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[[File:Western Athletic Conference Logo.svg|200px|right]]
[[File:Western Athletic Conference Logo.svg|200px|right]]


The '''2010–13 Western Athletic Conference realignment''' refers to the [[Western Athletic Conference]] (WAC) dealing with several proposed and actual conference expansion and reduction plans among various [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] conferences and institutions from 2010 to 2013. Moves involving the WAC were a significant part of a much larger [[2010–13 NCAA conference realignment|NCAA conference realignment]] in which it was one of the most impacted conferences. Of the nine members of the WAC in 2010, only two—the [[University of Idaho]] and [[New Mexico State University]]—remained in the conference beyond the 2012–13 school year, and Idaho departed for the [[Big Sky Conference]] after the 2013–14 school year. Five pre-2010 members are now all-sports members of the [[Mountain West Conference]] (MW), and another joined the MW for football only while placing most of its other sports in the [[Big West Conference]]. Another pre-2010 member joined [[Conference USA]] (C-USA) in July 2013.
The '''2010–13 Western Athletic Conference realignment''' refers to the [[Western Athletic Conference]] (WAC) dealing with several proposed and actual conference expansion and reduction plans among various [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] conferences and institutions from 2010 to 2013. Moves involving the WAC were a significant part of a much larger [[2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment|NCAA conference realignment]] in which it was one of the most impacted conferences. Of the nine members of the WAC in 2010, only two—the [[University of Idaho]] and [[New Mexico State University]]—remained in the conference beyond the 2012–13 school year, and Idaho departed for the [[Big Sky Conference]] after the 2013–14 school year. Five pre-2010 members are now all-sports members of the [[Mountain West Conference]] (MW), and another joined the MW for football only while placing most of its other sports in the [[Big West Conference]]. Another pre-2010 member joined [[Conference USA]] (C-USA) in July 2013.


After the first defections from the conference were announced in 2010 and 2011, the WAC attempted to reload by bringing in five new members for 2012, but four of these soon announced moves to other conferences that took effect in 2013, with [[Seattle University]] being the only 2012 entrant to remain in the WAC beyond the 2012–13 school year. The WAC added six new members in 2013.
After the first defections from the conference were announced in 2010 and 2011, the WAC attempted to reload by bringing in five new members for 2012, but four of these soon announced moves to other conferences that took effect in 2013, with [[Seattle University]] being the only 2012 entrant to remain in the WAC beyond the 2012–13 school year. The WAC added six new members in 2013.


These moves resulted in the WAC dropping [[College football|football]] as a league-sponsored sport after the [[2012 Western Athletic Conference football season|2012 season]]; it became the first NCAA [[NCAA Division I#Football Bowl Subdivision|Division I FBS]] conference to drop the sport since the Big West did the same after the [[2000 NCAA Division I-A football season|2000 season]]. The only two remaining football schools, Idaho and New Mexico State, became [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|independent]] programs for the 2013 season and returned to football-only membership in the [[Sun Belt Conference]] starting in 2014 (both had been either all-sports or football members of the Sun Belt in the early 2000s).
These moves resulted in the WAC dropping [[College football|football]] as a league-sponsored sport after the [[2012 Western Athletic Conference football season|2012 season]]; it became the first NCAA [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|Division I FBS]] conference to drop the sport since the Big West did the same after the [[2000 NCAA Division I-A football season|2000 season]]. The only two remaining football schools, Idaho and New Mexico State, became [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|independent]] programs for the 2013 season and returned to football-only membership in the [[Sun Belt Conference]] starting in 2014 (both had been either all-sports or football members of the Sun Belt in the early 2000s).

Nearly a decade later, the WAC reinstated football, resuming play in 2021. However, this league does not play in FBS, but rather in the second tier of Division I football, the [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|Football Championship Subdivision]]. Also, for the 2021 season, the FCS version of the WAC was a partnership with the [[ASUN Conference]], a non-football conference that announced plans to launch its own FCS football league in 2022.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://asunsports.org/sports/fball/2020-21/releases/20210223bff9nn |title=ASUN, WAC Conferences Announce Football Partnership for 2021 |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=February 23, 2021 |accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Additionally, during the 2020s conference realignment that coincided with the WAC reinstating football, [[UT Arlington Mavericks|UT Arlington]], which had been a WAC member in the 2012–13 school year, announced its return to the conference effective July 1, 2022.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://wacsports.com/general/2021-22/releases/20220120nrv7nj |title=University of Texas at Arlington Accepts Invitation to Join WAC |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=January 21, 2022 |accessdate=January 22, 2022}}</ref>


== Background ==
== Background ==
The WAC was founded in 1962 by six schools in the [[Mountain States|interior West]], five [[State university system|public]] and one private—the [[University of Arizona]], [[Arizona State University]], [[Brigham Young University]] (BYU), the [[University of New Mexico]], the [[University of Utah]], and the [[University of Wyoming]]. The creation of the WAC directly led to the demise of the [[Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association]] (or Border Conference) and [[Mountain States Conference]] (popularly known as the Skyline Eight),<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-30">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/18912164/onceproud-and-large-wac-on-its-death-bed-and-thats-a-shame |title=Once-proud (and large) WAC on its death bed, and that's a shame |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=''[[CBSSports.com]]'' |date=April 30, 2012 |accessdate=February 10, 2013}}</ref> and soon led to the creation of the Big Sky Conference in 1963.
The WAC was founded in 1962 by six schools in the [[Mountain States|interior West]], five [[State university system|public]] and one private—the [[University of Arizona]], [[Arizona State University]], [[Brigham Young University]] (BYU), the [[University of New Mexico]], the [[University of Utah]], and the [[University of Wyoming]]. The creation of the WAC directly led to the demise of the [[Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association]] (or Border Conference) and [[Skyline Conference (1938–1962)|Mountain States Conference]] (popularly known as the Skyline Eight),<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-30">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/18912164/onceproud-and-large-wac-on-its-death-bed-and-thats-a-shame |title=Once-proud (and large) WAC on its death bed, and that's a shame |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=[[CBSSports.com]] |date=April 30, 2012 |accessdate=February 10, 2013}}</ref> and soon led to the creation of the Big Sky Conference in 1963.


The conference added two more schools later in the 1960s, with [[Colorado State University]] and the [[University of Texas at El Paso]] (UTEP) arriving in 1967. The WAC's competitive balance, especially in football, became heavily skewed in the 1970s toward the Arizona schools due to rapid growth in that state, and they would leave in 1978 to expand the Pacific-8 Conference into the [[Pac-12 Conference|Pacific-10]]. [[San Diego State University]] joined at the time the two Arizona schools left; the [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa]] (Hawaiʻi or UH) joined the following year, and the [[United States Air Force Academy]] (Air Force) arrived in 1980. The conference then remained stable for more than a decade, with the next change being the addition of [[California State University, Fresno]] (Fresno State) in 1992.
The conference added two more schools later in the 1960s, with [[Colorado State University]] and the [[University of Texas at El Paso]] (UTEP) arriving in 1967. The WAC's competitive balance, especially in football, became heavily skewed in the 1970s toward the Arizona schools due to rapid growth in that state, and they would leave in 1978 to expand the Pacific-8 Conference into the [[Pac-12 Conference|Pacific-10]]. [[San Diego State University]] joined at the time the two Arizona schools left; the [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa]] (Hawaiʻi or UH) joined the following year, and the [[United States Air Force Academy]] (Air Force) arrived in 1980. The conference then remained stable for more than a decade, with the next change being the addition of [[California State University, Fresno]] (Fresno State) in 1992.


In 1996, the demise of the [[Southwest Conference]] (SWC) led to [[1996 NCAA conference realignment|a major conference realignment]]. The WAC took advantage of the changing landscape to expand to 16 members. Three SWC members left out of the soon-to-launch [[Big 12 Conference]]—[[Rice University]], [[Southern Methodist University]] (SMU), and [[Texas Christian University]] (TCU)—all joined the WAC, as did [[San Jose State University]] and the [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] (UNLV) from the Big West, plus the [[University of Tulsa]], a [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|Division I-A football independent]]<ref>From [[1978 NCAA Division I-A football season|1978]] through [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]], the football grouping now known as Division I FBS was known as Division I-A.</ref> which had been a member of the non-football [[Missouri Valley Conference]].<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14">{{cite news|url=http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1264788 |title=WAC a cautionary tale for superconferences |first=Tom |last=Deinhart |work=[[Rivals.com]] |publisher=[[Yahoo! Sports]] |date=September 14, 2011 |accessdate=February 10, 2013}}</ref> However, ''[[CBSSports.com]]'' writer Matt Hinton would say in 2012 that the expansion "quickly divided the league between old members and new."<ref name="Hinton 2012-04-30">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/eye-on-college-football/19837168/rip-wac-disintegrating-league-confirms-2012-football-season-will-be-its-last |title=RIP WAC: Disintegrating league confirms 2012 football season will be its last |first=Matt |last=Hinton |work=Eye on College Football |publisher=''[[CBSSports.com]]'' |date=August 20, 2012 |accessdate=February 10, 2013}}</ref> The league now spanned from [[Hawaii]] to [[Oklahoma]]—a distance of about {{convert|3900|mi}} and four time zones.<ref>[https://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.softball/browse_thread/thread/3f7c1ad8fc2a11e0/ede167b9f4f9ab2a?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Western+Athletic+Conference+split#ede167b9f4f9ab2a WAC disbanding? – rec.sport.softball | Google Groups]. Groups.google.com.</ref><ref>http://www.thehrr.com/Samples/june%2798.pdf</ref> Originally, the league was divided into four "quads" with four members each, but this setup soon proved unsatisfactory to several members, most notably BYU and Utah, who proposed a permanent split into eight-team divisions in 1998.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/> This proposal created further problems, because the geographic distribution of the 16 members meant that a clean north-south or east-west split was impossible. While New Mexico and UTEP agreed to move to a proposed East Division, Air Force and UNLV were unhappy; [[Karl Benson]], who was WAC commissioner during this period, recalled in 2011 that Air Force threatened to go independent.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/> Soon, the presidents of Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming, a group that Benson would later call the "Gang of Five", met at [[Denver International Airport]] and quickly decided to form a new league.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/> They invited New Mexico, San Diego State, and UNLV to join them to form what would become the Mountain West Conference, which launched in 1999.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/>
In 1996, the demise of the [[Southwest Conference]] (SWC) led to [[1996 NCAA conference realignment|a major conference realignment]]. The WAC took advantage of the changing landscape to expand to 16 members. Three SWC members left out of the soon-to-launch [[Big 12 Conference]]—[[Rice University]], [[Southern Methodist University]] (SMU), and [[Texas Christian University]] (TCU)—all joined the WAC, as did [[San Jose State University]] and the [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] (UNLV) from the Big West, plus the [[University of Tulsa]], a [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|Division I-A football independent]]<ref>From [[1978 NCAA Division I-A football season|1978]] through [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]], the football grouping now known as Division I FBS was known as Division I-A.</ref> which had been a member of the non-football [[Missouri Valley Conference]].<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14">{{cite news |url=http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1264788 |title=WAC a cautionary tale for superconferences |first=Tom |last=Deinhart |work=[[Rivals.com]] |publisher=[[Yahoo! Sports]] |date=September 14, 2011 |accessdate=February 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928042810/http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1264788 |archive-date=2013-09-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, ''[[CBSSports.com]]'' writer Matt Hinton would say in 2012 that the expansion "quickly divided the league between old members and new."<ref name="Hinton 2012-04-30">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/eye-on-college-football/19837168/rip-wac-disintegrating-league-confirms-2012-football-season-will-be-its-last |title=RIP WAC: Disintegrating league confirms 2012 football season will be its last |first=Matt |last=Hinton |work=Eye on College Football |publisher=[[CBSSports.com]] |date=August 20, 2012 |accessdate=February 10, 2013}}</ref> The league now spanned from [[Hawaii]] to [[Oklahoma]]—a distance of about {{convert|3900|mi}} and four time zones.<ref>[https://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.softball/browse_thread/thread/3f7c1ad8fc2a11e0/ede167b9f4f9ab2a?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Western+Athletic+Conference+split#ede167b9f4f9ab2a WAC disbanding? – rec.sport.softball | Google Groups]. Groups.google.com.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=1198 NBA Draft Special |journal=The Houston Roundball Review |date=June 1998 |volume=4 |issue=8 |url=https://www.thehrr.com/Samples/june'98.pdf}}</ref> Originally, the league was divided into four "quads" with four members each, but this setup soon proved unsatisfactory to several members, most notably BYU and Utah, who proposed a permanent split into eight-team divisions in 1998.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/> This proposal created further problems, because the geographic distribution of the 16 members meant that a clean north-south or east-west split was impossible. While New Mexico and UTEP agreed to move to a proposed East Division, Air Force and UNLV were unhappy; [[Karl Benson]], who was WAC commissioner during this period, recalled in 2011 that Air Force threatened to go independent.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/> Soon, the presidents of Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming, a group that Benson would later call the "Gang of Five", met at [[Denver International Airport]] and quickly decided to form a new league.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/> They invited New Mexico, San Diego State, and UNLV to join them to form what would become the Mountain West Conference, which launched in 1999.<ref name="Deinhart 2011-09-14"/>


After this upheaval, the WAC saw further movement in the 2000s. In 2000, the [[University of Nevada, Reno]] (Nevada) joined from the Big West. A year later, the Big West dropped football. While four schools from that conference, all within the WAC's geographic footprint, wanted to continue in football, only [[Boise State University]] was invited at that time. [[Louisiana Tech University]], a Division I-A independent and otherwise a member of the [[Sun Belt Conference]], also joined in 2001, while TCU left for C-USA. The WAC saw further membership turnover in [[2005 NCAA conference realignment|2005]]. Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and UTEP left for C-USA, while the three former Big West football schools that had been left out of the 2001 expansion—Idaho, New Mexico State, and [[Utah State University]]—all joined.
After this upheaval, the WAC saw further movement in the 2000s. In 2000, the [[University of Nevada, Reno]] (Nevada) joined from the Big West. A year later, the Big West dropped football. While four schools from that conference, all within the WAC's geographic footprint, wanted to continue in football, only [[Boise State University]] was invited at that time. [[Louisiana Tech University]], a Division I-A independent and otherwise a member of the [[Sun Belt Conference]], also joined in 2001, while TCU left for C-USA. The WAC saw further membership turnover in [[2005 NCAA conference realignment|2005]]. Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and UTEP left for C-USA, while the three former Big West football schools that had been left out of the 2001 expansion—Idaho, New Mexico State, and [[Utah State University]]—all joined.


The current wave of realignment began in 2010, after both the [[2010–13 Big Ten Conference realignment|Big Ten Conference]] and [[2010–13 NCAA conference realignment#Pac-10|Pacific-10 Conference]] (now Pac-12) announced plans to expand to 12 members. Brett McMurphy, formerly of ''CBSSports.com'' and now with ''[[ESPN.com]]'', would sum up the fallout in 2012:<blockquote>It was [Big Ten commissioner] [[James Delany|Jim Delany's]] [[Great Chicago Fire|cow in a Chicago barn]] that kicked over the lantern that started the country's conference realignment inferno. After that it was a hundred reactionary moves from other conference commissioners, shoring up their ranks, while scorching college football's landscape. The other 10 [FBS] conferences may have had some hardships, but they will all survive. It's the WAC that got burned to a crisp.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-30"/></blockquote>
The early-2010s realignment cycle began in 2010, after both the [[2010–14 Big Ten Conference realignment|Big Ten Conference]] and [[2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment#Pac-10|Pacific-10 Conference]] (now Pac-12) announced plans to expand to 12 members. Brett McMurphy, then of ''CBSSports.com'', would sum up the fallout in 2012:<blockquote>It was [Big Ten commissioner] [[Jim Delany|Jim Delany's]] [[Great Chicago Fire|cow in a Chicago barn]] that kicked over the lantern that started the country's conference realignment inferno. After that it was a hundred reactionary moves from other conference commissioners, shoring up their ranks, while scorching college football's landscape. The other 10 [FBS] conferences may have had some hardships, but they will all survive. It's the WAC that got burned to a crisp.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-30"/></blockquote>


== Timeline ==
== Timeline ==
{{Location map+ | USA | width=420 | caption=Locations of WAC full members from 2005 through 2011 | relief=no | places=
{{Location map+ | USA | width=420 | caption=Locations of WAC full members from 2005 through 2011 | relief=no | places=
{{Location map~ | USA | label=⇙ Hawaii | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | lat=22 | long=-120}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=⇙ Hawaii | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine | lat=22 | long=-120}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Fresno State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Fresno State Bulldogs | lat=36.81333 | long=-119.75}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Fresno State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Fresno State Bulldogs | lat=36.81333 | long=-119.75}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=San Jose State | position=top | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=San Jose State Spartans | lat=37.33528 | long=-121.88139}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=San Jose State | position=top | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=San Jose State Spartans | lat=37.33528 | long=-121.88139}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Boise State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Boise State Broncos | lat=43.604 | long=-116.204}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Boise State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Boise State Broncos | lat=43.604 | long=-116.204}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Louisiana Tech | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | lat=32.52736 | long=-92.64701}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Louisiana Tech | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters | lat=32.52736 | long=-92.64701}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Idaho | position=top | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Idaho Vandals | lat=46.726 | long=-117.011}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Idaho | position=top | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Idaho Vandals | lat=46.726 | long=-117.011}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=New Mexico State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=New Mexico State Aggies | lat=32.31444 | long=-106.77889}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=New Mexico State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=New Mexico State Aggies | lat=32.31444 | long=-106.77889}}
Line 30: Line 32:
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Nevada | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Nevada Wolf Pack | lat=39.54583 | long=-119.81667}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Nevada | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Nevada Wolf Pack | lat=39.54583 | long=-119.81667}}
}}
}}
During the week of June 7, 2010, amid rumors surrounding Boise State's future in the WAC, the conference held a meeting of its athletic directors and university presidents in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] to discuss contingency options. The conference fully expected to lose Boise State, and according to WAC commissioner [[Karl Benson]], there was no bitterness toward BSU by the rest of the current membership. Benson also added that the WAC was considering expanding itself, with the conference eyeing up to six current members of the second-tier [[NCAA Division I#Football Championship Subdivision|Football Championship Subdivision]].<ref name="BSU to MWC">{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5276064 |title=Boise State moves to Mountain West |publisher=''ESPN.com'' |date=June 11, 2010 |accessdate=June 11, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100613204550/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5276064| archivedate= 13 June 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
During the week of June 7, 2010, amid rumors surrounding Boise State's future in the WAC, the conference held a meeting of its athletic directors and university presidents in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] to discuss contingency options. The conference fully expected to lose Boise State, and according to WAC commissioner [[Karl Benson]], there was no bitterness toward BSU by the rest of the current membership. Benson also added that the WAC was considering expanding itself, with the conference eyeing up to six current members of the second-tier [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|Football Championship Subdivision]].<ref name="BSU to MWC">{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5276064 |title=Boise State moves to Mountain West |work=ESPN.com |date=June 11, 2010 |accessdate=June 11, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100613204550/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5276064| archivedate= 13 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>


Boise State left the WAC for the Mountain West at the end of the 2010–2011 season. On August 18, 2010, Nevada (Reno) and Fresno State were both extended invitations to join the Mountain West Conference, and subsequently accepted.
Boise State left the WAC for the Mountain West at the end of the 2010–2011 season. On August 18, 2010, Nevada (Reno) and Fresno State were both extended invitations to join the Mountain West Conference, and subsequently accepted.


Four months later, Hawai{{okina}}i also left for the Mountain West, but as a football-only member. Hawai{{okina}}i's other sports joined the Big West. The most dominant football member of the remaining WAC had been considering football independence. With a guaranteed bowl berth into the [[Hawai'i Bowl|Hawai{{okina}}i Bowl]] each year, the Warriors could have negotiated their own TV deal and kept all of the profits. An NCAA rule that allows any team willing to travel to Hawai{{okina}}i to play a 13th regular-season game (which, in practice, means an extra home game) makes it easier for the Warriors to schedule other opponents.<ref name="Hawaii move">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5907111 |title=Hawaii joins MWC, Big West for 2012 |first=Andy |last=Katz |publisher=ESPN.com |date=December 10, 2010 |accessdate=December 11, 2010}}</ref>
Four months later, Hawai{{okina}}i also left for the Mountain West, but as a football-only member. Hawai{{okina}}i's other sports joined the Big West. The most dominant football member of the remaining WAC had been considering football independence. With a guaranteed bowl berth into the [[Hawai'i Bowl|Hawai{{okina}}i Bowl]] each year, the Warriors could have negotiated their own TV deal and kept all of the profits. An NCAA rule that allows any team willing to travel to Hawai{{okina}}i to play a 13th regular-season game (which, in practice, means an extra home game) makes it easier for the Warriors to schedule other opponents.<ref name="Hawaii move">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5907111 |title=Hawaii joins MWC, Big West for 2012 |first=Andy |last=Katz |work=ESPN.com |date=December 10, 2010 |accessdate=December 11, 2010}}</ref>


Utah State turned down an offer from the Mountain West at the same time that Fresno State and Nevada accepted theirs, believing that the WAC schools were going to stay together and even be stronger with the possible addition of BYU. After Fresno State and Nevada accepted invitations to the Mountain West it was reported that the WAC had extended invitations to the University of North Texas and University of Louisiana at Lafayette of the Sun Belt Conference. Both schools however declined the invitations to the WAC.
Utah State turned down an offer from the Mountain West at the same time that Fresno State and Nevada accepted theirs, believing that the WAC schools were going to stay together and even be stronger with the possible addition of BYU. After Fresno State and Nevada accepted invitations to the Mountain West it was reported that the WAC had extended invitations to the University of North Texas and University of Louisiana at Lafayette of the Sun Belt Conference. Both schools however declined the invitations to the WAC.


On Sep. 28, 2010, the WAC heard presentations from five schools in an effort to replenish their ranks after Boise State, Fresno State, and Nevada leave for the Mountain West. The schools that made presentations were:
On Sep. 28, 2010, the WAC heard presentations from five schools in an effort to replenish their ranks after Boise State, Fresno State, and Nevada leave for the Mountain West. The schools that made presentations were:
* Three schools with FCS football programs—[[Texas State University–San Marcos]] (Texas State), a full member of the [[Southland Conference]]; the [[University of Texas at San Antonio]] (UTSA), a non-football member of the Southland Conference that was originally scheduled to start FCS football in that conference in 2011; and the [[University of Montana]] from the [[Big Sky Conference]]. All three were being considered as football members.
* Three schools with FCS football programs—[[Texas State University|Texas State University–San Marcos]] (which has since dropped "San Marcos" from its institutional name), a full member of the [[Southland Conference]]; the [[University of Texas at San Antonio]] (UTSA), a non-football member of the Southland Conference that was originally scheduled to start FCS football in that conference in 2011; and the [[University of Montana]] from the [[Big Sky Conference]]. All three were being considered as football members.
* Two schools that do not sponsor varsity football—[[Seattle University]], a Division I independent, and the [[University of Denver]] from the [[Sun Belt Conference]].
* Two schools that do not sponsor varsity football—[[Seattle University]], a Division I independent, and the [[University of Denver]] from the [[Sun Belt Conference]].
The WAC stated at the time that they planned to issue invitations within 30 to 60 days of hearing the presentation. On November 11, the WAC announced that Denver, UTSA, and Texas State would join the WAC for the 2012–13 season for all sports (with the exception of Denver, which does not sponsor varsity football).<ref name="3 to WAC">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792840 |title=WAC officially adding Denver, Texas St., Texas-San Antonio - ESPN |author=Associated Press|date=November 11, 2010 |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=November 12, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101113172244/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792840| archivedate= 13 November 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
The WAC stated at the time that they planned to issue invitations within 30 to 60 days of hearing the presentation. On November 11, the WAC announced that Denver, UTSA, and Texas State would join the WAC for the 2012–13 season for all sports (with the exception of Denver, which does not sponsor varsity football).<ref name="3 to WAC">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792840 |title=WAC officially adding Denver, Texas St., Texas-San Antonio |agency=The Associated Press|date=November 11, 2010 |work=ESPN.com |accessdate=November 12, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101113172244/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792840| archivedate= 13 November 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>


During a September interview with WAC commissioner [[Karl Benson]] the only school invited to a private meeting for possible expansion of teams was [[University of Montana Grizzlies|Montana]].<ref>http://www.grizcentral.com/WAC Commissioner recognizes UM would be "perfect fit"</ref> However, on November 11, Montana decided to remain a [[NCAA Division I#Football Championship Subdivision|Football Championship Subdivision]] school in the [[Big Sky Conference]].<ref name="Montana stays">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792014 |title=Montana Grizzlies staying in FCS |author=Associated Press |date=November 11, 2010 |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=November 11, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101113172224/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792014| archivedate= 13 November 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
During a September interview with WAC commissioner [[Karl Benson]] the only school invited to a private meeting for possible expansion of teams was [[Montana Grizzlies|Montana]].<ref>http://www.grizcentral.com/WAC {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314061156/http://www.grizcentral.com/WAC |date=2012-03-14 }} Commissioner recognizes UM would be "perfect fit"</ref> However, on November 11, Montana decided to remain a [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|Football Championship Subdivision]] school in the [[Big Sky Conference]].<ref name="Montana stays">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792014 |title=Montana Grizzlies staying in FCS |agency=The Associated Press |date=November 11, 2010 |work=ESPN.com |accessdate=November 11, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101113172224/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792014| archivedate= 13 November 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>


On June 14, 2011, the WAC added Division I independent [[Seattle University]], who had been seeking membership to the WCC in the past. Exactly one month later on July 14, the WAC added [[Texas–Arlington Mavericks|UT-Arlington]] from the Southland Conference.
On June 14, 2011, the WAC added Division I independent [[Seattle University]], who had been seeking membership to the WCC in the past. Exactly one month later on July 14, the WAC added [[UT Arlington Mavericks|UT Arlington]] from the Southland Conference.


{{Location map+ | USA | width=420 | caption=Locations of WAC full members during the 2012-13 school year | relief=no | places=
{{Location map+ | USA | width=420 | caption=Locations of WAC full members during the 2012-13 school year | relief=no | places=
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Louisiana Tech | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Louisiana Tech Bulldogs | lat=32.52736 | long=-92.64701}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Louisiana Tech | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters | lat=32.52736 | long=-92.64701}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Idaho | position=bottom | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Idaho Vandals | lat=46.726 | long=-117.011}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Idaho | position=bottom | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Idaho Vandals | lat=46.726 | long=-117.011}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=New Mexico State | position=bottom | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=New Mexico State Aggies | lat=32.31444 | long=-106.77889}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=New Mexico State | position=bottom | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=New Mexico State Aggies | lat=32.31444 | long=-106.77889}}
Line 55: Line 57:
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Texas State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Texas State Bobcats | lat=29.88889 | long=-97.93889}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Texas State | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Texas State Bobcats | lat=29.88889 | long=-97.93889}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=UTSA | position=top | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=UTSA Roadrunners | lat=29.98333 | long=-99.03333}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=UTSA | position=top | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=UTSA Roadrunners | lat=29.98333 | long=-99.03333}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Texas- Arlington | position=top | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Texas–Arlington Mavericks | lat=32.731 | long=-97.115}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=UT Arlington | position=top | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=UT Arlington Mavericks | lat=32.731 | long=-97.115}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Denver | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Denver Pioneers | lat=39.67833 | long=-104.96222}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Denver | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Denver Pioneers | lat=39.67833 | long=-104.96222}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Seattle | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Seattle Redhawks | lat=47.60972 | long=-122.33306}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Seattle | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Seattle Redhawks | lat=47.60972 | long=-122.33306}}
Line 61: Line 63:
On December 7, 2011 Boise State announced it would return its non-football sports to the WAC in 2013 when it begins playing football with the [[Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East]]. Later, Boise State chose to instead place their non-football sports in the [[Big West Conference]], and still later due to further membership changes in the Big East, Boise State decided to stay in the Mountain West.
On December 7, 2011 Boise State announced it would return its non-football sports to the WAC in 2013 when it begins playing football with the [[Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East]]. Later, Boise State chose to instead place their non-football sports in the [[Big West Conference]], and still later due to further membership changes in the Big East, Boise State decided to stay in the Mountain West.


This would have put the WAC at 11 full members, seven football and two non-football (Seattle, Denver, UT-Arlington, and Boise State), one football team short of the eight required for FBS conferences.
This would have put the WAC at 11 full members, seven football and two non-football (Seattle, Denver, UT Arlington, and Boise State), one football team short of the eight required for FBS conferences.


However, in the last days of April 2012, multiple media outlets indicated that six teams—three of which had not yet officially joined the conference—would shortly leave the WAC for other conferences. UTSA, which had yet to join the WAC, declared its intent to join Conference USA in 2013, with Louisiana Tech seen as likely to follow suit.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-28">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18873583/c-usa-adding-utsa-in-2013-north-texas-fiu-louisiana-tech-also-likely |title=C-USA adding UTSA in 2013; North Texas, FIU, Louisiana Tech also likely |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=''CBSSports.com'' |date=April 28, 2012 |accessdate=May 1, 2012}}</ref> [[Utah State Aggies|Utah State]] and [[San Jose State Spartans|San Jose State]] declared their intent to join the Mountain West Conference in 2013.<ref name="Report: Utah St., SJSU to join MWC">{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7871430/utah-state-aggies-san-jose-state-spartans-join-mountain-west-conference-according-report |title=Report: Utah St., SJSU to join MWC - ESPN |author=ESPN.com News Services|date=April 30, 2012 |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=April 30, 2012 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> Another report indicated that Texas State and UT-Arlington, which were set to join the WAC alongside UTSA in 2012, would leave for the Sun Belt Conference effective in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18911274/texas-state-ut-arlington-to-sun-belt-in-2013 |title=Texas State, UT-Arlington to Sun Belt in 2013 |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=''CBSSports.com'' |date=April 30, 2012 |accessdate=May 1, 2012}}</ref> This would leave the WAC with only 5 full members, 2 football and 3 non-football.
However, in the last days of April 2012, multiple media outlets indicated that six teams—three of which had not yet officially joined the conference—would shortly leave the WAC for other conferences. UTSA, which had yet to join the WAC, declared its intent to join Conference USA in 2013, with Louisiana Tech seen as likely to follow suit.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-28">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18873583/c-usa-adding-utsa-in-2013-north-texas-fiu-louisiana-tech-also-likely |title=C-USA adding UTSA in 2013; North Texas, FIU, Louisiana Tech also likely |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=April 28, 2012 |accessdate=May 1, 2012}}</ref> [[Utah State Aggies|Utah State]] and [[San Jose State Spartans|San Jose State]] declared their intent to join the Mountain West Conference in 2013.<ref name="Report: Utah St., SJSU to join MWC">{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7871430/utah-state-aggies-san-jose-state-spartans-join-mountain-west-conference-according-report |title=Report: Utah St., SJSU to join MWC - ESPN |author=ESPN.com News Services|date=April 30, 2012 |work=ESPN.com |accessdate=April 30, 2012 <!--DASHBot-->}}</ref> Another report indicated that Texas State and UT-Arlington, which were set to join the WAC alongside UTSA in 2012, would leave for the Sun Belt Conference effective in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18911274/texas-state-ut-arlington-to-sun-belt-in-2013 |title=Texas State, UT-Arlington to Sun Belt in 2013 |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=April 30, 2012 |accessdate=May 1, 2012}}</ref> This would leave the WAC with only 5 full members, 2 football and 3 non-football.


The first of these schools to make its departure official was Texas State, which announced its move to the Sun Belt on May 2.<ref name="Texas State to SBC">{{cite press release | url = http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4100&ATCLID=205422758 | title = Texas State to Join Sun Belt Conference | publisher = Sun Belt Conference | accessdate = 2012-05-02 | last = | first = | date = 2012-05-02 | work = Sun Belt Conference}}</ref> Two days later, Louisiana Tech and UTSA accepted invitations from C-USA, and San Jose State and Utah State announced their departure for the Mountain West.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-05-03">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18954539 |title=7 schools on move Friday; ODU remains undecided |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=''CBSSports.com'' |date=May 3, 2012 |accessdate=May 3, 2012}}</ref>
The first of these schools to make its departure official was Texas State, which announced its move to the Sun Belt on May 2.<ref name="Texas State to SBC">{{cite press release | url = http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4100&ATCLID=205422758 | title = Texas State to Join Sun Belt Conference | publisher = Sun Belt Conference | accessdate = 2012-05-02 | date = 2012-05-02 | work = Sun Belt Conference | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120512045549/http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4100&ATCLID=205422758 | archive-date = 2012-05-12 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Two days later, Louisiana Tech and UTSA accepted invitations from C-USA, and San Jose State and Utah State announced their departure for the Mountain West.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-05-03">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18954539 |title=7 schools on move Friday; ODU remains undecided |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=May 3, 2012 |accessdate=May 3, 2012}}</ref>


Due to the Western Athletic Conference being "raided" by the Mountain West Conference, Conference USA, and the Sun Belt Conference, it was initially unknown what path the WAC would take. After these moves, the WAC was down to only two football programs for the 2013 season &ndash; [[New Mexico State Aggies football|New Mexico State University]] and the [[Idaho Vandals football|University of Idaho]]. Since the WAC was not be able to sponsor football for the 2013 season (eight teams are needed for a conference to sponsor football at the FBS level); NMSU and Idaho became [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|FBS independents]] for the 2013 season before becoming football-only members of the Sun Belt in 2014.
Due to the Western Athletic Conference being "raided" by the Mountain West Conference, Conference USA, and the Sun Belt Conference, it was initially unknown what path the WAC would take. After these moves, the WAC was down to only two football programs for the 2013 season &ndash; [[New Mexico State Aggies football|New Mexico State University]] and the [[Idaho Vandals football|University of Idaho]]. Since the WAC was not able to sponsor football for the 2013 season (eight teams are needed for a conference to sponsor football at the FBS level); NMSU and Idaho became [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|FBS independents]] for the 2013 season before becoming football-only members of the Sun Belt in 2014.


{{Location map+ | USA | width=420 | caption=Locations of current WAC full members| relief=no | places=
{{Location map+ | USA | width=420 | caption=Locations of current WAC full members| relief=no | places=
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Cal State Bakersfield | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners | lat=35.36667 | long=-119.01667}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=Chicago State|position=left|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=Chicago State Cougars|lat=41.83694|long=-87.68472}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Chicago State | position=left | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Chicago State Cougars | lat=41.83694 | long=-87.68472}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=Grand Canyon|position=top|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=Grand Canyon Antelopes|lat=33.45|long=-112.06667}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Grand Canyon | position=bottom | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Grand Canyon Antelopes | lat=33.45 | long=-112.06667}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=New Mexico State|position=bottom|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=New Mexico State Aggies|lat=32.31444|long=-106.77889}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=UMKC | position=bottom | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=UMKC Kangaroos | lat=39.09972 | long=-94.57833}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=Seattle|position=right|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=Seattle Redhawks|lat=47.60972|long=-122.33306}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=New Mexico State | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=New Mexico State Aggies | lat=32.31444 | long=-106.77889}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=UTRGV|position=top|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros|lat=26.30417|long=-98.16389}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Seattle | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Seattle Redhawks | lat=47.60972 | long=-122.33306}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=Utah Valley|position=top|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=Utah Valley Wolverines|lat=40.29875|long=-111.69649}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=UTRGV | position=top | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=UTRGV Vaqueros | lat=26.30417 | long=-98.16389}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=California Baptist|position=bottom|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=California Baptist Lancers|lat=33.93|long=-117.425}}
{{Location map~ | USA | label=Utah Valley | position=bottom | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=Utah Valley Wolverines | lat=40.29875 | long=-111.69649}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=Utah Tech|position=right|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=Utah Tech Trailblazers|lat=37.095|long=-113.578}}
{{Location map~|USA|label=Tarleton|position=right|mark=Yellow pog.svg|link=Tarleton State Texans|lat=32.216|long=-98.216}}
}}
}}
The WAC seemingly secured its continued existence as a non-football conference, at least for the time being, when it announced on October 9, 2012 that [[California State University, Bakersfield]] and [[Utah Valley University]] would join the conference starting with the 2013–14 school year. [[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners|Cal State Bakersfield]] had previously been [[NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)|independent]], and had become a WAC affiliate in baseball for 2012–13. [[Utah Valley Wolverines|Utah Valley]] joins from the [[Great West Conference]].<ref name="WAC 2012-10-09">{{cite press release|url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205708247 |title=WAC Adds CSUB and UVU To Its Membership |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=October 9, 2012 |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref> Interim WAC commissioner Jeff Hurd added that the WAC was seeking to add further schools, with an immediate goal of eight members and a longer-term goal of 10.<ref name="AP WAC additions">{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/ncaa/10/09/WAC-Cal-Bakersfield-Utah-Valley.ap/index.html |title=WAC adds Cal State-Bakersfield, Utah Valley |author=Associated Press |publisher=''Sports Illustrated'' |date=October 9, 2012 |accessdate=October 13, 2012}}</ref> However, Hurd's job became more difficult on October 19 when Idaho announced it would move its non-football sports to the [[Big Sky Conference]] in July 2014.<ref name="Idaho back to Big Sky">{{cite press release|url=http://bigskyconf.com/news/2012/10/19/GEN_1019120821.aspx |title=Idaho To Return in 2014 |publisher=Big Sky Conference |date=October 19, 2012 |accessdate=October 21, 2012}}</ref> In addition, Denver announced it was joining The Summit League in 2013. The WAC countered this move with inviting Division II [[Grand Canyon University]] to join the conference, who accepted.<ref name="WAC adds Grand Canyon University">{{cite press release|url=http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8683850/troubled-wac-loses-denver-adds-grand-canyon |title=WAC adds Grand Canyon University |publisher=ESPN |date=November 27, 2012 |accessdate=November 28, 2012}}</ref> The conference added another member from the disintegrating Great West on December 5, announcing the 2013 arrival of [[Chicago State University]].<ref name="Chicago State to WAC">{{cite press release|url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205820763 |title=Chicago State University to Join WAC |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=December 5, 2012 |accessdate=December 6, 2012}}</ref> An invitation has also been extended to the Great West's [[University of Texas-Pan American]], which was accepted on December 19.<ref>{{cite web|title=UTPA to go to board Dec. 18 for WAC invite|url=http://www.themonitor.com/sports/utpa_broncs/article_dd461af2-3f4c-11e2-a0d2-0019bb30f31a.html|work=The Monitor|accessdate=December 8, 2012|date=December 5, 2012}}</ref><ref name="UTPA to WAC">http://www.utpabroncs.com/news/2012/12/19/GEN_1219125815.aspx</ref>
The WAC seemingly secured its continued existence as a non-football conference, at least for the time being, when it announced on October 9, 2012 that [[California State University, Bakersfield]] and [[Utah Valley University]] would join the conference starting with the 2013–14 school year. [[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners|Cal State Bakersfield]] had previously been [[NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)|independent]], and had become a WAC affiliate in baseball for 2012–13. [[Utah Valley Wolverines|Utah Valley]] joins from the [[Great West Conference]].<ref name="WAC 2012-10-09">{{cite press release |url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205708247 |title=WAC Adds CSUB and UVU To Its Membership |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=October 9, 2012 |accessdate=October 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011005650/http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205708247 |archive-date=2012-10-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Interim WAC commissioner Jeff Hurd added that the WAC was seeking to add further schools, with an immediate goal of eight members and a longer-term goal of 10.<ref name="AP WAC additions">{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/ncaa/10/09/WAC-Cal-Bakersfield-Utah-Valley.ap/index.html |title=WAC adds Cal State-Bakersfield, Utah Valley |agency=The Associated Press |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=October 9, 2012 |accessdate=October 13, 2012}}</ref> However, Hurd's job became more difficult on October 19 when Idaho announced it would move its non-football sports to the [[Big Sky Conference]] in July 2014.<ref name="Idaho back to Big Sky">{{cite press release|url=http://bigskyconf.com/news/2012/10/19/GEN_1019120821.aspx |title=Idaho To Return in 2014 |publisher=Big Sky Conference |date=October 19, 2012 |accessdate=October 21, 2012}}</ref> In addition, Denver announced it was joining The Summit League in 2013. The WAC countered this move with inviting Division II [[Grand Canyon University]] to join the conference, who accepted.<ref name="WAC adds Grand Canyon University">{{cite press release|url=http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/8683850/troubled-wac-loses-denver-adds-grand-canyon |title=WAC adds Grand Canyon University |publisher=ESPN |date=November 27, 2012 |accessdate=November 28, 2012}}</ref> The conference added another member from the disintegrating Great West on December 5, announcing the 2013 arrival of [[Chicago State University]].<ref name="Chicago State to WAC">{{cite press release |url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205820763 |title=Chicago State University to Join WAC |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=December 5, 2012 |accessdate=December 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322020540/http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205820763 |archive-date=March 22, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> An invitation was also extended to the Great West's [[University of Texas–Pan American]], which was accepted on December 19.<ref>{{cite web|title=UTPA to go to board Dec. 18 for WAC invite|url=http://www.themonitor.com/sports/utpa_broncs/article_dd461af2-3f4c-11e2-a0d2-0019bb30f31a.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204002807/http://www.themonitor.com/sports/utpa_broncs/article_dd461af2-3f4c-11e2-a0d2-0019bb30f31a.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 4, 2013|work=The Monitor|accessdate=December 8, 2012|date=December 5, 2012}}</ref><ref name="UTPA to WAC">{{Cite web |url=http://www.utpabroncs.com/news/2012/12/19/GEN_1219125815.aspx |title=UTPA Broncs - UTPA Athletics Accepts Invitation to Join WAC Starting in 2013-14 |access-date=2013-02-09 |archive-date=2013-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314054033/http://utpabroncs.com/news/2012/12/19/GEN_1219125815.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>


By adding these last Great West Conference schools the WAC was able to return to seven schools, which under current NCAA rules a Division I conference that drops below seven members must do within two years to avoid losing its automatic bids to the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments.<ref name="AP WAC additions"/> Then, on February 7, 2013, the [[University of Missouri-Kansas City]] announced that it had accepted an invitation to join the WAC, bringing the membership to nine for 2013-14 and eight after Idaho departs.<ref>http://www.umkckangaroos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=89995&SPID=10799&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=20631</ref>
By adding these last Great West Conference schools the WAC was able to return to seven schools, which under current NCAA rules a Division I conference that drops below seven members must do within two years to avoid losing its automatic bids to the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments.<ref name="AP WAC additions"/> Then, on February 7, 2013, the [[University of Missouri–Kansas City]] announced that it had accepted an invitation to join the WAC, bringing the membership to nine for 2013-14 and eight after Idaho's departure.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.umkckangaroos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=89995&SPID=10799&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=20631 |title=- UMKC Athletics |access-date=2013-04-08 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035650/http://www.umkckangaroos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=89995&SPID=10799&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=20631 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


==Membership changes==
==Membership changes==
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| [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
| [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
| {{dts|June 11, 2010}}
| {{dts|June 11, 2010}}
| 2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/23121/boise-state-joins-the-mountain-west |title=Boise State joins the Mountain West |first=Mark |last=Schlabach |work=College Football Nation Blog |publisher=''ESPN.com'' |date=June 11, 2010 |accessdate=June 11, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100613201852/http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/23121/boise-state-joins-the-mountain-west| archivedate= 13 June 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
| 2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/23121/boise-state-joins-the-mountain-west |title=Boise State joins the Mountain West |first=Mark |last=Schlabach |work=College Football Nation Blog |publisher=ESPN.com |date=June 11, 2010 |accessdate=June 11, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100613201852/http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/23121/boise-state-joins-the-mountain-west| archivedate= 13 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[California State University, Fresno|Fresno State]] [[Fresno State Bulldogs|Bulldogs]]
| [[California State University, Fresno|Fresno State]] [[Fresno State Bulldogs|Bulldogs]]
Line 104: Line 107:
| [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
| [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
| {{dts|August 18, 2010}}
| {{dts|August 18, 2010}}
| 2012<ref name="WAC 2012">{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5735144 |title=Fresno State, Nevada: 2012 WAC exit |first=Andy |last=Katz |publisher=''ESPN.com'' |date=October 27, 2010 |accessdate=October 27, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101029191842/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5735144| archivedate= 29 October 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
| 2012<ref name="WAC 2012">{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5735144 |title=Fresno State, Nevada: 2012 WAC exit |first=Andy |last=Katz |work=ESPN.com |date=October 27, 2010 |accessdate=October 27, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101029191842/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5735144| archivedate= 29 October 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[University of Nevada, Reno|Nevada]] [[Nevada Wolf Pack|Wolf Pack]]
| [[University of Nevada, Reno|Nevada]] [[Nevada Wolf Pack|Wolf Pack]]
Line 118: Line 121:
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|November 10, 2010}}
| {{dts|November 10, 2010}}
| 2012<ref name="3 to WAC"/>
| 2012<ref name="3 to WAC">{{cite web |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792840 |title=WAC officially adding Denver, Texas St., Texas-San Antonio - ESPN |author=Associated Press|date=November 11, 2010 |publisher=ESPN.com |accessdate=November 12, 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101113172244/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5792840| archivedate= 13 November 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Texas State University-San Marcos|Texas State]] [[Texas State Bobcats|Bobcats]]
| [[Texas State University|Texas State]] [[Texas State Bobcats|Bobcats]]
| Full membership
| Full membership
| [[Southland Conference|Southland]]
| [[Southland Conference|Southland]]
Line 134: Line 137:
| 2012<ref name="3 to WAC"/>
| 2012<ref name="3 to WAC"/>
|-
|-
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|(Rainbow) Warriors]] and [[Hawaii Rainbow Wahine|Rainbow Wahine]]
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine|(Rainbow) Warriors and Rainbow Wahine]]
| Full membership (non-football)
| Full membership (non-football)
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
Line 141: Line 144:
| 2012<ref name="Hawaii to Join Big West Conference">{{Cite press release|url=http://www.bigwest.org//story.asp?story_id=14319|title=Hawaii to Join Big West Conference|publisher=Big West Conference}}</ref>
| 2012<ref name="Hawaii to Join Big West Conference">{{Cite press release|url=http://www.bigwest.org//story.asp?story_id=14319|title=Hawaii to Join Big West Conference|publisher=Big West Conference}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Warriors football|Warriors]]
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football|Warriors]]<!--UH has since adopted "Rainbow Warriors" for all men's sports.-->
| Football
| Football
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
Line 148: Line 151:
| {{dts|2012}}<ref name="Hawaii to Join Big West Conference"/>
| {{dts|2012}}<ref name="Hawaii to Join Big West Conference"/>
|-
|-
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Rainbow Wahine|Rainbow Wahine]]
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine|Rainbow Wahine]]
| Women's indoor track and field, women's swimming and diving
| Women's indoor track and field, women's swimming and diving
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
Line 155: Line 158:
| 2012<ref name="New era for Hawaii">{{Cite press release|url=http://www.hawaiiathletics.com/news/2012/6/28/GEN_0628122642.aspx?path=gen |title=UH-Manoa Enters New Era In Intercollegiate Athletics |publisher=University of Hawaiʻi Athletics Department |date=June 28, 2012 |accessdate=July 6, 2012}}</ref>
| 2012<ref name="New era for Hawaii">{{Cite press release|url=http://www.hawaiiathletics.com/news/2012/6/28/GEN_0628122642.aspx?path=gen |title=UH-Manoa Enters New Era In Intercollegiate Athletics |publisher=University of Hawaiʻi Athletics Department |date=June 28, 2012 |accessdate=July 6, 2012}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors|Rainbow Warriors]]
| [[University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa|Hawai{{okina}}i]] [[Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine|Rainbow Warriors]]
| Men's swimming and diving
| Men's swimming and diving
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
Line 175: Line 178:
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|June 14, 2011}}
| {{dts|June 14, 2011}}
| 2012<ref name="WAC adds Seattle">{{Cite press release|url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205159664 |title=WAC Announces Addition of Seattle |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=June 14, 2011 |accessdate=June 14, 2011}}</ref>
| 2012<ref name="WAC adds Seattle">{{Cite press release |url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205159664 |title=WAC Announces Addition of Seattle |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=June 14, 2011 |accessdate=June 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010105238/http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205159664 |archive-date=October 10, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Seattle University|Seattle]] [[Seattle Redhawks|Redhawks]]
| [[Seattle University|Seattle]] [[Seattle Redhawks|Redhawks]]
Line 191: Line 194:
| 2012<ref name="WAC adds Seattle"/>
| 2012<ref name="WAC adds Seattle"/>
|-
|-
| [[University of North Dakota|North Dakota]] [[University of North Dakota athletics|Fighting Sioux]]
| [[University of North Dakota|North Dakota]] [[North Dakota Fighting Hawks|Fighting Sioux]]
| Women's swimming and diving
| Women's swimming and diving
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
Line 220: Line 223:
|publisher=CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications}} Note that "2013" refers to the 2013 college baseball season, which falls within the 2012–13 academic year.</ref>
|publisher=CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications}} Note that "2013" refers to the 2013 college baseball season, which falls within the 2012–13 academic year.</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Dallas Baptist University|Dallas Baptist]] [[Dallas Baptist University#Athletics|Patriots]]
| [[Dallas Baptist University|Dallas Baptist]] [[Dallas Baptist Patriots baseball|Patriots]]
| Baseball
| Baseball
| ''Independent''
| ''Independent''
Line 232: Line 235:
| [[Pacific Coast Softball Conference|PCSC]]
| [[Pacific Coast Softball Conference|PCSC]]
| {{dts|December 12, 2011}}
| {{dts|December 12, 2011}}
| {{dts|2012}}<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.ncaa.com/news/softball/article/2011-12-12/byu-softball-join-pcsc |title=BYU softball to join PCSC |publisher=BYU Athletics |date=December 12, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref>
| {{dts|2012}}<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/softball/article/2011-12-12/byu-softball-join-pcsc |title=BYU softball to join PCSC |publisher=BYU Athletics |date=December 12, 2011 |accessdate=July 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323212233/http://www.ncaa.com/news/softball/article/2011-12-12/byu-softball-join-pcsc |archive-date=March 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Texas State University–San Marcos|Texas State]] [[Texas State Bobcats|Bobcats]]
| [[Texas State University|Texas State]] [[Texas State Bobcats|Bobcats]]
| Full membership
| Full membership
| '''WAC'''<ref name="Texas State, UTA">At the time Texas State and UT Arlington announced their moves to the Sun Belt Conference, they were still members of the Southland Conference. The two schools did not join the WAC until July 1, 2012.</ref>
| '''WAC'''<ref name="Texas State, UTA">At the time Texas State and UT Arlington announced their moves to the Sun Belt Conference, they were still members of the Southland Conference. The two schools did not join the WAC until July 1, 2012.</ref>
| [[Sun Belt Conference|Sun Belt]]
| [[Sun Belt Conference|Sun Belt]]
| {{dts|May 2, 2012}}
| {{dts|May 2, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Texas State to SBC"/>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Texas State to SBC">{{cite press release | url = http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4100&ATCLID=205422758 | title = Texas State to Join Sun Belt Conference | publisher = Sun Belt Conference | accessdate = 2012-05-02 | last = | first = | date = 2012-05-02 | work = Sun Belt Conference}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Louisiana Tech University|Louisiana Tech]] [[Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters|Bulldogs and Lady Techsters]]
| [[Louisiana Tech University|Louisiana Tech]] [[Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters|Bulldogs and Lady Techsters]]
Line 246: Line 249:
| [[Conference USA|C-USA]]
| [[Conference USA|C-USA]]
| {{dts|May 4, 2012}}
| {{dts|May 4, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="5 to C-USA">{{cite press release|url=http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/050412aab.html |title=Conference USA Adds Five New Members |publisher=Conference USA |date=May 4, 2012 |accessdate=May 4, 2012}}</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="5 to C-USA">{{cite press release |url=http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/050412aab.html |title=Conference USA Adds Five New Members |publisher=Conference USA |date=May 4, 2012 |accessdate=May 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510200529/http://www.conferenceusa.com/genrel/050412aab.html |archive-date=May 10, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

|-
|-
| [[San Jose State University|San Jose State]] [[San Jose State Spartans|Spartans]]
| [[San Jose State University|San Jose State]] [[San Jose State Spartans|Spartans]]
Line 254: Line 256:
| [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
| [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]]
| {{dts|May 4, 2012}}
| {{dts|May 4, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="2 to MW">{{cite press release|url=http://www.themwc.com/genrel/050412aag.html |archive-url=https://archive.is/20130105000238/http://www.themwc.com/genrel/050412aag.html |dead-url=yes |archive-date=January 5, 2013 |title=San José State, Utah State to Join Mountain West |publisher=Mountain West Conference |date=May 4, 2012 |accessdate=May 4, 2012 }}</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="2 to MW">{{cite press release|url=http://www.themwc.com/genrel/050412aag.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130105000238/http://www.themwc.com/genrel/050412aag.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 5, 2013 |title=San José State, Utah State to Join Mountain West |publisher=Mountain West Conference |date=May 4, 2012 |accessdate=May 4, 2012 }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Utah State University|Utah State]] [[Utah State Aggies|Aggies]]
| [[Utah State University|Utah State]] [[Utah State Aggies|Aggies]]
Line 270: Line 272:
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="5 to C-USA"/>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="5 to C-USA"/>
|-
|-
| [[University of Texas at Arlington|UT Arlington]] [[Texas-Arlington Mavericks|Mavericks]]
| [[University of Texas at Arlington|UT Arlington]] [[UT Arlington Mavericks|Mavericks]]
| Full membership (non-football)
| Full membership (non-football)
| '''WAC'''<ref name="Texas State, UTA"/>
| '''WAC'''<ref name="Texas State, UTA"/>
Line 282: Line 284:
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|June 14, 2012}}
| {{dts|June 14, 2012}}
| {{dts|2012}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kboi2.com/sports/WAC-welcomes-back-Boise-State-gymnastics-159078955.html |title=WAC welcomes back Boise State gymnastics |first=Troy |last=Oppie |publisher=''KBOI2.com'' |date=June 14, 2012 |accessdate=April 7, 2013}}</ref>
| {{dts|2012}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.kboi2.com/sports/WAC-welcomes-back-Boise-State-gymnastics-159078955.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616082507/http://www.kboi2.com/sports/WAC-welcomes-back-Boise-State-gymnastics-159078955.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |title=WAC welcomes back Boise State gymnastics |first=Troy |last=Oppie |publisher=KBOI2.com |date=June 14, 2012 |accessdate=April 7, 2013 }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Dallas Baptist University|Dallas Baptist]] [[Dallas Baptist University#Athletics|Patriots]]
| [[Dallas Baptist University|Dallas Baptist]] [[Dallas Baptist Patriots baseball|Patriots]]
| Baseball
| Baseball
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
Line 296: Line 298:
| ''[[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|Independent]]''
| ''[[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|Independent]]''
| {{dts|September 12, 2012}}
| {{dts|September 12, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/eye-on-college-football/20165368/new-mexico-state-makes-it-official-will-go-independent-in-2013- |title=New Mexico State makes it official, will go independent in 2013 |first=Jerry |last=Hinnen |work=Eye on College Football |publisher=''CBSSports.com'' |date=September 12, 2012 |accessdate=October 20, 2012}}</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/eye-on-college-football/20165368/new-mexico-state-makes-it-official-will-go-independent-in-2013- |title=New Mexico State makes it official, will go independent in 2013 |first=Jerry |last=Hinnen |work=Eye on College Football |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=September 12, 2012 |accessdate=October 20, 2012}}</ref>

|-
|-
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners|Roadrunners]]
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners|Roadrunners]]
| Full membership
| Full membership
| ''[[NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)|Independent]]''
| ''[[NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)|Independent]]''
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|October 9, 2012}}
| {{dts|October 9, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC 2012-10-09"/>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC 2012-10-09">{{cite press release|url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205708247 |title=WAC Adds CSUB and UVU To Its Membership |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=October 9, 2012 |accessdate=October 9, 2012}}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners|Roadrunners]]
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners|Roadrunners]]
| Men's and women's outdoor track & field, women's tennis
| Men's and women's outdoor track & field, women's tennis
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
Line 313: Line 314:
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC 2012-10-09"/>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC 2012-10-09"/>
|-
|-
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners|Roadrunners]]
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners|Roadrunners]]
| Softball
| Softball
| [[Pacific Coast Softball Conference|PCSC]]
| [[Pacific Coast Softball Conference|PCSC]]
Line 339: Line 340:
| ''[[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|Independent]]''
| ''[[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|Independent]]''
| {{dts|October 19, 2012}}
| {{dts|October 19, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Idaho BigSky">{{Cite web|url=http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/10/19/bmurphy/idaho_announe_2013_football_schedule_today_move_other_sports_big |title=Idaho announces 2013 football schedule, plans to move to Big Sky in other sports |first=Brian |last=Murphy |work=Idaho Statesman Blogs |publisher=''Idaho Statesman'' |date=October 19, 2012 |accessdate=October 20, 2012}}</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Idaho BigSky">{{Cite web|url=http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/10/19/bmurphy/idaho_announe_2013_football_schedule_today_move_other_sports_big |title=Idaho announces 2013 football schedule, plans to move to Big Sky in other sports |first=Brian |last=Murphy |work=Idaho Statesman Blogs |publisher=Idaho Statesman |date=October 19, 2012 |accessdate=October 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130126032628/http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/10/19/bmurphy/idaho_announe_2013_football_schedule_today_move_other_sports_big |archivedate=January 26, 2013 }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[University of Idaho|Idaho]] [[Idaho Vandals|Vandals]]
| [[University of Idaho|Idaho]] [[Idaho Vandals|Vandals]]
Line 360: Line 361:
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|November 27, 2012}}
| {{dts|November 27, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205781174 |title=Grand Canyon University to Join WAC |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=November 27, 2012 |accessdate=November 27, 2012}}</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205781174 |title=Grand Canyon University to Join WAC |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=November 27, 2012 |accessdate=November 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130002023/http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205781174 |archive-date=2012-11-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[Chicago State University|Chicago State]] [[Chicago State Cougars|Cougars]]
| [[Chicago State University|Chicago State]] [[Chicago State Cougars|Cougars]]
Line 367: Line 368:
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|December 5, 2012}}
| {{dts|December 5, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Chicago State to WAC"/>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Chicago State to WAC">{{cite press release|url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205820763 |title=Chicago State University to Join WAC |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=December 5, 2012 |accessdate=December 6, 2012}}</ref>


|-
|-
Line 375: Line 376:
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|December 12, 2012}}
| {{dts|December 12, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Northern Colorado baseball">{{cite web|last=Wasson |first=Sam |title=Northern Colorado Joins WAC as Affiliate Member in Baseball in 2014 |url=http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2012/12/12/northern-colorado-joins-wac-as-affiliate-member-in-baseball-in-2014/ |work=CollegeBaseballDaily.com |accessdate=December 12, 2012 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6CrrRSW16?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegebaseballdaily.com%2F2012%2F12%2F12%2Fnorthern-colorado-joins-wac-as-affiliate-member-in-baseball-in-2014%2F |archivedate=December 13, 2012 |date=December 12, 2012 |deadurl=no |df= }} Because baseball is a spring sport, Northern Colorado baseball will join the WAC in July 2013.</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="Northern Colorado baseball">{{cite web|last=Wasson |first=Sam |title=Northern Colorado Joins WAC as Affiliate Member in Baseball in 2014 |url=http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2012/12/12/northern-colorado-joins-wac-as-affiliate-member-in-baseball-in-2014/ |work=CollegeBaseballDaily.com |accessdate=December 12, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906122212/http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2012/12/12/northern-colorado-joins-wac-as-affiliate-member-in-baseball-in-2014/ |archivedate=September 6, 2015 |date=December 12, 2012 |url-status=live }} Because baseball is a spring sport, Northern Colorado baseball will join the WAC in July 2013.</ref>
|-
|-
| [[University of Texas–Pan American|Texas–Pan American]] [[Texas–Pan American Broncs|Broncs]]
| [[University of Texas–Pan American|Texas–Pan American]] [[Texas–Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros|Broncs]]<!--UTPA merged with UT Brownsville to form UTRGV, which began operation in 2015. The UTPA athletic program was fully transferred to UTRGV.-->
| Full membership
| Full membership
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|December 19, 2012}}
| {{dts|December 19, 2012}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="UTPA to WAC">http://www.utpabroncs.com/news/2012/12/19/GEN_1219125815.aspx</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="UTPA to WAC"/>
|-
|-
| [[United States Air Force Academy|Air Force]] [[Air Force Falcons men's soccer|Falcons]]
| [[United States Air Force Academy|Air Force]] [[Air Force Falcons men's soccer|Falcons]]
Line 389: Line 390:
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|January 9, 2013}}
| {{dts|January 9, 2013}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC men's soccer">{{cite press release|url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205894860 |title=WAC Adds Men's Soccer |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=January 9, 2013 |accessdate=April 20, 2013}}</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC men's soccer">{{cite press release |url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205894860 |title=WAC Adds Men's Soccer |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=January 9, 2013 |accessdate=April 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119075534/http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=205894860 |archive-date=2013-01-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners men's soccer|Roadrunners]]
| [[California State University, Bakersfield|CSU Bakersfield]] [[Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners men's soccer|Roadrunners]]
Line 426: Line 427:
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC men's soccer"/>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="WAC men's soccer"/>
|-
|-
| [[University of Missouri–Kansas City|UMKC]] [[UMKC Kangaroos|Kangaroos]]
| [[University of Missouri–Kansas City|UMKC]] [[Kansas City Roos|Kangaroos]]<!--UMKC athletics rebranded as Kansas City Roos in July 2019-->
| Full membership
| Full membership
| [[The Summit League|The Summit]]
| [[Summit League|The Summit]]
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|February 7, 2013}}
| {{dts|February 7, 2013}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="UMKC to WAC">http://www.umkckangaroos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=89995&SPID=10799&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206317961&DB_OEM_ID=18300</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="UMKC to WAC">{{Cite web |url=http://www.umkckangaroos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=89995&SPID=10799&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206317961&DB_OEM_ID=18300 |title=UMKC Heading to the Western Athletic Conference - the Official Site of UMKC Kangaroo Athletics |access-date=2013-05-19 |archive-date=2017-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231051650/http://www.umkckangaroos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=89995&SPID=10799&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206317961&DB_OEM_ID=18300 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|-
| [[University of North Dakota|North Dakota]] [[University of North Dakota baseball|athletics]]
| [[University of North Dakota|North Dakota]] [[North Dakota Fighting Hawks baseball|athletics]]
| Baseball
| Baseball
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
| [[Great West Conference|Great West]]
| '''WAC'''
| '''WAC'''
| {{dts|February 11, 2013}}
| {{dts|February 11, 2013}}
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="UND BB to WAC">http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=45966&SPID=4123&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206351462&DB_OEM_ID=10100</ref>
| {{dts|2013}}<ref name="UND BB to WAC">{{Cite web |url=http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=45966&SPID=4123&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206351462&DB_OEM_ID=10100 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201543/http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=45966&SPID=4123&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=206351462&DB_OEM_ID=10100 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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==See also==
==See also==
* [[NCAA conference realignment]]
* [[NCAA conference realignment]]
* [[2021–2024 NCAA conference realignment]]
* [[2005 NCAA conference realignment]]
* [[2005 NCAA conference realignment]]
* [[1996 NCAA conference realignment]]
* [[1996 NCAA conference realignment]]

Latest revision as of 02:00, 19 April 2024

The 2010–13 Western Athletic Conference realignment refers to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) dealing with several proposed and actual conference expansion and reduction plans among various NCAA conferences and institutions from 2010 to 2013. Moves involving the WAC were a significant part of a much larger NCAA conference realignment in which it was one of the most impacted conferences. Of the nine members of the WAC in 2010, only two—the University of Idaho and New Mexico State University—remained in the conference beyond the 2012–13 school year, and Idaho departed for the Big Sky Conference after the 2013–14 school year. Five pre-2010 members are now all-sports members of the Mountain West Conference (MW), and another joined the MW for football only while placing most of its other sports in the Big West Conference. Another pre-2010 member joined Conference USA (C-USA) in July 2013.

After the first defections from the conference were announced in 2010 and 2011, the WAC attempted to reload by bringing in five new members for 2012, but four of these soon announced moves to other conferences that took effect in 2013, with Seattle University being the only 2012 entrant to remain in the WAC beyond the 2012–13 school year. The WAC added six new members in 2013.

These moves resulted in the WAC dropping football as a league-sponsored sport after the 2012 season; it became the first NCAA Division I FBS conference to drop the sport since the Big West did the same after the 2000 season. The only two remaining football schools, Idaho and New Mexico State, became independent programs for the 2013 season and returned to football-only membership in the Sun Belt Conference starting in 2014 (both had been either all-sports or football members of the Sun Belt in the early 2000s).

Nearly a decade later, the WAC reinstated football, resuming play in 2021. However, this league does not play in FBS, but rather in the second tier of Division I football, the Football Championship Subdivision. Also, for the 2021 season, the FCS version of the WAC was a partnership with the ASUN Conference, a non-football conference that announced plans to launch its own FCS football league in 2022.[1] Additionally, during the 2020s conference realignment that coincided with the WAC reinstating football, UT Arlington, which had been a WAC member in the 2012–13 school year, announced its return to the conference effective July 1, 2022.[2]

Background[edit]

The WAC was founded in 1962 by six schools in the interior West, five public and one private—the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Brigham Young University (BYU), the University of New Mexico, the University of Utah, and the University of Wyoming. The creation of the WAC directly led to the demise of the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association (or Border Conference) and Mountain States Conference (popularly known as the Skyline Eight),[3] and soon led to the creation of the Big Sky Conference in 1963.

The conference added two more schools later in the 1960s, with Colorado State University and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) arriving in 1967. The WAC's competitive balance, especially in football, became heavily skewed in the 1970s toward the Arizona schools due to rapid growth in that state, and they would leave in 1978 to expand the Pacific-8 Conference into the Pacific-10. San Diego State University joined at the time the two Arizona schools left; the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (Hawaiʻi or UH) joined the following year, and the United States Air Force Academy (Air Force) arrived in 1980. The conference then remained stable for more than a decade, with the next change being the addition of California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) in 1992.

In 1996, the demise of the Southwest Conference (SWC) led to a major conference realignment. The WAC took advantage of the changing landscape to expand to 16 members. Three SWC members left out of the soon-to-launch Big 12 Conference—Rice University, Southern Methodist University (SMU), and Texas Christian University (TCU)—all joined the WAC, as did San Jose State University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) from the Big West, plus the University of Tulsa, a Division I-A football independent[4] which had been a member of the non-football Missouri Valley Conference.[5] However, CBSSports.com writer Matt Hinton would say in 2012 that the expansion "quickly divided the league between old members and new."[6] The league now spanned from Hawaii to Oklahoma—a distance of about 3,900 miles (6,300 km) and four time zones.[7][8] Originally, the league was divided into four "quads" with four members each, but this setup soon proved unsatisfactory to several members, most notably BYU and Utah, who proposed a permanent split into eight-team divisions in 1998.[5] This proposal created further problems, because the geographic distribution of the 16 members meant that a clean north-south or east-west split was impossible. While New Mexico and UTEP agreed to move to a proposed East Division, Air Force and UNLV were unhappy; Karl Benson, who was WAC commissioner during this period, recalled in 2011 that Air Force threatened to go independent.[5] Soon, the presidents of Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming, a group that Benson would later call the "Gang of Five", met at Denver International Airport and quickly decided to form a new league.[5] They invited New Mexico, San Diego State, and UNLV to join them to form what would become the Mountain West Conference, which launched in 1999.[5]

After this upheaval, the WAC saw further movement in the 2000s. In 2000, the University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada) joined from the Big West. A year later, the Big West dropped football. While four schools from that conference, all within the WAC's geographic footprint, wanted to continue in football, only Boise State University was invited at that time. Louisiana Tech University, a Division I-A independent and otherwise a member of the Sun Belt Conference, also joined in 2001, while TCU left for C-USA. The WAC saw further membership turnover in 2005. Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and UTEP left for C-USA, while the three former Big West football schools that had been left out of the 2001 expansion—Idaho, New Mexico State, and Utah State University—all joined.

The early-2010s realignment cycle began in 2010, after both the Big Ten Conference and Pacific-10 Conference (now Pac-12) announced plans to expand to 12 members. Brett McMurphy, then of CBSSports.com, would sum up the fallout in 2012:

It was [Big Ten commissioner] Jim Delany's cow in a Chicago barn that kicked over the lantern that started the country's conference realignment inferno. After that it was a hundred reactionary moves from other conference commissioners, shoring up their ranks, while scorching college football's landscape. The other 10 [FBS] conferences may have had some hardships, but they will all survive. It's the WAC that got burned to a crisp.[3]

Timeline[edit]

2010–2013 Western Athletic Conference realignment is located in the United States
⇙ Hawaii
⇙ Hawaii
Fresno State
Fresno State
San Jose State
San Jose State
Boise State
Boise State
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech
Idaho
Idaho
New Mexico State
New Mexico State
Utah State
Utah State
Nevada
Nevada
class=notpageimage|
Locations of WAC full members from 2005 through 2011

During the week of June 7, 2010, amid rumors surrounding Boise State's future in the WAC, the conference held a meeting of its athletic directors and university presidents in Las Vegas to discuss contingency options. The conference fully expected to lose Boise State, and according to WAC commissioner Karl Benson, there was no bitterness toward BSU by the rest of the current membership. Benson also added that the WAC was considering expanding itself, with the conference eyeing up to six current members of the second-tier Football Championship Subdivision.[9]

Boise State left the WAC for the Mountain West at the end of the 2010–2011 season. On August 18, 2010, Nevada (Reno) and Fresno State were both extended invitations to join the Mountain West Conference, and subsequently accepted.

Four months later, Hawaiʻi also left for the Mountain West, but as a football-only member. Hawaiʻi's other sports joined the Big West. The most dominant football member of the remaining WAC had been considering football independence. With a guaranteed bowl berth into the Hawaiʻi Bowl each year, the Warriors could have negotiated their own TV deal and kept all of the profits. An NCAA rule that allows any team willing to travel to Hawaiʻi to play a 13th regular-season game (which, in practice, means an extra home game) makes it easier for the Warriors to schedule other opponents.[10]

Utah State turned down an offer from the Mountain West at the same time that Fresno State and Nevada accepted theirs, believing that the WAC schools were going to stay together and even be stronger with the possible addition of BYU. After Fresno State and Nevada accepted invitations to the Mountain West it was reported that the WAC had extended invitations to the University of North Texas and University of Louisiana at Lafayette of the Sun Belt Conference. Both schools however declined the invitations to the WAC.

On Sep. 28, 2010, the WAC heard presentations from five schools in an effort to replenish their ranks after Boise State, Fresno State, and Nevada leave for the Mountain West. The schools that made presentations were:

The WAC stated at the time that they planned to issue invitations within 30 to 60 days of hearing the presentation. On November 11, the WAC announced that Denver, UTSA, and Texas State would join the WAC for the 2012–13 season for all sports (with the exception of Denver, which does not sponsor varsity football).[11]

During a September interview with WAC commissioner Karl Benson the only school invited to a private meeting for possible expansion of teams was Montana.[12] However, on November 11, Montana decided to remain a Football Championship Subdivision school in the Big Sky Conference.[13]

On June 14, 2011, the WAC added Division I independent Seattle University, who had been seeking membership to the WCC in the past. Exactly one month later on July 14, the WAC added UT Arlington from the Southland Conference.

2010–2013 Western Athletic Conference realignment is located in the United States
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech
Idaho
Idaho
New Mexico State
New Mexico State
Utah State
Utah State
San Jose State
San Jose State
Texas State
Texas State
UTSA
UTSA
UT Arlington
UT Arlington
Denver
Denver
Seattle
Seattle
class=notpageimage|
Locations of WAC full members during the 2012-13 school year

On December 7, 2011 Boise State announced it would return its non-football sports to the WAC in 2013 when it begins playing football with the Big East. Later, Boise State chose to instead place their non-football sports in the Big West Conference, and still later due to further membership changes in the Big East, Boise State decided to stay in the Mountain West.

This would have put the WAC at 11 full members, seven football and two non-football (Seattle, Denver, UT Arlington, and Boise State), one football team short of the eight required for FBS conferences.

However, in the last days of April 2012, multiple media outlets indicated that six teams—three of which had not yet officially joined the conference—would shortly leave the WAC for other conferences. UTSA, which had yet to join the WAC, declared its intent to join Conference USA in 2013, with Louisiana Tech seen as likely to follow suit.[14] Utah State and San Jose State declared their intent to join the Mountain West Conference in 2013.[15] Another report indicated that Texas State and UT-Arlington, which were set to join the WAC alongside UTSA in 2012, would leave for the Sun Belt Conference effective in 2013.[16] This would leave the WAC with only 5 full members, 2 football and 3 non-football.

The first of these schools to make its departure official was Texas State, which announced its move to the Sun Belt on May 2.[17] Two days later, Louisiana Tech and UTSA accepted invitations from C-USA, and San Jose State and Utah State announced their departure for the Mountain West.[18]

Due to the Western Athletic Conference being "raided" by the Mountain West Conference, Conference USA, and the Sun Belt Conference, it was initially unknown what path the WAC would take. After these moves, the WAC was down to only two football programs for the 2013 season – New Mexico State University and the University of Idaho. Since the WAC was not able to sponsor football for the 2013 season (eight teams are needed for a conference to sponsor football at the FBS level); NMSU and Idaho became FBS independents for the 2013 season before becoming football-only members of the Sun Belt in 2014.

2010–2013 Western Athletic Conference realignment is located in the United States
Chicago State
Chicago State
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
New Mexico State
New Mexico State
Seattle
Seattle
UTRGV
UTRGV
Utah Valley
Utah Valley
California Baptist
California Baptist
Utah Tech
Utah Tech
Tarleton
Tarleton
class=notpageimage|
Locations of current WAC full members

The WAC seemingly secured its continued existence as a non-football conference, at least for the time being, when it announced on October 9, 2012 that California State University, Bakersfield and Utah Valley University would join the conference starting with the 2013–14 school year. Cal State Bakersfield had previously been independent, and had become a WAC affiliate in baseball for 2012–13. Utah Valley joins from the Great West Conference.[19] Interim WAC commissioner Jeff Hurd added that the WAC was seeking to add further schools, with an immediate goal of eight members and a longer-term goal of 10.[20] However, Hurd's job became more difficult on October 19 when Idaho announced it would move its non-football sports to the Big Sky Conference in July 2014.[21] In addition, Denver announced it was joining The Summit League in 2013. The WAC countered this move with inviting Division II Grand Canyon University to join the conference, who accepted.[22] The conference added another member from the disintegrating Great West on December 5, announcing the 2013 arrival of Chicago State University.[23] An invitation was also extended to the Great West's University of Texas–Pan American, which was accepted on December 19.[24][25]

By adding these last Great West Conference schools the WAC was able to return to seven schools, which under current NCAA rules a Division I conference that drops below seven members must do within two years to avoid losing its automatic bids to the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments.[20] Then, on February 7, 2013, the University of Missouri–Kansas City announced that it had accepted an invitation to join the WAC, bringing the membership to nine for 2013-14 and eight after Idaho's departure.[26]

Membership changes[edit]

School Sport(s) Former conference New conference Date move was announced Expected year move takes effect
Boise State Broncos Full membership WAC Mountain West June 11, 2010 2011[27]
Fresno State Bulldogs Full membership WAC Mountain West August 18, 2010 2012[28]
Nevada Wolf Pack Full membership WAC Mountain West August 18, 2010 2012[28]
UTSA Roadrunners Full membership Southland WAC November 10, 2010 2012[11]
Texas State Bobcats Full membership Southland WAC November 10, 2010 2012[11]
Denver Pioneers Full membership (non-football) Sun Belt WAC November 10, 2010 2012[11]
Hawaiʻi (Rainbow) Warriors and Rainbow Wahine Full membership (non-football) WAC Big West December 10, 2010 2012[29]
Hawaiʻi Warriors Football WAC Mountain West December 10, 2010 2012[29]
Hawaiʻi Rainbow Wahine Women's indoor track and field, women's swimming and diving WAC MPSF December 10, 2010 2012[30]
Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors Men's swimming and diving WAC MPSF December 10, 2010 2012[30]
BYU Cougars Softball Mountain West WAC January 27, 2011 2012
Seattle Redhawks Full membership (non-football) Independent WAC June 14, 2011 2012[31]
Seattle Redhawks Softball PCSC WAC June 14, 2011 2012[31]
Seattle Redhawks Women's golf WCC WAC June 14, 2011 2012[31]
North Dakota Fighting Sioux Women's swimming and diving Great West WAC June 15, 2011 2012
Boise State Broncos Women's gymnastics WAC Independent July 1, 2011 2011
UT Arlington Mavericks Full membership (non-football) Southland WAC July 14, 2011 2012
CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners Baseball Independent WAC September 19, 2011 2012[32]
Dallas Baptist Patriots Baseball Independent WAC September 19, 2011 2012[33]
BYU Cougars Softball WAC PCSC December 12, 2011 2012[34]
Texas State Bobcats Full membership WAC[35] Sun Belt May 2, 2012 2013[17]
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters Full membership WAC C-USA May 4, 2012 2013[36]
San Jose State Spartans Full membership WAC Mountain West May 4, 2012 2013[37]
Utah State Aggies Full membership WAC Mountain West May 4, 2012 2013[37]
UTSA Roadrunners Full membership WAC[38] C-USA May 4, 2012 2013[36]
UT Arlington Mavericks Full membership (non-football) WAC[35] Sun Belt May 24, 2012 2013
Boise State Broncos Women's gymnastics Independent WAC June 14, 2012 2012[39]
Dallas Baptist Patriots Baseball WAC MVC August 20, 2012 2013
New Mexico State Aggies Football WAC Independent September 12, 2012 2013[40]
CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners Full membership Independent WAC October 9, 2012 2013[19]
CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners Men's and women's outdoor track & field, women's tennis Great West WAC October 9, 2012 2013[19]
CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners Softball PCSC WAC October 9, 2012 2013[19]
Utah Valley Wolverines Full membership (non-wrestling) Great West WAC October 9, 2012 2013[19]
Utah Valley Wolverines Softball PCSC WAC October 9, 2012 2013[19]
Idaho Vandals Football WAC Independent October 19, 2012 2013[41]
Idaho Vandals Full membership (non-football) WAC Big Sky October 19, 2012 2014[41]
Denver Pioneers Full membership (non-football; except gymnastics, hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, and skiing) WAC The Summit November 27, 2012 2013[42]
Grand Canyon Antelopes Full membership PacWest (D-II) WAC November 27, 2012 2013[43]
Chicago State Cougars Full membership Great West WAC December 5, 2012 2013[23]
Northern Colorado Bears Baseball Great West WAC December 12, 2012 2013[44]
Texas–Pan American Broncs Full membership Great West WAC December 19, 2012 2013[25]
Air Force Falcons Men's soccer MPSF WAC January 9, 2013 2013[45]
CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners Men's soccer MPSF WAC January 9, 2013 2013[45]
Houston Baptist Huskies Men's soccer MPSF WAC January 9, 2013 2013[45]
San Jose State Spartans Men's soccer MPSF WAC January 9, 2013 2013[45]
Seattle Redhawks Men's soccer MPSF WAC January 9, 2013 2013[45]
UNLV Rebels Men's soccer MPSF WAC January 9, 2013 2013[45]
UMKC Kangaroos Full membership The Summit WAC February 7, 2013 2013[46]
North Dakota athletics Baseball Great West WAC February 11, 2013 2013[47]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "ASUN, WAC Conferences Announce Football Partnership for 2021" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "University of Texas at Arlington Accepts Invitation to Join WAC" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  3. ^ a b McMurphy, Brett (April 30, 2012). "Once-proud (and large) WAC on its death bed, and that's a shame". College Football Insider. CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  4. ^ From 1978 through 2005, the football grouping now known as Division I FBS was known as Division I-A.
  5. ^ a b c d e Deinhart, Tom (September 14, 2011). "WAC a cautionary tale for superconferences". Rivals.com. Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  6. ^ Hinton, Matt (August 20, 2012). "RIP WAC: Disintegrating league confirms 2012 football season will be its last". Eye on College Football. CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  7. ^ WAC disbanding? – rec.sport.softball | Google Groups. Groups.google.com.
  8. ^ "1198 NBA Draft Special" (PDF). The Houston Roundball Review. Vol. 4, no. 8. June 1998.
  9. ^ "Boise State moves to Mountain West". ESPN.com. June 11, 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  10. ^ Katz, Andy (December 10, 2010). "Hawaii joins MWC, Big West for 2012". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c d "WAC officially adding Denver, Texas St., Texas-San Antonio". ESPN.com. The Associated Press. November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on 13 November 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  12. ^ http://www.grizcentral.com/WAC Archived 2012-03-14 at the Wayback Machine Commissioner recognizes UM would be "perfect fit"
  13. ^ "Montana Grizzlies staying in FCS". ESPN.com. The Associated Press. November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on 13 November 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  14. ^ McMurphy, Brett (April 28, 2012). "C-USA adding UTSA in 2013; North Texas, FIU, Louisiana Tech also likely". College Football Insider. CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  15. ^ ESPN.com News Services (April 30, 2012). "Report: Utah St., SJSU to join MWC - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  16. ^ McMurphy, Brett (April 30, 2012). "Texas State, UT-Arlington to Sun Belt in 2013". College Football Insider. CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  17. ^ a b "Texas State to Join Sun Belt Conference". Sun Belt Conference (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. 2012-05-02. Archived from the original on 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  18. ^ McMurphy, Brett (May 3, 2012). "7 schools on move Friday; ODU remains undecided". College Football Insider. CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  19. ^ a b c d e f "WAC Adds CSUB and UVU To Its Membership" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. October 9, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  20. ^ a b "WAC adds Cal State-Bakersfield, Utah Valley". Sports Illustrated. The Associated Press. October 9, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  21. ^ "Idaho To Return in 2014" (Press release). Big Sky Conference. October 19, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  22. ^ "WAC adds Grand Canyon University" (Press release). ESPN. November 27, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  23. ^ a b "Chicago State University to Join WAC" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. December 5, 2012. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  24. ^ "UTPA to go to board Dec. 18 for WAC invite". The Monitor. December 5, 2012. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  25. ^ a b "UTPA Broncs - UTPA Athletics Accepts Invitation to Join WAC Starting in 2013-14". Archived from the original on 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  26. ^ "- UMKC Athletics". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-04-08.
  27. ^ Schlabach, Mark (June 11, 2010). "Boise State joins the Mountain West". College Football Nation Blog. ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  28. ^ a b Katz, Andy (October 27, 2010). "Fresno State, Nevada: 2012 WAC exit". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  29. ^ a b "Hawaii to Join Big West Conference" (Press release). Big West Conference.
  30. ^ a b "UH-Manoa Enters New Era In Intercollegiate Athletics" (Press release). University of Hawaiʻi Athletics Department. June 28, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
  31. ^ a b c "WAC Announces Addition of Seattle" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. June 14, 2011. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  32. ^ "Baseball joins WAC in 2013, Track, Tennis to Great West" (Press release). CSU Bakersfield Athletic Communications. Note that "2013" refers to the 2013 college baseball season, which falls within the 2012–13 academic year.
  33. ^ "Baseball Accepts Invitation to Join WAC" (Press release). Dallas Baptist University Athletics.
  34. ^ "BYU softball to join PCSC" (Press release). BYU Athletics. December 12, 2011. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  35. ^ a b At the time Texas State and UT Arlington announced their moves to the Sun Belt Conference, they were still members of the Southland Conference. The two schools did not join the WAC until July 1, 2012.
  36. ^ a b "Conference USA Adds Five New Members" (Press release). Conference USA. May 4, 2012. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  37. ^ a b "San José State, Utah State to Join Mountain West" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. May 4, 2012. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  38. ^ At the time UTSA announced its move to C-USA, it was still a member of the Southland Conference; it did not join the WAC until July 1, 2012.
  39. ^ Oppie, Troy (June 14, 2012). "WAC welcomes back Boise State gymnastics". KBOI2.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  40. ^ Hinnen, Jerry (September 12, 2012). "New Mexico State makes it official, will go independent in 2013". Eye on College Football. CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  41. ^ a b Murphy, Brian (October 19, 2012). "Idaho announces 2013 football schedule, plans to move to Big Sky in other sports". Idaho Statesman Blogs. Idaho Statesman. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  42. ^ "Denver Becomes The Summit League's Newest Member" (Press release). The Summit League. November 27, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  43. ^ "Grand Canyon University to Join WAC" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. November 27, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-11-30. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  44. ^ Wasson, Sam (December 12, 2012). "Northern Colorado Joins WAC as Affiliate Member in Baseball in 2014". CollegeBaseballDaily.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved December 12, 2012. Because baseball is a spring sport, Northern Colorado baseball will join the WAC in July 2013.
  45. ^ a b c d e f "WAC Adds Men's Soccer" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 9, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  46. ^ "UMKC Heading to the Western Athletic Conference - the Official Site of UMKC Kangaroo Athletics". Archived from the original on 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
  47. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-05-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links[edit]

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