By Dave Schmidt, THE SENIOR REPORTS - www.theseniorreports.com

The American Mideast Conference and Mount Vernon Nazarene University have gone through a lot the past year or two.

Schools leaving the AMC the past two years.

MVNU this past spring hired veteran VB Coach Paul Swanson to be the new Director of Athletics and remain in his coaching position, That was the first sign the Cougars would be remaining in the NAIA. With three more Ohio AMC schools being accepted into the D2 process it now seems very apparent that MVNU will be on the move. The AMC may not even survive if MVNU would remain with the conference.

Three conferences could be looked at for a new home for MVNU. The Mid-South, The Mid-Central and possibly the Wolverine-Hoosier could be considered for the Cougars. We contacted all three commissioners, two said they had not talked with MVNU, one said no comment. We also contacted the administration at MVNU and we were told that nothing has been decided and they would inform us when something was in place. We have also been in contact with them over this time period when we had questions that concerned a possible move, the result was no comment. We also contacted schools in a conference that we understand might be the new location, AD's told us that it was a presidential decision, but also gave us information on why or why not it would not work. We have a good idea what conference they are considering, but we also said we would wait until MVNU made the announcement about this.

MVNU now has to make a choice, especially since Walsh and Malone have entered the D2 process. Another question we have heard, should MVNU have applied again for D2 membership this past June.? This would have allowed for them to remain with long time rivals and possibly look at forming a new D2 conference that started this entire process. For now MVNU has made it's bed and now has to sleep in it and hopefully end the past two years of this nightmare.

According to our sources the AMC could be deciding yet this year the future of the conference. The NY and Pennsylvania schools will have to decide if it is worth keeping the "wheels" on the car.

The story (or nightmare) of MVNU might be something that other schools who are looking at a move might want to review. This has been a PR/media nightmare for the MVNU administration and athletic staff. It also can be used by other conferences in keeping informed of what their members are thinking, some of the AMC's problems might have been avoided had members been open about possible moves to D2. We will say it again, be up front and honest with your conference commissioner and fellow conference members. This "mess" was made worse when schools did not work close with each other .