With these defections the Southland Conference is down to the minimum of 6 schools to field a conference. The conference is scheduled to begin in December 2021. The Western Athletic Conference announced Wednesday five schools, including four current Southland universities, will join the conference July 1, 2022. Around the NCAA. Grant, a former student-athlete, brings broad conference leadership experience and a commitment to innovation at a time of widespread . For a decade, Texas St. has been public about their desire to upgrade to FBS football. A third straight losing campaign in a further watered down Southland Conference can't happen. RE: What is the future of the Southland Conference? (05-21-2021 04:54 PM) Stugray2 Wrote: (05-21-2021 03:16 PM) dbackjon Wrote: Big Sky Men's Golf would have five plus Binghamton next year, four plus Binghamton in 2022-23 Remember, the changes are based on 4.5 road games per year in the Southland Conference and 3.5 in the WAC. Chicago St., currently an outlier in the WAC has also announced it would be leaving the conference at . Announced on Dec. 3, 2019. Augusta was an associate member. The Losers Seattle and Chicago State Lost in the excitement… Southland commissioner Tom Burnett released a statement addressing the departures and gave a hint regarding potential new additions. "We wanted to make sure we either stabilized the Southland to the best of our ability, or we found a conference home that was going to protect us in our future as a Division I institution. Sam Houston State, located in Huntsville, Texas, plays in the Western Athletic Conference (SHSU was formerly in the Southland Conference) and is the No. The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi volleyball team dropped eight sets in Southland Conference play this season to win the regular season title and earn a double-bye in the conference tournament starting . 22, 2021 at 6:26 PM PDT. File/ eExtra News On Tuesday, TAMUC announced they accepted the NCAA invitation to join the . The 2021-22 Southland Conference women's basketball season is scheduled to begin with practices in October 2021 followed by the 2021-22 NCAA Division I women's basketball season in November 2021. The Bearkats won the delayed 2020 FCS national championship in the spring, defeating South Dakota State.. Tarleton State, meanwhile, is located in Stephenville, Texas, and also plays at the FCS level, in the WAC. "It is a distinct honor to join the Southland Conference," Texas A&M-Commerce . Chris Grant, a dynamic leader whose broad experience as a college athletics executive runs the spectrum from small conferences to running tournaments for a Power Five conference, has been named the new Commissioner of the Southland Conference. HOUSTON - The University of the Incarnate Word women's volleyball team fell to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) 3-0 on Saturday in the semi-final game of the Southland Conference Tournament. As long rumored the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is starting back football and just announced the move of four schools from the Southland Conference and one from the Big Sky Conference to the WAC. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Though many of the changes are done with football in . "Throughout 2020, some Southland Conference member . Chris Grant was officially introduced as the league's next . Even accounting for that, the travel within the Southland makes a better fit for three of the four teams. The Southland Conference and INFLCR have agreed to a multi-year partnership to enhance the Southland Conference student-athlete experience by providing all Southland institutions and student-athletes with the technology and resources needed to support their opportunities related to name, image, and likeness (NIL). by borrelia. View the 2021 Southland Conference football schedule at FBSchedules.com. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Previously, Sam Houston had spent its first 34 years as a Division I program in the Southland Conference. on 10/28/21 at 8:28 pm. In the first month of 2021, big conference realignment news has shifted the FCS football landscape as the WAC added five schools - four from the Southland and Southern Utah from the Big Sky - with intentions to start play in FCS football in 2021. But the conference will feature 13 members, 10 of which are tournament eligible, thanks to addition of four of the Southland Conference's former Texas members—2021 NCAA rep Abilene Christian, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018 qualifier Stephen F. Austin, Lamar, and Sam Houston State. UTSA, a school without football much of this decade has plans to go . Conference USA future in doubt with four teams expected to join Sun Belt next week . Loyola Chicago accepted an invitation from the A-10 in November, announcing it will depart the Missouri Valley and expand its new conference to 15 schools. General Board. RE: What is the future of the Southland Conference? Southland commissioner Tom Burnett released a statement addressing the departures and gave a hint regarding potential new additions. "But we can't stand in the way of league members that want . The six remaining Southland programs grew accustomed to playing . General. It is what the majority of our membership wants and we have no plans on that changing. Wildcat Sports Talk: General. Four future NFL receivers, Roger Carr, Mike Barber, Pat Tilley, and Billy Ryckman were all on Louisiana Techs 1973 national championship team. Online. Wildcat Basketball. Chris Grant named new Southland Conference Commissioner. Multiple reports have stated that McNeese State and Incarnate Word will be leaving the Southland Conference to join the WAC - a move which could come as early as next year. Southland conferences future? We also have team schedules, future schedules, and non-conference opponents. 3 of 3. Due to realignment in college football that . "Chris brings an outstanding set of skills and experiences to the league, and he will be a tremendous asset to the Southland's future operations. By Zach Nunez. The Southland now has eight schools (five in Louisiana, three in Texas) with Texas A&M-Commerce joining from Division II next summer, with more additions expected in the future. Membership in the Southland is shrinking, while SWAC membership is expanding. The six football members is the minimum amount of teams a conference can have while maintaining it's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs so expanding the conference is highly likely. ACU Wildcat Nation. (04-27-2021 05:56 PM)solohawks Wrote: The D2 SIAC just started sponsoring men's volleyball. Houston Baptist, which joined the Southland in 2013, will remain in the SLC. This was the 35th season under the Southland Conference name.. Posted. Reigning FCS champion Sam Houston was one of five schools to depart the Southland Conference this summer, but the Bearkats remain a measuring stick to formal rivals for at least the near future. Southland strong. The Ohio Valley Conference and Southland Conference announced plans Monday for a football scheduling alliance between the two NCAA Division I FCS leagues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. They didn't mention McNeese staying is an engagement, not a remarriage. 1-ranked FCS team in the country. Southland Conference News; If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. "I am extremely proud of this team," head coach Samantha Dabbs Thomas said. As a former standout student-athlete, coach and administrator, both on campus and in two conference offices, Chris will provide our membership with outstanding service, and strategic and . The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and the Southland Conference have announced a football scheduling alliance for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.. Wildcat Recruiting. Industry sources told Extra Points that Southland leaders were even considering a potential merger with the Ohio Valley Conference. Except in case McNeese makes a future move to FBS. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Lamar University's departure from the Southland Conference came with a $300,000 price tag that school athletic director Marco Born says has already been paid. Discussions with university officials about his future role at NSU have been ongoing for several months. The Southland Conference and the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) have officially announced their football scheduling alliance matchups for the 2022 season. Before coming to the Southland Conference, Grant served as associate commissioner of sports management and championships at the Pac-12 Conference, director of sports services at Conference USA, and assistant athletics director at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. "Tom has had an amazing run as the Commissioner of the Southland Conference," McNeese Athletics Director Heath Schroyer said in a statement to KPLC. 1 0. Future look: Davidson, Dayton, Duquesne . We have been . Jacksonville State kicker Ashley Martin kicked three extra points to become the first female to kick an extra point in a NCAA Division I football . The pile of concessions granted by the Southland Conference (with approval of its university presidents) was recited in a joint announcement Tuesday by the league and McNeese, with one exception. Expanding back to the 13 teams the Southland had before being poached by the WAC and A-Sun doesn't seem likely to me. Post: #195. The Southland Conference has engaged with Eastman & Beaudine, Inc., a trusted and recognized leader in executive search and athletics consulting services, to assist the league's presidential Board of Directors in its plan to strategically and aggressively review the future alignment of the. NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - A source inside the Stephen F. Austin State University Athletic Department confirmed that the program would be part of a press conference in Houston on January 14 announcing their departure from the Southland Conference. The Southland may not fall apart, but it would certainly hurt their prospects. Around the WAC . focusing on competing for and winning championships well into the future. ACU just won the conference tournament in 2019 and looks great once again this season. The Southland Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 9-13, 2022 at the . . Grant, who came to the Southland Conference as deputy commissioner in August, will become the conference's first African-American commissioner. (07-19-2021 11:43 AM)danieldemer Wrote: This is unconfirmed but I've read that the Southland's D2 prospects in the Lone Star are only willing to leave if WTAM moves first. "Throughout 2020, some Southland Conference member . Around the Southland Conference. Did you know? The full Southland Conference schedule and other non-conference games for the Lions' inaugural NCAA Division I season in 2022 will be released in the near future. Eastman . On Tuesday, TAMUC announced they accepted the NCAA invitation to join the Southland conference. RE: What is the future of the Southland Conference? The longest-serving athletic director in Louisiana and the Southland Conference, Burke has guided the NSU athletic department since 1996. NCAA Division II power to begin NCAA Division I transition in 2022-23 academic year Texas A&M University-Commerce Lion Athletics will move to NCAA Division I in 2022 and join the Southland Conference. Aug 12, 2021. Only six schools among the present membership play football. Called the AQ7, the three teams joining the ASUN Conference (Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky . I am really proud of the run we went on at the tournament. Terrell said he will be interested in seeing how the Southland Conference will move on after losing members. The Southland announced Burnett will become a full-time senior consultant to the commissioner and the Board of Directors after the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament concludes. December 3, 2021. FRISCO, Texas - Nicholls was voted to repeat as regular season conference champions in the 2021-22 Southland Conference Men's Basketball preseason poll, announced by the league Tuesday . Houston, TX (KPLC) - College football season is right around the corner so it's time for Media Days and the big question around the Southland Conference is the future of the league now that a number of schools like Sam Houston State and Lamar have departed. Other Wildcat Sports. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. Thanks for visiting www.southland.org!. It may have been hard to anticipate the Southland situation considering its schools' success on a national level, the development of the conference's broadcast package and the conference . The Southland Conference, an FCS football conference, has known for sometime that their membership numbers might be shrinking. Each of the six schools received a gift of $150,000 to start the sport and the SIAC was gifted $100,000. The Cardinals, who jumped from the DII Lone Star Conference to the FCS Southland in 2013 with ACU, begin play in the WAC next season. 06-07-2021 01:03 PM. Sam Houston has since agreed to join Conference USA. The potential for WAC basketball is now huge, and the Southland's stock has significantly dropped in that area. RE: What is the future of the Southland Conference? As long-time members of division II, TAMUC will become a part of the Southland conference in July 2022. The two conferences will play non-conference football . Wildcat Baseball. The WAC seems like a good possibility and would have them rejoin the Texas schools that just jumped over there. Southland Conference Expansion…Time to Consider Some Options. Craig Haley. We've talked the state of the Western Athletic Conference and the possibilities when it comes to realignments that could bolster the conference and bring it back into the ranks of FBS on numerous occasions now.. On both occasions I mentioned that they'd likely need to dip their toes into the waters of the Big Sky and/or Southland conferences in order to have a realistic shot at this goal. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. The Southland Conference could be losing two more football-playing members - a move which could have direct impacts on Nicholls athletics in the future. / NPJ. Sports. We also have team schedules, future schedules, and non-conference opponents. . RE: What is the future of the Southland Conference? There has been contact between Conference USA and McNeese State from the Southland Conference and Sam Houston . Conference Re-Alignment moves. The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana).It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).The Southland sponsors 18 sports, 10 for women and eight for men, and is governed by . Maggio, who will serve this year as Chairman of the Southland Conference Board of Directors, said the league "will retain eight highly respected current members and has initiated a process that will lead to future expansion of the conference." Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin have all left the Southland for the WAC and Southern . Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin. The login process has recently changed! As long rumored the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is starting back football and just announced the move of four schools from the Southland Conference and one from the Big Sky Conference to the WAC. Southland Conference News; If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. About the Southland Conference Founded in Dallas in 1963 and now in its 59th competitive season, the Southland Conference celebrates the academic and competitive achievements of its . Wildcat Football. According to league bylaws . Originally, the four Texas institutions were to enter the WAC together on July 1, 2022. If this move takes shape as it's being reported, the Southland will have at least six, but maybe seven football playing . The official athletics website for Southland Conference. If and when UCA is added to the scenario, a Southland that has 13 schools, including 11 football members, would drop to eight and . The WAC and ASUN have a one-year partnership for the 2021 fall season. Post: #290. Chris Grant Named New Southland Conference Commissioner. Joey D. Richards covers Abilene high schools and colleges, Big . What is the future of the SLC? Due to realignment in college football that . And while this may also be unfair, it is true; if McNeese wants to be invited to an FBS league it . The Independence Bowl was created as a postseason game for the Southland Conference champion. . Three weeks after being on the verge of extinction, the Southland Conference is moving toward the future with an eye on extension. The Southland Conference has engaged with Eastman & Beaudine, Inc., a trusted and recognized leader in executive search and athletics consulting services, to assist the league's presidential Board of Directors in its plan to strategically and aggressively review the future alignment of the association, including formulating a process to examine new regional membership possibilities. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin have all left the Southland for the WAC and Southern . From reading local media in LC it's clear that McNeese is jumping ship, it's just a matter of where. The Bears, who were North Dakota State's only game last fall and are on future Bison schedules, will leave the Southland Conference to form the new Atlantic Sun Conference in football for the 2021 . View the 2021 Southland Conference football schedule at FBSchedules.com. Around the Southland Conference. The Southland Conference and the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) have officially announced their football scheduling alliance matchups for the 2022 season. The league changes will take effect for the 2021-22 seasons. Conference realignment is alive and well in the world of collegiate sports. Below is a table summarizing the proposed changes for the four Southland teams. Around the WAC . Central Arkansas stated earlier that it would move from the Southland to the Atlantic Sun Conference. AAC Basketball: Examining 8 potential candidates for expansion. In the new league are several Southland Conference schools: Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin - a move that is, undoubtedly going to change the shape and future of the Southland going forward. Southern Utah will also be joining the WAC starting with the 2022-23 season. The league was able to add one D-II school, Texas A&M Commerce, but with McNeese and UIW's long-term membership appearing wobbly, the long-term future of the Southland appeared very much in doubt. Before coming to Southland, he served as Associate Commissioner of Sports Management and Championships at the Pac-12 Conference, where among his many accomplishments he played a key role in successfully .