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Conference USA chiefs wrap up eventful pow-wow
From staff and C-USA reports
(Posted 06.10.03)
The presidents of the schools of Conference USA, meeting in their role as
the league's board of directors, concluded their year-end summit on Monday
in Chicago and, according to the conference office, some weighty matters
were addressed.
In addition to praising the league's accomplishment's during the 2002-03
academic year, a news release noted that the board made decisions on some
matters of particular concern to the conference and took a stance on a few
issues of more national stature.
Among the agenda items acted upon by the board were the following:
- An organizational analysis and the agreement to conduct a study of a
future site for the Conference USA office.
- An agreement to conduct negotiations with cities interested in bidding
for future Conference USA men’s basketball tournaments, beginning with the
2005 tournament.
- The development of a three-year plan to ensure conference
participation with its five current bowl partners (AXA Liberty, GMAC,
ConAgra Foods Hawai’i, Fort Worth and New Orleans).
- The endorsement of a strengthened policy relating to sportsmanship.
- Following a meeting with NCAA President Myles Brand, the Board
expressed its support for ongoing NCAA reform initiatives.
- A policy on the Board's approach to potential changes in conference
alignments.
Britton Banowsky, C-USA's commissioner, issued a statement about the
league's posture on the Atlantic Coast Conference's move to seek expansion
by luring Miami, Boston College and Syracuse away from the Big East:
“For many weeks, Conference USA has been actively monitoring the
circumstances involving the ACC and Big East and has been in open
communication with both conferences regarding the potential for change and
implications of that on others,” said Banowsky.
“As we concluded our meetings, we emerged with a commitment to address these
issues in an orderly and thoughtful manner and in cooperation with the Big
East and other affected conferences," he said. "It is important to remember
that we are institutions of higher learning, not professional sports
franchises, and we are rightfully held to a higher standard in our dealings
with others.”
At the conclusion of the meetings, the board described in glowing terms
Conference USA's accomplishments on the field and in the classroom in the
last year.
"The 2002-03 campaign was the most successful in the league’s eight-year
history," according to the C-USA release.
"Off the field, the league received more television exposure than ever
before and the conference’s revenue distribution was the largest in its
history," the release noted. "On the field, C-USA produced more than 40 bowl
and NCAA postseason teams, sending a record five football teams to bowl
games, tying a league-high with five NCAA women’s basketball teams and
producing four NCAA men’s basketball bids, including Marquette’s run to the
Final Four."
In the classroom, according to the league, nearly 1,700 student-athletes
were named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll and more than 40 of those earned
academic regional All-District or national All-American recognition.
Visit C-USASports.com...
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