Nevada Accepted By WAC, Further Eroding Big West

Nevada was accepted into the Western Athletic Conference on Wednesday, landing another blow to the Big West Conference’s image.

WAC officials voted to add Nevada to create a nine-team conference. The conference had 16 teams last season, but eight left to form the Mountain West Conference.

Nevada, which will join the WAC for the 2000-01 season, has been lobbying the conference for the past year.

“The instability of football [in the Big West] was the major driving force for us,” Nevada Athletic Director Chris Ault said. “The way we look at it, the teams in the WAC, with their exposure nationally, will be a major lift for us.”

Among other concerns, officials must find another location to hold the Big West men’s and women’s basketball conference tournaments, held in Reno since 1996. There are two more years left on a contract to play in Reno, but a Big West official said the tournament will leave after next year. WAC officials indicated they would consider holding their tournament in Reno.

The Big West will have 11 members in the 2000-01 season.