Extra pointsThe UTC football team begins its organized summer workouts today, under the direction of strength coach Scott Brincks. … Former Mocs Joseph Thornton and Craig Camay still are pursuing pro football careers. Thornton, an All-SoCon linebacker, will participate in a national combine in Indianapolis on June 18. Camay, an All-America kicker, worked out recently for the Florida Tuskers of the new United Football League.
The marquee item on the agenda as the Southern Conference spring meetings in Hilton Head Island, S.C., begin today is determining the site, or sites, for future men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena will host the tournaments next season, but the 2012-14 tourneys are being pursued by six bidding cities, including Chattanooga.
SoCon commissioner John Iamarino said Monday that he would like for the event to “go somewhere for as many years as possible,” but the three tourneys up for grabs could go to three different cities.
Representatives of the six bidding cities — Chattanooga; Charleston, S.C.; Greenville, S.C.; Asheville, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Winston-Salem, N.C. — will make 20-minute presentations Wednesday afternoon. The SoCon athletic directors will discuss the bids afterward and possibly vote Thursday.
Iamarino said the ADs likely will take some preliminary votes to narrow the choices, so they “can clearly have a majority voting for one site.”
The tournament was held in Charlotte this past season, with the games split between two facilities. McKenzie Arena will be the only facility used in 2011, but the format for the future is to use two arenas, with the women’s tournament early-round games taking place at the second facility.
Chattanooga’s bid includes using McKenzie and the gym at Chattanooga State. Scott Smith, president of the Greater Chattanooga Sports & Events Committee, said if the ADs vote to spread the host cities around, then Chattanooga has a good shot at getting at least one year.
However, if the ADs prefer to keep the tournaments in one city all three years, “then we’re probably in trouble,” Smith said.
Among the other topics that will be discussed this week, Iamarino said, are the lawsuit filed by Samford before the SoCon softball tournament and the possible ramifications of conference changes throughout Division I:
In a cost-cutting move, the SoCon trimmed the fields at some of this year’s postseason tournaments. Before the start of the softball tournament last month in Chattanooga, four Samford players filed a Title IX lawsuit in an effort to expand the field from four to eight teams.
The lawsuit was denied, but the league already had decided to make other cost-saving adjustments to allow all postseason tournaments to return to their previous formats next season.
The probable expansion of the Big Ten Conference could have many repercussions as schools leave one leaguee for another. Iamarino said that could trickle down to the SoCon, which might be forced to find a new member if a school leaves.