http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/040113aac.html

CUSA Beats our PRESSER

On April Fool's Day no less


April 1, 2013

IRVING, Texas - Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky has announced the league has entered into a membership agreement with Western Kentucky University, effective July 1, 2014.

"We welcome Western Kentucky to Conference USA," Banowsky said. "The tradition of the University and its athletics success is truly remarkable. The men's basketball program has made seven NCAA appearances since 2000, the women's basketball program has advanced to three NCAA Final Fours and football went to a bowl game last season in just its fourth year in the FBS."

Located in Bowling Green, Ky., the school has an enrollment of 21,124 students and sponsors 19 NCAA Division I sports. The Hilltoppers have made 23 appearances in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, including a trip to the 2008 Sweet Sixteen and the 1971 Final Four. Western Kentucky is ranked eighth nationally among NCAA schools for winning percentage. The women's basketball team has made 16 trips to the NCAA Tournament, with 11-straight appearances between 1985-95 and three trips to the NCAA Final Four.

Additionally, football has produced 70 All-Americans at the FCS and FBS levels, transitioning to a bowl eligible FBS member in 2009. WKU volleyball has been to five NCAA Tournaments in the last six years. Baseball has averaged 34 wins in the last five seasons with 17 MLB draft picks over the last four years. The Hilltopper track & field program has won 22 conference championships and produced 22 All-America selections since 2008. (More about Western Kentucky)

The Hilltoppers receive regular coverage in nearby Nashville, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky. Both cities are within 90 miles of campus and rank among the Top 50 television markets in the country at No. 29 and No. 48, respectively. In partnership with the University and WKYU-PBS, WKU Athletics also sponsors the Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network (HSSN) to provide audio and high-definition video from WKU events. HSSN recently purchased a new HD truck, which will help provide outstanding content for the C-USA Digital Network.

Western Kentucky will officially become a member on July 1, 2014. Complete Conference USA membership for the 2014-15 season will also include the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte), Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University (FIU), Louisiana Tech University, Marshall University, Middle Tennessee State University, University of North Texas, Old Dominion University, Rice University, University of Southern Mississippi, The University of Tulsa, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) and University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).

Tulsa is still listed as a member for 2014...

Who gets put into CUSA West Division? WKU or UAB?

According to CUSA press release here is who CUSA has for 2014-15...

West: UTEP, UTSA, Tulsa, USM, Rice, UNT, LaTech
East: UAB, ODU, MTSU, Marshall, FIU, FAU, Charlotte, WKU

The alignment here looks pretty good but I'm afraid if Tulsa leaves UAB will have to move to the West.

I can't see WKU/MTSU ending up in the West when they are Marshall's closest travel partners. It will suck for UAB to be in the West though.

One alternate idea is if CUSA move to 16 and added Georgia State and James Madison. That would allow UAB to stay in the East while WKU/MTSU move West.

West: UTEP, UTSA, USM, Rice, UNT, LaTech, MTSU, WKU
East: UAB, ODU, JMU, Marshall, FIU, FAU, Charlotte, GSU

Marshall would then have a couple of quick trips in the East in JMU and Georgia State while UAB would have Georgia State and Charlotte.

(04-01-2013 11:40 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  According to CUSA press release here is who CUSA has for 2014-15...

West: UTEP, UTSA, Tulsa, USM, Rice, UNT, LaTech
East: UAB, ODU, MTSU, Marshall, FIU, FAU, Charlotte, WKU

The alignment here looks pretty good but I'm afraid if Tulsa leaves UAB will have to move to the West.

I can't see WKU/MTSU ending up in the West when they are Marshall's closest travel partners. It will suck for UAB to be in the West though.

One alternate idea is if CUSA move to 16 and added Georgia State and James Madison. That would allow UAB to stay in the East while WKU/MTSU move West.

West: UTEP, UTSA, USM, Rice, UNT, LaTech, MTSU, WKU
East: UAB, ODU, JMU, Marshall, FIU, FAU, Charlotte, GSU

Marshall would then have a couple of quick trips in the East in JMU and Georgia State while UAB would have Georgia State and Charlotte.

CUSA might go after James Madison/Delware to keep UAB out of West.

CUSA did go after JMU and UD last year before adding ODU. Wish JMU would have accepted then.

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They could replace Tulsa with Ark St and leave them in the west.

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It sounds like ULL and Ark State to the West makes the most sense here.

That way CUSA can keep WKU, MTSU, UAB and Charlotte all together in the East for rivalry purposes. Southern Miss adds a solid new rival with ULL that is expanding its stadium.

With Tulane in the A12 and ULL in CUSA the New Orleans Bowl becomes a A12/CUSA game. That would be a big blow for the SBC.

The SBC may want to look in the direction of a couple more western FB only schools. What about Montana/Montana State to the SBC with WAC membership in other sports? Idaho could also slink back to the WAC.

WKU President said that he was looking forward to WKU joining the other 13 schools in CUSA.

Sounds like someone is leaving for sure. *cough* Tulsa *cough*

(04-01-2013 12:04 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  It sounds like ULL and Ark State to the West makes the most sense here.

Its interesting how you're using the Sunbelt as a spare parts drawer here.

Tulsa & BE announcements are tomorrow.

(04-01-2013 12:12 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(04-01-2013 12:04 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  It sounds like ULL and Ark State to the West makes the most sense here.

Its interesting how you're using the Sunbelt as a spare parts drawer here.

Those are the only 2 remaining members in CUSA that could benefit the league so its fairly obvious as to where they are going to go next.

Unless CUSA takes a second look at the MAC for a school. With Marshall, WKU and MTSU all together in CUSA it does make it more attractive for landing a MAC institution.

(04-01-2013 12:25 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  Unless CUSA takes a second look at the MAC for a school. With Marshall, WKU and MTSU all together in CUSA it does make it more attractive for landing a MAC institution.

Only two MAC schools could be considered as vaguely in a CUSA footprint. Of those two, my Alma Mater is most interesting for its ice hockey. So you are basically talking about my older brother's Alma Mater, OhioU. It doesn't fit the original CUSA blueprint, since Athens is no Metro area and Columbus airport is over an hour away, but CUSA seems to have been getting away from that original blueprint.

Of course, adding another school to the CUSA East does nothing to fix the divisional alignment problem.

(04-01-2013 12:23 PM)Tulsafanzz Wrote:  Tulsa & BE announcements are tomorrow.

Very strange that CUSA and WKU didn't just wait until Tulsa had made their announcement. Not that it ultimately matters, but usually expansion is announced after a team leaves.

(04-01-2013 12:56 PM)Niner National Wrote:  Very strange that CUSA and WKU didn't just wait until Tulsa had made their announcement. Not that it ultimately matters, but usually expansion is announced after a team leaves.

Announcing the add as soon as the exiting school confirms it with the conference it is leaving makes sense, it eliminates the "uncertainty how Conference X will respond" part of the standard conference realignment story, changing it to, "Conference X already has the replacement sorted out."

Its just that conferences rarely have all their ducks in a row on the replacement to be able to announce it first. If you haven't made the decision yet or the school hasn't accepted yet, you are stuck with announcing the replacement after.

(04-01-2013 01:00 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(04-01-2013 12:56 PM)Niner National Wrote:  Very strange that CUSA and WKU didn't just wait until Tulsa had made their announcement. Not that it ultimately matters, but usually expansion is announced after a team leaves.

Announcing the add as soon as the exiting school confirms it with the conference it is leaving makes sense, it eliminates the "uncertainty how Conference X will respond" part of the standard conference realignment story, changing it to, "Conference X already has the replacement sorted out."

Its just that conferences rarely have all their ducks in a row on the replacement to be able to announce it first. If you haven't made the decision yet or the school hasn't accepted yet, you are stuck with announcing the replacement after.

I agree...I like how CUSA made this move...it eliminates the "stupid" conversation that ensues every time someone moves. In this case the deal is done and everyone moves on. The Sun Belt just added four last week and said it was moving toward 12. Considering they are looking at FCS schools, they need a bit more time to evaluate things before making a jump in scholly's, etc...

Sunbelt made it reactive move last week upon learning about CUSA's reactive move.

(04-01-2013 02:34 PM)PistolChad Wrote:  Sunbelt made it reactive move last week upon learning about CUSA's reactive move.

But now they are back down to 11, hence the reports at SB Nation that JMU to the Sunbelt is one likely outcome.

Still might push the Sunbelt to 11 for a year, since they'd probably want JMU to transition the year after Appy State and Georgia Southern transition.