May 7, 2012
Conference Carousel Continues
to Turn
(This story was edited in regards to the
status of New Orleans)
Who's moving where? When? What will the league
look like?
There does not appear to be an immediate end to
the movement of Division I athletics programs from one
conference to another.
Several schools announced last week their moving
plans for the 2013-14 academic year. There could be more
movement in the near future, as speculation swirls about
expansion for the Atlantic 10, Conference USA, Sun Belt and
others.
There were 10 conference moves this past year
involving college baseball, including four dropping from the
Division I ranks.
|
School |
2012 |
2011 |
|
BYU |
WCC |
Mountain West |
|
Campbell |
Big South |
Atlantic Sun |
| Centenary |
Division II |
Summit |
|
Cleveland State |
Dropped Baseball |
Horizon |
| Le Moyne |
Division II |
Independent |
|
Nebraska |
Big Ten |
Big 12 |
| Nebraska-Omaha |
Independent |
Division II |
|
North Carolina Central |
MEAC |
Independent |
|
Savannah State |
MEAC |
Independent |
|
Utah |
Pac-12 |
Mountain West |
Many feel that the move by Nebraska triggered the
majority of the subsequent movement.
With the start of the 2012-13 academic year less
than two months away, we shouldn’t expect additional switches
for next year. There are 20 schools which will have new homes
next season.
|
School |
2013 |
2012 |
|
Belmont |
Ohio Valley |
Atlantic Sun |
|
CSU Bakersfield |
WAC |
Independent |
|
Dallas Baptist |
WAC |
Independent |
|
Fresno State |
Mountain West |
WAC |
|
Hawaii |
Big West |
WAC |
|
Longwood |
Big South |
Independent |
|
Missouri |
SEC |
Big 12 |
|
Nebraska-Omaha |
Summit |
Independent |
|
Nevada |
Mountain West |
WAC |
|
New Orleans |
Independent |
D-II Transition |
|
Northern Kentucky |
Atlantic Sun |
Division II |
|
Oral Roberts |
Southland |
Summit |
|
Seattle |
WAC |
Independent |
|
Southern Utah |
Dropping sport |
Summit |
|
TCU |
Big 12 |
Mountain West |
|
Texas A&M |
SEC |
Big 12 |
|
Texas State |
WAC |
Southland |
|
UT Arlington |
WAC |
Southland |
|
UTSA |
WAC |
Southland |
|
West Virginia |
Big 12 |
Big East |
Here is a link to conference memberships for the current
college baseball season, and
a link for how it will look for the 2013 campaign.
Northern Kentucky will begin the transition to
Division I as a member of the Atlantic Sun. New Orleans only
played six Division I opponents in 2012 as it had planned to
move to Division II, but the Privateers
changed direction and will remain in Division I. UNO will be the
lone independent in 2013, but should find a conference home in
the near future. The SEC will gain another strong program with
the addition of Texas A&M. The Big 12 hopes TCU can fill the
void left by the Aggies. The WAC has a chance to be a very good
baseball league, but probably for only one year. Many of the
schools will have different addresses in 2014.
As of today, there are 14 programs which will be
in different leagues for the 2014 college baseball season.
|
School |
2014 |
2013 |
|
Butler |
Atlantic 10 |
Horizon |
|
Charlotte |
Conference USA |
Atlantic 10 |
|
FIU |
Conference USA |
Sun Belt |
|
Georgia State |
Sun Belt |
Colonial |
|
Houston |
Big East |
Conference USA |
|
Louisiana Tech |
Conference USA |
WAC |
|
Memphis |
Big East |
Conference USA |
|
Pacific |
West Coast |
Big West |
|
San Diego State |
Big West |
Mountain West |
|
San Jose State |
Mountain West |
WAC |
|
Temple |
Big East |
Atlantic 10 |
|
Texas State |
Sun Belt |
WAC |
|
UCF |
Big East |
Conference USA |
|
UTSA |
Conference USA |
WAC |
By all indications, this list will grow, possibly
by the end of the week.
Here is a link for conference memberships for 2014.
Another move waiting to happen is Pittsburgh to
the ACC. Right now it is scheduled to happen for the 2015
season, but could get bumped up a year.
And don’t expect the carousel to stop soon.
Conferences will continue to react to movement in and around
them. Will the Big Ten expand to 14? Will the SEC and ACC grow
to 16? Will the Big 12 return to 12?
Many questions to answer.
|
