Matadors May Fill Big West Opening

Shuffling in the Big West Conference might create an opening for Cal State Northridge in an all-California, non-football-playing alignment as early as next fall, a high-ranking conference source said.

Northridge and Cal State Sacramento of the Big Sky Conference and Division II UC Riverside are being courted by Big West officials, who are preparing for the likelihood that as many as three Big West schools will join another league in restructuring that could start in the next few weeks.

Dick Dull, athletic director at Cal State Northridge, acknowledged that the Big West might one day be an option for the Matadors. But Dull said no formal discussions have taken place between Northridge and the Big West.

“There have been informal discussions, but nothing of concrete substance,” Dull said. “I’ve spoken with people in that conference as far as about what is going on. I speak with a lot of people for informational purposes.”

Dull has steadfastly denied rumors that Northridge will cut football and said the school is interested in remaining a member of the Big Sky Conference, which it joined in 1996, and playing Division I-AA football.

Dull said several developments would have to take place before Northridge would consider a move to the Big West.

The first would be the departures of Southern Methodist and Texas Christian from the Western Athletic Conference.

“That’s the first domino that needs to fall,” Dull said.

Presidents from Conference USA schools are expected to discuss expansion that will likely involve SMU and TCU, creating a domino effect that would probably end with at least one and possibly three Big West schools moving to the WAC.

Boise State, Utah State and New Mexico State lobbied to join the WAC last spring, when Nevada announced it would move to that conference from the Big West at the beginning of the 2000-01 school year.

If Northridge and Sacramento joined the Big West, the schools would have the option of maintaining their football programs as independents or as affiliates in other conferences. Or they might choose to drop them. Sacramento currently plays baseball in the Big West.

Northridge has been warned by the Big Sky Conference that it must dramatically improve its on-campus football stadium and add men’s tennis to remain in the conference.

And Northridge is struggling to meet gender-equity requirements in a settlement with Cal-NOW.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, another recent addition to the Big West, currently plays football as a Division I-AA independent.

“Northridge and Riverside would join tomorrow if asked,” a conference source said.

Big West officials are still discussing whether to have an eight- or nine-school conference.

“I recognize that the California schools have their own vision about where their conference will be in the future,” Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell said.

“In the light of the possibility of the WAC doing something in response to Conference USA taking TCU and SMU, I have been working with our schools to help them secure a future for their football programs, be it in the WAC or Sun Belt Conference.”

Farrell would not elaborate, but a conference source said Big West officials have already talked to Northridge and Sacramento and Riverside from the Division II California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

Sources said Boise State will be asked to join the WAC should SMU and TCU go to Conference USA.

One or more additional Big West Schools might also be asked to join.

“We looked at the colleges in the Big West and the [Division I-A] independents in the West last year,” WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said.

“We hope that TCU and SMU decide to remain in the WAC, but we have looked into other options.”

SMU officials met with Conference USA Commissioner Mike Slive on Monday. TCU officials met with him last week.

Presidents from Conference USA schools will discuss expansion Sept. 23 in a conference call, assistant commissioner Brian Teeter said. An announcement could come then or at the presidents’ meeting Oct. 11 in New York.

Schools must give one year notice before leaving a conference, but that provision can be waived provided all parties agree. Getting unanimous approval would seem unlikely, considering it could involve up to nine schools and four conferences. Still, plans are being made.

“We will not get caught off guard,” Farrell said. “We will be ready to move into action as soon as something happens.

“My goal is to help both the California and football schools find a stable and secure future for their programs.”

A rift has developed in recent years between the Big West’s six California schools, none of which play Division I-A football, and the other schools, which make up a six-team football conference.

Long Beach State President Robert Maxson has pushed for the Big West to be exclusively California schools. Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, Pacific, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo currently comprise the conference’s Western Division.

“I think it is very appealing to have all the California schools in one conference,” Maxson said. “We all have similar strengths. We’re sitting on the mother lode [in California] when it comes to sports like basketball, baseball, volleyball, water polo and track.”

While Boise State, Utah State and New Mexico State have worked to join the WAC, North Texas officials have discussed joining the Sun Belt Conference, which is considering adding football.

Idaho is also searching for a new home.

Said Farrell: “We are waiting for the dust to settle before deciding on the changes that are going to occur in our conference realignment. Everyone would like to get on with the future.”

Staff writer Vince Kowalick contributed to this story.