NCAA Basketball: Reimagining the Conferences - Readjustment, not Realignment

TIER 5: STILL DIVISION 1

By this point, basically all of the high level programs of the 21st century (save for a few in the northwest who didn't fit geographically) have found a home. At this point, schools begin to gain credit for being large enough to have FBS football, being successful in FCS football (and not wanting to send them to Division II) and having recent success becomes incredibly helpful.

Big Sky: Seattle, Portland, Portland State, Montana, Montana State, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Wyoming, Northern Colorado, Denver, Utah Valley, Weber State

This is the best conference remaining, with half of its members worthy of Tier 4 status. Montana and Weber State's collective status at the top will now be challenged by newcomers Seattle, Wyoming and Utah Valley.

Big West: Sacramento State, UC Davis, Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Northridge, Cal Baptist, UC San Diego, Northern Arizona, Southern Utah, Utah Tech

Amidst a group of schools with a recent history of on and off success, like UC Davis, Cal Poly, Sacramento State (and keep an eye on Northern Arizona in 2025), the most promising may be a pair of young Division 1 programs, UC San Diego and Southern Utah.

Gulf League: Southeast Missouri State, Arkansas-Little Rock, Central Arkansas, Louisiana-Monroe, Southeast Louisiana, Nicholls State, New Orleans, Northwestern State, Lamar, Incarnate Word, Texas State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi

In the remnants of the Southland and Sun Belt, it was a tough decision for the final spot, with the football success of Central Arkansas and the growth promise of Incarnate Word edging out Texas A&M Commerce despite a quality 2024 season.

Tundra Conference: North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Omaha, UMKC, St. Thomas, Green Bay, Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Western Illinois

I never liked the Summit League name, and with a concentration in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin, this fits. And with the directional Michigans being broken up in the MAC, now we get to enjoy the directional Illinois (Eastern, Northern, Western) sharing a league.

Mid-American Conference: Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, IPFW, IU Indianapolis, Southern Indiana, Ball State, Bellarmine, Youngstown State, Saint Francis

The scraps of the MAC and Horizon League come together with a top NEC school (Saint Francis) and Bellarmine, who has fallen off after a great initial two years in Division I. Southern Indiana was saved by geography in a way no other school was. Eight schools felt too small and the only other remaining option that fit was Mercyhurst, who was just brought up from Division II this summer.

Atlantic Sun: Kennesaw State, Georgia Southern, The Citadel, Jacksonville State, Troy, Jacksonville, North Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida International, Stetson

Some struggling football schools (Florida International, Troy, Georgia Southern), join some new risers (Kennesaw State, Stetson) and Florida Gulf Coast. Plus, the conference would give us the Not Actually A Derby rivalry between Jacksonville (FL) and Jacksonville State (AL).

Big South: Longwood, VMI, William & Mary, Elon, Gardner-Webb, Queens, Coastal Carolina, Western Carolina, South Carolina Upstate, Lipscomb, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech

A whole bunch of schools in and around the Carolinas that seem like they should be better than they have been join together in Coastal Carolina, William & Mary (maybe they'll finally make the NCAA Tournament in a lesser league), Lipscomb, Longwood and Elon.

Northeast Conference: Stony Brook, Long Island, Manhattan, Wagner, Towson, UMBC, Mount Saint Mary's, Rider, Binghamton

This almost entirely New York CIty/Maryland conference picked up a late straggler in Binghamton. How could I possibly sleep at night having sent the great Tony Kornheiser's beloved alma mater out of Division I?

America East: Maine, New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, Merrimack, Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Northeastern, Marist, Niagara, Canisius

Bryant and UMass Lowell will be thrilled to no longer share this conference with Vermont, instead joining up with the lesser half of the MAAC, including rising star Merrimack, while Northeastern drops down to a league that they should consistently be near the top of.

Dropping to Independent or Division II: Idaho State, Campbell, Charleston Southern, North Alabama, Tennessee Martin, Sacred Heart, UT Rio Grande Valley, NJIT, Presbyterian, SIU Edwardsville, Le Moyne, Texas A&M Commerce, Chicago State, Houston Christian, Stonehill, Lindenwood, Mercyhurst, West Georgia