![]() Please join us in welcoming to the Sun Belt Conference.LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Sun Belt announces addition of Southern Miss It’s also believed some people at Marshall are interested in the MAC, both as a basketball league and because the Sun Belt doesn’t offer men’s soccer, and Marshall has the defending men’s soccer national champion. When appropriate, we will release more information, though out of respect for those involved, we will continue to operate outside of the public space.”ĭepending on the fate of C-USA, the Mid-American Conference may also take a look at schools like WKU and MTSU. "There are certainly many questions out there, but a great deal is happening behind the scenes. We continue to believe in the regional concept and will look to incorporate that into our structure and scheduling. We will take the necessary time to add future members that will be the best fit from an athletic and academic standpoint and allow prospective institutions time to complete their process. "Every step we take will be deliberate, strategically sound, and intentional. There are several institutions interested in joining Conference USA, both across FBS and FCS, some of whom we’ve already met with in person. “We have a strong core of members to build around and are continuing to work to strengthen our league as we move forward. Several FCS schools have been in contact with the league as well.Ĭommissioner Judy MacLeod released a statement Friday afternoon: Liberty has been in discussions with the league, but it’s not yet clear if the Flames would prefer to stay a football independent or join a C-USA with an unknown future, or if C-USA is willing to add them. It reached out to Sun Belt schools but was turned down, per sources. The league has been engaged with several schools for replacements for all its departures. Vannini: If Marshall and ODU follow Southern Miss, C-USA would be down to five schools: UTEP, Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee and FIU. The door has not yet been closed on staying in C-USA (for ODU) or joining C-USA (for JMU), but both are leaning heavily toward the Sun Belt. Old Dominion and James Madison, as public universities in Virginia, must first present their plans to their boards and then the state government before they can officially accept an invitation. Last Friday, the Marshall board of governors announced it will name a new president on Thursday and let that president have input on the conference decision. ![]() (Photo: Michael Wade / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) What about the other candidates?Ĭhris Vannini, national college football writer: The leadership turnover at Marshall has slowed down its process, as the school has an interim athletic director and an outgoing president. But USM has struggled in recent years, currently 1-6 under first-year head coach Will Hall. It was known as the team that would play anyone anywhere, and Ole Miss eventually stopped scheduling the Golden Eagles. App State sold out its stadium for last Tuesday’s win against Coastal Carolina, for example.īefore getting lost in the wilderness over the past decade, Southern Miss had just eight losing seasons from 1935 to 2011. Additions in recent years like Appalachian State and Georgia Southern fit that mold. Southern Miss fits the Sun Belt’s expansion philosophy, which has largely focused on adding teams with engaged fanbases and a history of success. In the Sun Belt, USM will have more nearby schools that’ll make for easier travel and more local rivalries, like Louisiana, ULM, South Alabama and Troy. Back then, USM saw its many C-USA rivals move on to the AAC, and it ended up in a reimagined conference full of new opponents that eventually spanned from El Paso to Norfolk. Marshall and ODU would also come from C-USA.įor Southern Miss, it’s an exciting moment after being one of the biggest losers from the last major round of realignment in the early 2010s. It’s all part of the latest wave of conference realignment, coming shortly after the American Athletic Conference added six teams from Conference USA. Old Dominion and Marshall are expected to join this week, while James Madison's move may not come until next week, sources told The Athletic. Marshall, Old Dominion and James Madison are the other three leading candidates, but their additions have not yet been finalized. Southern Miss is the first domino to fall as the Sun Belt attempts to stabilize after a recent wave of realignment. ![]() The Golden Eagles, who are currently in Conference USA, will become members no later than July 1, 2023. Southern Miss' move to the Sun Belt Conference is official, the league announced Tuesday afternoon. ![]()
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