Sun Belt Conference offices seek refuge in Lafayette
Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

Count the Sun Belt Conference among the refugees that have found a safe haven in Acadiana.

The conference office is normally located on Poydras Street in New Orleans - a few blocks from the Louisiana Superdome - but will operate out of the University of Louisiana's Whittington Hall for the foreseeable future.

"The university is going to provide them with some office space," said UL interim athletic director David Walker, "and we've been able to locate them some housing at one of the extended-stay facilities here."

Personnel in the league office had evacuated New Orleans Saturday and early Sunday with the approach of Hurricane Katrina.

Commissioner Wright Waters had relocated to Birmingham, Ala., and Rob Broussard, league director of media relations, went to Jackson, Miss. Others were scattered at other locations.

Whittington Hall is the former UL Alumni House located adjacent to Blackham Coliseum. It is only a few blocks from UL's athletic complex and athletic facilities.

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