It figures.

Only in the world of Northeastern Athletics could a long-term move meant to improve the school’s image wind up being at the worst time, depriving the Huskies of at least one – and probably two – NCAA tournament bids.

My initial reaction to the news of the school’s move to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) from the America East (AE) was that of pleasant surprise. But when it wound up transitioning a year early, which I’m sure was justified on a number of levels, it quickly turned to just, well, an unpleasant surprise. Or, more accurately, I began to practice uneasy optimism.

Why? Because the America East is at its all-time weakest this year in men’s basketball and the field hockey team would have had another shot at improving over last year’s Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA tourney.

Since the AE receives an automatic bid to both the big dance in March and the NCAA field hockey tournament (NU learned it didn’t make it yesterday), the only way the Huskies wouldn’t have appeared in both is if the members of the two teams traded sports.

Although I wouldn’t mind seeing 6-foot, 9-inch forward Shawn James in a field hockey kilt any less than the next guy, in all seriousness the two teams would be assured a chance to represent on a national level.

And it would be an especially good time for guard Jose Juan Barea and the basketball team to make NU’s first ever NCAA March Madness appearance in the senior’s – and what could have been the university’s – final year in the AE, going out on top.

Now the