DATE: Tuesday, August 26, 1997              TAG: 9708260028

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:  242 lines

NSU'S JUMP TO DIVISION I JUST A TINY STEP THE SPARTANS ALREADY HAVE THE LARGEST FOOTBALL, BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL FACILITIES IN THE MEAC.

When most schools make the difficult jump from Division II to Division I, the growing pains can be torturous. They face conference rivals with larger enrollments, better facilities and finer athletic traditions.

But that won't necessarily be the case this season for Norfolk State as it departs the CIAA for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. In some ways the Spartans will look down upon many of their MEAC brethren, especially when it comes to facilities.

NSU's 28,088-seat Dick Price Stadium is the league's largest. So is the 7,600-seat Echols Hall basketball arena. The 3,500-seat Marty Miller Field is the league's largest baseball facility. It's bigger, in fact, than six of the MEAC's basketball facilities.

NSU's enrollment of nearly 9,000 students is third to Howard's 11,000 and Florida A&M's 10,257. And in athletic reputation, NSU compares well with most of the 10 other MEAC schools.

Last season, the Spartans were 3-1 against MEAC football teams.

``It's a step up, but it's not as if we haven't been competitive with these teams when we've played them in the past,'' NSU football coach Darnell Moore says. ``We can be very competitive in the MEAC in all sports. We should be, with our facilities and enrollment.''

Here are some questions and answers about the MEAC as the Spartans head into Saturday's Division I opener against Virginia State:

What schools are in the MEAC?

The 11-school conference stretches geographically from Tallahassee, Fla., to Baltimore. In addition to Norfolk State, Florida A&M and Howard, there are Coppin State, Morgan State, Delaware State, Maryland-Eastern Shore, North Carolina A&T, Bethune-Cookman, South Carolina State and Hampton University.

Does it have much athletic tradition?

Not as much as the CIAA, which was formed in 1912. The MEAC was created in 1970, and it hasn't been a stable league. It began in Division II, then moved into Division I in 1975-76. The league's membership has fluctuated. Morgan State and Bethune-Cookman left the league in the 1970s and returned in the 1980s. North Carolina Central defected to the CIAA. At times there was discussion of a conference breakup. But the MEAC seems to have stabilized, in no small measure because Hampton and NSU, the CIAA's flagship programs, jumped ship. Now there is talk of other CIAA schools, such as Virginia Union and N.C. Central, joining the MEAC.

How does the MEAC compare with other Division I leagues?

Not well. It is one of the nation's lowest-rated basketball and football leagues. The enrollments and facilities at some league schools don't measure up to most in Division I. But the league has had successes. Coppin State upset South Carolina 78-65 last season in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and lost in the second round to Texas by a point. However, it was the first Division I NCAA tournament victory ever for the MEAC.

Why does the MEAC do so poorly in the NCAA tournament?

In part because MEAC schools struggle to recruit against more established Division I leagues. Facilities and postseason success breed more success, and there's not enough of either in the MEAC. There's also the NCAA seeding formula, which doesn't give lower-rated conferences much of a chance. The MEAC champion is usually seeded 15th or 16th in the regionals, and thus plays a Syracuse (twice) or Kansas (three times) in the first round. North Carolina A&T has been to postseason play 11 times since it moved into Division I and is 0-9 in the NCAA tournament and 0-2 in the NIT.

Does MEAC football fare any better?

Yes, but it hasn't done well since Florida A&M won the first I-AA national title in 1978. The league is 2-6 in NCAA playoff games since. In 12 of 19 years, the MEAC failed to place a team in the 16-team field. However, league champion Florida A&M performed well last season, losing to powerful Troy State 29-25.

What about other sports, such as baseball?

The results have been unproductive. The MEAC is 1-6 in baseball, 0-4 in softball and 0-3 in volleyball in NCAA tournament play the last three seasons.

Who has the league's strongest program?

Florida A&M, or FAMU, as it is known. S.C. State and North Carolina A&T are also very strong. FAMU has won seven of the last nine all-sports trophies awarded for dominance in men's sports. The Rattlers also have won the last six for supremacy in women's sports. S.C. State has won 11 of the 26 men's all-sports trophies, but most were in the 1980s.

What are the strongest football programs?

Howard is picked to win the title this season, but Florida A&M, S.C. State and N.C. A&T have classy football facilities and good traditions. Together, they have won 17 of 27 MEAC football titles. Florida A&M has a storied tradition. Coach Jake Gaither had the best program in black college football from 1945-69, when he recorded a 203-36-4 record. Florida A&M won 10 national black football titles before integration. The school also recorded the league's most-famous upset in 1979, when the Rattlers beat Miami at Florida State's Doak Campbell Stadium.

Is the MEAC basketball tournament as storied and entertaining as the CIAA tournament?

It's not even close. The CIAA has traditionally been the nation's top black college basketball tournament in spite of its Division II status. The CIAA tourney is waning, not unexpectedly, with the departure of NSU and Hampton. The tournament last season played to thousands of empty seats in Winston-Salem, N.C., even though all tickets were sold. But MEAC attendance has been poor and has struggled to find a home. The conference tournament was played in Norfolk last season, and from 1991 to 1993. The MEAC tournament championship is televised nationally on ESPN2, and the winner goes to the NCAA field of 64, but rarely draws more than a few thousand fans.

Will the MEAC tournament ever return to Hampton Roads?

Probably, though not right away. The MEAC will play the next three seasons at the Richmond Coliseum. NSU isn't eligible for the MEAC tournament until 2005. Hampton can't compete until 2003. Once they're both in, look for the MEAC to consider Hampton Roads. After all, the CIAA didn't become big-time until it moved to Scope in the 1970s. MEAC commissioner Charles Harris likes Hampton Roads. ``Norfolk is a great basketball city,'' he said. ``The tournament by all appearances has been a success there in the past.'' MEMO: Wednesday: How will NSU's move up affect fans? ILLUSTRATION: Graphics

ABOUT THE MEAC

[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]

MEAC AT A GLANCE

BETHUNE-COOKMAN Site: Daytona Beach, Fla.

Founded: 1923

Enrollment: 2,400

Nickname: Wildcats

Stadium: Municipal Stadium (10,000)

Arena: Moore Gymnasium (3,000)

COPPIN STATE Site: Baltimore.

Founded: 1900

Enrollment: 3,650

Nickname: Eagles

Stadium: No football

Arena: Coppin Center (3,000)

DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY

Location: Dover, Del.

Founded: 1891

Enrollment: 3,600

Nickname: Hornets

Stadium: Alumni Stadium (4,200)

Arena: Memorial Hall (3,000)

FLORIDA A&M Site: Tallahassee

Founded: 1887

Enrollment: 10,255

Nickname: Rattlers

Stadium: Bragg Stadium (25,500)

Arena: Gaither Gym (5,200)

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY Site: Hampton

Founded: 1868

Enrollment: 5,704

Nickname: Pirates

Stadium: Armstrong Field (11,000)

Arena: Hampton Convocation Center (7,500)

HOWARD UNIVERSITY

Location: Washington, D.C.

Founded: 1867

Enrollment: 11,000

Nickname: Bison

Stadium: William H. Greene (8,990)

Arena: Burr Gymnasium (2,700)

MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE

Location: Princess Anne, Md.

Founded: 1886

Enrollment: 3,800

Nickname: Hawks

Stadium: No football.

Arena: Tawes Gymnasium (1,200)

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Location: Baltimore

Founded: 1867

Enrollment: 5,500

Nickname: Bears

Stadium: Hughes Stadium (10,000)

Arena: Hill Fieldhouse (7,000)

NORFOLK STATE Site: Norfolk

Founded: 1935

Enrollment: 8,574

Nickname: Spartans

Stadium: Dick Price Stadium (28,088)

Arena: Echols Hall (7,600)

NORTH CAROLINA A&T Site: Greensboro

Founded: 1891

Enrollment: 8,000

Nickname: Aggies

Stadium: Aggie Stadium (22,000)

Arena: E.F. Corbett Sports Center (7,500)

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE Site: Orangeburg, S.C.

Founded: 1896

Enrollment: 5,000

Nickname: Bulldogs

Stadium: Oliver C. Dawson (22,000)

Arena: Memorial Center (3,200)

RECORD IN NCAA DIV. I MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

1997: Coppin 78, South Carolina 65; Texas 81, Coppin 81

1996: Kansas 92, S.C. State 54

1995: Wake Forest 79, N.C. A&T 47

1994: Arkansas 94, N.C. A&T 79

1993: Cincinnati 93, Coppin 66

1992: Kansas 100, Howard 67

1991: N.E. Lousiana 87, Florida A&M 63

1990: Syracuse 70, Coppin 48

1989: Duke 90, S.C. State 69

1988: Syracuse 69, N.C. A&T 55

1987: Alabama 88, N.C. A&T 71

1986: Kansas 71, N.C. A&T 46

1985: Oklahoma 96, N.C. A&T 83

1984: Morehead State 71, N.C. A&T 69

1983: Princeton 53, N.C. A&T 41

1982: West Virginia 102, N.C. A&T 72

1981: Wyoming 78, Howard 43

RECORD IN MEN'S NIT

1995: Coppin 75, St. Joseph's 68; South Florida 75, Coppin 59

1991: SW Missour 57, Coppin 47

1981: Duke 79, N.C. A&T 68

1976: Providence 84, N.C. A&T 68

1974: Maryland-Eastern Shore 84, Manhattan 81; Jacksonville 85,

Maryland-Eastern Shore 83.

RECORD IN NCAA DIV. I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

1997: Stanford 111, Howard 59

1996: Connecticut 94, Howard 63

1995: Tennessee 96, Florida A&M 59

1994: Tennessee 111, N.C. A&T 37

1983: S.C. State 85, LaSalle 67 (play-in game); Tennessee 86,

S.C. State 51

1982: Long Beach 95, Howard 57

RECORD IN DIV. I-AA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

1996: Troy State 29, Florida A&M 25

1995: No bid.

1994: No bid.

1993: Marshall 28, Howard 14

1992: Citadel 44, N.C. A&T 0

1991: No bid.

1990: No bid.

1989: No bid.

1988: No bid.

1987: No bid.

1986: Georgia Southern 52, N.C. A&T 23

1985: No bid.

1984: No bid.

1983: No bid.

1982: S.C. State 17, Furman 0; Louisiana Tech 38, S.C. State 3.

1981: S.C. State 26, Tenn. State 25 (OT); Idado State 41, S.C.

State 12

1980: No bid.

1979: No bid.

1978: Florida A&M 15, Jackson State 10; Florida A&M 35,

Massachusetts 28 (championship game)

Map

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