Conference realignment headlines for 2023

As July 1 is upon us, changes to conference affiliation around the country take effect. There are 10 mid-major conferences that will see shifts in membership. Below are the changes.

American Athletic Conference

Departing: UCF, Cincinnati, Houston

Joining: Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB, UTSA

The American is seeing a ton of changes this offseason. Three teams are leaving, and six teams are coming into the league.

Houston, Cincinnati and UCF are going to the Big 12. The Cougars have been the class of the conference. They reached the Final Four in 2021 and claimed a No. 1 seed this past season.

Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA are all coming to the AAC from Conference USA. Florida Atlantic made the Final Four this year. North Texas and UAB squared off in the NIT title game with the Mean Green taking the title.

ASUN

Departing: Jacksonville State, Liberty

Joining: none

Jacksonville State and Liberty are off to Conference USA.

The Flames finished tied for first this past season and advanced to the second round of the NIT after falling to Kennesaw State by one in the title game. Liberty was in the conference for just five years and won three conference titles.

The Gamecocks spent the last two seasons in the Atlantic Sun and won the title in 2022. They were in the league from 2001-03.

Austin Peay and Queens joined the ASUN prior to last season.

Big South

Departing: Campbell

Joining: none

Campbell is leaving the Big South for the Colonial Athletic Association. The Fighting Camels spent the last 12 seasons in the Big South with their best season coming in 2019 as they posted a 20-13 record.

CAA

Departing: none

Joining: Campbell

With the addition of Campbell, the Colonial returns to 14 members. James Madison left the league last year for the Sun Belt. The Fighting Camels finished just below .500 last season at 16-18.

Conference USA

Departing: Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB

Joining: Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State, Sam Houston

C-USA is seeing a ton of changes this offseason with five teams leaving and four entering.

Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice and UAB are on their way to the American. They claimed five of the top six spots in the standings last season and performed exceptionally well in the postseason. FAU participated in the Final Four. North Texas topped UAB in the NIT title game, and Charlotte won the CBI championship. They went 17-2 in the postseason last season.

Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State are Sam Houston coming to Conference USA. The Flames and the Gamecocks are coming from the ASUN. The Aggies and the Bearkats are on their way from the WAC.

Liberty finished tied atop the ASUN standings last season and won the postseason title in three of the last five years.

Sam Houston finished second in the league last year and made the second round of the NIT. New Mexico State shut down the final three weeks of the season amid internal scandals. The Aggies lost 10 of the last 12 games they played.

NEC

Departing: St. Francis (Brooklyn)

Joining: Le Moyne

St. Francis (Brooklyn) announced it will be dropping its entire athletics department back in March. The Terriers have been members of the NEC since the 1988-89 school year. They never made the NCAA Tournament. They finished over .500 just four times in the last 20 years.

Le Moyne is making the jump to Division I. The Dolphins competed in the Division II Northeast 10 Conference. They finished 15-15 this past year.

Ohio Valley

Departing: none

Joining: Western Illinois

Western Illinois is making its way to the OVC after a decade and a half in the Summit League. The conference dropped from 12 to 10 members in 2021. It saw a trio of teams join and three leave last year.

Summit

Departing: Western Illinois

Joining: none

Western Illinois is leaving to join the OVC. The Leathernecks have been in the Summit League since the 2007-08 season. Their best season in that stretch came in 2013 when they went 22-9 with a 13-3 conference mark.

WAC

Departing: New Mexico State, Sam Houston

Joining: none

The WAC is saying goodbye to New Mexico State and Sam Houston, which will drop its membership from 13 to 11. The two teams are heading to Conference USA.

The Bearkats spent just two seasons in the league and went 27-9 in conference play over the two years. They advanced to the second round of the NIT this season.

The Aggies have a long stories history in the WAC. In their 18 years in the conference, they went to the NCAA Tournament 10 times. Last season came to an end when the school canceled the final few weeks of the season amid scandals.

WCC

Departing: BYU

Joining: none

BYU is heading to the Big 12. The Cougars spent a dozen years in the WCC. They went to the NCAA Tournament four times during that stretch. This past season, they went 19-15 and finished 7-9 in the conference.