AAC adding 6 teams

[Dan]

It will be interesting to see what teams Conf USA goes after

[shockerfan]

Well, I guess we just have to hope Memphis can be our Creighton and SMU can be UNI. Tulsa can be our Bradley. (Speaking only of those teams before Creighton left the Valley, not current teams). Cause the rest of the conference may not do much for a bit.

Time will tell, who knows. Short term....WSU will be ok.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

I don’t mind rubbing shoulders with Rice…except in an athletic competition. Let’s hope a commitment to improve athletics was part of this deal.

[AndShock]

I was fine with Pow6r before the Big XII departures but now it’s kind of embarrassing…

[JayPak]

In my opinion, it wouldn't be wise for WSU to play in a conference where they'd be the only member that occupies the Central Time Zone. Why?

?? Creighton, Marquette, DePaul

Yes, having a top soccer conference is extremely valuable.... It's like being the king of the one-and-dones.

I didn't say that having a top soccer conference is valuable. I did say that if WSU wants into the BE, adding futbol would be helpful to the cause.

The Big 12 is only clinging together with the existence of Oklahoma State and KU basketball. As soon as one of these leave it’s toast. I could see OSU bolting at first offer.

You may be right, but they're not leaving till the Texas/OK exit fees are collected in full.

Looks like the "new" AAC is still going to be a salty conference for baseball.
- Charlotte won 40 last year and made a regional, and has a lovely campus stadium, though it can't hold regionals.
- Florida Atlantic won 32, 42, and 43 the last 3 full seasons, and made 5 regionals in the last 10 years.
- Rice has been to 7 CWS and won the 2003 title, but needs to restore its former glory.
- UAB has been down, but won 30+ in 2012, '13, '15 and went to a regional in 2012.
- UTSA won 30+ in 2013, '14, 15, '18 and won the WAC (over Dallas Baptist) in 2013 and went to a regional.
- North Texas needs to add baseball. They could be good.

Fast fact: There is a cemetery on either side of the main entrance to Charlotte's baseball stadium. The plots belonged to the former Mecklenburg County Indigents' Home, a hospital that cared for the poor, which was located near the current location of Carolinas Medical Center-University. The burials occurred in the 1930s and 1940s, before the University moved to the location in 1961.

As for volleyball, losing UCF and Cincinnati isn't helpful, but Rice has an excellent program.

[Dan]

Rice planning on expanding their campus and increasing enrollment up to 9,000. Also recently received $100 Mill for some other upgrades. No mention of anything going towards athletics....

https://communityimpact.com/houston/bellaire-meyerland-west-university/education/2021/09/27/rice-university-to-build-new-student-center-with-historic-100-million-grant/

https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/education/2021/04/02/394947/rice-university-reveals-expansion-plan-to-increase-student-body-campus-size-by-2025/

[RoyalShock]

Here's an interesting and data-heavy video examining the AAC and Big12 after the latest round of re-alignment. The takeaway from the video creator: On-field and on-court performance had little bearing on the selections.

[RoyalShock]

[Shock Top]

It was a fun ride while it lasted.

[WuDrWu]

At :17 winning. Just sayin'.

[WstateU]

At :17 winning. Just sayin'.

Caught my eye also…

[pogo]

I like the 6 ads for the conference. I had personally wanted 16 teams so 14 works well.

I predicted when we were looking at 12 teams adding UAB, UTSA, Coastal Carolina, and either a mid-Atlantic school or a Florida school.

I got 3 out of 4 right. I was close with my 16 team prediction and the 14 invites.

Some on here didn't like any of my predictions, but I was very close.

Closer than some of you that didn't want to add any more than UAB.

My list of possible additions were VCU, UAB, UNC-C, UTSA, NTSA, CSU, and Air Force. CSU and AF didn't make the switch and VCU was not offered? Never even saw Rice or FIU coming. I am in the same thinking of several on here that Memphis is waiting for an invite from the little 12 but that's not coming anytime soon in my opinion. Their invite will be predicated on OSU and or ku leaving the little 12. Besides how can a conference have two of its members on ncaa probation for basketball violations at the same time? Would have rather seen VCU vs FIU for basketball but overall I think this is a good group with several with pretty good upward ability. Go Shocks.

[1972Shocker]

One minor correction pogo it is Florida Atlantic University (FAU) that is joining.

As others have noted we now have 3 team calle the Owls. Let's home we don't end up with too many Ows.

[pinstripers]

One minor correction pogo it is Florida Atlantic University (FAU) that is joining.

As others have noted we now have 3 team calle the Owls. Let's home we don't end up with too many Ows.

Note to self: Do NOT allow Garden Plain to join the AAC

[shock]

At :17 winning. Just sayin'.

That’s a bait and switch. I bet the rest are dudes.