NM State Athletics News
After nearly 20 years of membership in the Western Athletic Conference, NM State will carry a new conference flag from Saturday, July 1, 2023.
In an announcement by NM State and Conference USA on Friday afternoon, NM State accepted an invitation to join the league in the summer of 2023.
NM State is one of four institutions to join the ranks of Conference USA from 2023-24. Together with NM State, Jacksonville State, Liberty University and Sam Houston State University, their current league affiliations will be exchanged for the C-USA flag.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome these four new members and believe that these steps will have tremendous benefits for our conference,” said Judy MacLeod, Commissioner for the United States Conference. “This is a high quality mix of established and emerging universities that gives us a compelling group to build with and focus on competing for championships well into the future and winning them to this point and us will continue to evaluate and consider our additional membership options. “
The Friday afternoon announcement means that NM State’s football program, which is currently one of seven independent FBS teams, will be linked to a conference for the first time since participating in the Sun Belt from 2014-2017. In addition to the Aggies soccer team, all 15 other NM State NCAA Division I sports programs for men and women become full members of C-USA.
“We are delighted to be one of Conference USA’s outstanding universities,” said NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu. “Finding a home for all of our sports teams in a league that sponsors FBS football has been a priority for us for many years. Today’s agreement puts our university in the best position for success, and we look forward to the ones ahead of us.” lying brilliant future. ” from us. “
NM State has been part of the Western Athletic Conference since 2005. With membership in C-USA from the 2023-24 academic year, NM State will participate in a total of five conferences in the history of its university, including the Border Conference (1931-62), the Missouri Valley Conference (1971-83), and the Pacific Coast Athletic Association / Big West Conference (1983-2001), the Sun Belt Conference (2001-05), the Western Athletic Conference (2005.). -23) and Conference USA (2023-today).
“Since our last soccer game we played as a conference member, winning the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl in front of 25,000 members from Aggie Nation, my main goal for this program has been to get back to a conference,” commented NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia . “Today that goal has become a reality. Playing as FBS Independent football in 2018, 2019 and this season was a challenging experience. Becoming a member of Conference USA is an important day in the history of our sports department.”
The admission of NM State, as well as the admission of the three other universities from around the country, was unanimously approved by the board of C-USA.
“Conference USA is a founding member of the College Football Playoffs and will provide access to funding that will benefit all of our sports teams and 400 Aggie student athletes,” continued Moccia. “We look forward to seeing all of our teams competing for the Conference USA Championships in the not too distant future and our fans meeting new Conference opponents. I know Aggie Nation seeks to create new rivalries with programs from across the nation, especially when it comes to our men’s basketball program that has long been one of the country’s premier mid-majors. “
Conference USA is an NCAA Division I sports conference based in Dallas, Texas. Conference USA, now in its third decade, has adapted to the ever-changing landscape of college sports with an unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and leadership in competition, academia, and the community.
For full coverage of NM State’s athletics for the 2021-22 academic year and beyond, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of Aggie Athletics – and follow NM State on Facebook (NM State Aggies), Twitter (@NMStateAggies ) and Instagram (@ NMStateAggies).
Comments are closed.