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[hawkoooo]

For those who think the American may get raided in the future, can you explain by whom? The Big 12 seems to be set against expanding. Even if it did, BYU and Air Force/CSU are just as likely to be added as any American school.

Given ND's arrangement with the ACC, getting to 16 isn't important. If the B10, SEC, or P12 expand it'll be the B12 they raid, not the American. It is more likely that the American expands for football than gets raided, to truly become "Power 6" as they desire. For example by re-inviting BSU/SDSU and other Western schools to make a West division. They could even really think out of box and tempt Gonzaga to leave.

The A10 is dead. To me this was proven by the decision not to expand to the Midwest after losing Butler. Wichita State was a glaringly obvious choice but was ignored and eventually lost. Dayton is on an island and SLU isn't even on the map, yet no Midwest additions were made despite the availability of schools at least on par with Davidson and George Mason.

UMass, VCU, Dayton, Saint Louis and Richmond are all attractive to various conferences that may expand in the future. Given the A10's decision to limit additions to the East coast, replacements for these schools should they depart are few and far between. Comparing the future outlook of the A10 and American is apples and oranges. The American's is bright and the A10's dim. We must accept this fact.

	Richmond UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND Founded in 1830, the private liberal arts university in the Commonwealth boasts 2,800 students in 57 majors within its picturesque 350-acre campus. The Robins School of Business is one of the Top-20 business schools in the country. Nickname is the Spiders and are fellow A10 Conference members.

	Massachusetts MASSACHUSETTS UMass Amherst, the flagship campus of the University of Massachusetts system, sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston and 175 miles from New York City. The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers. UMass enrolls over 20,000 undergraduates and 5,000 post-grad students. Fellow members of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Minutemen. Women's teams known as the Minutewomen. Sports achievements include NCAA Final Four appearances in men's basketball and women's soccer.

	Saint Louis SAINT LOUIS Saint Louis University is a Jesuit, Catholic university ranked among the top research institutions in the nation. The University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 12,700 students. Founded in 1818, it is the oldest university west of the Mississippi and the second oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Located in St. Louis, MO, and just five minutes from the Gateway Arch, SLU offers 85 undergraduate programs and over 50 graduate study tracks. Over 99% of the SLU faculty hold the highest degree in their respective fields. Fellow member of the A10 Conference. Nickname is the Billikens, but also commonly known as "Sloo", the phonetic pronunciation of the school's initials. Athletic claims to fame include multiple national titles in men's soccer and men's basketball star Larry Hughes.