SINCE THE announcement of its transition from the Southland Conference to the Western Athletic Conference, the UT San Antonio athletic program has been involved in a conference realignment affecting schools across the nation.
Originally announced on Nov. 11, 2010, the Roadrunners’ move to the WAC was initially scheduled for July 2012. However, the university accepted …
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the invitation to join Conference USA in July 2013, while still members of the Southland Conference.
“It’s a great day,” UT San Antonio President Ricardo Romo said after the announcement. “It’s a historic day for UTSA and for San Antonio.” The additional move means that the Roadrunners will play in three different conferences in as many years.
The opportunity to move to C-USA was a welcome one, since the recent realignments have weakened the WAC’s potential to become a republic football conference. The WAC will officially cease to exit as a football conference on July 1.
Joining the Roadrunners in C-USA is Louisiana Tech, Idaho and New Mexico will also leave the WAC to join other conferences.
C-USA will lose Central Florida, Memphis, Houston and Southern Methodist at the beginning of July. These schools will join the new American Athletic Conference with the former football schools of the Big East. One year from now, East Carolina, Tulane and Tulsa will leave C-USA for the AAC.
Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Old Dominion, UTSA and Western Kentucky will replace the departing schools on July 1. UNC-Charlotte will also join C-USA, but its football program will not compete within the conference until 2015.
“Conference USA is a nationally recognized brand,” UTSA Athletic Director Lynn Hickey said. “The opportunities we’ll receive from ESPN, FOX and CBS Sports will be a new way of life.”
UAB, Marshall, Southern Mississippi, Rice and UTEP will welcome the incoming schools to the conference.
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