El Paso Times article on expansion

[parisdog]

Conference USA still mum about expansion

Darren Hunt
El Paso Times

Conference USA officials emerged from two days of meetings in Dallas Tuesday with no announcement about the league's potential future membership.

"They were good, productive meetings," Conference USA spokesman Russ Anderson said. "But no decision or recommendation has been made."

The Orlando Sentinel reported earlier this week that 11-school Conference USA was considering expanding by one to three members, and UTEP -- due to its strong men's basketball tradition and average of more than 29,000 fans per game the past four seasons in football -- was the leading candidate. The rest include fellow Western Athletic Conference member Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Toledo, Miami (of Ohio) and Temple.

Anderson would only say that "a number of schools" were discussed at the meetings, and the league is moving forward with that information "on no formal timeline."

"I don't know what (Conference USA's) plan is," UTEP Athletics Director Bob Stull said Tuesday. "As far as we're concerned, though, we think the WAC had a great year (3-1 in bowls and five postseason basketball berths). We like being in the WAC. But if something comes about in another conference, we'd do our due diligence and investigate."

The Honolulu Advertiser reported this week that Louisiana Tech expects to hear from Conference USA in the next two weeks and likely would accept an invitation. But neither Hawaii Athletics Director Herman Frazier nor WAC Commissioner Karl Benson thinks UTEP, the league's senior member, would leave for Conference USA.

"I don't think UTEP is going anywhere," Frazier told the Honolulu Advertiser. Added Benson, "I think UTEP recognizes the benefits of its WAC membership."

Darren Hunt may be reached at dhunt@elpasotimes.com; 546-6168.

[altadawg]

UTEP isn't going anywhere sooooo

It's 12 teams with TECH or they stay with 11.

I would like to think that we will get an invitation between now and May 1st, but, if one doesn't come this go around that would be a horrible sign for us.