In my post on the topic of Harrison and McCutcheon being booted from the NCC, I proposed a plan to expand that conference and include a blend of the current members with some slightly smaller schools within the NCC footprint. I’m applying that same thought to the NIC and NLC, which would be to combine them and split into 2 regions (East and West), each with two divisions (Large and Small). Something like this, with enrollments from the fall 2022 count day included.
East Region, Large Division (EL):
Elkhart 3302
Goshen 1981
Concord 1775
Northridge 1389
East Region, Small Division (ES):
Plymouth 1076
Northwood 917
Wawasee 906
Mishawaka Marian 698
West Region, Large Division (WL):
Penn 3401
Warsaw 2096
South Bend Adams 1976
Mishawaka 1463
West Region, Small Division (WS):
South Bend Riley 992
South Bend Washington 834
South Bend Saint Joseph 819
New Prairie 978
In football, each school plays the 3 in their division, 2 from the other division of schools their size, and 1 from each of the 2 divisions of schools a different size. That gives each school 7 conference games. It also allows them to preserve some long-time rivalries and still play 2 non-conference games against opponents of their choice. In basketball, each team plays everyone in their region (east/west) and the 4 schools from the opposite side of the conference who play in the same size-based division. So using Penn as an example, this could be their football schedule, not necessarily in this order.
Valparaiso
Cathedral
Mishawaka (WL 1)
Warsaw (WL 2)
South Bend Adams (WL 3)
Elkhart (EL 1)
Northridge (EL 2)
Northwood (ES)
New Prairie (WS)
Elkhart could then have a schedule like this:
Hammond Morton
Lake Central
Concord (EL 1)
Goshen (EL 2)
Northridge (EL 3)
Penn (WL 1)
Warsaw (WL 2)
Mishawaka Marian (ES)
South Bend St. Joseph (WS)
This is just as unlikely to happen as my suggestion for the NCC.