2021–22 NCAA conference realignment

The 2021–2022 NCAA conference realignment refers to extensive changes in NCAA conference membership, primarily at the Division I level, beginning in the 2021–22 academic year.

Most of these changes have involved conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of Division I. Of the 10 FBS conferences, 5 will undergo changes in membership, while an additional 3 conferences (Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, and Pacific-12 Conference) have formed an alliance of their own.

The Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) also saw significant changes, most notably the beginning of football sponsorship by the ASUN Conference; the return of football by the Western Athletic Conference, which previously sponsored football at the FBS level until the end of the 2012 season; and the impending football-only merger of the Big South Conference and Ohio Valley Conference.

FBS conferences affected

Southeastern Conference

On July 21, 2021, the Houston Chronicle reported that Oklahoma and Texas had approached the Southeastern Conference (SEC) about the possibility of joining that league.[1] On July 26, Oklahoma and Texas notified the Big 12 Conference that the two schools did not wish to extend their grant of television rights beyond the 2024–25 athletic year and intended to leave the conference.[2] On July 29, the presidents and chancellors of the 14 current SEC members voted unanimously to extend invitations to Oklahoma and Texas, effective in 2025.[3]

Big 12 Conference
Further information: History of the Big 12 Conference § 2021

With the losses of Texas and Oklahoma, the Big 12 Conference was reduced from 10 to 8 teams. On September 10, the Big 12 announced that FBS independent and West Coast Conference non-football member BYU, along with American Athletic Conference (AAC) members Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF would join the conference no later than 2024–25, though they could possibly join for 2023–24.[4]

ACC–Big Ten–Pac-12 Alliance

There was an announcement of an alliance between the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big Ten Conference and Pac-12 Conference on August 24, 2021. It consisted of adding games between teams in these three conferences in football, as well as men's and women's college basketball.[5]

American Athletic Conference

The losses of Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF left the AAC with 8 remaining schools. After invitations to Mountain West Conference members Boise State, Air Force, Colorado State, and San Diego State to join the AAC were all declined,[6] the AAC then pivoted to Conference USA (C-USA) to add 6 of its members on October 21, 2021: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, UAB, North Texas, Rice, and UTSA.[7] The additions will put the AAC at 14 members for both football and basketball, with Navy being a football-only member and Wichita State being a non-football full member.

Sun Belt Conference

The departures of the aforementioned 6 schools reduced Conference USA's membership from 14 to 8, and sensing the instability of the conference, the remaining members looked to join other conferences. In late October 2021, C-USA members Southern Miss, Old Dominion and Marshall applied and were accepted to the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) to begin play in the 2022–23 season.[8][9][10] On November 6, the Sun Belt added James Madison, a Colonial Athletic Association member playing FCS football. Due to the Colonial's policy of prohibiting departing members from participating in conference tournaments, JMU was initially slated to play the 2022–23 football season as an FBS independent with other sports playing as de facto Sun Belt affiliates; full membership would have begun with the 2023–24 season.[11][12][13] However, on February 2, 2022, JMU and the Sun Belt announced that JMU would join for all sports sponsored by the conference, including football, on July 1.[14] On February 11, Southern Miss, Old Dominion, and Marshall announced that they too would join the Sun Belt Conference in 2022. However, C-USA had previously indicated on January 20 that it expected all three schools to remain in the league through 2022–23. ESPN journalist Adam Rittenberg cited an unnamed source regarding this development, "It's not going to be an amicable split. It's gotten ugly, and I assume it's going to get uglier."[15] The source's prediction was apparently proven true when Marshall filed suit against C-USA in its local court in an attempt to force a 2022 move.[16] On March 1, the Sun Belt released its 2022 football schedule with Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss included, making no mention of the ongoing legal dispute or the possibility that the three schools would not become members for the 2022–23 school year.[17] By the end of that month, the three schools and C-USA reached a settlement that allowed the schools to join the Sun Belt in July 2022.[18]

The increase in the SBC football membership led to reports that the conference's two non-football members, Little Rock and UT Arlington, would leave the conference; this eventually did happen, with Little Rock joining the Ohio Valley Conference and UT Arlington rejoining the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), a league in which it had been a member in the 2012–13 school year.[19][20]

These various moves also led the SBC to reinstate men's soccer, a sport that it had dropped after the 2020–21 school year when a combination of COVID-19 impact and earlier realignment had left the conference with only three men's soccer programs, half of the number required for a D-I conference to maintain its automatic NCAA tournament bid. With three of the four incoming members (all but Southern Miss) sponsoring men's soccer, SBC commissioner Keith Gill had announced in November 2021 that the sport would be reinstated in 2023–24.[21] After the entry of the aforementioned schools was pushed forward to July 2022, the SBC announced on April 6, 2022 that men's soccer would be reinstated for 2022–23. The three incoming members, plus existing full members Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State, will be joined by incoming associate members Kentucky, South Carolina, and West Virginia.[22] The reinstatement of SBC men's soccer left the future of men's soccer in C-USA and the Mid-American Conference in serious doubt, with each league reduced to four members in the 2022 season, and C-USA set to lose three of its four remaining programs in 2023 (with Liberty being the only incoming C-USA member with men's soccer). The two Georgia schools and West Virginia had been MAC men's soccer members, with West Virginia originally intending to join C-USA men's soccer for 2022–23. Kentucky and South Carolina had been C-USA men's soccer members.

Conference USA

Having lost 6 of its 14 members to the AAC and 3 to the Sun Belt, Conference USA was left with 5 remaining members, short of the NCAA minimum of 6 and the FBS minimum of 8. On November 5, 2021, C-USA invited four schools: FBS independents Liberty and New Mexico State, who play non-football sports in the ASUN Conference and Western Athletic Conference respectively, ASUN full member Jacksonville State, and WAC full member Sam Houston State. All four schools will begin C-USA play with the 2023–24 season.[23] Per NCAA rules Jacksonville State and Sam Houston State serve a two-year probationary period. Liberty and New Mexico State are established FBS members and do not have to serve probationary periods.

Around the same time, reports surfaced that C-USA members Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee were poised to join the Mid-American Conference (MAC). However, Middle Tennessee elected to remain in C-USA, and the MAC did not invite Western Kentucky after Middle Tennessee did not join.[24]

In April 2022, it was announced that Dallas Baptist would be moving its baseball program from the Missouri Valley Conference to C-USA effective that July (with play starting in the 2023 season). While all other Dallas Baptist University teams compete in Division II, primarily in the Lone Star Conference, the baseball team competes in Division I. DBU is also the last D-II member playing D-I baseball.[25][26]

FCS conferences affected

Western Athletic Conference

On January 14, 2021, the Western Athletic Conference, which last sponsored football at the FBS level during the 2012 season, announced its intention to reinstate football as a conference-sponsored sport at the FCS level, as well as the addition of five new members to the conference in all sports. The new members announced included four Southland Conference members from Texas in Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, and Stephen F. Austin, plus Southern Utah from the Big Sky Conference. Those five schools joined existing WAC members Tarleton and Dixie State (which will be renamed Utah Tech in July 2022) to make up the WAC's initial football membership.[27] The four Southland schools were initially planned to join the WAC for the 2022–23 school year, but the WAC pushed their entry forward to 2021–22 after the Southland expelled all four schools.[28][29] Southern Utah will join on its originally planned schedule of 2022–23, with SUU and the Big Sky agreeing to honor their scheduling commitments for 2021–22.[30]

That same day, WAC non-football member UTRGV announced that it would begin sponsoring football no later than the 2024 season,[31] while the WAC announced that Chicago State, a geographical outlier for much of its time in the WAC, would depart the conference on July 1, 2022.[32]

On November 12, the WAC added Southland member Incarnate Word for the 2022–23 season.[33] Though fellow Southland member McNeese was rumored to be joining the WAC along with Incarnate Word, it instead chose to remain in the Southland.[34] On January 21, 2022, the WAC added Sun Belt Conference member UT Arlington, which had joined and left the WAC in the early-2010s realignment cycle, for the 2022–23 season.[20]

On April 8, Lamar University announced that it would rejoin the Southland Conference for 2023-24, spending only two years in the WAC. Along with the departures of New Mexico State and Sam Houston to Conference USA, the WAC will have 12 members going forward, 7 of which will play football in the conference.[23]

ASUN Conference

On January 29, 2021, the ASUN Conference (formerly the Atlantic Sun Conference) announced that it too would begin sponsoring football at the FCS level beginning in 2022–23, as well as announcing three new members for the 2021–22 season: Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky from the Ohio Valley Conference, and Central Arkansas from the Southland Conference. Those three schools plus existing ASUN members Kennesaw State and North Alabama, which had been playing football in the Big South Conference, would make up the first five ASUN football members, with a requisite sixth member to be announced at a later date.[35] For the 2021 football season, the ASUN and WAC formed a football-only partnership, with the three new ASUN members competing alongside WAC members for an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.[36]

On September 17, that sixth football member was revealed to be Austin Peay, which would join the conference for 2022–23.[37] Though the ASUN will have the requisite 6 football members for the 2022 season, the impending departure of Jacksonville State in 2023 will necessitate a replacement football member to meet the conference minimum. Such a member has not yet been announced. ASUN full member Stetson plays football in the Pioneer Football League, a conference for Division I FCS schools that do not offer football scholarships. Another full member, Bellarmine, will add football in 2022 but will play sprint football, a non-NCAA variant played under standard NCAA rules but with player weights limited to 178 pounds (81 kg).

Shortly before Peay was announced as an incoming member, media reports indicated that the ASUN had approached at least five Division II members regarding possible membership—football-sponsoring Valdosta State, West Florida, and West Georgia and non-football Lincoln Memorial and Queens (NC).[38]

Southland Conference

With much of the Southland Conference's football membership leaving for the WAC and ASUN, on September 28, the Southland announced that Division II school Texas A&M–Commerce would move up to Division I and join the conference beginning with the 2022–23 season.[39] This leaves the Southland with 8 full members, 6 of which play football.

Shortly after A&M–Commerce was announced as an incoming member, the Southland and Ohio Valley Conference, which had lost three football-sponsoring schools in this realignment cycle (and would later lose a fourth), announced a football scheduling alliance for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.[40]

On April 8, Lamar University announced that it would rejoin the Southland Conference for 2023-24, spending only two years in the WAC before rejoining a conference where it had been a member from 1963-87 and again from 1999-2021.

Ohio Valley Conference

In addition to three Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) football members joining the ASUN, two additional OVC members have announced their intent to leave the conference. On September 28, 2021, non-football member Belmont announced it would join the Missouri Valley Conference for the 2022–23 season.[41] On January 7, 2022, Murray State announced that it too would join the MVC for 2022–23.[42] Though the MVC does not sponsor football, Murray State applied to (and eventually joined) the Missouri Valley Football Conference (a separate entity from the Missouri Valley Conference) starting with the 2023 season[43] At the time of this announcement, the expected 2023 departure of Murray State football would have left the Ohio Valley Conference with 5 football members. (Full OVC member Morehead State plays non-scholarship football in the Pioneer Football League.)

On December 9, Sun Belt Conference non-football member Little Rock was announced as the newest OVC member starting with the 2022–23 season.[19] Exactly two months later, another new non-football member, Division II upgrader Southern Indiana, was announced as a July 2022 entry,[44] and on February 23 Lindenwood, a football-sponsoring D-II school, was also announced as a July 2022 entry.[45]

The day before the Lindenwood announcement saw a major change to the FCS landscape when the OVC and Big South Conference announced their plans to merge their respective football leagues effective in 2023. Certain major details of the alliance—specifically, whether it would be operated by the Big South or OVC, or become a completely separate entity—were not revealed at the time.[46]

Colonial Athletic Association

The departure of James Madison left the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) with 9 all-sports members, with 11 schools participating in the technically separate entity of CAA Football. On January 18, 2022, NJ.com reported that Monmouth, a full member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and football-only member of the Big South Conference, would join the CAA for all sports starting in 2022–23. They also reported Big South full member Hampton and America East Conference member Stony Brook would probably join the CAA.[47] Hampton had been working toward an eventual CAA invitation since at least 1995,[48] and Stony Brook had been a member of CAA Football since 2013. On January 25, all three schools were officially announced as new members of the all-sports CAA for 2022–23, with Hampton and Monmouth also joining CAA Football.[49]

On February 18, North Carolina A&T received approval from its board of trustees to move from the Big South to the CAA, and the CAA officially announced A&T's move on February 22. While A&T will join the all-sports CAA in time for the 2022–23 season, the football team will wait until the 2023 season to move to CAA Football.[50]

Big South Conference

On January 25, the Colonial Athletic Association announced that Big South Conference full member Hampton and football-only member Monmouth would join both sides of the CAA for the 2022–23 season. On February 22, the CAA announced that North Carolina A&T would join the all-sports CAA in 2022–23 and CAA Football a year later. These departures, along with football-only members Kennesaw State and North Alabama leaving to play in the ASUN Conference, at the time brought the Big South membership down to 10 full members and 5 football members, the latter being one short of the conference minimum.[35][47] (Big South full member Presbyterian plays non-scholarship football in the Pioneer Football League.) On March 29, 2022, the football membership was restored to 6 with the announcement that Bryant would join as a football-only member effective with the 2022 season,[51] but A&T's 2023 departure for CAA Football would again reduce the football membership to 5.

As noted previously, the Big South and OVC will merge their football leagues effective in 2023.[46]

Big Sky Conference

Southern Utah will leave the Big Sky Conference on July 1, 2022. Southern Utah's departure puts the Big Sky at 10 full members, all of whom sponsor football, with Cal Poly and UC Davis as football-only members.[27]

Northeast Conference

On March 29, 2022, Bryant announced that it would leave the Northeast Conference (NEC) that July, with most sports joining the America East Conference and football joining the Big South.[52] On April 5, the NEC responded by adding football-sponsoring Division II institution Stonehill College for 2022–23.[53]

ESPN reported on April 27 that Mount St. Mary's, a full NEC member without a football program, was in the process of a move to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), where it would join several other basketball-focused private schools. The conference change was officially announced on May 2, 2022 and will take effect for 2022–23.[54]

During this realignment, the NEC also announced that it would begin sponsoring men's volleyball in the 2023 season (2022–23 school year) with six teams. The NEC will become the second D-I all-sports conference to sponsor the sport, after the Big West Conference. Before the 2022 season, only three NEC members (Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, and Saint Francis (PA)) had men's volleyball programs, all competing in the single-sport Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. In the 2022 season, two more full NEC members, Fairleigh Dickinson and LIU, began sponsoring men's volleyball, competing as independents. When announcing its new men's volleyball league, the NEC announced that Merrimack, an all-sports member transitioning from Division II, would launch a men's volleyball program and become the sixth member, thereby reaching the required membership level for an eventual automatic bid to the combined D-I and D-II championship. The EIVA will retain six members, maintaining its automatic bid.[55]

Missouri Valley Football Conference

On April 4, 2022, the Missouri Valley Football Conference announced that Murray State's football team would join the conference beginning with the 2023 season. The move was made as a result of Murray State's previously announced move of its other sports from the Ohio Valley Conference to the Missouri Valley Conference, a separate entity from the MVFC that does not sponsor football.[56]

Non-football Division I conferences affected

America East Conference

On May 6, 2021, America East Conference member Hartford's governing board voted to begin the process of transitioning the school's athletic program from Division I to Division III.[57] The plan calls for the following steps:

  • January 2022: Formal request for reclassification with the NCAA.
  • 2022–23: No athletic scholarships will be awarded to incoming students.
  • 2023–24: Become a provisional member in a D-III conference to be determined; transition remaining students off athletic scholarships by the end of that school year.
  • 2024–25: Become a full member of the aforementioned D-III conference.
  • 2025–26: Full D-III membership.

On January 25, Stony Brook was announced as a full member of the Colonial Athletic Association starting in 2022-23. The school has been a member of CAA Football since 2013.

On March 29, Bryant was announced to join the America East Conference in all sports but football starting in 2022-23.

Atlantic 10 Conference

On November 16, 2021, the Atlantic 10 announced that Loyola Chicago would join the conference starting with the 2022–23 season. As the A-10 does not anticipate gaining or losing any further members for the foreseeable future, the conference will have 15 members going forward.[58]

Horizon League

On January 22, 2022, CBSSports.com reported that UIC would leave the Horizon League for the MVC in July.[59] This report was confirmed on January 26 when UIC was unveiled as a new MVC member, effective that July.[60] The Horizon League will drop down to 11 members going forward.

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

On May 2, 2022, the MAAC announced that Mount St. Mary's University would be Monmouth's replacement in the conference starting with the 2022-23 season, maintaining the MAAC's membership at 11 schools.[54]

Missouri Valley Conference

Losing Loyola Chicago, whose men's basketball team had made the Final Four in 2018 and Sweet Sixteen in 2021, was a significant athletic blow to the MVC, but was arguably a larger institutional blow. The Chicago area, especially its suburbs, is a major source of students for many MVC members, and Loyola's departure would leave the conference without a significant presence in the city.[lower-alpha 1][61] The basketball issue was addressed with the addition of Belmont and Murray State, both frequent contenders for NCAA men's tournament berths, putting the Missouri Valley Conference at 11 members.[41][42][58] The issue of a Chicago presence was addressed by entering into negotiations with the city's largest university, UIC. CBSSports.com reported on January 22, 2022, that UIC had indeed been invited and accepted;[59] this move was made official four days later.[60] The conference reportedly reached out to Kansas City of the Summit League for potential membership before this, in addition to UIC, as well as Sun Belt member UT Arlington (which instead rejoined the WAC).[62]

West Coast Conference

With Brigham Young University leaving the West Coast Conference for the Big 12 in 2023, the WCC will drop down to 9 members going forward.[4]

Membership changes

List of confirmed and rumored changes
Main article: List of NCAA Division I conference changes since 2010

Full membership
Conference Old membership total New membership total Net change Members added Members lost
America East 10 9 −1 1 2
American 11 14 +3 6 3
ASUN 9 11 +2 4 2
Atlantic 10 14 15 +1 1 0
Big 12 10 12 +2 4 2
Big South 12 10 −2 0 2
Big Sky 11 10 −1 0 1
Colonial 10 13 +3 4 1
Conference USA 14 9 −5 4 9
Horizon 12 11 −1 0 1
MAAC 11 11 0 1 1
Missouri Valley 10 12 +2 3 1
Northeast 10 9 -1 1 2
Ohio Valley 12 10 −2 3 5
SEC 14 16 +2 2 0
Southland 13 8 −5 1 6
Sun Belt 12 14 +2 4 2
West Coast 10 9 −1 0 1
WAC 9 12 +3 7 4

Football

The following table is reflective of both football-only membership changes and full membership changes that include football. This does not reflect the impending football-only merger of the Big South and OVC because full organizational details of the merger have yet to be announced.

Conference Subdivision Old membership total New membership total Net change Members added Members lost
American FBS 11 14 +3 6 3
ASUN FCS 0 5 +5 6 1
Big Sky FCS 13 12 −1 0 1
Big South FCS 9 5 −4 1 5
Big 12 FBS 10 12 +2 4 2
Colonial FCS 12 14 +2 3 1
Conference USA FBS 14 9 −5 4 9
MVFC FCS 11 12 +1 1 0
Northeast FCS 8 8 0 1 1
Ohio Valley FCS 9 6 −3 1 4
SEC FBS 14 16 +2 2 0
Southland FCS 11 6 −5 1 6
Sun Belt FBS 10 14 +4 4 0
WAC FCS 0 7 +7 9 2

See also

Footnotes
  1. At the time, the MVC had another member in the Chicago area, Valparaiso, but that school is on the eastern fringes of the federally defined Chicago area (as opposed to Loyola being in Chicago proper), and has less than a third of the enrollment of Loyola.

References
  1. Zwerneman, Brent (July 21, 2021). "Exclusive: Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2021-07-21. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  2. Blinder, Alan; Draper, Kevin (2021-07-26). "Eyeing the SEC, Oklahoma and Texas Plan to Leave the Big 12". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  3. Bieler, Des (July 29, 2021). "SEC invites Oklahoma and Texas to join powerhouse conference in 2025". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  4. "Big 12 Adds BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston". NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. September 10, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-09-10. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  5. "Pac-12, Big-10, ACC Announces Historic College Sports Alliance". CBS San Francisco. August 24, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-08-25. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  6. Sallee, Barrett (October 1, 2021). "Air Force, Colorado State join Boise State, San Diego State in sticking with Mountain West over AAC". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-01. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  7. "American Athletic Conference Announces the Addition of Six Universities". Irving, Texas: American Athletic Conference. October 21, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  8. "Southern Miss Joins Sun Belt Conference". Sun Belt Conference. October 26, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-26. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  9. "Old Dominion Joins Sun Belt Conference". Sun Belt Conference. October 27, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-27. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  10. "Marshall Joins Sun Belt Conference". Sun Belt Conference. October 30, 2021. Archived from the original on October 30, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  11. "James Madison's move to Sun Belt would trigger messy divorce from CAA". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  12. Eck, T. J. (November 5, 2021). "Update: JMU accepts invite to join the Sun Belt Conference". WHSV-TV. Archived from the original on 2021-11-05. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  13. Vannini, Charlie. "James Madison will join Sun Belt in all sports starting in fall 2022: Sources". The Athletic. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  14. "James Madison to Compete in Sun Belt Conference in 2022-2023" (Press release). James Madison Dukes. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  15. Rittenberg, Adam (February 11, 2022). "Sun Belt-bound Marshall, Old Dominion, Southern Miss announce plans to depart Conference USA in June". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  16. Dinich, Heather (February 23, 2022). "Marshall sues Conference USA to push up departure for Sun Belt". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  17. "Sun Belt Releases 2022 Football Schedule, Including Four New Members" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. March 1, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  18. Thamel, Pete (March 29, 2022). "Move of Marshall, Old Dominion, Southern Miss from Conference USA to Sun Belt now complete". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  19. "Little Rock Officially Accepts Invitation to Join Ohio Valley Conference". Little Rock Trojans. Archived from the original on 2021-12-09. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  20. "UT-Arlington set to join WAC starting with 2022-23 season". Miami Herald. Arlington, Texas. Associated Press. January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  21. Traylor, Grant (November 1, 2021). "Sun Belt confirms men's soccer being reinstated". The Herald-Dispatch. Huntington, WV. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  22. "Sun Belt Conference Announces Return of Men's Soccer This Fall" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  23. Vannini, Chris (November 5, 2021). "Conference USA adds Liberty, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, Jacksonville State". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 2021-11-05. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  24. Cobb, David (November 10, 2021). "MAC opts against expansion after Middle Tennessee elects to remain with Conference USA". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  25. Straka, Dean (April 22, 2022). "Conference realignment: DBU Baseball leaving Missouri Valley for C-USA in 2023, per report".
  26. "Dallas Baptist University Added as Affiliate Member for Baseball" (Press release). Conference USA. April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  27. "WAC Announces Expansion, Plans to Reinstate Football". Western Athletic Conference. January 14, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  28. "WAC Announces Expedited Entrance for Four Texas Institutions" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  29. Blum, Sam (January 14, 2021). "As WAC announces addition of 5 schools, Frisco-based Southland Conference left in no man's land". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  30. "WAC Board Announces Executive Committee, Approves Several Items for 2021-22". Western Athletic Conference. June 9, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-06-10. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  31. Bailey, Guy (January 14, 2021). "Message from the President: WAC Expansion". UTRGV. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  32. "Chicago State University Announces Plan to Leave Western Athletic Conference in June 2022". Chicago State Cougars. January 14, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-01-14. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  33. "University of the Incarnate Word Accepts Invitation to Join WAC". Western Athletic Conference. November 12, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-11-12. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  34. Gazzolo, Jim (November 9, 2021). "McNeese sticks with Southland in move that will bring millions in for SW La. tourism". American Press. Lake Charles, LA. Retrieved January 22, 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. "ASUN Conference Announces Three New Institutions; Adds Football as 20th Sport" (Press release). ASUN Conference. January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  36. "ASUN, WAC Conferences Announce Football Partnership for 2021" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  37. "ASUN Conference Welcomes Austin Peay State University as its Newest Member" (Press release). ASUN Conference. September 17, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  38. Brown, Matt (September 14, 2021). "Sources: Austin Peay Likely to Join ASUN, perhaps as soon as next week". Extra Points. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  39. Staff reports (September 28, 2021). "Texas A&M-Commerce taking leap to Southland Conference, NCAA Division I". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  40. "Southland and Ohio Valley Conferences Announce Football Scheduling Alliance" (Press release). Southland Conference. October 11, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  41. Norlander, Matt (September 28, 2021). "Belmont to join Missouri Valley Conference in 2022, continuing drain from Ohio Valley Conference". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  42. Aaron Golden, Todd (January 7, 2022). "Murray State to the MVC is finally a reality". Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  43. Balash, Dana (January 7, 2022). "Murray State hopes to join MVFC !!". WMFJ. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  44. "University of Southern Indiana to Join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022-23" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  45. "Lindenwood University to Join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022-23" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  46. "Big South and Ohio Valley Conference Announce Football Agreement" (Press release). Big South Conference. February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  47. Zagoria, Adam (January 18, 2022). "Monmouth is leaving MAAC, Big South for Colonial Athletic Association". NJ.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-18. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  48. "Hampton University, CAA look to finally make it happen". HBCU Gameday. January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  49. "CAA Welcomes Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as New Members" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  50. "CAA Welcomes North Carolina A&T as Newest Member of the Conference" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  51. "Big South Adds Bryant University as Associate Football Member" (Press release). Big South Conference. March 29, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  52. "Bryant University to Join America East Conference as Newest Member Institution" (Press release). America East Conference. March 29, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  53. "Stonehill College Accepts Invitation to Join Northeast Conference" (Press release). Northeast Conference. April 5, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  54. Thamel, Pete (April 27, 2022). "Mount St. Mary's set to leave Northeast Conference, join MAAC, sources say". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  55. "Northeast Conference Announces Men's Volleyball as 25th Championship Sport" (Press release). Northeast Conference. September 30, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  56. "Murray State Football To Join Missouri Valley Football Conference July of 2023" (Press release). Missouri Valley Football Conference. April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  57. "University of Hartford to Transition to Division III Athletics Model" (Press release). May 8, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  58. "Loyola Athletics To Join Atlantic 10 Conference in 2022-23 Academic Year". Loyola Ramblers. November 16, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-11-16. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  59. Norlander, Matt (January 22, 2022). "UIC to join Missouri Valley Conference in July, rounding out league's expansion effort at 12 teams". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-22. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  60. "UIC to Join the Missouri Valley Conference" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  61. Brown, Matt (January 5, 2022). "MVC expected to add Murray State, likely to add more". Extra Points. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  62. Norlander, Matt (November 16, 2021). "Missouri Valley Conference loses Loyola Chicago but pursuing Murray State, UT Arlington and Kansas City". CBSSports.com. Archived from the original on 2021-11-16. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.