Was in St. Louis for a wedding this weekend and had an opportunity to drive around Saint Louis University's campus (our hotel was near there).
I have to say - I was very impressed. The campus is very big and the facilities are modern, renovated and fresh. The on-campus stadium (Chaifetz Arena) is very new - completed in 2008 -- and looks huge from the outside. From one of the groomsmen in the wedding (a grad), the building holds more than 10k for basketball with the potential for more. Around 13,000 total students there, with nearly 9,000 undergrads and the rest grad students and law students.
Academically, the school is a national, second tier university now in US News/World Report, and with the potential for further upward movement.
St. Louis as a city gets a bad rap (much of it justified based on some neighborhoods), but SLU's campus is in a fairly nice area of the city with a ton of open space, and is in close proximity to downtown and the Busch Stadium area. Also right next door to Pappy's BBQ - if you ever go to St Louis, make sure you stop there...unbelievable pulled pork and ribs that they smoke right on the street.
I've been skeptical of Saint Louis University as a Big East member for some time, and I'm not suggesting the Big East should, or would, expand in the near future. But if it does, I came away thinking that SLU would be a terrific addition. Good academic profile, and ready-made infrastructure in both the brand new basketball facilities and a large and excited student population. It isn't surprising that SLU is at the top of many BE fan wish-lists, and it should be.
I have to say - I was very impressed. The campus is very big and the facilities are modern, renovated and fresh. The on-campus stadium (Chaifetz Arena) is very new - completed in 2008 -- and looks huge from the outside. From one of the groomsmen in the wedding (a grad), the building holds more than 10k for basketball with the potential for more. Around 13,000 total students there, with nearly 9,000 undergrads and the rest grad students and law students.
Academically, the school is a national, second tier university now in US News/World Report, and with the potential for further upward movement.
St. Louis as a city gets a bad rap (much of it justified based on some neighborhoods), but SLU's campus is in a fairly nice area of the city with a ton of open space, and is in close proximity to downtown and the Busch Stadium area. Also right next door to Pappy's BBQ - if you ever go to St Louis, make sure you stop there...unbelievable pulled pork and ribs that they smoke right on the street.
I've been skeptical of Saint Louis University as a Big East member for some time, and I'm not suggesting the Big East should, or would, expand in the near future. But if it does, I came away thinking that SLU would be a terrific addition. Good academic profile, and ready-made infrastructure in both the brand new basketball facilities and a large and excited student population. It isn't surprising that SLU is at the top of many BE fan wish-lists, and it should be.
