What is a mid-major college?

[Coaching99s]

Just curious about how this relates to softball.

I've heard coaches call certain colleges mid-majors. What determines a mid-major? Is it simply conference or does the number of students attending the school or how much money the school is endowed with factor in? I've always assumed that every school in the larger conferences were majors, i.e. PAC-12, Big-12, Big-10, SEC and ACC. Does that mean every other D1 conference or school is a mid-major? Or is there a thing as a lower-major school?

 

[ThompsonUSSSA]

Mid-major is basic term for a school not in the 'Elite' conferences...in softball, your basically speaking Pac-10, SEC, Big12, ACC, Big10...some schools if consistently win against the top schools year in / year out can lose that moniker also.

School size doesn't matter in this reference, but typically recruiting budgets do!

Low major? No, don't see any called that...typically its either (Majors) or (mid-majors).

 

[riseball]

It is a undefined term that actually has its roots in mens basketball. With regards to softball teams it is typically used to describe any team that rarely if ever ascends to top 25 status and/or has no chance of making it out of a Regional to a Super. With regard to conferences it is typically used to differentiate any conference outside of the SEC, PAC12, ACC, B1G, and BIG 12.

However, some teams in the "Major" conferences listed are probably best described as "Mid-Major" teams. Conversely teams like ULL, UCF, USF, and others are considered by most to be "Major" teams although they play in what would be described as a "Mid-Major" conference. As you can see it is a pretty subjective and somewhat meaningless term.

 

[WaSpeed02]

It also varies by sport. In football for example, Boise State is in a mid-major conference, but at one point was considered a "major team" when they were going undefeated, consistently staying ranked in the top 10, and beating teams like Oklahoma, Oregon, Georgia, Virginia Tech, etc.

Since the departure of Coach Petersen to the University of Washington, though, I would classify Boise State as a mid-major.

 

[Lenski]

If you are not in one of the 5 major conferences, a DI school is deemed in a mid major conference, and therefore is considered a mid-major school.

 

[riseball]

The whole Mid-Major thing is so silly. Let's fix it here and now. Top teams will be designated as Premier Platinum Elite Select followed by...

 

[CoogansBluff]

If you are not in one of the 5 major conferences, a DI school is deemed in a mid major conference, and therefore is considered a mid-major school.

That's how I define it. It has nothing to do with the strength of a particular sports team. It's the conference. As good as they are in softball, Louisiana-LaFayette is a mid-major school. Some mid-majors are better than some majors. But when is the last time that a mid-major school won a national title in D-I? Not counting hockey.

 

[riseball]

That's how I define it. It has nothing to do with the strength of a particular sports team. It's the conference. As good as they are in softball, Louisiana-LaFayette is a mid-major school. Some mid-majors are better than some majors. But when is the last time that a mid-major school won a national title in D-I? Not counting hockey.

The UCONN womens basketball team comes to mind. And the Louisville mens team.

 

[CoogansBluff]

The UCONN womens basketball team comes to mind.

True. UConn is a force is a lot of sports. The American Athletic and the Big East conferences are difficult to label. The American Athletic was part of the six conferences in the BCS, if not mistaken, but is not a ''big five'' conference. Big East is certainly major for basketball, not sure about other sports, or whether it makes sense to be mid-major for some and major for others. I suspect that major and mid-major originated in the discussion of football and basketball.

 

[redbirdone]

I suspect that major and mid-major originated in the discussion of football and basketball.

I would agree with this, like it or not most schools NCAA athletic identity is tied to football and/or basketball. When I think of mid-major I think of a school that is in a conference that may get an automatic bid to a bowl or NCAA tournament for the conference champ, but everyone else needs to really impress to get a bid as well, vs conferences like the SEC where you can have a losing conference record but still be considered for bowl games and NCAA tournament bids.

Perfect example is the discussion going on in men's college basketball concerning Murray St. They are in the Ohio Valley Conference and did not win their conference tournament. Tournament winner gets automatic NCAA tourney bid. They have a great record that would make them a shoe-in if they were in a power 5 conference, but because of their conference and their opponents they will most likely be on the outside looking in come selection Sunday.

One of the things I've heard and have taken to heart when finding teams for my kids is this football analogy: would you rather go 12-1 in the MAC conference or 7-6 in the SEC? Point being one of my kids was on a team last year bragging how they went 45-5 or some ridiculous record like that, yet they played 3-4 tough games all year. We've since moved to a team that has played about .500 ball since then and they would beat the snot out of the old team with their "impressive" record.