I didn't know they were ever D2 or in the GSC. The SLIAC always seemed like a weird fit. They are so geographically removed from the rest of the conference, makes sense being the St. Louis conference. There look to be two D3 conferences that already have Mississippi members (Southern Athletic Associaiton, and Collegiate Conference of the South). I wonder if they would take that road. My wife is a W alum, so I loosely follow their athletics, and I wonder if they can compete in D2. They seem to struggle in D3.
Yeah they were in the GSC back when the GSC was a powerhouse D2 conference. They didn't have football obvously but were competitive in women's basketball and volleyball. I think they won a national championship in women's basketball.
The problem is that the SAA and the CCS are all private schools and are unlikely to take a public school, even with limited athletics like MUW. Maryville is leaving the CCS for the SAA to replace Birmingham Southern, and the CCS will need to replace Maryville within 2 years. MUW will certainly apply but I just don't see the CCS schools voting them in. The CCS needs a Tennessee presence (MS, AL, GA and Kentucky footprint now). There are a handful of NAIA schools in Tennessee that may be looking to go D3 and the CCS is a perfect fit.
The SCAC schools seem to be happy but Colorado is a long trip - Centenary and Ozarks in Lousiana and Arkansas make sense for the CCS if they want to expend West, but I think they have to get a Tennessee school first.
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