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How Would a Big 10 Expansion/Big East Split Affect Men's Lacrosse

Monday, May 10, 2010

Talk has lingered about Big 10 expansion and it's repercussions for several months now and while nothing is confirmed, there is no doubt that this has the potential to shake up the lacrosse world and specifically Big East Lacrosse.
If the Big 10 decides that it only desires one team for expansion, the Big East Lacrosse conference would likely remain intact.  The Big 10 may simply pluck Nebraska or Missouri from the Big 12 and call it a day, easing the worries of the Big East schools.  The Big 10 could also expand with one team from the Big East, which may or may not affect the Big East Lacrosse conference.  If a non-lacrosse playing school such as West Virginia or Pitt jumped to the Big 10, and the Big East replaced such a school with UCF or Memphis, then the lacrosse conference remains intact.  If either of the two lacrosse playing institutions often mentioned when it comes to expansion, Rutgers or Syracuse, were to leave for the Big 10 the Big East lacrosse conference would certainly be affected, however it could be argued that this would not be a doomsday scenario.  Syracuse would likely return to being an independent, or Rutgers, as stated by the Newark Star-Ledger, would likely join the ECAC.  Hypothetically, the Big East replaces the departed team with UCF or Memphis, and the lacrosse conference could add Loyola as an affiliate lacrosse only memeber, as the women's lacrosse conference does, to keep the number at a safe 7 teams.



Now if multiple lacrosse playing Big East schools leave for the Big 10 then things get interesting.  If both Rutgers and Syracuse leave the Big East then not only does the lacrosse conference have problems, but the Big East as a whole's future is in question. In this scenario there are several questions that linger:
-Do Syracuse, Rutgers, Ohio State, and Penn State form a Big 10 Lacrosse Conference in the same mold as the ACC?  Or does Syracuse return to independent status?
-If the above happens, do these schools ratchet up some pressure on Michigan and Northwestern to go varsity to ensure an AQ? 
-Does the Big East scramble to add two football schools? (although they would likely not sponsor lacrosse)
-If the above happens what does the Big East do with 5 lacrosse playing schools? Add a lacrosse only affiliate school i.e. Loyola?  Or does everyone go their own way back to the CAA's and MAAC's of the world?
-What if there is a split?  Do the basketball schools form some sort of catholic basketball power conference?  Do any schools decide to add the sport post split because they are no longer weighed down by Big East type expectations (i.e. Seton Hall)
-Other variables to consider could be if the ACC or SEC swoop in and lure some Big East schools to their conference
-Notre Dame is another x-factor not covered here, mainly because most believe, probably correctly, that the Irish would never give up their football independence

Whatever happens there is one question that I don't think anyone knows the answer to, would a Big 10 Expansion or Big East split be good or bad for the sport of lacrosse, or would there be no affect at all?

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