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Should the Sun Belt become the "Island of Unwanted Toys?" http://www.klewtv.co...-149950865.html "I want the University of Idaho to succeed in all of this," said Benson. "I will do whatever I can from a personal standpoint or a professional standpoint to help. You know at the end of the day I report to a board of directors now that will indicating to me what direction we need to head." http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_20576856/nmsu-president-weighs-options-athletics-conferences?source=most_viewed According to New Mexico State President, Barbara Coulture, "We have made overtures to the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt, I think, has not completed its program of the shape of its particular confe " rence. We certainly would welcome an opportunity to talk with the Sun Belt as we would with the Mountain West, or with Conference USA, while we are still working hard to strengthen the position of the WAC. We are leaving all of those positions open at this point." I cannot believe that current and future members of the Sun Belt Conference would wish to incur the huge travel expenses to these schools

U.L.M. has an image problem. It’s not about L.S.U., because L.S.U. is L.S.U., and that’s fine. Louisiana-Monroe doesn’t compete with the Tigers, and wouldn’t dare try, of course. U.L.M. competes with Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech and Tulane for in-state eyeballs, and as the Warhawks head into the summer, they’re losing the battle for public attention. The Ragin’ Cajuns are riding a wave of good vibes after earning their first bowl berth on the F.B.S. level, beating U.L.M. to the punch. In addition to hitting its groove under Sonny Dykes, Louisiana Tech is now back in the news thanks to this week’s jump into Conference USA. Even Tulane, despite suffering a setback to its hopes for an on-campus stadium, has moved back into the regional conversation since hiring Curtis Johnson in December. In a state with five F.B.S. programs, U.L.M.’s Q rating comes in last. Perhaps being last isn’t new for the Warhawks; being a distant last, however, is a recent development. Read more: http://www.presnapread.com/no-107-louisiana-monroe/

read more: http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20120505/SPORTS/205050340/SBC-monitoring-conference-shifts

Read more: http://boards.caazone.com/showthread.php?120338-How-a-21-year-old-would-view-this-potential-jump-to-CUSA

Source: New Mexico State a potential target of expanding Sun Belt with quality bball and baseball programs 3 days ago from web https://mobile.twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/197729950688747520

Texas Arlington plans to accept an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference, pending the approval of the school's board of regents, a source said. The Mavericks, coming from the Southland Conference, will join Texas State and Georgia State as new members of the Sun Belt, which lost North Texas and Florida International to Conference USA this week. UT Arlington does not play football, although the school intends to explore building a football program after completing an upgrade of the baseball and softball facilities. Read more: http://espn.go.com/dallas/ncf/story/_/id/7891047/texas-arlington-mavericks-moving-sun-belt-source-says

read more: http://meangreenblog...rom-the-su.html

Texas State will be having an "Athletics Special Announcement" at 10 am tomorrow May 2. Attached is the link to the athletic website. http://www.txstatebobcats.com/splash.aspx?id=splash_95

SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Sun Belt Conference announced today that Texas State will join the league on July 1, 2013 and will begin conference competition for the 2013-14 academic year. "Texas State University has worked very hard to be ready for FBS competition and joining the Sun Belt Conference represents a new opportunity for our future," said Texas State University President Denise M. Trauth. "The Sun Belt's record of competitive success over more than 35 years provides a tradition of excellence that we are happy to join. Our students and alumni will bring a very strong fan base that will welcome these new opportunities. Just as Texas State is the rising star of Texas, we believe that the Sun Belt is also on the rise and we are happy to be a part of its future." "On behalf of the presidents and chancellors of the Sun Belt Conference, it is my honor to welcome Texas State University as the newest member of our league family," said Sun Belt Conference Executive Committee President and Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr. "We are not the same conference we were 10 years ago. The Sun Belt is strong athletically as demonstrated by the fact that our bowl record over the last eight years is better than five other BCS conferences. We are stronger academically, as 90 percent of our teams have achieved an Academic Progress Rates of 925 or higher. Texas State is an excellent addition to our strong, growing conference." Texas State, located in San Marcos between Austin and San Antonio, is home to over 34,000 students and officially opened its doors in 1903. Notably, Texas State is the only university in Texas to have graduated a U.S. president: Lyndon B. Johnson, class of 1930. Read more: http://www.sunbeltsp...TCLID=205422758

Even before Texas State played its debut season in the Western Athletic Conference, the Bobcats have agreed to join the Sun Belt in 2013, industry sources told CBSSports.com. The Bobcats will be one of two new Sun Belt members in 2013 along with Georgia State, which is leaving the Colonial Athletic Association. The addition of Texas State and Georgia State is to offset the losses of North Texas and Florida International, which CBSSports.com reported are moving to Conference USA in 2013. The Sun Belt also is expected to add Texas-Arlington, which will compete in the WAC in 2012, as an Olympic sports member, giving the Sun Belt 10 football schools in 2013 and 12 overall members, including Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas-Arlington. Other schools that could join the Sun Belt in the coming years include Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Old Domininon. However, ODU and Charlotte could be headed to Conference USA. Read More: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18911274/texas-state-utarlington-to-sun-belt-in-2013

The WAC could be in its final year as a football conference. The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting Utah State is headed to the Mountain West as is San Jose State to replace Boise State and San Diego State, who are leaving for the Big East after this season. The report also said Louisiana Tech is going to Conference USA joining Texas-San Antonio, which is voting on the move to C-USA this week. UTSA joins the WAC this season, but was one of the additions back in Nov. 2010. The move leaves Idaho, New Mexico State and Texas State as the remaining football-playing schools in the conference. Boise State, Denver and Seattle are non-football members. Texas State also could be on its way out if the Sun Belt loses a school to Conference USA and the Sun Belt adds the Bobcats to keep a foot in Texas. Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson told Vandal Nation: "I don't expect Texas State will be without a place to play football." If all of the reported teams leave, the WAC will be in an almost impossible position. It's already tried to court several teams from the FCS ranks and has consistently been turned down. Last summer, Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton said his conference was a better option than the WAC and the way the conference has fallen apart, he wasn't wrong. Read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/wac-life-support-remaining-members-weigh-options-194742091.html