A recap from the GRLC Fall Meeting last weekend in Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, MO - The Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference (GRLC) met on Sunday, October 2 for their annual fall meeting. The GRLC is the largest conference in the USL MDIA, and includes 30 schools in 11 states.
Among the most exciting aspects of the GRLC meeting was the addition of four new teams: Arkansas, Memphis, Nebraska-Omaha, and Monmouth College.
The GRLC is proud to announce the addition of the University of Arkansas, who boasts a first year team laden with talent from Texas and a coaching staff made up of BYU alumni. Arkansas will play their first year as a GRLC Division B team.
Also added was the University of Memphis (TN). Memphis is a second year lacrosse program fielding numerous lacrosse players from Tennessee and some transfers from such MDIA schools as Chico State and Florida State. Memphis will also spend their first year as a GRLC Division B team.
Nebraska-Omaha joins the GRLC as the third lacrosse team in Nebraska. Nebraska-Omaha is led by two experienced coaches from the East Coast and features good numbers and school support.
The final addition to the GRLC was Monmouth College (IL). Monmouth has had a club team for some years. But like several smaller schools in Illinois lacked (until recently) the desire to become organized enough to join the GRLC. With their traditional rivalry with Augustana College, Monmouth hopes to make an immediate impact on the GRLC Division B Northeast.
There were a couple of Divisional changes in the GRLC as former GRLC Division A team, St. Louis University elected to compete with schools their own size at Division B. St. Louis University hopes to make an immediate impact at the B level and would like to make a run at Nationals. The University of Nebraska has elected to make the move up to Division A this season. Nebraska will join the Big-12 subdivision of the GRLC A division and hopes this move will be the catalyst for further growth and improvement both on and off the field.
The GRLC also welcomes back former member Truman State University (MO) which folded before the 2005 season because of a lack of numbers. TSU will compete in the GRLC Division B Northeast.
The GRLC was forced to deal with some unfortunate business as well. By their own admission, Lindenwood University (MO) has fielded a varsity lacrosse team for the past three years in direct violation to both USL MDIA and GRLC bylaws. Lindenwood University has declared the men's lacrosse team varsity in their official report to the Federal Government in the form of their Title IX compliance report to the Federal Department of Education. Additionally, the administration of Lindenwood University declared the varsity status of all 38 sports that Lindenwood fields in their accreditation report to the North Central Evaluation committee. In that same document, Lindenwood makes no differentiation between those sports which compete for NAIA titles and those who do not, declaring that all 38 of their varsity teams would seek conferences to join, whether NAIA or not. For this reason, the GRLC was forced to declare the 2003, 2004, and 2005 competitive seasons for Lindenwood as forfeit; and vacated the Lindenwood 2003 GRLC Division B Conference title, as well as their 2005 GRLC Division A Conference title. Lindenwood University has been placed on three years of disciplinary probation for the three years they fielded a varsity team, during which they may not compete in GRLC or MDIA post season play. For the 2006 season, Lindenwood will remain in the GRLC and they have pledged to remove the word 'varsity' from all their documentation and reports in the future.
Additionally there was much discussion on several other topics about which Lindenwood was cited for possible violation of GRLC Bylaws, such as offering scholarships. The GRLC Executive Board has been charged by the conference with creating a list of items for which Lindenwood must comply with GRLC bylaws to return to a status of Good Standing within the conference. Should Lindenwood University find themselves unable or unwilling to comply, the Conference membership has voted to expel Lindenwood University from the Conference. Should they make the required changes, the GRLC has agreed to review their probationary status.
The GRLC made a major change in their Executive Board and bylaws, becoming the first conference in the MDIA to actively seek a professional Commissioner. The Conference has created a job description and is advertising for qualified applicants in order to locate a Commissioner who can lead the conference in development both on and off the field. In this, as in many matters, the GRLC has taken the lead nationally and hopes this change will equate into a more efficient and competitive conference.
New GRLC Executive Board members were also elected. A.J. Stevens, Head Coach of the University of Illinois was elected Vice Commissioner; Brian Livingston, Head Coach of Washington University - St. Louis was elected as Conference Secretary; Will Gilner, Head Coach of Creighton University was elected as Division B Director; Kevin Egidi of the University of Iowa was elected as Division A student-athlete representative; and Brandon Thomson of the University of Missouri-Rolla was elected as Division B student-athlete representative. Former GRLC Commissioner, Kyle Hawkins (Head Coach of the University of Missouri) will fill the EB position of Former Commissioner.
The GRLC voted to hold their 2006 conference playoffs and championship at the old football stadium at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. The KSU football stadium features excellent lighting, new turf, and stadium seating. The GRLC hopes to field an exciting championship event at Kansas State next Spring.
The GRLC Division A is divided into two subdivisions. The Big 12 includes Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Missouri State and Nebraska. The Big 10 includes Illinois, Illinois State, Iowa, Lindenwood, and Washington University - St, Louis. A Division A team is required to play all the teams in their subdivision as well as three required randomly picked crossover games from the other subdivision. The top 6 Division A teams will qualify for post season play.
The GRLC Division B is divided into three subdivisions. The South includes Arkansas, Harding, Memphis, Missouri-Rolla, and St. Louis University. The Northeast is made up of Augustana College (IL), Monmouth College (IL), Rose Hulman (IN), Truman State (MO), Wheaton College (IL) and Western Illinois University. The Northwest includes Creighton, Cornell College (IA), Dordt College (IA), Nebraska - Omaha, Northwestern College (IA), and South Dakota. A Division B team is required to play all the teams in their subdivision as well as two required randomly picked crossover games from the other subdivisions at the Conference Crossover Tournament which will be held in Macomb, Illinois at the campus of Western Illinois University. The top 6 Division B teams will also qualify for GRLC postseason play.
In their 2006 preseason polls, the coaches of the GRLC selected Illinois and Creighton University to win the Division A and B titles respectively.
2006 GRLC Division A Preseason Poll
1) Illinois
2) Missouri
3) Wash U
4) Illinois State
5) Lindenwood
6) Kansas
7) Missouri State (formerly Southwest Missouri State)
8) Kansas State
9) Iowa
10) Nebraska
2006 GRLC Division B Preseason Poll
1) Creighton
2) Harding
3) Western Illinois
4) Dordt College
5) St. Louis University
6) South Dakota
7) Rose Hulman (tie)
7) Memphis (tie)
9) Missouri-Rolla
10) Arkansas
11) Truman State
12) Augustana College
13) Wheaton College
14) Northwestern College
15) Cornell College
16) Nebraska - Omaha
17) Monmouth College