Posted on: Sunday, April 11, 2004

WAC braces for next round of realignment

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

Just because the University of Hawai'i knows what conference it will be playing in a year from this summer doesn't mean UH knows who it will be playing when the 2005-06 school year arrives.

One way or another, indications are that the membership of the Western Athletic Conference, UH's home for the last quarter century, could be headed for additional reshuffling in the next three months.

The result could be as drastic as shrinking the width of the nation's most geographically dispersed Division I-A conference by more than 800 miles, slicing off the entire central time zone for the 2005-06 academic year, or as minor as adding one more school along its existing 4,035-mile, five time-zone span.

Everything between eight and 10-team models has been discussed at recent meetings, participants said. For example, if Louisiana Tech departs, options include adding North Texas or Idaho. Should Louisiana Tech remain, the conference will consider inviting North Texas or Louisiana-Lafayette.

Ten schools — Boise State, Fresno State, Hawai'i, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, Rice, San Jose State, Southern Methodist, Texas-El Paso and Tulsa — currently make up the WAC. Membership is scheduled to dip to nine in 2005-06 when New Mexico State of the Sun Belt and Utah State of the Big West, an independent in football, join the WAC to replace Rice, SMU and Tulsa, which are going to Conference USA.

But while the WAC was untouched by potentially more devastating Mountain West Conference expansion three months ago, it might not dodge this last falling domino of realignment.

For when the MWC plucked Texas Christian from Conference USA, it left C-USA with 11 members and a giant puka in its master plan. C-USA members said their ideal model is a 12-school, two-division format that would make scheduling easier and set up a conference championship football game that NCAA permits with membership of a dozen or more.

After studying their options, C-USA athletic directors are scheduled to meet in Dallas this week and may make a recommendation.

Spokesman Russ Anderson said C-USA has been "looking at five or six schools" — widely presumed to be Louisiana Tech and UTEP of the WAC; North Texas of the Sun Belt, Temple of the Big East/Atlantic 10 and Miami (Ohio) and Toledo of the Mid-American Conference — but could also choose to stay at 11.

Louisiana Tech athletic director Jim Oakes said, "We expect to hear from C-USA within the next week or two" and WAC commissioner Karl Benson said he expects C-USA to make a decision "before the end of the month."

When Rice, SMU and Tulsa announced last fall they would leave the WAC July 1, 2005, that left Louisiana Tech hanging on the eastern wing of the conference, 803 miles from the nearest WAC opponent, as the conference's only school in the central time zone.

As such, Oakes said the school would accept a C-USA invitation, if offered. "Regional rivalries and travel savings are the sole reason for our interest in C-USA," Oakes said. "We have certainly enjoyed our affiliation in the WAC and will continue membership if the (school) is not invited to join C-USA."

Not that other ADs say they blame Oakes. "If I was Tech and C-USA invited me, I would go because it makes sense for them," said Herman Frazier, UH athletic director. "If C-USA doesn't invite them, I think those of us in the WAC will still embrace them and go forward."

Tech won the WAC football title in 2001, it first year of membership, and all the women's basketball championships during its stay.

Neither Frazier nor many others in the conference expect UTEP, the WAC's senior member, to bolt if invited by C-USA. "I don't think UTEP is going anywhere," Frazier said. "I think UTEP recognizes the benefits of its WAC membership," Benson said.

Based upon conversations with officials, Frazier said be believes C-USA may stay at 11.

If C-USA looks beyond the WAC for a new member, or stays at 11, the WAC has discussed going to 10 schools as a way of giving some balance to its central time zone wing, providing for better geographic travel partners and easing basketball scheduling.

Several possible candidates, North Texas or Louisiana Lafayette from the Sun Belt most prominent among them, have been discussed.

Benson said his conference could make a recommendation on its own plans when its athletic directors meet in May. Expansion would have to be approved by the conference presidents in June.

While there has been no official promise to add another member in the central time zone if Louisiana Tech stays, there is apparently an understanding to at least give it strong consideration. "I would expect that is something we'd look at," Benson said.

Staying at eight would mean some schools would play four home conference football games and some three. Fresno State is one of the few schools on record as preferring to remain at eight if a member leaves.

Frazier said, "If somebody leaves, I'd rather be at nine (members), but it has to be the right school." He said he believes there are schools that could bring value to the WAC. "I think there are, but they might be in other conferences. Maybe they're in another conference and not happy."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.