UNT eyeing new challenges in Conference USA

[Harry]

North Texas will make a jump when it comes to the level of competition it faces in several sports when it joins Conference USA in 2013.

The challenge is one the school’s coaches and players said they are prepared for — not to mention looking forward to — following the school’s official announcement Friday that it is leaving the Sun Belt Conference.

C-USA added four other teams in addition to UNT in its latest round of realignment — Texas-San Antonio, Charlotte, Louisiana Tech and Florida International.

“We are definitely excited,” said Kelsey Hodges, a member of UNT’s soccer team. “This will give us more rivalries with more teams that are closer to us. The higher level that Conference USA is at is exciting. We will have the chance at higher rankings and will have better competition. The expectations will go up.”

UNT has faced members of C-USA on a regular basis over the last several years due to the proximity of some of those schools.

The UNT football team fell last season at Tulsa and lost to Rice two years ago. Both teams will be among UNT’s new rivals in C-USA.

UNT knocked off Rice in men’s basketball two years ago.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/sports/colleges/north-texas-headlines/20120505-unt-eyeing-new-challenges-in-conference-usa.ece

[LakeTravis]

I wouldn't take too much from the Rice and Tulsa losses.

Rice-Dodge Ball. Enough said

Tulsa-D. Thompson out and 3rd string QB starting. We never had a 2nd string QB last season. Secondary....yikes

[Harry]

I wouldn't take too much from the Rice and Tulsa losses.

Rice-Dodge Ball. Enough said

Tulsa-D. Thompson out and 3rd string QB starting. We never had a 2nd string QB last season. Secondary....yikes

I thought McNulty had a better second half but the game was over by then. Beating Tulsa in football would be a major accomplishment for this program and we will have plenty of chances to do it with them in our division in C-USA.

[Mark Gommesen]

The C-USA is one the college conferences that dominates baseball. If UNT is to gain inevitability in this conference it must develop a baseball program.