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Trojans prepare for next athletic school year
August 13, 2010
Last week, Dakota State University Athletic Director Gene Wockenfuss sent out a press release stating that the Trojans were leaving the Dakota Athletic Conference starting in 2011-12.
Concerns over travel and budget were among the reasons why Wockenfuss thought the move was the right one. DSU is ready to become a member of the Association of Independent Institutions. The A.I.I., which sponsors 22 sports and has more than 30 schools across North America, is in its third year of existence.
The A.I.I. has the same standing as all other conferences in the NAIA. The coast-to-coast conference, which has a website (www.aiisports.com), has a commissioner, Ted Breidenthal, and a director of communications, Scott McLean.
The Daily Leader sat down with Wockenfuss for a few questions about what the move means to DSU:
Q: Will DSU student-athletes still be afforded the opportunity to earn individual recognition?
Wockenfuss: Yes. DSU student-athletes will still have the opportunity to earn individual honors as an All-Independent player selection and achieve national All-American status.
Q: With being part of the A.I.I., can the Trojans compete for national titles?
Wockenfuss: Absolutely.
Q: How so?
Wockenfuss: The football team will need to be ranked in the top 16 and be the highest independent NAIA school to receive an automatic bid for postseason participation.
The Association of Independent Institutions will select four basketball teams to participate in a qualifying tournament. The selected host school will receive an automatic bid. The winner will advance to the national tournament.
For volleyball, baseball and softball, the A.I.I. will select six teams to participate in a qualifying tournament. The selected host school will receive an automatic bid. The winner will advance to the national tournament.
Q: Will DSU's game schedules change?
Wockenfuss: Yes and no. Independent status will allow us to continue to compete against area schools, but will allow us to schedule games at a distance that are better for our recruiting and alumni base.
Q: How will this affect DSU's bottom line?
Wockenfuss: Budgets will remain the same. It will allow us to prioritize on game scheduling with postseason opportunity being the highest priority.
Q: How will being independent affect recruiting?
Wockenfuss: Independent status will allow us the freedom to schedule locations that are recruiting areas, not to mention areas where we have a strong alumni base. Scheduling to these locations will make DSU a much more appealing opportunity for prospective student-athletes.
Ariy-El Boynton, Madison Daily Leader Sports Editor
