Northridge Baseball Program to Join Big West Conference in 2001

The Big West Conference announced Thursday the addition of Cal State Northridge’s baseball program in 2001--a major step toward that school becoming a full member of the conference.

For now, Northridge will remain in the Big Sky Conference in football and basketball. The Big Sky doesn’t sponsor baseball.

The Big West is being reshaped after the defections of four schools. Boise State and Nevada are moving to the Western Athletic Conference, and New Mexico State and North Texas are headed to the Sun Belt Conference.

Utah State and Idaho also have attempted to join other conferences.

“We will help our schools in any way we can to pursue their futures,” Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell said. “They have a home in this conference for as long as they want.”

Still, Farrell announced that the conference’s executive committee will meet to “begin studying future possible members.”

“The study of potential institutions will include an assessment of financial, facility, academic and geographic compatibility with the current conference membership,” Farrell said in a statement.

Officials from the conference’s six California schools are in favor of granting UC Riverside and Northridge full membership, several high-ranking officials within the conference said.