ng trainer Makoto Saito said through a translator.Trainer

(STATS) -- Innovative thinking continues to be an integral part of FCS football as it tries to remain strong across the ever-changing landscape of college athletics.While fighting for relevancy in the subdivision, the Big South Conference has turned to a conference that doesnt sponsor football to establish a unique member partnership.Under the arrangement, announced Tuesday, current or future Atlantic Sun Conference scholarship-football members within the geographic footprint of the Big South will automatically be admitted to the conference as associate football members.With Coastal Carolina leaving this year for the Sun Belt on the FBS level, the Big South has dropped to six football programs -- the FCS low and the NCAA minimum for a conference to have its champion automatically qualify for the 24-team national playoffs. There are four full-time members in Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb, Liberty and Presbyterian, and two associate members in Kennesaw State and Monmouth.But the two-conference partnership provides a guaranteed home for Kennesaw State, an Atlantic Sun member in other sports, and a potential guaranteed home for other football programs, including Atlantic Sun members Jacksonville and Stetson and Big South member Campbell. Those three play on the FCS level in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League, and each program would join Big South football should it move to the scholarship level.Were excited about it for a couple of reasons, Big South commissioner Kyle Kallander said. Number one, it can certainly enhance Big South football from a membership perspective. Weve had an awful lot of success in the Big South and the 15 years weve been playing FCS football. Entering into a creative partnership like this can really continue that success and growth of the Big South. Certainly it helps the Atlantic Sun in what theyre trying to do with their membership.The other reason Im excited about it is I really think collaboration is important, especially in this day and age in Division I. All the challenges that we have, whether its conference realignment or financial challenges, scheduling, travel, all those kinds of things, I think its going to be very really important moving forward that everybody takes a look at how can we work together rather than just working on our own.The agreement doesnt change the conference name as the football teams will play under the banner of the Big South. The conference, which spans the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, was formed in 1983, but didnt sponsor football until 2002. Liberty is the conferences long-time remaining power and Charleston Southern is the defending champion. Pro Bowlers Justin Bethel, Josh Norman and Mike Tolbert are among 12 former Big South players on NFL rosters to begin the 2016 season.We have really good football teams in our league and weve started to get a little bit of a national footprint, Presbyterian coach Harold Nichols said, so I would think that would be pretty inviting to teams to be able to come and be a part of that.Schools in the 10-member Big South that dont sponsor football are High Point, Longwood, Radford, North Carolina-Asheville and Winthrop.Two ASUN members, North Florida and Florida Gulf Coast, have conducted feasibility studies for the addition of football, but have no immediate plans for starting programs. ASUN members Lipscomb, New Jersey Institute of Technology and South Carolina Upstate also dont sponsor football.The Big South has received multiple postseason berths, earned multiple postseason wins and had many postseason hosting opportunities for its football members, ASUN commissioner Ted Gumbart said. We plan to contribute strongly and significantly to the continued growth of our joint football league and look forward to enhancing the winning tradition of Big South football.I think there will be (change), Kallander said, but Im not suggesting any is going to be imminent. Christian Wood Jersey . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Derrick Rose Pistons Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. https://www.pistonsrookiesshop.com/ . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Henry Ellenson Pistons Jersey .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Ben Wallace Jersey . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. DEL MAR, Calif. -- Nuovo Record won the $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap for fillies and mares by a nose Thursday at Del Mar, becoming the first Japan-bred to ever compete at the seaside track north of San Diego.Ridden by Yasunari Iwata, Nuovo Record ran 1 3/8 on turf in 2:15.56 and paid $12.40, $4.80 and $4.80 as the 5-1 third choice.The first time around she was running well, Iwata said through a translator. Then when we came into the stretch the second time, the horses in front of me fanned out. I thought they would and I went outside. My mare has a really good late kick. She showed it today.Arles, who shipped in from Maryland, returned $3 and $2.40 as the even-money favorite. Swear By It, another East Coast invadeer who was another length back in third, paid $7.dddddddddddd.40 to show.The victory, worth $60,000, increased Nuovo Records career earnings to $4,993,397, with six wins in 20 starts.Nuovo Record came to Del Mar to train shortly after finishing 11th in the Breeders Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.We will have even bigger expectations for her next year and we would like to come back to Del Mar for the Breeders Cup, winning trainer Makoto Saito said through a translator.Trainer Peter Miller and jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. had three wins each on the Thanksgiving holiday card. ' ' '