C-USA member shift should benefit Herd

[Harry]

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Even in the transformation and expansion of Conference USA, which becomes official today, Marshall Athletic Director Mike Hamrick said the conference has come closer to his university's campus.

"We stayed put and monitored what was going on in Conference USA, and it came closer to us," he said. "The conference has come back, geographically, to us."

Many of Marshall's new neighbors, plus another arrival next year, are stationed much closer to Huntington, something that makes Marshall feel like less of a C-USA outpost. When the clock struck midnight today, Houston, the University of Central Florida, Southern Methodist University and Memphis all depart for the new American Athletic Conference. In their place come Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Middle Tennessee State University, Old Dominion, Charlotte, Louisiana Tech, North Texas and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

In 2014, the conference will say good-bye to Tulsa, East Carolina and Tulane, all headed to the American as well, and welcomes Western Kentucky. Marshall has been a C-USA member since 2005.

The conference has been busy with the transition. It unveiled last week a new-look website and logo that had a few alterations from the previous one. On social media, C-USA has been introducing its new members and, on Sunday, offered its farewell and thanks to the four schools departing this year.

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