Membership will be effective July 1, 2021, meaning, we will be in the Southland Conference for the next 6 months.
Our intention was to remain in the Southland Conference until June 30, 2022, but recent decisions by the remaining Southland Board of Directors have caused us to move that timeline up.
We are disappointed in these actions, but also understand and respect the nature of the situation.
The WAC will feature 13 institutions in two divisions: Southwest and West.
- Southwest Division will include all the Texas institutions: SFA, Sam Houston, Lamar, ACU, Tarleton and UTRGV
- West Division will include all the other institutions: Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, Cal Baptist, Seattle, Utah Valley, Southern Utah and Dixie State (located in St. George, UT)
- Note: At this time, Southern Utah is still planning to join on July 1, 2022, and Chicago State will be exiting on June 30, 2022.
- The two-division structure would maximize geographic proximity in the Southwest, while minimizing travel in non-football/basketball sports.
A significant part of that strategy is the formation of an FCS football conference
within the WAC that would include 6-9 schools.
- Current football playing members will be Lamar University, Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Abilene Christian, Southern Utah, Tarleton State, Dixie State
- New Mexico State will continue to play at the FBS level as an independent.
- UTRGV has provided a letter of intent to begin an FCS program effective preferably with the 2023 season and no later than the 2024 season.
- During the initial year of membership football-playing institutions will commit to an analysis of all implications of a move to FBS.
- The Conference will seek a 14th member which will sponsor football and will align geographically with the Texas Division.
- All members will be committed to consistent web streaming with applicable broadcast standards to maximize ESPN distribution (or other potential providers) of Conference content.
- There will be a combined total of 20 Conference sports 10 men's and 10 women's.
- The Conference basketball tournaments will be played in Las Vegas.
- The basketball tournament field size will be determined based upon the available arena dates and other factors.
- All other championship sites and field sizes will be determined by the new membership structure with the expectation for equal divisional geographic distribution and/or rotation.