Big Sky Panel Tours CSUN With Eye Toward Expansion

A five-member expansion committee of Big Sky Conference administrators toured Cal State Northridge athletic facilities earlier this week, and although no commitments were made the door was left open to further dialogue.

Ron Stephenson, conference commissioner, said the committee’s visit constituted “another very preliminary step” in the possible courtship between the Big Sky and Northridge, then added: “I would be a little surprised if this trip doesn’t result in some further communication down the road.”

Northridge was the first of two stops for the expansion committee, which was scheduled to visit Cal State Sacramento on Wednesday.

The purpose, Stephenson said, was for a “mutual exchange of information.” Of particular interest to the committee was Northridge’s academic offerings, athletic facilities and funding base.

The Big Sky, a nine-member Division I Conference that plays Division I-AA football, is considering expansion into California, and Northridge and Sacramento are at the top of its list of potential members.

Northridge prefers to place its 18-sport athletic program under the umbrella of one conference. The school currently competes as a Division I independent in sports other than swimming (Pacific Collegiate Swimming Conference) and men’s volleyball (Western Intercollegiate Volleyball Assn.).

Northridge’s baseball and softball programs are due to join the Western Athletic Conference in 1993. The Matadors have played football at the Division II level but are committed to move to Division I-AA for the 1993 season.

Bob Hiegert, Northridge’s athletic director, said he would consider membership in the Big Sky Conference more viable if the conference’s expansion plans called for a 12- or 14-team alliance split into two geographical divisions.

Stephenson said that with the possibility of additional California schools being admitted to the conference, he would not rule out such an arrangement.

UC Davis and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are in the process of moving their sports programs to Division I.

The expansion committee will report its findings at a meeting of Big Sky athletic directors in May and before the conference’s Presidents Council in June.