The New Conference and New Speculations

Outside the Arc is a little late to the party when it comes to the news about Southeastern leaving the Lone Star Conference. There were reasons. Trust me.

Varying reports started leaking in June that six Arkansas schools in the Gulf South Conference were looking into seceding from the union and forming their own government. With UCO and NSU looking into the possibility of breaking the Lone Star Conference ranks to join the MIAA, the Arkansas schools were in talks with SOSU, East Central and Southwestern to form a nine-team league. In July, these schools made it official.

It wasn’t until late November that the conference got a name: the Great American Conference. It’s definitely a somewhat bold statement for an affiliation of schools from only two states.

Now, it the opinion of the OTA staff that nine teams is a bit small for a conference, but we’re sure that the officials of these nine schools have already considered this and have something else in the works.

Enter Northwestern and Southern Nazarene.

Here are two schools that have stated they have been considering the move from NAIA to NCAA DII for over a year. The announcements of their applications to the NCAA to make the jump both came within the last month. It would seem to be a perfect fit, as these two schools fit the mold around which the other nine have formed their alliance.

Just something to consider.