BOISE, Idaho -- The Sun Belt Conference membership has officially increased by one today, as the State Board of Education in Idaho has approved the University of Idahos request to become full members of the league. Following a year-long courtship, UI interim president Brian Pitcher was permitted to accept the leagues invitation by the SBOE in a 5-3 vote.
We appreciate the boards support and the thorough process in considering UIs move to the Sun Belt Conference, Pitcher said following the meeting today in Boise. Now, the hard work beings. It clearly is up to UI boosters, alumni, faculty, fans, and students to achieve the goal of sustaining a successful Division I-A football program.
Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Wright Waters was happy to hear the good news, as he is in Sandestin, Florida, attending the leagues Spring Meetings.
Were delighted, said Waters after hearing the news that UI gained acceptance from the Idahos State Board. Now we can move on the issues that are really the next step. The first step was identifying the schools. The second step was putting that together in a conference. The next huge step is how we work together to improve the quality of our product.
Idaho joins 13 other Sun Belt member institutions, including the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas State University, the University of Denver, Florida International University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Middle Tennessee State University, New Mexico State University, the University of New Orleans, the University of North Texas, the University of South Alabama, Utah State University and Western Kentucky University. The University of Louisiana at Monroe is also a football member of the Sun Belt.
The Sun Belt Conference currently sponsors 18 championship sports, including baseball, men's and women's basketball, football, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's golf, men's and women's outdoor track and field, softball, women's soccer and women's swimming and diving.
The Sun Belt Conference, which will begin its 28th year of existence in the fall, has automatic qualification to NCAA Championships in men's basketball, women's basketball, volleyball, baseball, women's soccer, men's tennis, women's tennis, womens golf and men's golf.
The Sun Belt began play as a Division I-A football conference in 2001, and its champion plays in the annual New Orleans Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome. This year's game, the first of the 2003-04 bowl season, will be played Tuesday, Dec. 16, live on ESPN 2, and will feature the Sun Belt representative against an opponent from Conference USA.
A year ago, the league also signed a six-year agreement with ESPN Regional Television for coverage of Sun Belt football, and men's and women's basketball, through 2007-08. Included in the deal is regional coverage and national exposures of Sun Belt football teams on ESPN and ESPN 2 beginning with the 2003 season.
The Sun Belt Conference is also very involved with NCAA Championships, serving as the co-host of the 2002 NCAA Womens Volleyball Championships and the 2003 NCAA Mens Final Four in New Orleans. The Sun Belt has been headquartered in New Orleans since 1991.
- SUN BELT CONFERENCE