04-30-2004, 08:32 AM
Sports Friday, April 30, 2004
UTEP to get league news today
Darren Hunt
El Paso Times
UTEP officials are prepared to give Conference USA an immediate answer today if the league extends an invitation to the school, meaning the Miners' 37-year membership in the Western Athletic Conference could be history as soon as this afternoon.
"We are prepared to do that," UTEP Athletics Director Bob Stull said Thursday when asked if the school was ready to give Conference USA a response. "We've already done a complete analysis on what would be right for us as a university in the future."
Conference USA's board of directors, made up of presidents from the 11-member schools, are scheduled to meet via conference call this afternoon to discuss and possibly vote on expansion. Among the three items expected to be addressed are whether to add UTEP or Louisiana Tech, or stay at 11 schools.
Conference USA Media Relations Director Russ Anderson said a "three-quarters" vote is needed to add a school, requiring the approval of eight of the 11 presidents.
Stull would not indicate what UTEP's decision would be, but agreed that if an invitation to UTEP is made public today, it would be safe to speculate that the school was accepting it.
"All of it will be concluded (today), for the benefit of everyone," Stull said. "It makes no sense for the WAC or Conference USA to wait any longer. Whatever we've decided to do, though, we've thoroughly investigated it on both sides. We've tried to analyze both situations very carefully."
Stull, who has expressed concerns about the volatility of the WAC (12 schools have defected over the past five years), confirmed that Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky visited UTEP last week.
"I spent the day with him and he met with (UTEP President) Dr. (Diana) Natalicio," Stull said. "We talked about the possibility of membership in his conference."
The Orlando Sentinel has reported that Conference USA athletic directors have already recommended UTEP for membership over Louisiana Tech. With 12 schools, Conference USA could form two divisions and stage a conference championship game in football. Several league ADs did not return calls from the El Paso Times this week.
Stull called today's decision for UTEP "a very complex one for a lot of reasons."
"Obviously, we've been in the WAC a long period of time and we're a staple of the conference," Stull said. "So any decision to leave the conference would be based on the fact that we felt there was a huge advantage to do so."
Natalicio did not return calls Thursday but it is believed she favors a move to Conference USA, because it allows the school to keep ties with other Texas schools.
"One of the issues that's been discussed is that we are part of the University of Texas system," Stull said. "We have a huge alumni fan base in San Antonio, Houston, Austin and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. But that was not necessarily the determining factor."
WAC Commissioner Karl Benson spent time with Stull at the Bowl Championship Series meetings in Phoenix this week making his last-minute pitch.
"We've had discussions about UTEP's future and the WAC's future," Benson said. "I think UTEP understands what the benefits of the WAC are and that they are important to the future of the league. The WAC values UTEP as a member and we are certainly hoping that they will continue their membership."
Darren Hunt may be reached at dhunt@elpasotimes.com; 546-6168.
<a href='http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/sports/todaysstories/20040430-112093.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/spor...30-112093.shtml</a>
UTEP to get league news today
Darren Hunt
El Paso Times
UTEP officials are prepared to give Conference USA an immediate answer today if the league extends an invitation to the school, meaning the Miners' 37-year membership in the Western Athletic Conference could be history as soon as this afternoon.
"We are prepared to do that," UTEP Athletics Director Bob Stull said Thursday when asked if the school was ready to give Conference USA a response. "We've already done a complete analysis on what would be right for us as a university in the future."
Conference USA's board of directors, made up of presidents from the 11-member schools, are scheduled to meet via conference call this afternoon to discuss and possibly vote on expansion. Among the three items expected to be addressed are whether to add UTEP or Louisiana Tech, or stay at 11 schools.
Conference USA Media Relations Director Russ Anderson said a "three-quarters" vote is needed to add a school, requiring the approval of eight of the 11 presidents.
Stull would not indicate what UTEP's decision would be, but agreed that if an invitation to UTEP is made public today, it would be safe to speculate that the school was accepting it.
"All of it will be concluded (today), for the benefit of everyone," Stull said. "It makes no sense for the WAC or Conference USA to wait any longer. Whatever we've decided to do, though, we've thoroughly investigated it on both sides. We've tried to analyze both situations very carefully."
Stull, who has expressed concerns about the volatility of the WAC (12 schools have defected over the past five years), confirmed that Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky visited UTEP last week.
"I spent the day with him and he met with (UTEP President) Dr. (Diana) Natalicio," Stull said. "We talked about the possibility of membership in his conference."
The Orlando Sentinel has reported that Conference USA athletic directors have already recommended UTEP for membership over Louisiana Tech. With 12 schools, Conference USA could form two divisions and stage a conference championship game in football. Several league ADs did not return calls from the El Paso Times this week.
Stull called today's decision for UTEP "a very complex one for a lot of reasons."
"Obviously, we've been in the WAC a long period of time and we're a staple of the conference," Stull said. "So any decision to leave the conference would be based on the fact that we felt there was a huge advantage to do so."
Natalicio did not return calls Thursday but it is believed she favors a move to Conference USA, because it allows the school to keep ties with other Texas schools.
"One of the issues that's been discussed is that we are part of the University of Texas system," Stull said. "We have a huge alumni fan base in San Antonio, Houston, Austin and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. But that was not necessarily the determining factor."
WAC Commissioner Karl Benson spent time with Stull at the Bowl Championship Series meetings in Phoenix this week making his last-minute pitch.
"We've had discussions about UTEP's future and the WAC's future," Benson said. "I think UTEP understands what the benefits of the WAC are and that they are important to the future of the league. The WAC values UTEP as a member and we are certainly hoping that they will continue their membership."
Darren Hunt may be reached at dhunt@elpasotimes.com; 546-6168.
<a href='http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/sports/todaysstories/20040430-112093.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/spor...30-112093.shtml</a>
