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UTEP denies Conference USA asked school to join

Darren Hunt
El Paso Times
UTEP and Conference USA officials said Friday that an Orlando Sentinel report stating the school will be invited to join the league was premature.

"This is the first time we've had any indication of that," UTEP Associate Athletics Director Mack Rhoades said. "We knew that Conference USA was certainly interested in us and a number of other schools. But at this point in time, we have not received any official invite and don't know that we will."

UTEP President Diana Natalicio could not be reached for comment. Athletics Director Bob Stull, in New York City on Friday with Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson negotiating the league's new television contract with ESPN, could not be reached for comment.

"It doesn't surprise me that UTEP may be the preferred choice" of Conference USA, Benson said. "But I think the WAC has much more to offer UTEP than Conference USA."

In 2005-06, Conference USA, seeking a 12th member after surviving several defections, will include East Carolina, Marshall, Central Florida, Alabama-Birmingham, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulane, Houston and former WAC members Tulsa, SMU and Rice.

After next year's football and basketball seasons, the WAC would become a nine-team league with UTEP and new additions New Mexico State and Utah State. Other members are Fresno State, San Jose State, Nevada, Boise State, Hawaii and Louisiana Tech. Possible WAC additions include North Texas and Idaho.

"I don't know that (UTEP) is our selection," Southern Miss Athletics Director Richard Giannini said Friday. "I think that's a little premature. But they were one of several schools we discussed when we met in Dallas earlier this week."

Giannini added, "There were a lot of positive things discussed when it came to (UTEP). One of them is that it's a big area with more than 800,000-plus homes."

The UTEP men's basketball tradition and solid football attendance -- more than 29,000 a game the past four seasons -- also impressed Conference USA athletic directors, Giannini said.

"The biggest 'con' is the geographic location," said Giannini, who reiterated that no decision has been made. "We're getting to that point, but we haven't got there 100 percent."

Giannini added that there is "no question" UTEP is in the mix, "because they do bring some solid credentials. And I want to make sure if we add another member, it's one that brings value to the league."

University of Houston Athletics Director Dave Maggard said UTEP, Louisiana Tech and North Texas were given the most consideration.

"Everybody's still looking at the possible options in all this," Maggard said.

Maggard said he expects the expansion discussion between Conference USA athletics directors to continue through conference calls in the coming weeks and days.

Miner fans had differing opinions Friday on a possible move to Conference USA. An informal poll on KROD-AM's "SportsTalk" yielded 18 callers who favored leaving the WAC, while 12 said the school should stay put.

"I'd go with Conference USA," West El Pasoan Orly Mena said. "They might not ask us again, and the Mountain West may never ask. Hey, it's nice to be wanted. And I'd rather go to Orlando, Florida (Central Florida), than Logan, Utah (Utah State). I also like the fact that we stay with the Texas schools."

UTEP Alumni Association Dallas Chapter President Servando Enriquez pointed out Friday afternoon that the coming departures of SMU, Rice and Tulsa from the WAC will leave thousands of Miner fans in East Texas without the opportunity to see their team.

Unless, of course, UTEP is invited and accepts an invitation to join Conference USA.

"That would be absolutely fantastic," Enriquez said. "We have an opportunity here to promote UTEP as a product to a very large portion of the country that traditionally we have not addressed. There's a very popular alumni base out here. The support is incredible, and UTEP is starving for that kind of thing."

I wouldn't want UTEP unless they signed a 5year agreement with heavy consequences...they may be MWC bound at some point, that is their favorite.

surely you jest. If UTEP bolts to the MWC, there are plenty of schools in the CUSA "footprint" who would love to join. UNT, La Tech, Troy St, La-Laffy, the Fla schools (FIU, FAU,FA&M). I think CUSA now has long term viability, although it could become the new WAC (with constantly changing membership). If the new Big East experiment fails and the football group eventually parts and then expands to 12 (stealing UCF, ECU & Marshall), CUSA could simply hold at 9 members or expand back to 12 pretty easily by raiding the SBC.

This remains a very positive move for SMU.

Article from Southern Miss paper that offer has not been extended to UTEP, but . . .
Posted on Sun, Apr. 18, 2004 HATTIESBURG

Conference USA counts to 12 this spring

Southern Miss athletics director Richard Giannini denied Saturday reports that Conference USA was about to extend an expansion invitation to Texas El Paso.

During the annual Black and Gold spring football game, Giannini did say the conference was closing in on a 12th member, but no decision has been made.

If you read between the lines, Louisiana Tech and North Texas do not figure into the expansion plans - at least at this point.

"We reviewed all the teams and we've discussed the positives and negatives of each school," Giannini said. "To say UTEP has been invited would be premature.

"Our decision will come before the 15th of May."

From all indications, the actual decision is only a matter of formality.

After 2004-05, schools like Tulsa, Marshall, SMU, Rice and Central Florida will join Southern Miss, Memphis, Alabama-Birmingham, Tulane, East Carolina and Houston while schools like Cincinnati and Louisville will join the Big East.

Last week, Giannini told me that schools from the Mid American Conference - excluding Marshall - were interested in joining the league. But that changed at the end of the week when the schools decided to stay together. Instead of a possible shift for Miami of Ohio or even Northern Illinois, the 12th member of C-USA was down to UTEP, North Texas and Louisiana Tech.

At this point, you can drop North Texas and Louisiana Tech.

"After the Mid American Conference decided to remain intact, it was down to those three," Giannini said. "If you look at the media markets, we have SMU in Dallas and the El Paso market is untapped.

"They have 800,000 to 1 million people living there. That's a big market."

If UTEP is the answer, C-USA would have four of its 12 members from the state of Texas. The conference would have the Houston market covered with the Cougars and the Rice Owls in the neighborhood.

The biggest thing will deal directly with travel, which is a high criteria for athletics directors all across the nation. Basically, the longest trips will be at East Carolina or Marshall. For Southern Miss and Tulane, however, a trip to El Paso isn't a cake walk.

But what about Louisiana Tech? Granted, what Giannini said about the untapped market is the clear reason the Bulldogs will lose out. But when you factor in its men's and women's athletic programs, Louisiana Tech might be stronger from top to bottom.

Another point Giannini made dealt directly with the possibility of a championship game. If a 12th team is added, a championship game isn't guaranteed.

Since the BCS is toying with the idea of adding a fifth game to its lineup, a conference like C-USA would have increased odds of landing one of the bigger bowl games than it does under the current situation.

Giannini used this as a scenario based on a Top 12 team being in line for a BCS game.

Let's say Southern Miss is 11-0 and ranked No. 8 in the nation. The Golden Eagles were scheduled to play Memphis, an 8-3 team ranked No. 23, in the C-USA championship game. Should the Tigers beat the Golden Eagles, Memphis would not jump into the Top 12 while Southern Miss would likely drop out.

"We have to decide the value of a championship game," Giannini said. "We don't want to beat each other up and mess up our chances. I don't want a championship game if there is no value for us."

Giannini said C-USA's spring meetings next month will be for the new schools in the league while the departing schools will address issues by conference calls. Stay tuned.