Monmouth and Fairfield are viewed as potential CAA members for a north division, with UNC Greensboro a potential member in the south. D’Antonio chose not to discuss whether the league is investigating a two-division setup or identify expansion candidates. He said that since he became commissioner, “We’re always looking at scenarios associated with a competitive model that provides a sustainable atmosphere for the schools that are in our conference.”
There is no timetable for the CAA determining how it intends to proceed, according to D’Antonio. Without JMU, the CAA for basketball and other sports apart from football would include Charleston, Delaware, Drexel, Elon, Hofstra, Northeastern, Towson, UNC Wilmington and W&M.
CAA Football without JMU includes Albany, Delaware, Elon, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond, Stony Brook, Towson, Villanova and W&M.
JMU helped form the CAA during the mid-1980s but sees the opportunity to move its ultrasuccessful FCS program and the rest of its sports to a higher competitive level. It’s unclear how JMU’s departure from the CAA will affect football membership at this time. The CAA will have 11 football members when JMU leaves.
For several years, the Dukes’ shift to FBS had been projected, with the recent movement in the FBS presenting the latest opportunity.
