closure of other collegiate teams is another reason to join the CAAC.
“So Trinity Christian closes at the end of this year, and that's already affected us. We have our women's basketball team [who] lost them on the schedule, and that occurred so late that it was hard for our kids to find replacement games for that,” Holmes said. “In the past, Trinity International University has also closed. Lincoln College closed its doors, and Cardinal Stritch University closed its doors.”
He said the closures are impacting their ability to automatically qualify for national tournaments.
“You have to have a certain number to qualify a team automatically for a national tournament. And if you drop below a threshold, then you either go from two to one, or in one case with tennis, which is really dropping down low, you have the danger of dropping from one automatic qualifier to not having one,” Holmes said. “And so that becomes pretty problematic for you when you're kind of biting your nails and hoping that you don't lose those automatic qualifiers because somebody had to close their doors.”
Holmes said the formal application process involves the CAAC commissioner assembling a site visit with the conference president, some athletic directors, vice presidents, and the eligibility chair. The conference council of presidents will set a special session following the visit to vote on the application.
“It's competitive. There are some really good schools there. We think this is a good fit for all of our kids and gives them a little more security,” Holmes said. “But now it's out of my hands. We'll just kind of wait and see how things go and what their presidents think.”
If approved, the university can start fully competing in the conference this fall.
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