Change is on the horizon for the AAC and ECU

[Coach Andy Mac]

The addition of the six new schools creates a full 14 school league and gives ECU something that it has never had before, an in-state rival. UNC Charlotte will be the second school in North Carolina to join the American since its inception in 2013 with ECU being the first.

In the school’s history, UNCC has had documented rivalries with Davidson University, Appalachian State University and Cincinnati. Between 1995 to 2005, Charlotte upset Cincinnati’s men’s basketball teams ranked No. 3, No. 8, No. 18 and No. 20 in the country. In more recent years, the basketball rivalry carried into Davidson with the App State rivalry being created through football.

“I’m excited for them to come in so that we can create that rivalry even more,” McNeill said. “It also gives us an opportunity to have a bus trip in conference instead of flying all the time so I am excited for that rival.”

All schools joining the program except UTSA will be integrating into the American in 2022, joining one or two sport programs before every school becomes full members in 2023. The six former Conference USA schools will join the teams retained by the AAC.

The conference’s founding members in the University of Memphis, Southern Methodist University, University of South Florida and Temple University will remain with the program as well as the programs that joined later including ECU, Tulane and Tulsa.

Read more:  http://www.piratemedia1.com/theeastcarolinian/sports/article_4fe715fc-f1f4-11ec-97ff-1f35d853d63f.html

[keith]

33 minutes ago, Coach Andy Mac said:

All schools joining the program except UTSA will be integrating into the American in 2022, joining one or two sport programs before every school becomes full members in 2023.

I had not heard this before. 

[GrayEagle]

26 minutes ago, keith said:

I had not heard this before. 

I believe that this refers to minor sports.  For example, North Texas Swimming and Diving joins the AAC this year and will no longer compete in CUSA.  I believe that this is true for every sport other than football and basketball.  I don't know why UTSA is excluded.

[emmitt01]

2 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

I believe that this refers to minor sports.  For example, North Texas Swimming and Diving joins the AAC this year and will no longer compete in CUSA.  I believe that this is true for every sport other than football and basketball.  I don't know why UTSA is excluded.

This could make Coach Hedlund’s rejection of SMU’s overtures to remain at North Texas all the more interesting