Aceinthehole

Here's something from William Paxton of the Connecticut Post. He broke the QU/MU to the MAAC story more than a week before it happened.

http://blog.ctnews.com/college/2012/...ing-at-bryant/

UVM Hoop Cat

4 new members? Interesting- we know Bryant and CCSU are probably two of those, wonder who the other two would be?

As an aside, what the heck happens to the NEC if they lose more schools?

I saw LIU also loss Boyd for the season as well- tough year in the NEC.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

iBOsbu

Probably NJIT. Conference RPI would suffer. But I am sure, when The SUNY schools joined AEC went through the same transition period.

I hope AEC would bring Hofstra back (although unlikely). I am all for local LI rivalry.

ccd494

UMaine-Fort Kent
UMaine-Presque Isle
UMaine-Machias
UMaine-Farmington.

It's done, signed and sealed.

Bingo!

For what it's worth, NJIT has beaten an AE team this year (UNH) and Army, who has beaten Binghamton and Maine.

They also only loss games by 8 points to St. John's and Seton Hall, which I don't think the majority of AE teams would pull off.

Doesn't seem like they'd be hurting the conference RPI any more than most of the bottom feeders already in the conference.

Bingo!

CCSU, Bryant and NJIT all seem very logical. Who could the fourth be?

iBOsbu

May be Robert Morris if AEC want to expand outside New England and Tri-state area.

UNHWildcat18

Well looking at the pool of teams in the northeast

Patriot- no one is leaving for us
A-10 I doubt URI would leave, no chance for umasss
MAAC- no one is leaving for us
NEC- CCSU Bryant SHU Wagner im sure would all leave if invited
Independent- NJIT wants a home more than anything
CAA- UD TU NU HU could return, but i doubt it.

I really don't see where 4 schools would come from unless its 3 nec plus njit

UVM Hoop Cat

I'm more interested in conference stability than RPI at this point- that's what happens though when you're a last-mover like the AE is.

And honestly, not NJIT as much but Bryant and CCSU would both be plug-and play at this point.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

iBOsbu

I think of the three (NJIT, CCSU and Bryant), NJIT has a lot of potential.

They are in recruiting area.. see the Times article today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/sp...tml?ref=sports

They will save money from all those travel to west that can be invested in BB program.

They play in Prudential!

narthuro

They don't play in Prudential. They gym seems more appropriate at the high school level.

I'm not opposed to NJIT, though. At this point, if the AE wants to expand (or cushion itself), it isn't going to grab schools of much higher academic or sporting caliber than NJIT.

iBOsbu

lol.. never mind.. you are right

GoCatsGo

Just one thought on NJIT (not an endorsement, nor a rebuke)...remember, when assessing the status of their hoops program right now, every win they've earned thus far they've earned with players who were ostensibly told "there is currently no path to the NCAA Tournament if you come here." That is the plight of the school without a conference affiliation (no, the Great West doesn't count...no bid = no league).

If they join the America East, they *will* improve. Fact.

UNHFan

I appalud the AEast if this is true that the league could add 4 schools. I like the idea of NJIT just from the fact of its a good recruiting area and a location the Aeast is not currently in. Does anyone have any thoughts on who the fourth team could be and secondly what would happen to the NEC? Does everyone feel confident in Bryant, CCSU and NJIT to the Aeast?

Bingo!

I do!