LA Tech to the Belt?

http://www.theadvertiser.com/sports/html/F22993EA-F6B4-4BE5-9A4E-0D52E8AEBD66.shtml

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Almost certain: ULM to the Sun Belt

http://www.thenewsstar.com/localnews/html/B8D33CB4-7A90-4944-8BB8-EEF25A41DA37.shtml

All ULM sports may make jump to Sun Belt
Paul Letlow
pletlow@monroe.gannett.com

June 23, 2004

(c) 2004 by The News-Star

The Sun Belt Conference is planning to add an all-sports member by July 1, and mounting evidence suggests that the University of Louisiana at Monroe is the school that will fill the slot.

Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters confirms the league's desire to announce a new all-sports member in the near future.

"Discussions are ongoing," Waters said. "I still think it will be by July 1, give or take a week."

ULM has emerged as the leading expansion option for the Sun Belt, which needs to add an eighth Division I-A football-playing program in all sports.

"I think we've always looked for a school that matched up," Waters said. "They fit academically, athletically and geographically."

A move by ULM would give the Sun Belt its eighth full I-A member to meet the NCAA's required minimum. If the Sun Belt doesn't have eight full members by 2005, it would have to request a waiver to remain a I-A league.

ULM is already affiliated with the Sun Belt Conference in football, swimming and diving. The Indians compete in the Southland Conference in other sports.

"We've had a wonderful relationship with the Southland Conference," ULM athletics director Bruce Hanks said. "It's still a good relationship with all the member schools of the conference. But they play I-AA football, so we don't have that opportunity."

Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett said ULM has not notified him about any plans to leave - but he won't be surprised if it does.

"To date, ULM has not contacted myself or any other president stating that they were planning on leaving the conference," Burnett said. "That being said, it won't surprise me if such calls come in the coming days, weeks or months."


©The News-Star
June 23, 2004

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http://www.miami.com%2Fmld%2Fmiamiherald%2Fsports%2Fcolleges%2Fflorida_atlantic_university%2F10292325.htm

In the midst of a two-year transition from Division I-AA to I-A, the Owls are required to meet the NCAA-mandated 15,000 fans per game. Saturday's crowd of 5,178 for Edward Waters brought FAU up to 37,659 fans for the season, slightly more than half the 75,000 needed.

The Owls must draw 37,341 for their final game, Saturday versus Florida International at Pro Player Stadium.

Interesting discussion with lots of realignment questions asked and answered. For anyone who doesn't want to wade through, basically nothing is happening.
http://www.sunbeltsports.org/info/askthecommissioner/

Here are some recent questions and answers from Commissioner Walters of the SunBelt Conference. If you scroll down on the site, you will see under the MISCELLANEOUS section, an earlier question from JASON on expansion with regard to Temple, Army, and Navy and the Commissioner's reply:

http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4100&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=

Note: Also, comments regarding Georgia Southern.

DNC,

I had trouble with your link but I was able to figure out where it was. For those that also have trouble try this one (you may have to copy and paste the whole link into the browser):

http://sunbeltsportstv.nmnathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4100&ATCLID=153000&KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=4100&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=

Thanks, PantherSC. Can also reach it by going to the http://www.sunbeltsports.org and click the icon "Ask the Commissioner" on the left side column.

Is there any other school who would like to join the Sun Belt in the future besides Florida Atlantic (starting 2006-07), Troy State (who started 2005-06) and Louisiana-Monroe (starting 2006-07)?

John

P.S.: What will the Sun Belt Conference's divisional alignment be, starting at the 2006-07 season?

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Here's the divisional alignment for next year:

West:
Louisiana-Lafayette
Louisiana-Monroe
New Orleans
Arkansas State
Arkansas-Little Rock
North Texas
Denver

East:
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
South Alabama
Troy
Middle Tennessee State
Western Kentucky

I take it the Sun Belt will be playing a Championship game?

If so, will it be televised and where will it be played?

What happened to the University of Denver? Are they now leaving?

They don't really fit in the conference.

Yes, I know. Its really rather obvious.

I was just wondering if what wbyeager posted is based on some new news, or is it his conjecture for next year?

I haven't seen any official news that the University of Denver is leaving the Sun Belt for next year. If there hasn't been any official news and they are still in the conference, then I would think they would be configured and listed in a division within the conference if there are divisions. If not then they would be listed in the standings for next year. There is nothing on the Sun Belt website that I could see that said Denver was leaving the conference. I was just wondering what wbyeager meant.