A reliable poster on the Sun Belt board just informed us that the Sun Belt presidents have just released a statement reaffirming their schools' commitments to the Sun Belt Conference.

The two presidents that were quoted were Norval Pohl of North Texas and Gary Ransdell of Western Kentucky.

Commissioner Wright Waters also affirms their commitment to Idaho and Denver and will work toward a solution that addresses their travel concerns.

North Texas and Western Kentucky are staying put. Louisiana Tech is going to rot in the WAC. And Utah State could have just joined a conference that is headed for straight-up implosion!!

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

Sun Belt Leaders Commit to Conference
League CEO's excited to be a part of growing league
April 30th, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


NEW ORLEANS — The Chief Executive Officers of the Sun Belt Conference today affirmed their commitment to the league.


"We feel that during this historical time in college athletics it is important to publicly affirm the solidarity of the membership of the Sun Belt Conference," said Dr. Norval Pohl, President of the University of North Texas and President of the Sun Belt Conference.


"We have continued to grow stronger as a conference, including the moves to become a more regionalized league. We are committed to competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics through the efforts of our member schools and the conference office."


"The Sun Belt Conference is on the cusp of significant success," said Dr. Gary Ransdell, President of Western Kentucky University and a Past President of the Sun Belt Conference. "It is an emerging league with strong institutions. Its members anticipate its future with great eagerness."


"With this confirmation from the CEOs, the league also reaffirms its commitment to Idaho and Denver that they will have a home with the Sun Belt Conference, but we anticipate opportunities in the near future that will address their travel concerns," explained Wright Waters, Commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference. "We recognize the need to still add one additional I-A institution as a full-time member. We believe this can be accomplished prior to July 1."


Since its establishment in 1976, the Sun Belt Conference has been on an evolutionary journey, advancing to the highest level of competition in intercollegiate athletics in every championship sport.


With the addition of I-A football to the Sun Belt in 2001, the league is one of only 11 conferences competing at this level and beginning in 2006 the Sun Belt will be recognized as a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) member.


In recent years women's participation has increased by 69.3 percent with the addition of softball (2000), soccer (2000) and swimming & diving (2000-01). With the opportunity to compete for a conference title several members added teams in those sports - softball (North Texas, Western Kentucky); soccer (Arkansas State, Louisiana, Western Kentucky); swimming & diving (Florida

International, New Orleans).


The league's student-athletes continue to advance in the classroom, which is reflected by increases in membership graduation rates and an increase in the number of student-athletes recognized on the annual Sun Belt Conference Commissioner's List and Honor Roll.


Member institutions continue to make on-campus improvements to Student-Athlete Services programs and athletics facilities. Members have recently spent more than $340 million in facilities construction, renovation and upgrades with nearly $190 million in future projects scheduled over the next decade.


Members of the Sun Belt Conference (with year of admission) for the 2005-06 season will include: Arkansas State University (1991), Florida Atlantic University (football 2005; full 2006), Florida International University (1998; football 2005), Middle Tennessee State University (2000), Troy State University (football 2004; full 2005), University of Arkansas at Little Rock(1991), University of Denver (1999), University of Idaho (football 2001; full 2005), University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1991), University of New Orleans (1976-80; rejoined in 1991), University of North Texas (2000), University of South Alabama (1976), and Western Kentucky University (1982).


The University of Louisiana at Monroe (2001) will continue as an affiliate member in football and swimming & diving.

—SUN BELT CONFERENCE —

SpaceRaider Wrote:Sun Belt Leaders Commit to Conference
League CEO's excited to be a part of growing league
April 30th, 2004
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


NEW ORLEANS — The Chief Executive Officers of the Sun Belt Conference today affirmed their commitment to the league.


"We feel that during this historical time in college athletics it is important to publicly affirm the solidarity of the membership of the Sun Belt Conference," said Dr. Norval Pohl, President of the University of North Texas and President of the Sun Belt Conference.


"We have continued to grow stronger as a conference, including the moves to become a more regionalized league. We are committed to competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics through the efforts of our member schools and the conference office."


"The Sun Belt Conference is on the cusp of significant success," said Dr. Gary Ransdell, President of Western Kentucky University and a Past President of the Sun Belt Conference. "It is an emerging league with strong institutions. Its members anticipate its future with great eagerness."


"With this confirmation from the CEOs, the league also reaffirms its commitment to Idaho and Denver that they will have a home with the Sun Belt Conference, but we anticipate opportunities in the near future that will address their travel concerns," explained Wright Waters, Commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference. "We recognize the need to still add one additional I-A institution as a full-time member. We believe this can be accomplished prior to July 1."


Since its establishment in 1976, the Sun Belt Conference has been on an evolutionary journey, advancing to the highest level of competition in intercollegiate athletics in every championship sport.


With the addition of I-A football to the Sun Belt in 2001, the league is one of only 11 conferences competing at this level and beginning in 2006 the Sun Belt will be recognized as a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) member.


In recent years women's participation has increased by 69.3 percent with the addition of softball (2000), soccer (2000) and swimming & diving (2000-01). With the opportunity to compete for a conference title several members added teams in those sports - softball (North Texas, Western Kentucky); soccer (Arkansas State, Louisiana, Western Kentucky); swimming & diving (Florida

International, New Orleans).


The league's student-athletes continue to advance in the classroom, which is reflected by increases in membership graduation rates and an increase in the number of student-athletes recognized on the annual Sun Belt Conference Commissioner's List and Honor Roll.


Member institutions continue to make on-campus improvements to Student-Athlete Services programs and athletics facilities. Members have recently spent more than $340 million in facilities construction, renovation and upgrades with nearly $190 million in future projects scheduled over the next decade.


Members of the Sun Belt Conference (with year of admission) for the 2005-06 season will include: Arkansas State University (1991), Florida Atlantic University (football 2005; full 2006), Florida International University (1998; football 2005), Middle Tennessee State University (2000), Troy State University (football 2004; full 2005), University of Arkansas at Little Rock(1991), University of Denver (1999), University of Idaho (football 2001; full 2005), University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1991), University of New Orleans (1976-80; rejoined in 1991), University of North Texas (2000), University of South Alabama (1976), and Western Kentucky University (1982).


The University of Louisiana at Monroe (2001) will continue as an affiliate member in football and swimming & diving.

—SUN BELT CONFERENCE —

What this means is a few rumor mongers on Hilltopper Haven have turned out to be liars and most of the rest made to look foolish.

Their rumor-mongering could have hurt a conference at a critical juncture if the SBC CEOs weren't Adults.

From my perpsective, this follows the MAC Model and I like that. The MAC has a solid, regional conference and we are headed in that same direction.

Quote:"We recognize the need to still add one additional I-A institution as a full-time member. We believe this can be accomplished prior to July 1."

Who will be the the additional I-A institution? Is he talking about the Florida schools or is he talking about adding a school that already has I-A football? La Tech has reaffirmed their committment to the WAC...

As I recall reading on the Tech Board, they have until June 30 to tell the WAC whether they go or stay. That equates to a July 1 date to me, eh?
:D

Wright Waters has said that one Louisiana school will receive an all-sports invite in the very near future. If LA Tech would have gone to CUSA, it would have been ULM, but now that CUSA has taken UTEP, it looks like LA Tech will be the Louisiana school receiving the all-sports invite. Whether they take it or not, thats a different story. There is alot of bad blood between some current SBC schools and LA Tech after what happened a few years ago.

double post

badgerwolf Wrote:As I recall reading on the Tech Board, they have until June 30 to tell the WAC whether they go or stay. That equates to a July 1 date to me, eh?
:D

June 30th is the end of the athletic year for all the conferences. That is why June 30th/July 1st is significant. It is significant to anyone changing conferences. If ULM were to become a full member they would have to inform their existing conference by June 30th. Same would go for La Tech, UNT, WKU, MTSU, anyone else looking to move. If you don't give proper notice, the exit fee increases.

LA Tech may have affirmed their commitment to the WAC but, they know that they cannot continue to pay big $$$$ in travel to stay in the WAC. Either their major supporters will have to start forking out big money for them to travel or they will face some tough decisions in the near future.

Decision A.) Stay in the WAC and deal with mounting travel costs and athletic budget shortfalls.

Or

Decision B.) Come back to the Sunbelt and play teams that are considerably closer.

As much as they probably don't want to, they almost have to take the offer from the SBC if it is offered to them. I can't see them wanting to continue to pay those fees for travel, and staying afloat in the conference.

There is a fine line between pride and stupidity....

Tech is walking that line.....

Stay in the WAC and sink like a stone.........no facilities upgrades, no jumbotron......etc....

Suck it up, move back to the Belt......SAVE BUCKS.

upgrade facilities...

With the swipe of a pen, UTEP just put UL light years ahead of Tech in the next conference alignment move.

Z.


:stupid:

I am glad to see that all the schools are committed to the conference. North Texas doesn't need to join the WAC they are in central time zone. The only other conference they would join would be Conference USA.

I can't wait until Florida Atlantic & Florida International join the Sun Belt. They will be the ones to beat. Can you say 2005 Sun Belt Champions.

David Krysakowski Wrote:I can't wait until Florida Atlantic & Florida International join the Sun Belt. They will be the ones to beat. Can you say 2005 Sun Belt Champions.

Sun Belt Champions.

Hopefully we can compete with the Sun Belt guys from jump and not have too much building to do. It may take a season to get in the type of linemen we need. A few bigger (320+) will sure help our cause.

Thanks for the plug

David Krysakowski Wrote:I am glad to see that all the schools are committed to the conference. North Texas doesn't need to join the WAC they are in central time zone. The only other conference they would join would be Conference USA.

Hey David try the link below. Doesn't look like "ALL" schools were committed.

<a href='http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Jun/04/br/br08p.html' target='_blank'>http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/...4/br/br08p.html</a>

Now with Idaho joining the WAC, who is going to join the Sun Belt?
Louisiana at Monroe and Western Kentucky for all sports.