Conference splits

by inch Arnold

Beginning in the fall of 1976, the Midwest Conference will be split into
two divisions for football and basketball competition. The division set-up
is strictly a trial move and will be reviewed at the conclusion of next
year's schedules to determine its future. The other conference sports
already participate within divisions or have a season-ending, all~
inclusive conference meet to determine a champion, or both.

According to Grinnelrs faculty represenative to the Midwest Cons
lerence and the current president of that faculty body, Dr. Charles
Jepseii, the primary motivation behind the move to the divisional format
was the increasing money crunch facing colleges today. “The presidents
of many Midwest Conference schools had requested their athletic
directors to save money in reasonable ways and the divisional format
was one result of this request,” iepsen said. The change to divisions will
mean iewer road and overnight trips and thus substantial budget savings.

Another reason given by Jepsen for the switch to divisions was that
“this new arrangement would cut down on the inconvenience, fatigue,
'and time away from classes which are all trademarks of travel, This was
a consideration, but the money problem was, ofcourse, the central factor
influencing the decision.”

Eastern and Western diwsions

The eleven member conference will be divided into an Eastern and a
Western Division with Grinnell being a member of the latter. Ripon,
Lawrence, Beloit, Lake Forest, and the University of Chicago (whose
official Conference membership begins in the fall of 1976) will make up
the Eastern Division and Monmouth (coming off a year on probation).
Knox, Cornell, Coe, Carleton, and the Pioneers will form the Western
Division. Carleton is the odd member in this divisional format as
placement in either division would have proved inconvenient for Carleton
because of great travel distances, There has been talk of shifting Carleton
from one division to the other each new school year so one division does
not always have an odd number of members,

Mentioned as a more likely possibility by Jepsen would be the ex
tending of an invitation to another college to become the twelfth member
of the Conference. This new member would, preferably, be an institution
whose location would be central to several present conference members
Also mentioned as a possibility to offset the imbalance of even and odd
membered divisions, ifthis system is maintained, would be to expand the
conference to fourteen members, with the new members being colleges
closer to Carleton, which is located in Northfield, Minnesota.

The divisional format works simply. in football, each team is
guaranteed cightgaines, in the Western Division, the six teams will play
a round robin within their division and have the 0 'on of playing at most
three non-conference games with Eastern Division teams or teams
outside of the Midwest Conference. The rules are the same for the
Eastern Division teams except that because there are only five division
teams the members have the option of playing up to four non-conference
games with Western Division foes or outside teams,

lnterdivisionnl playoffs

A ninth playing date will be set aside for interdivisional playoffs. The
last place team in the Western Division Will be dropped from the playoffs
so that team will only have an eightrgame season. The first place teams in
each division will play each other for the conference championship, the
second place teams will play each other, and so on down the line through
the fifth place teams playing each other.

The basketball divisions operate similarly. The teams will play a
double round robin Within their divisions and then the like-place teams
will play in the interdivisional or conference playoffs with the last place
team in the Western Division being dropped. Again, each school may
schedule a set number of nonrconference games. Grinnell will play both
of their basketball games with Carleton at Northficld next season to help
alleviate the Carls‘ travel difficulties.

Several athletic directors voiced fears before the decision was reached
that the Conference was being split into two conferences rather than two
divisions. There is no rule which states that a certain amount of non-
conference games must be interdivisional, and no regular season games
are played outside ofthe division, it is certainly possible that the Western
Division teams may rarely, if ever. play Eastern DiviSion rivals and Vice
versa. Two of Grinnell’s three nonrconference football games are
scheduled with Eastern Division teams next season.

Conference continuity is certainly questionable at this time, and
without some sort of purposeful effort on the part of coaches and athletic
directors to schedule interdivisional contests, the Midwest Conference
could, indeed, be completing its final season.

 

SEASON'S
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The'Scarlet and Black. November 28, 1975—1). 4

Photo by Nick Maiden

Griniicll's Kent Ramsey tforegroiind) prosti'ates himself to Buddha as
he dives into the water (luring a race iii. the Pioneer Relays Tuesday.
Grinnell finished a distant third behind South Dakota State and two points

behind second place William Jewell.

Tanker report

i
Men 5
by Darc Sclirciitcr

Several fine individual per-
formances were not enough to
provide a winning week for the
men's swim team, This past
Monday, the swimmers defeated
South Dakota State University and
Northwest Missouri State
University in dual competition
while losing to William Jewell, The
following .day Grinnell finished
third as the host team in the
Pioneer Relays, which were won
lor the second consecutive year by
South Dakota.

Grinnell defeated South Dakota,
48747, and Northwest Missouri, 53»
42, but fell to William Jewell, 51-44,
John Chambers won the 100 but-
terf'ly. Norm Zimmerman handily
won the diving, and Bruce Jones
won the 100 free in the folir team,
dual mcct competition. Other
notable performances were turned
in by freestylerrbutterflyer Bert
Simpson and diver Mark Burton.

in the Pioneer Relays. Grinnell
won just a single event, the diving.
in that event Zimmerman and
Burton combined to win [he team
title. The tankers finished second
four times in the meet, which South
Dakota won with 52 points.
Following them were William
Jewell with 48, Grinnell with 46,
and Northwest Missouri with 40.

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Across from Post Office
Closed Thursday p.m.
and Sat. p.m.

Women's

byDachchechter

Six new school records didn't
provide cnough points for the
women's swim tealn last week as
they dropped a 73752 decision to the
University of town. lowa won
eleven of the mcet’s fifteen events
in defeating the Pioneer women.

Cheryl Huntoon won the 200 yard
freestyle. tying the school record,
followed in second by teammate
Margo Wessiier. Wessner set a new
school mark in the 50 yard
backstroke and in the 100 back.
Despite finishing second in the so
free, Becki Chipman broke the
team record in that event. Virinia
Munoz finished second in both the
50 and lot: butterﬂy events, but
swam to school records in both
events. To conclude the record
rewrite job, Mary Forsythe broke
the school marl-i in the 500 free,
despite a second place finish to the
woman who defeated Munoz twice
earlier in the meet.

The meet score is not wholly
indicative of the women's perr
lormance, Grinnell took no divers
to the meet and thus Iowa scored
sixteen points in two diving events
unopposed.

ﬂ

Tonight and tomorrow afternoon
the men s Varsity basketball team
will kick off their schedule with
opening games at Beloit and Lake
Forest, respectively. The ten men
making the trip are Mark Blanr
chard, Charlie Gogel, John Halgh,
Joe Kingma, Billy Knox, Mayr
Miller, Gunnar Thors, C:
Warner, Roger Warner, and Craig
Zippe.

Bcloit and Lake Forest we”
picked to finish fourth and fifth iiﬁ
preseason poll of coaches with
Grinnell picked a likely choice to
unseat one ofthefavorites and gain
a first divismn berth Coe a'
Ripon were selected to finish in the
top two spots.

Tuesday the Junior Varsxty
squad will play their first game of
a ten-game season as William
Penn's JV comes to visit. The
game starts at 5:15 pm

*********

Wednesday December a at 6: 30
p. m the women s basketball team
will take on the University of lover
iescrvcs in the friendly confines of
Darby Gym At press time the
starting linerups were yet to be
determined. but come Wedneso
the Women should be ready to
their best against the tough U of I
women

*****‘k***

it looks like a full complemeii’ﬁﬁ
Pioneer wrestlers will face Central
College Tuesday at 6:30 p in. in the
rec in the grappler's opening
match. Coach Maurice Hunt has
been putting his charges through
vigorous workouts all this week
and emphasizes that if Grinnell
can beat Central, the chances for a
successful season are more fact
than dream,

‘k*******‘k

Halls who intend on enterin
team in the intramural Basket' C
program should register their
teams before Tuesday, December
9, Students wanting to participw
should contact their Hall £
chairperson Again this year that
will be two leagues, a coed league
and a men's league. For further
information Contact Commissioner
Tom Latimer, ext. 520.

Also. IM basketball officials
wanted. Contact Mr. Latimer.

HOME ‘FOR BREAK?

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Friday

Happy Hours
4 - 6 pm.
All Beer—Half Price

FOLK GUITARIS'I WANTED. If

interested

see Phil at THE

TRACKS or call 236-7095.

 

