New Mexico State, North Texas Ask Out of Big West Early
The reshaping of the Big West Conference could be completed within three weeks because New Mexico State and North Texas have requested to leave the conference a year early, conference commissioner Dennis Farrell said Monday.
The two schools were scheduled to move to the Sun Belt Conference in 2001-2002 but might leave beginning next fall in all sports except football and, possibly, women’s soccer.
The Big West council (athletic directors and faculty advisors) will discuss the request this weekend in San Diego, where the NCAA is holding meetings, according to Farrell. Both schools will remain in the Big West for football for the 2000 season, and North Texas might also remain for women’s soccer next fall.
A conference source said the council will discuss, and likely recommend, inviting Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside to join the Big West beginning in 2001-2002.
Any recommendations will be forwarded to the conference’s presidents and chancellors, who will meet this month for a vote--if there’s a proposal. A three-fourths vote would be needed for approval.
One Big West official said the conference athletic directors are in favor of allowing New Mexico State and North Texas to leave early.
“It’s a scheduling issue,” said Farrell, who declined to comment on which schools the conference is considering adding. “In men’s basketball right now, we are planning to have an 11-team conference with two divisions. If we go to nine, then we’re talking about a round-robin play, which adds games.
“We have to sit down with our members and get some indication as to what they desire.”
Sun Belt officials would welcome New Mexico State and North Texas next fall.
“All we’ve asked is that they not be disruptive to their current conference and facilitate the move as soon as possible,” Sun Belt Commissioner Wright Waters said. “If they can negotiate an amicable release we would be delighted to have them immediately.”
The question left for Big West officials will be whether to ask either Northridge or Riverside, or both, to join early.
Riverside is moving up to the Division I level in all sports. While Riverside will count as a Division I opponent next season, it would not be eligible to win conference championships.
Northridge, currently in the Big Sky Conference, already has agreed to join the Big West in baseball for the 2002 spring season.
There has been no opposition to Riverside joining the Big West and only minor questions about Northridge, mainly concerning whether the school will have a soccer facility.
Big West officials also will consider a proposal to hold their basketball tournaments at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena, starting next year.
Anaheim city officials will present a three-year deal to the Big West council. An early draft of the proposal had the Big West paying $1.50 per ticket to the city.
Conference officials are in favor of moving to the convention center but want the city to make improvements, in particular adding more locker room space.
