Editing Conference USA (section)

=== 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>