Big West Vote on Matadors Nears

An invitation for Cal State Northridge to join the Big West Conference could come next week.

Big West Conference officials are expected to discuss and possibly vote on admitting Northridge and UC Riverside during a conference call scheduled for Wednesday.

Robert Maxson, president of Long Beach State and chairman of the board for the Big West, said he is in favor of admitting both schools.

For Northridge, a member of the Big Sky Conference since 1996, a move to the Big West would most significantly affect the football program. The Matadors would be forced to compete as an independent and reduce the number of scholarships awarded to players.