Editing Conference USA (section)

== History ==
{{Chronological|sect=yes|date=January 2024|reason=The 2014–15 realignment sections starts with Tulane's announcement in 2012.  The prior section, the 2013–14 realignment, says that the conference entered "its next phase with the departure of four schools" but does not give a clear understanding about why this section is ordered before 2014–15 section.}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Conference USA Locations 4.png|400px|right|thumb|Locations of C-USA full-member institutions]] -->
CUSA (abbreviated "C-USA" before 2023) was founded in 1995 by the merger of the [[Metro Conference]] and [[Great Midwest Conference]], two Division I conferences that did not sponsor football. However, the merger did not include either Great Midwest member [[University of Dayton|Dayton]] or Metro members [[Virginia Commonwealth University|VCU]] and [[Virginia Tech]].<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950210/02100647.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716204344/http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950210/02100647.htm|url-status=dead|title=Digital Library and Archives, University, Virginia Tech|date=July 16, 2012|archive-date=July 16, 2012}}</ref> Since this left an uneven number of schools in the conference, [[University of Houston|Houston]] of the dissolving [[Southwest Conference]] was extended an invitation and agreed to join following the SWC's disbanding at the end of the 1995–96 academic year. The conference immediately started competition in all sports, except football which started in 1996.

Being the result of a merger, CUSA was originally a sprawling, large league that stretched from Florida to Missouri, Wisconsin to Texas. Many of its original schools were located in major urban centers and had strong basketball traditions, which helped establish the league on a national basis.

===2005–06 realignment===
The conference saw radical changes for the 2005–06 academic year. The [[Big East Conference (1979–2013)|Big East Conference]] had lost several members, and looked to Conference USA to attract replacements. Five CUSA members departed for the Big East, including three football-playing schools ([[University of Cincinnati|Cincinnati]], [[University of Louisville|Louisville]], and [[University of South Florida|South Florida]]) and two non-football schools ([[DePaul University|DePaul]] and [[Marquette University|Marquette]]; both joined the [[Big East Conference|New Big East]] in 2013). Another two schools ([[University of North Carolina at Charlotte|Charlotte]] and [[Saint Louis University|Saint Louis]]) left for the [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10]]; [[Texas Christian University|TCU]] joined the [[Mountain West Conference|Mountain West]] (and is now in the [[Big 12 Conference|Big 12]] with several other former Southwest Conference members); and a ninth member, [[United States Military Academy|Army]], which was C-USA football-only, opted to become an independent in that sport again.

With the loss of these members, CUSA lured six schools from other conferences: [[University of Central Florida|UCF]] and [[Marshall University|Marshall]] from the [[Mid-American Conference|MAC]], as well as [[Rice University|Rice]], [[Southern Methodist University|SMU]], [[University of Tulsa|Tulsa]], and later [[University of Texas at El Paso|UTEP]] from the [[Western Athletic Conference|WAC]]. UCF played in the MAC for football only; for all other sports, it was a member of the [[Atlantic Sun Conference]] (ASUN).

With CUSA's membership now consisting of 12 schools, all of which sponsor football, the conference adopted a two-division alignment.

===2013–14 realignment===

In 2013, CUSA entered its next phase with the departure of four schools (Houston, Memphis, SMU, and UCF) for the [[American Athletic Conference]], the football-sponsoring portion of the former Big East Conference. This was again the result of Big East schools leaving for the ACC, this time being [[Syracuse University|Syracuse]] and [[University of Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh]], as well as [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame]] for non-football sports. It was announced in early 2012 that Conference USA was in talks with the [[Mountain West Conference]] about forming either a football alliance or conference merger in the future.

However, when the conferences discussed their plans with the NCAA, they were told that if they merged, the new league would receive only one automatic bid to NCAA championships; at least one of the former conferences would lose expected future revenues from the NCAA men's basketball tournament; and at least one former conference would lose exit fees from any schools that departed for the new league. As a result, both CUSA and the MW backed away from a full merger. {{as of|2012|April}}, the likeliest scenario was an all-sports alliance in which both conferences retained separate identities.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-17">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/brett-mcmurphy/18623903 |title=Conference Mountain West merger "unlikely" |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=College Football Insider |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=April 17, 2012 |access-date=April 21, 2012}}</ref> However, after the MW added more members, the alliance was apparently abandoned.

For men's soccer, there was a chance that the MW, SEC, and CUSA along with the one Sun Belt member (FIU), that sponsor the sport, would play under the CUSA's men's soccer program. The MW, which does not sponsor men's soccer, would take three of the four members that offer the sport (UNLV, Air Force, New Mexico—San Diego State is a Pac-12 associate member in that sport), join CUSA's three full members that offer the sport (UAB, Marshall, Tulsa), the two SEC members already in CUSA for the sport (Kentucky, South Carolina), and the Sun Belt's FIU.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-17"/> However, the only MW member school that ultimately moved to CUSA men's soccer was New Mexico.

For the 2013–14 season CUSA invited five new members to join their conference, with all accepting. [[University of Texas at San Antonio|UTSA]] and [[Louisiana Tech University|Louisiana Tech]] joined from the WAC and [[University of North Texas|North Texas]] and [[Florida International University|FIU]], (an affiliate member of CUSA joining for men's soccer in 2005), from the Sun Belt Conference. [[Old Dominion University|Old Dominion]], which already housed five of its sports in CUSA, moved the rest of its athletic program from the [[Coastal Athletic Association|CAA]] (except for [[field hockey]], [[women's lacrosse]] and [[Collegiate wrestling|wrestling]], with the three sports joining the [[Big East Conference|new Big East]], the [[Atlantic Sun Conference|Atlantic Sun]], and the [[Mid-American Conference|MAC]] respectively because CUSA does not sponsor those sports) and upgraded its football program from the [[Football Championship Subdivision]]. Charter member [[University of North Carolina at Charlotte|Charlotte]] returned from the A-10 and accelerated its recently established football program, which was set to begin play in 2013 as an FCS school, to FBS in 2015 with full conference rights in 2016.

===2014–15 realignment===
[[File:Conference USA Locations 3.png|thumb|Conference USA members after the 2014–15 realignment]]

On November 27, 2012, it was announced that Tulane would leave the conference to join the Big East in all sports, and East Carolina would join the Big East for football only (ECU's membership was upgraded to all-sports in March 2013 after the Big East's non-football members, except ACC-bound [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame]], announced they were leaving to form a new conference which took the [[Big East Conference|Big East]] name, leaving the football-playing members to become the [[American Athletic Conference]]). Conference USA responded by adding [[Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders|Middle Tennessee]] and [[Florida Atlantic Owls|Florida Atlantic]], both from the Sun Belt.

On April 1, 2013, Conference USA announced it was adding Western Kentucky, also from the Sun Belt, to offset Tulsa's departure to The American in all sports which was confirmed the next day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9122292/western-kentucky-announces-move-c-usa|title=Western Kentucky announces move to C-USA|date=April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/id/43297/tulsa-set-to-join-league-for-2014-15-season|title=Tulsa set to join league for 2014–15 season|date=April 2, 2013}}</ref>

===2014–2021===
The board of trustees in the University of Alabama system (of which UAB is a member) voted to shut down that football program on December 2, 2014, in a highly controversial move that many have attributed to a pro-Tuscaloosa bias (including trustees such as [[Paul Bryant Jr.]], son and namesake of [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama football]] coaching legend [[Bear Bryant]]). According to Conference USA bylaws, member schools must sponsor football. In January 2015, UAB announced an independent re-evaluation of the program and the finances involved, leaving open a possible resumption of the program as early as the 2016 season. On January 29, 2015, the conference announced that there was no time pressure in making a decision regarding UAB's future membership. The conference also stated that it would wait for the new study results before any further discussions on the subject.<ref name="ESPN">{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/11967626/uab-blazers-shut-football-program|title=UAB eliminating football for 'greater good'|date=December 2, 2014}}</ref> On June 1, UAB announced that it would reinstate football effective with the 2016 season, presumably keeping the school in CUSA for the immediate future.<ref name="Return of UAB football">{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/12991674/uab-blazers-football-return |title=UAB reinstates football for 2016 |first=Alex |last=Scarborough |work=ESPN.com |date=June 1, 2015 |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref> The return of football was later pushed back to 2017<ref name="UAB football in 2017"/> with their first game in September.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/400938597 UAB rolls FCS Alabama A&M in first game since 2014 season] [[ESPN]] ([[Associated Press]])</ref> The Blazers won the 2018 conference championship their second year back and won the CUSA title again in 2020.

Commissioner Britton Banowsky stepped down on September 15, 2015, to become the head of the [[College Football Playoff]] Foundation. Executive associate commissioner and chief operating officer [[Judy MacLeod]] was subsequently named interim commissioner. On October 26 MacLeod was named the conference's third official commissioner, also becoming the first woman to head an [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|FBS]] conference.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/c-usas-macleod-1st-female-commissioner-fbs-league-174520340--ncaaf.html;_ylt=A0LEViq3izZWvMAATQQnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--|title=C-USA's MacLeod is 1st female commissioner of FBS league|publisher=AP-sports|date=October 26, 2015|access-date=November 1, 2015}}</ref>

[[Marshall University]]'s [[Marshall Thundering Herd men's soccer|men's soccer program]] captured the league's first team national championship with its 1–0 overtime win over Indiana in the [[2020 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship Game|2020 College Cup]], held in May 2021 due to [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19]] issues, in [[Cary, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2021/5/17/mens-soccer-msoc-national-champions-marshall-beats-indiana-1-0-in-ot-for-college-cup-title.aspx |title=National Champions! Marshall Beats Indiana 1–0 In OT For College Cup Title |publisher=Conference USA |date=May 17, 2021 |accessdate=May 29, 2021}}</ref>

=== 2020s realignment ===
{{see also|2021–2026 NCAA conference realignment}}
On October 18, 2021, [[Yahoo Sports]] reported that the [[American Athletic Conference]], which had been rocked by the impending departure of three of its most prominent schools ([[Cincinnati Bearcats|Cincinnati]], [[Houston Cougars|Houston]], [[UCF Knights|UCF]]) for the [[Big 12 Conference]], was preparing to receive applications from six CUSA members: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/sports/sources-the-aac-close-to-massive-6-school-expansion-to-reshape-conference-014015069.html |title=Sources: The AAC is close to massive 6-school expansion to reshape conference |first=Pete |last=Thamel |author-link=Pete Thamel |website=[[Yahoo Sports]] |date=October 18, 2021 |access-date=October 19, 2021}}</ref> [[ESPN]] reported the next day that The American had received all six schools' applications,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32432496/six-schools-officially-apply-join-american-athletic-conference |title=Source: Six schools officially apply to join American Athletic Conference |first=Heather |last=Dinich |website=ESPN.com |date=October 19, 2021 |access-date=October 19, 2021}}</ref> and The American announced all six as future members on October 21, though it did not announce the effective date.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://theamerican.org/news/2021/10/21/general-american-athletic-conference-announces-the-addition-of-six-universities.aspx |title=American Athletic Conference Announces the Addition of Six Universities |publisher=American Athletic Conference |date=October 21, 2021 |access-date=October 21, 2021}}</ref> The entry date would eventually be confirmed as July 1, 2023.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://theamerican.org/news/2022/6/15/general-american-announces-entrance-agreements-with-incoming-members-for-2023-24-season.aspx |title=American Announces Entrance Agreements With Incoming Members for 2023–24 Season |publisher=American Athletic Conference |date=June 16, 2022 |access-date=June 16, 2022}}</ref>

The day after The American announced its expansion, [[The Action Network]] reported that Southern Miss had accepted an invitation to join the [[Sun Belt Conference]] in 2023, a move which was formally announced by the university on October 26.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Southern Miss Accepts Invitation to the Sun Belt Conference|url=https://southernmiss.com/news/2021/10/26/baseball-southern-miss-accepts-invitation-to-the-sun-belt-conference.aspx|access-date=October 26, 2021|website=Southern Miss|language=en}}</ref> The report added that the Sun Belt was preparing to add two other CUSA members in Marshall and Old Dominion, as well as [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|FCS]] program [[James Madison Dukes|James Madison]]. Old Dominion officially announced its move to the Sun Belt Conference on October 27,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Old Dominion Joins Sun Belt Conference|url=https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2021/10/27/general-old-dominion-joins-sun-belt-conference.aspx|access-date=October 30, 2021|website=sunbeltsports.org|date=October 27, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> followed later in the week by Marshall.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 29, 2021|title=Marshall now third from C-USA to join Sun Belt|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32503651/marshall-set-join-sun-belt-conference-usa-exodus-continues-sources-confirm|access-date=October 30, 2021|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref> On March 29, 2022, CUSA agreed to allow Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss to move to the Sun Belt beginning July 1, 2022, a year earlier than initially announced.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/33626016/move-marshall-old-dominion-southern-miss-conference-usa-sun-belt-now-complete |title=Move of Marshall, Old Dominion, Southern Miss from Conference USA to Sun Belt now complete |first=Pete |last=Thamel |author-link=Pete Thamel |website=ESPN.com |date=March 29, 2022 |accessdate=March 29, 2022}}</ref>

In response to these losses, on November 5, Conference USA announced the addition of four new members to start the 2023 athletic season. These included two [[Atlantic Sun Conference|ASUN]] schools, [[Liberty Flames and Lady Flames|Liberty]] and [[Jacksonville State Gamecocks|Jacksonville State]], along with two from the [[Western Athletic Conference|WAC]], [[New Mexico State Aggies|New Mexico State]] and [[Sam Houston Bearkats|Sam Houston]]. Liberty and New Mexico State previously played football as [[NCAA Division I FBS independent schools|FBS independents]], while Jacksonville State and Sam Houston played at the FCS level in their respective conferences.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 5, 2021|title=Conference USA to add Liberty, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State beginning in 2023|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32560304/conference-usa-add-liberty-jacksonville-state-new-mexico-state-sam-houston-state-beginning-2023|access-date=November 7, 2021|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2021/11/4/general-conference-usa-adds-four-members.aspx |title=Conference USA Adds Four Members |publisher=Conference USA |date=November 5, 2021 |access-date=November 5, 2021}}</ref>

On October 7, 2022, Pete Thamel of [[ESPN]] reported that current football-sponsoring ASUN member [[Kennesaw State Owls|Kennesaw State]] was in talks to become the tenth member of Conference USA for the 2024 season.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 7, 2022|title=College football realignment: Kennesaw State a 'favorite' to join C-USA by 2024, per report|url=https://247sports.com/Article/College-football-realignment-Kennesaw-State-a-favorite-to-join-C-USA-by-2024-per-report-194910857/|access-date=October 9, 2022|website=247sports.com|language=en}}</ref> One week later, CUSA officially announced Kennesaw State's 2024 entry.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2022/10/14/general-c-usa-adds-kennesaw-state-owls-to-join-in-2024.aspx |title=C-USA Adds Kennesaw State, Owls to Join in 2024 |publisher=Conference USA |date=October 14, 2022 |access-date=October 14, 2022}}</ref>

This was followed by the Sun Belt Conference adding beach volleyball for the 2023 season (2022–23 school year), taking with it the three full SBC members that had previously housed that sport in CUSA: Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, and Louisiana–Monroe. Southern Miss also left CUSA beach volleyball as part of its full-time move to the SBC.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2023/1/17/general-sun-belt-conference-adds-beach-volleyball-for-2023.aspx|title=Sun Belt Conference Adds Beach Volleyball For 2023 |publisher=Sun Belt Conference |date=January 18, 2023 |accessdate=January 19, 2023}}</ref> CUSA would add three new beach volleyball members for that season; Jacksonville State joined CUSA for beach volleyball in advance of full membership that July,<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/2/22/womens-beach-volleyball-bvb-2023-preseason-awards-announced.aspx |title=2023 Preseason Awards Announced |publisher=Conference USA |date=February 23, 2023 |access-date=March 12, 2023 |quote= The league serves up its second season with opening matches this weekend featuring (16) FIU, (12) Florida Atlantic and UAB, along with new members Jacksonville State and (ARV) Tulane.}}</ref> Tulane became an associate member, and full member UTEP added a new beach volleyball program. [[Tarleton State Texans|Tarleton]] announced on April 24, 2023, that it would join CUSA as an associate member for the school's first season of varsity beach volleyball in 2024;<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://tarletonsports.com/news/2023/4/24/womens-volleyball-tarleton-adds-beach-volleyball-as-17th-intercollegiate-sport-will-compete-in-conference-usa.aspx |title=Tarleton adds Beach Volleyball as 17th intercollegiate sport, will compete in Conference USA |publisher=Tarleton Texans |date=April 24, 2023 |access-date=April 27, 2023}}</ref> CUSA confirmed this on May 11, adding that [[Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears|Missouri State]] and [[TCU Horned Frogs|TCU]] would also join in beach volleyball for the 2024 season, and that Florida Atlantic and UAB would remain in CUSA beach volleyball after otherwise departing for The American.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/5/11/womens-beach-volleyball-bvb-c-usa-adds-tcu-tarleton-state-and-missouri-state-as-affiliate-members-for-beach-volleyball.aspx |title=BVB: C-USA Adds TCU, Tarleton State and Missouri State as Affiliate Members for Beach Volleyball |publisher=Conference USA |date=May 11, 2023 |access-date=May 18, 2023}}</ref>

On May 10, 2023, CUSA announced that it would add [[Ten-pin bowling|bowling]], a women-only sport in the NCAA, effective in 2023–24. The [[Southland Bowling League]], a single-sport conference established by the [[Southland Conference]], was merged into CUSA.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/5/10/general-conference-usa-to-add-bowling-for-2023-24-season.aspx |title=Conference USA to Add Bowling for 2023–24 Season |publisher=Conference USA |date=May 10, 2023 |access-date=May 15, 2023}}</ref> The bowling league added [[Wichita State Shockers|Wichita State]] when it elevated its club team to varsity status in 2024–25.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/11/13/bowl-wichita-state-joins-cusa-as-an-affiliate-member-for-bowling.aspx |title=BOWL: Wichita State Joins CUSA as an Affiliate Member for Bowling |publisher=Conference USA |date=November 13, 2023 |access-date=November 15, 2023}}</ref>

The conference unveiled a "brand refresh" on July 1, 2023, the same day that Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State, and Sam Houston joined. The former abbreviation of "C-USA" was retired in favor of "CUSA", and the logo was slightly updated.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/6/30/general-conference-usa-officially-welcomes-four-new-members.aspx |title=Conference USA Officially Welcomes Four New Members |publisher=Conference USA |date=July 1, 2023 |access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref>

On November 27, 2023, Pete Thamel reported on X that Conference USA was expected to add [[University of Delaware|Delaware]] as a new member for the 2025–26 season.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Pete |last=Thamel
|title=Sources: Conference USA is expected to add Delaware as a new member for the 2025-26 season. The sides have been in talks and a decision is expected to be formalized in the upcoming days. |url=https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1729163578639622538 |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}</ref> On Tuesday, November 28, 2023, both CUSA and Delaware announced on their websites and social the official move to make Delaware the eleventh all-sports member of the conference.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-28 |title=CUSA Adds Delaware, Blue Hens to Join in 2025 |url=http://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/11/28/general-cusa-adds-delaware-blue-hens-to-join-in-2025.aspx |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=conferenceusa.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Delaware Accepts Invitation to Join Conference USA as Full Member |url=https://bluehens.com/news/2023/11/28/delaware-athletics-delaware-accepts-invitation-to-join-conference-usa-as-full-member |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=University of Delaware Athletics |language=en}}</ref> Six months later, on May 10, 2024, both CUSA and [[Missouri State University]] jointly announced on their respective websites that Missouri State would also join the league for the 2025–26 season, bringing league membership up to 12.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-10 |title=CUSA Adds Missouri State, Bears to Join in 2025 |url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2024/5/9/general-cusa-adds-missouri-state.aspx |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=conferenceusa.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-10 |title=Missouri State Accepts Invitation to Join Conference USA |url=https://missouristatebears.com/news/2024/5/10/general-missouri-state-accepts-invitation-to-join-conference-usa.aspx |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=Missouri State University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> The 12-member lineup will last only one year, as UTEP, the longest-tenured current member, will leave for the [[Mountain West Conference]] in 2026.<ref name=utepmw>{{cite press release |url=https://themw.com/news/2024/10/01/mountain-west-officially-welcomes-utep-into-the-conference/ |title=Mountain West Officially Welcomes UTEP Into The Conference |publisher=Mountain West Conference |date=October 1, 2024 |access-date=October 1, 2024 }}</ref>

On November 5, 2024, the conference announced that former full member [[South Florida Bulls|South Florida]] would join as an affiliate member in beach volleyball in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-11-05 |title=BVB: CUSA Adds South Florida as Affiliate Member for Beach Volleyball |url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2024/11/5/womens-beach-volleyball-bvb-cusa-adds-south-florida-as-affiliate-member-for-beach-volleyball.aspx |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=conferenceusa.com |language=en}}</ref>