Thanks for chiming in on this, Penman. TBF I hadn't paid all that much attention to NHC/SNHU over the years until recently, as one of our kids now lives in Hooksett, so we're in the area a lot more than we ever used to be. It seems SNHU has done a nice job engaging in a non-pretentious (Dartmouth) and less aloof (UNH) way with their local community, and (of course) the ubiquitous media advertising of the on-line school no doubt has helped its national profile. There are also more than a few similarities between SNHU and my alma mater (Bentley), as both started as small colleges in city settings before relocating to the 'burbs and becoming universties, and are both still relatively "new" schools (I'm older than NEC/SNHU, and Bentley moved out to Waltham a few years later) that have enjoyed their best athletic successes at the D-2 level.
Just took a few moments to scan your AD's history at the SNHU website, and it seems like he's spent virtually his entire AD career at D-2 schools (first Post, now SNHU) and he's probably in his early 50's, so he's clearly in a comfort zone that he's in no hurry to push out of. I know nothing of your school's president, other than him featuring in those ubiquitous media ads yammering on about "changing the trajectory of your life" (PUKE). But for a big move to D-1 athletics, the top guy and the rest of the trustees will need to be on board, and I get the sense from your post that LeBlanc isn't the guy to push the move, which would be a shame. I might not live long enough to see it happen, but given the school's "trajectory" (PUKE) over the last couple decades, it seems most likely a matter of "when" not "if". I'll be rooting for you guys.
