As realignment dominoes continue to fall, the current state of the Colonial Athletic Association is grim. With marquee members VCU and ODU jetting off to slightly higher perches, the league must rob another conference in order to maintain its growing reputation as a solid hoops league - let alone any semblance of actual league-hood period.
With two of the conference’s Virginia-based schools heading out, the league may have to diversify, location-wise. Most CAA-knowledgeable pundits (like... um... me) expect SoCon members Davidson and Charleston to garner invitations to jump ship, along with Stony Brook of the America East. Past expansions have focused on strong teams in large media markets such as Boston (Northeastern) and Atlanta (Georgia State, briefly). Charlotte, NC-adjacent Davidson, in particular, scores well on both criteria. Wildcats coach Bob McKillop isn’t so sure that’s great idea, however. And he said as much in a recent interview:
I say hey, y’all... did he just call us dumb?
Whether he did or not, McKillop certainly isn’t a dim bulb. An invitation from a full-strength CAA would have been a no-brainer in many ways, but a CAA without tourney regulars VCU and ODU isn’t all that attractive. It’s certainly not much of a step up from the SoCon, unless Charleston does come along, and you can bet nobody’s overly eager to show their cards on that score.
Sometimes, it feels as if we’ve all been waiting for the other shoe to drop for years now. Unfortunately, we’re living below a millipede. The ceiling may reverberate off an on for years to come.