Tim Selgo will step down next month after two decades at the helm of Division II Grand Valley State's athletics program. Spoken with the level of candor only approached by those who know they'll soon be spending most of their time sitting on a boat, Selgo explained why his greatest, most-hard fought victory has been keeping the Lakers from resisting the urge to move to Division I.
"Why would we want to spend three times the amount of money we're spending now, and tax our students to do so in this age of high tuitions, for what? Who's getting better publicity with their athletics program, Grand Valley or Eastern Michigan?" he told Detroit Business.
The Lakers claimed four national championships during Selgo's tenure, and the program has posted a lifetime .729 winning percentage with 16 conference crowns and 157 consensus All-Americans. With that level of success, coupled with an enrollment of 25,000, makes it easy for the mind to wonder how Grand Valley State would fare should it decide to punch up a weight class. Selgo believes that's a fool's errand, whether the goal would be to join the Missouri Valley in FCS or the MAC in FBS.
"Why would you charge your students more money to get less recognition and less success for your student athletes? All of those schools in the MAC have dropped sports in their ever-reaching quest to be Division I. I don't think that's what college sports is about.... That's not a good option for Grand Valley at all. ... The only schools in our region that play at that level are Eastern Illinois, Youngstown State, Western Illinois, Illinois State and no one around Grand Valley or Grand Rapids is going to care about that," he said.
If that argument to fans didn't work, Selgo put it in terms a university president or trustee could surely understand, noting the Lakers' $11 million athletics budget consumes just 11 percent of Grand Valley State's overall pie -- a ratio that would undoubtedly change should the school move to Division I. "We've just built a $70 million library," he said. "My argument is if we were Division I, a lot of that wouldn't have happened. I guarantee you we wouldn't have a $70 million library if we were Division I because we'd have to build a $70 million football stadium."
For Selgo and Grand Valley State, the grass is greener, and much more cost efficient, on the side he currently stands.
(HT Detroit Business)