The recent trend of schools leaving conferences they've been a part of for generations is not limited to just the top D1 conferences.
The Dakota Athletic Conference (NAIA) is caught in the middle of the same trend. Two of the schools (Black Hills State and South Dakota School of Mines) are in the process of moving to D2. Minot State is deep into the transition process as well.
If these schools successfully move to D2 it would leave the DAC as a five team conference. As I understand it, the NAIA requires a minimum of six teams in order to have automatic post-season qualification for the conference champ.
I'd like to hear if anyone has any insights into this.
Is the move from NAIA to D2 a national trend? I suppose money is the reason for the move but how exactly does a school gain financially by moving from NAIA to D2?
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