Seawolves Fans

Little by little Stony Brook is finding its place in the college athletics world. We just need a lot more loyal fans. Its so difficult to grow the fan base.

I hope for better days with this entry to the CAA. A lot of changes are down the pipe with the new NCAA constitution. Who knows how things will be this July

Correct me if I’m wrong here, but if Spallina is publicly happy, can we assume that it’s already been agreed to that WLAX (and other sports) are safe with auto bids this year?  And further, wouldn’t it make sense for AE to have SBU represent them in NCAA tournament for ongoing prestige of the conference?

Like I said above. If you are Spallina and WLAX team you shouldn't worry too much about Auto-bid. Based on the last decade they are an easy bet for an at-large. It's the other teams that should be concerned (WBB, MBB, MLAX, BASE, SOFT)

I just wish Hofstra didn’t block us in 2013. We ended up in CAA anyway, just 9 years late. The territorial behavior has really hurt the northeast from creating a true FBS conference. BC blocking UCONN to ACC, NOVA blocking Temple to Big East. I think close distance rivalry helps both schools. UNC/Duke/NC state good example of three in close proximity yet prospering.

can always count on newsday to support SBU. https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/stony-brook/stony-brook-caa-1.50487728

Will Stony Brook's move to CAA hurt in short term?
In the long-term this will have huge benefits for Stony Brook as it becomes part of higher-profile conference with better NCAA Tournament prospects in all sports, takes the Long Island rivalry with Hofstra to a new level of intensity and increases the school’s visibility and earning potential.

The short term is far less rosy for the Seawolves. There is a provision in the America East bylaws that states that once a school has notified the conference that it is withdrawing, it can be ruled ineligible for conference championships. That would mean that Stony Brook could be ruled ineligible for the AE’s automatic bid to the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The women’s team (15-2, 6-0) is in first place; the men’s team (12-6, 4-1) is in second place.

When Boston University exited the America East for the Patriot League in 2012, it was ruled ineligible for championships. This season Hartford announced it is exiting to scale back to Division III and has been permitted to compete for conference titles. The remaining AE members will decide before the beginning of winter championships if Stony Brook will be eligible.

There could be greater earning opportunities for conference members with a stronger men’s basketball conference. The CAA will enter the final year of its primary media rights deal with streaming service FloSports. D’Antonio said media "arrangements going forward will likely include both streaming options as well as national linear TV options and potentially local linear TV options."

The CAA will play its men’s basketball tournament in Washington, D.C., this season and next. With a stronger presence in Greater New York and the myriad of venues — including the Coliseum and UBS Arena on Long Island — D’Antonio said he "wouldn’t close the door" on having the tournament in the area.

Stony Brook will take on some costs along the way. LaValle Stadium and Island Federal Credit Union Arena measure up to other CAA schools, but Heilbron said the facilities for baseball and softball will require upgrades to match other conference members. "We will have to fundraise to make those improvements," he said.

im curious if anything changes attendance-wise.  football is N/A.  but do we go from... 2200 bball fans against an AE team, to 3200 because we host... drexel?  delaware?

have kids at SB ever even heard of hampton?

good points and agreed on the southern schools.

it will be interesting to see if we start upgrading recruits, immediately.

here's some good news.  look at the difference: https://www.csnbbs.com/thread-930923-post-18031880.html#pid18031880

Academically and in overall profile, SBU is actually an upgrade over JMU for the CAA. Welcome aboard Seawolves!

glad we are headed there.

RealtimeRPI:

Men's Basketball
CAA 13
America East 25 (was 28 a few weeks ago)

Women's Basketball
CAA 11
America East 28

This seems like a very reasonable step forward. I also like that women's tennis comes back to the east coast for its championship (it's a very underrated program at SBU. It held its own in the MVC and will do just fine in the CAA).

Makes me wonder if men's tennis will come back (sponsored by the CAA, but dropped by the America East). If it does, how does SBU balance Title IX? The answer to me is clear as day: the CAA sponsors women's crew. How fantastic would it be to see SBU launch a varsity crew team again for the first time since the 1970's? Many influential members of the SBU Alumni Assoc are former rowers, and several rowers are in the SBU Athletics hall of fame. It almost seems weird for us to be a coastal institution on an island and not have a crew team.

This is of course wishful thinking on my part, but I have to think that in the next 10 years varsity women's crew at SBU is a real possibility.