Conference USA


Conference USA is a collegiate [List of National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA conferences|athletic conference] of member institutions in the Southern and Western United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports, with football competing in the top-level [NCAA NCAA Division I|Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|Football Bowl Subdivision]. CUSA's offices are located in Dallas, Texas.

Member schools

Current full members

Member departing for the Mountain West Conference in 2026.
Member departing for the Sun Belt Conference by 2027.
InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentEndowment
NicknameJoinedColors
University of DelawareNewark, Delaware1743Public24,564$1,770Blue Hens2025
Florida International University
Miami, Florida1965Public58,064$358Panthers2013
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville, Alabama1883Public9,955$57Gamecocks2023
Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, Georgia1963Public51,375$100Owls2024
Liberty UniversityLynchburg, Virginia1971Evangelical
Protestant
95,148$1,714Flames &
Lady Flames
2023
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana1894Public12,039$117.9Bulldogs &
Lady Techsters
2013
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee1911Public21,913$108.9Blue Raiders2013
Missouri State UniversitySpringfield, Missouri1905Public25,038$193Bears &
Lady Bears
2025
New Mexico State UniversityLas Cruces, New Mexico1888Public22,711$235.9Aggies2023
Houston State UniversityHuntsville, Texas1879Public21,039$152.3Bearkats2023

El Paso, Texas1914Public25,151$241.7Miners2005
Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky1906Public17,672$209.5Hilltoppers &
Lady Toppers
2014

;Notes:

Membership map


Affiliate members

In this table, all dates reflect the calendar year of entry into Conference USA, which for spring sports is the year before the start of competition.
Members departing for the Pac-12 Conference in 2026.
InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentNicknameJoinedColorsCUSA
sport
Primary
conference
Arkansas State UniversityJonesboro, Arkansas1909Public14,109Red Wolves2023BowlingSun Belt
Dallas Baptist UniversityDallas, Texas1898Baptist4,487Patriots2022BaseballLone Star
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida1961Public30,808Owls2023Beach volleyballAmerican

Lincoln, Nebraska1869Public23,986Cornhuskers2025BowlingBig Ten
Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, Connecticut1963Catholic
5,974Pioneers2025BowlingMAAC
Tampa, Florida1956Public50,830Bulls2025Beach volleyballAmerican
Tarleton State UniversityStephenville, Texas1899Public11,350Texans2023Beach volleyballWAC
Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, Louisiana1834Nonsectarian11,722Green Wave2022Beach volleyballAmerican
Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, Louisiana1834Nonsectarian11,722Green Wave2023BowlingAmerican
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama1969Public22,563Blazers2023Beach volleyballAmerican
Valparaiso UniversityValparaiso, Indiana1859Lutheran2,900Beacons2023BowlingMVC
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee1873Nonsectarian13,798Commodores2023BowlingSEC
Wichita State UniversityWichita, Kansas1895Public17,548Shockers2024BowlingAmerican
Wright State UniversityFairborn, Ohio1964Public17,074Raiders2025BowlingHorizon
Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown, Ohio1908Public15,058Penguins2023BowlingHorizon

;Notes:

Former full members

;Notes:

Former affiliate members

In this table, all dates reflect each school's actual entry into and departure from Conference USA. In the case of the two former affiliates that became full CUSA members, the "left" date reflects their elevation to full membership.
For spring sports, the joining date is the calendar year before the start of competition. For fall sports, the departure date is the calendar year after the last season of competition.
InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameJoinedLeftColorsCUSA
sport
Primary
conference
Tuscaloosa, Alabama1831PublicCrimson Tide20092014Women's rowingSEC

West Point, New York1802FederalBlack Knights19982005FootballPatriot
California State University, BakersfieldBakersfield, California1965PublicRoadrunners20072010Women's swimming & divingBig West

Sacramento, California1947PublicHornets20132014Women's rowingBig Sky
Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, South Carolina1954PublicChanticleers20212022Beach volleyballSun Belt
Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, South Carolina1954PublicChanticleers20212022Men's soccerSun Belt
Colorado CollegeColorado Springs, Colorado1874NonsectarianTigers20062014Women's soccerSCAC
Evansville, Indiana1854United
Methodist
Purple Aces19951996Women's soccerMissouri Valley
Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, Georgia1913PublicPanthers20212022Beach volleyballSun Belt
Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville, Alabama1883PublicGamecocks20222023Beach volleyballCUSA
Lawrence, Kansas1865PublicJayhawks20092014Women's rowingBig 12
Kansas State UniversityManhattan, Kansas1863PublicWildcats20092014Women's rowingBig 12
Lexington, Kentucky1865PublicWildcats20052022Men's soccerSEC
Missouri State UniversitySpringfield, Missouri1905PublicBeach Bears20232025Beach volleyballCUSA
Albuquerque, New Mexico1889PublicLobos20132019Men's soccerMountain West
Grand Forks, North Dakota1883PublicFighting Hawks20082011Women's swimming & divingSummit
Greeley, Colorado1889PublicBears20072010Women's swimming & divingBig Sky
Norman, Oklahoma1890PublicSooners20092014Women's rowingSEC
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, California1947PublicAztecs20132014Women's rowingMountain West
Columbia, South Carolina1801PublicGamecocks20052022Men's soccerSEC
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, Texas1923PublicLadyjacks20232025BowlingSouthland
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas1873Disciples
of Christ
Horned Frogs20232024Beach volleyballBig 12
Knoxville, Tennessee1794PublicLady Volunteers20092014Women's rowingSEC
Austin, Texas1883PublicLonghorns20092014Women's rowingSEC

Monroe, Louisiana1865PublicWarhawks20212022Beach volleyballSun Belt
West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, West Virginia1867PublicMountaineers20122014Women's rowingBig 12

;Notes:

Membership timeline


DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1995 till:2032
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5
Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
id:FullxF value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
id:AssocF value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
id:AssocOS value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all
id:OtherC1 value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference
id:OtherC2 value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two
id:OtherC3 value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that has move to another conference, when OtherC1 and OtherC2 have already been used
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift: anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:FullxF from:1995 till:1996 text:Cincinnati
bar:1 color:Full from:1996 till:2005
bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:Big East
bar:1 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2023 text:American
bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:Big 12
bar:2 color:FullxF from:1995 till:2005 text:DePaul
bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:Big East
bar:2 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:Big East
bar:3 color:FullxF from:1995 till:1996 text:Louisville
bar:3 color:Full from:1996 till:2005
bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:Big East
bar:3 shift: color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2014 text:American
bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:ACC
bar:4 color:FullxF from:1995 till:2005 text:Marquette
bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:Big East
bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:Big East
bar:5 color:FullxF from:1995 till:2005 text:Saint Louis
bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:end text:Atlantic 10
bar:6 color:FullxF from:1995 till:2003 text:South Florida
bar:6 color:Full from:2003 till:2005 text:
bar:6 shift: color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:Big East
bar:6 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:American
bar:6 color:AssocOS from:2025 till:end text:
bar:7 color:FullxF from:1995 till:2005 text:Charlotte
bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:end text:Atlantic 10
bar:7 color:FullxF from:2013 till:2015 text:
bar:7 shift: color:Full from:2015 till:2023 text:
bar:7 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:8 color:FullxF from:1995 till:1996 text:[University of Southern United States|Southern Mississippi|Southern Miss]
bar:8 color:Full from:1996 till:2022
bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:Sun Belt
bar:9 color:FullxF from:1995 till:1999 text:UAB
bar:9 color:Full from:1999 till:2015 text:
bar:9 color:FullxF from:2015 till:2017 text:
bar:9 shift: color:Full from:2017 till:2023 text:
bar:9 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:
bar:10 color:FullxF from:1995 till:1996 text:Memphis
bar:10 color:Full from:1996 till:2013
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:American
bar:11 color:FullxF from:1995 till:1996 text:Tulane
bar:11 color:Full from:1996 till:2014
bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:2022 text:American
bar:11 color:AssocOS from:2022 till:end text:
bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1996 text:SWC
bar:12 color:Full from:1996 till:2013 text:Houston
bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:American
bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:Big 12
bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1997 text:CAA
bar:13 color:AssocF from:1997 till:2001 text:East Carolina
bar:13 shift: color:Full from:2001 till:2014 text:
bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text: American
bar:14 color:AssocF from:1998 till:2005 text:Army
bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2024 till:end text: American
bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1996 text:SWC
bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2001 text:WAC
bar:15 color:Full from:2001 till:2005 text:TCU
bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2012 text:Mountain West
bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2023 text:Big 12
bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2024 text:
bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:2024 till:end text:
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2001 text:TAAC
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:2005 text:ASUN
bar:16 color:Full from:2005 till:2013 text:Central Florida
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:American
bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:Big 12
bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1996 text:SWC
bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2005 text:WAC
bar:17 color:Full from:2005 till:2013 text:SMU
bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2024 text:American
bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:2024 till:end text: ACC
bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1996 text:MVC
bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2005 text:WAC
bar:18 color:Full from:2005 till:2014 text:Tulsa
bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text: American
bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1997 text:SoCon
bar:19 color:OtherC2 from:1997 till:2005 text:MAC
bar:19 color:Full from:2005 till:2022 text:Marshall
bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:Sun Belt
bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1996 text:SWC
bar:20 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2005 text:WAC
bar:20 color:Full from:2005 till:2023 text:Rice
bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2005 text:WAC
bar:21 color:Full from:2005 till:2026 text:UTEP
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:Mountain West
bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1998 text:TAAC
bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:1998 till:2005 text:Sun Belt
bar:22 color:AssocOS from:2005 till:end text:FIU
bar:22 color:Full from:2013 till:end text:
bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2001 text:TAAC
bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:2006 text:ASUN
bar:25 color:OtherC2 from:2006 till:2013 text:Sun Belt
bar:25 color:Full from:2013 till:2023 text:Florida Atlantic
bar:25 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:
bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2001 text:Sun Belt
bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:2001 till:2013 text:WAC
bar:26 color:Full from:2013 till:2027 text:Louisiana Tech
bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:2027 till:end text:Sun Belt
bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2000 text:OVC
bar:27 color:OtherC2 from:2000 till:2013 text:Sun Belt
bar:27 color:Full from:2013 till:end text:Middle Tennessee
bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1996 text:Southland
bar:28 shift: color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2000 text:Big West
bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:2000 till:2013 text:Sun Belt
bar:28 color:Full from:2013 till:2023 text:North Texas
bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2013 text:CAA
bar:29 color:FullxF from:2013 till:2014 text:Old Dominion
bar:29 color:Full from:2014 till:2022
bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:Sun Belt
bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2012 text:Southland
bar:30 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC
bar:30 color:Full from:2013 till:2023 text:UTSA
bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2014 text:Sun Belt
bar:31 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Western Kentucky
bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2001 text:TAAC
bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:2003 text:ASUN
bar:32 color:OtherC2 from:2003 till:2022 text:OVC
bar:32 color:AssocOS from:2022 till:2023 text:Jacksonville State
bar:32 color:Full from:2023 till:end
bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2018 text:Big South
bar:33 color:OtherC2 from:2018 till:2023 text:ASUN
bar:33 color:Full from:2023 till:end text:Liberty
bar:34 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2000 text:Big West
bar:34 color:OtherC2 from:2000 till:2005 text:Sun Belt
bar:34 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2023 text:WAC
bar:34 color:Full from:2023 till:end text:New Mexico State
bar:35 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2021 text:Southland
bar:35 color:OtherC2 from:2021 till:2023 text:WAC
bar:35 color:Full from:2023 till:end text:Sam Houston
bar:43 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2005 text:Peach Belt
bar:43 color:OtherC2 from:2005 till:2024 text:ASUN
bar:43 color:Full from:2024 till:end text:Kennesaw State
bar:44 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2001 text:America East
bar:44 color:OtherC2 from:2001 till:2025 text:CAA
bar:44 color:Full from:2025 till:end text:Delaware
bar:45 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2023 text:Missouri Valley
bar:45 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2025 text:Missouri State
bar:45 color:Full from:2025 till:end
bar:N color:red from:1995 till:2005 text:CUSA 1st phase
bar:N color:blue from:2005 till:2013 text:CUSA 2nd phase
bar:N color:red from:2013 till:2023 text:CUSA 3rd phase
bar:N color:blue from:2023 till:end text:CUSA 4th phase
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TextData =
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pos: tabs:
text:^"Conference USA membership history"
  1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following six options Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. <#

History

CUSA was founded in 1995 by the merger of the Metro Conference and Great Midwest Conference, two Division I conferences that did not sponsor football. However, the merger did not include either Great Midwest member Dayton or Metro members VCU and Virginia Tech. Since this left an uneven number of schools in the conference, Houston of the dissolving Southwest Conference was extended an invitation and agreed to join following the SWC's disbanding at the end of the 1995–96 academic year. The conference immediately started competition in all sports, except football which started in 1996.
Being the result of a merger, CUSA was originally a sprawling, large league that stretched from Florida to Missouri, Wisconsin to Texas. Many of its original schools were located in major urban centers and had strong basketball traditions, which helped establish the league on a national basis.

2005–06 realignment

The conference saw radical changes for the 2005–06 academic year. The Big East Conference had lost several members, and looked to Conference USA to attract replacements. Five CUSA members departed for the Big East, including three football-playing schools and two non-football schools. Another two schools left for the Atlantic 10; TCU joined the Mountain West ; and a ninth member, Army, which was C-USA football-only, opted to become an independent in that sport again.
With the loss of these members, CUSA lured six schools from other conferences: UCF and Marshall from the MAC, as well as Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and later UTEP from the WAC. UCF played in the MAC for football only; for all other sports, it was a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
With CUSA's membership now consisting of 12 schools, all of which sponsor football, the conference adopted a two-division alignment.

2013–14 realignment

In 2013, CUSA entered its next phase with the departure of four schools for the American Athletic Conference, the football-sponsoring portion of the former Big East Conference. This was again the result of Big East schools leaving for the ACC, this time being Syracuse and Pittsburgh, as well as Notre Dame for non-football sports.
However, when the conferences discussed their plans with the NCAA, they were told that if they merged, the new league would receive only one automatic bid to NCAA championships; at least one of the former conferences would lose expected future revenues from the NCAA men's basketball tournament; and at least one former conference would lose exit fees from any schools that departed for the new league. As a result, both CUSA and the MW backed away from a full merger., the likeliest scenario was an all-sports alliance in which both conferences retained separate identities. However, after the MW added more members, the alliance was apparently abandoned.
For men's soccer, there was a chance that the MW, SEC, and CUSA along with the one Sun Belt member, that sponsor the sport, would play under the CUSA's men's soccer program. The MW, which does not sponsor men's soccer, would take three of the four members that offer the sport, join CUSA's three full members that offer the sport, the two SEC members already in CUSA for the sport, and the Sun Belt's FIU. However, the only MW member school that ultimately moved to CUSA men's soccer was New Mexico.
For the 2013–14 season CUSA invited five new members to join their conference, with all accepting. UTSA and Louisiana Tech joined from the WAC and North Texas and FIU,, from the Sun Belt Conference. Old Dominion, which already housed five of its sports in CUSA, moved the rest of its athletic program from the CAA and upgraded its football program from the Football Championship Subdivision. Charter member Charlotte returned from the A-10 and accelerated its recently established football program, which was set to begin play in 2013 as an FCS school, to FBS in 2015 with full conference rights in 2016.

2014–15 realignment

On November 27, 2012, it was announced that Tulane would leave the conference, effective in the 2014 season, to join the Big East in all sports, and East Carolina would join the Big East for football only. Conference USA responded by adding Middle Tennessee and Florida Atlantic, both from the Sun Belt.
On April 1, 2013, Conference USA announced it was adding Western Kentucky, also from the Sun Belt, to offset Tulsa's departure to The American in all sports which was confirmed the next day.

2014–2021

The board of trustees in the University of Alabama system voted to shut down that football program on December 2, 2014, in a highly controversial move that many have attributed to a pro-Tuscaloosa bias. According to Conference USA bylaws, member schools must sponsor football. In January 2015, UAB announced an independent re-evaluation of the program and the finances involved, leaving open a possible resumption of the program as early as the 2016 season. On January 29, 2015, the conference announced that there was no time pressure in making a decision regarding UAB's future membership. The conference also stated that it would wait for the new study results before any further discussions on the subject. On June 1, UAB announced that it would reinstate football effective with the 2016 season, presumably keeping the school in CUSA for the immediate future. The return of football was later pushed back to 2017 with their first game in September. The Blazers won the 2018 conference championship their second year back and won the CUSA title again in 2020.
Commissioner Britton Banowsky stepped down on September 15, 2015, to become the head of the College Football Playoff Foundation. Executive associate commissioner and chief operating officer Judy MacLeod was subsequently named interim commissioner. On October 26 MacLeod was named the conference's third official commissioner, also becoming the first woman to head an FBS conference.
Marshall University's men's soccer program captured the league's first team national championship with its 1–0 overtime win over Indiana in the [2020 NCAA Division I Men's College soccer in the United States|Soccer Championship Game|2020 College Cup], held in May 2021 due to COVID-19 issues, in Cary, North Carolina.

2020s realignment

On October 18, 2021, Yahoo Sports reported that the American Athletic Conference, which had been rocked by the impending departure of three of its most prominent schools for the Big 12 Conference, was preparing to receive applications from six CUSA members: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB, and UTSA. ESPN reported the next day that The American had received all six schools' applications, and The American announced all six as future members on October 21, though it did not announce the effective date. The entry date would eventually be confirmed as July 1, 2023.
The day after The American announced its expansion, The Action Network reported that Southern Miss had accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference in 2023, a move which was formally announced by the university on October 26. The report added that the Sun Belt was preparing to add two other CUSA members in Marshall and Old Dominion, as well as FCS program James Madison. Old Dominion officially announced its move to the Sun Belt Conference on October 27, followed later in the week by Marshall. On March 29, 2022, CUSA agreed to allow Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss to move to the Sun Belt beginning July 1, 2022, a year earlier than initially announced.
In response to these losses, on November 5, Conference USA announced the addition of four new members to start the 2023 athletic season. These included two ASUN schools, Liberty and Jacksonville State, along with two from the WAC, New Mexico State and Sam Houston. Liberty and New Mexico State previously played football as FBS independents, while Jacksonville State and Sam Houston played at the FCS level in their respective conferences.
On October 7, 2022, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that current football-sponsoring ASUN member Kennesaw State was in talks to become the tenth member of Conference USA for the 2024 season. One week later, CUSA officially announced Kennesaw State's 2024 entry.
This was followed by the Sun Belt Conference adding beach volleyball for the 2023 season, taking with it the three full SBC members that had previously housed that sport in CUSA: Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, and Louisiana–Monroe. Southern Miss also left CUSA beach volleyball as part of its full-time move to the SBC. CUSA would add three new beach volleyball members for that season; Jacksonville State joined CUSA for beach volleyball in advance of full membership that July, Tulane became an associate member, and full member UTEP added a new beach volleyball program. Tarleton announced on April 24, 2023, that it would join CUSA as an associate member for the school's first season of varsity beach volleyball in 2024; CUSA confirmed this on May 11, adding that Missouri State and TCU would also join in beach volleyball for the 2024 season, and that Florida Atlantic and UAB would remain in CUSA beach volleyball after otherwise departing for The American.
On May 10, 2023, CUSA announced that it would add bowling, a women-only sport in the NCAA, effective in 2023–24. The Southland Bowling League, a single-sport conference established by the Southland Conference, was merged into CUSA. The bowling league added Wichita State when it elevated its club team to varsity status in 2024–25.
The conference unveiled a "brand refresh" on July 1, 2023, the same day that Jacksonville State, Liberty, New Mexico State, and Sam Houston joined. The former abbreviation of "C-USA" was retired in favor of "CUSA", and the logo was slightly updated.
On November 27, 2023, Pete Thamel reported on X that Conference USA was expected to add Delaware as a new member for the 2025–26 season. On Tuesday, November 28, 2023, both CUSA and Delaware announced on their websites and social the official move to make Delaware the eleventh all-sports member of the conference. Six months later, on May 10, 2024, both CUSA and Missouri State University jointly announced on their respective websites that Missouri State would also join the league for the 2025–26 season, bringing league membership up to 12. The 12-member lineup will last only one year, as UTEP, the longest-tenured current member, will leave for the Mountain West Conference in 2026.
On November 5, 2024, the conference announced that former full member South Florida would join as an affiliate member in beach volleyball in 2025. Bowling affiliate Stephen F. Austin announced on May 22, 2025 that it had dropped the sport effective immediately.

Hall of Fame

In 2019, Conference USA inducted its first Hall of Fame class, comprising 20 student-athletes, three coaches, and two administrators. The inductees included former University of Cincinnati basketball player Kenyon Martin, baseball player Kevin Youkilis, and men's basketball head coach Bob Huggins.

Commissioners

Sports

Sports sponsored

Conference USA sponsors championship competition in eight men's and 11 women's NCAA sanctioned sports. Eleven schools are affiliate members—one in baseball, four in beach volleyball, five in bowling, and one in both beach volleyball and bowling. The most recent changes in sports sponsorship were the dropping of men's soccer and women's swimming and diving after the 2021–22 season, plus the addition of bowling in 2023–24.
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball12
Basketball1212
Beach volleyball9
Bowling12
Cross Country1012
Football12
Golf1110
Soccer12
Softball12
Tennis612
Track and Field (Indoor)812
Track and Field (Outdoor)912
Volleyball12

Women's sponsored sports by school

Departing members in pink.

Football

Conference USA used a divisional format for football from 2005 to 2021.
TeamFirst
season
All-time
record
All-time
win %
Bowl
appearances
Bowl
record
Conference
titles
Head coach
FIU200292–17852–31
Jacksonville State1904621–423–4021–125
Liberty1973307–258–463–38
Louisiana Tech1901645–504–38148–5–125
Middle Tennessee1911608–472–28146–813
New Mexico State1893459–679–3064–1–14
Sam Houston1912573–489–3653–1–115
UTEP1914415–626–28155–102
Western Kentucky1908615–426–31117–413

CUSA champions
Bowl games
Through the 2023 season, the highest-ranked champion from the so-called "Group of Five" conferences was guaranteed a berth in one of the non-semifinal bowls of the College Football Playoff if the group's top team was not in the playoff. Starting in 2024, at least one Group of Five conference champion will receive a berth in the expanded 12-team CFP.
NameLocationStadiumOpposing Conference
Cotton Bowl ClassicArlington, TexasAT&T Stadiumat-large
Fiesta BowlGlendale, ArizonaState Farm Stadiumat-large
Peach BowlAtlanta, GeorgiaMercedes-Benz Stadiumat-large

For the 2014–19 seasons, Conference USA was guaranteed at least five of the following bowl games. Stadiums and names reflect those in use during that period.
NameLocationStadiumOpposing Conference
Arizona BowlTucson, ArizonaArizona StadiumMountain West
Armed Forces BowlFort Worth, TexasAmon G. Carter StadiumThe American
Army
Big 12
Big Ten
Mountain West
Bahamas BowlNassau, BahamasThomas Robinson StadiumThe American
MAC
Sun Belt
Boca Raton BowlBoca Raton, FloridaFAU StadiumThe American
MAC
First Responder BowlDallas, TexasCotton BowlBig 12
Big Ten
Frisco BowlFrisco, TexasToyota StadiumThe American
Hawaii BowlHonolulu, HawaiiAloha StadiumMountain West
Independence BowlShreveport, LouisianaIndependence StadiumACC
SEC
Miami Beach BowlMiami, FloridaMarlins ParkThe American
New Mexico BowlAlbuquerque, New MexicoDreamstyle StadiumMountain West
New Orleans BowlNew Orleans, LouisianaMercedes-Benz SuperdomeSun Belt
Gasparilla BowlTampa, FloridaRaymond James StadiumThe American

Rivalries
Current or former CUSA in-conference rivalries:

Men's basketball

For the most recent season, see 2024–25 Conference USA men's basketball season.
This list goes through the 2022–23 season.
TeamFirst
season
All-time
record
All-time
win %
NCAA Tournament
appearances
NCAA Tournament
record
ArenaHead coach
FIU1982486–71410–1Ocean Bank Convocation CenterJeremy Ballard
Jacksonville State19261238–88420–2Pete Mathews ColiseumRay Harper
Liberty1973793–75351–5Liberty ArenaRitchie McKay
Louisiana Tech19101452–107454–5Thomas Assembly CenterTalvin Hester
Middle Tennessee19141302–113394–9Murphy CenterNick McDevitt
New Mexico State19051302–11332611–27Pan American CenterJason Hooten
Sam Houston19181401–117420–2Bernard Johnson ColiseumChris Mudge
UTEP19151448–11261714–16Don Haskins CenterJoe Golding
Western Kentucky19151872–9732319–24E. A. Diddle ArenaRick Stansbury

Women's basketball

This list goes through the 2022–23 season.
TeamFirst
season
All-time
record
All-time
win %
NCAA Tournament
appearances
NCAA Tournament
record
ArenaHead coach
FIU1976758–60600–0Ocean Bank Convocation CenterJesyka Burks-Wiley
Jacksonville State1984519–60000–0Pete Mathews ColiseumRick Pietri
Liberty1976824–547162–16Liberty ArenaCarey Green
Louisiana Tech19751193–3873065–28Thomas Assembly CenterBrooke Stoehr
Middle Tennessee1976998–450205–20Murphy CenterRick Insell
New Mexico State1983634–57260–6Pan American CenterJody Adams-Birch
Sam Houston1970659–83400–0Bernard Johnson ColiseumRavon Justice
UTEP1975632–71621–2Don Haskins CenterKeitha Adams
Western Kentucky19151070–5412017–20E. A. Diddle ArenaGreg Collins

Championships

Current CUSA champions

"RS" is regular season, "T" is tournament.
Fall 2025
SportSchool
FootballJacksonville State
[2025 Kennesaw State Owls|Kennesaw State Owls football team|Kennesaw State]
Soccer Liberty
Western Kentucky
Volleyball UTEP
Western Kentucky
Cross Country Middle Tennessee
Cross Country Liberty

Winter 2024–25
SportSchool
Basketball Liberty
Basketball Liberty
Middle Tennessee
Bowling Wichita State
Indoor Track & Field Kennesaw State
Indoor Track & Field Liberty

Spring 2025
SportSchool
BaseballDallas Baptist
Western Kentucky
SoftballLiberty
Beach Volleyball Florida Atlantic
Outdoor Track & Field Kennesaw State
Outdoor Track & Field Liberty
Golf Sam Houston
Golf Western Kentucky
Tennis Middle Tennessee
Tennis FIU

National champions

Only two current CUSA members, one full member and one associate, have won national team championships while representing the conference, both in bowling. Full member Jacksonville State won the 2024 NCAA championship in its first season of both varsity bowling and CUSA membership, and associate member Youngstown State won the 2025 NCAA title. The only other school to have won such a championship while a CUSA member at any level is Marshall, which moved to the Sun Belt Conference in 2022. Marshall won the 2020–21 men's soccer championship in May 2021.
The following current and future CUSA teams have won national championships when they were not affiliated with CUSA. Current associate members, indicated in italics, are listed with championships they won in their CUSA sports.
SchoolNational titlesSportYears
Delaware17Equestrian1997
Delaware17Figure Skating2002, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Delaware17Field Hockey2016
Delaware17Football 2003
Delaware17Football 1979
Delaware17Football 1946, 1963, 1971, 1972
Delaware17Women's Lacrosse1983
Delaware17Women's Lacrosse 1981, 1982
FIU2Men's Soccer 1982, 1984
Jacksonville State6Baseball 1990, 1991
Jacksonville State6Men's basketball 1985
Jacksonville State6Football 1992
Jacksonville State6Women's gymnastics 1984, 1985
Kennesaw State5Baseball 1996
Kennesaw State5Men's basketball 2004
Kennesaw State5Women's soccer 2003
Kennesaw State5Softball 1995, 1996
Louisiana Tech5Football 1972, 1973
Louisiana Tech5Women's basketball1981, 1982, 1988
Missouri State3Field hockey 1979
Missouri State3Men's golf 1983
Missouri State3Softball 1974
Sam Houston2Bowling2014
Sam Houston2Football 2020
UTEP21Men's basketball1966
UTEP21Men's outdoor track and field1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982
UTEP21Men's indoor track and field1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982
UTEP21Men's cross country1969, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
Vanderbilt3Bowling2007, 2018, 2023
Western Kentucky1Football 2002
Total84

Facilities

Departing members are denoted in red.
;Notes

Athletic department revenue by school

Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights and licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, concessions, and novelties.
Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.
The following table shows institutional reporting to the United States Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2023–24 academic year.
Incoming school in light gray.
Institution2023–24 Total Revenue from Athletics2023–24 Total Expenses on Athletics
Liberty University$69,076,595$69,076,595
University of Delaware$48,411,479$48,411,479
Middle Tennessee State University$43,275,343$43,275,343
Florida International University$41,981,914$41,981,914
New Mexico State University$38,923,972$38,923,972
University of Texas at El Paso$37,006,248$36,602,226
Western Kentucky University$36,875,120$36,875,120
Kennesaw State University$32,926,067$32,926,067
Louisiana Tech University$30,305,928$30,305,928
Jacksonville State University$29,060,404$29,060,404
Sam Houston State University$26,631,390$26,567,953

Media

In 2016, CUSA began a long-term television contract with lead partners ESPN and CBS Sports Network, with ESPN carrying 5 football games and the football championship game; and CBSSN carrying 6 football games, 5 basketball games, and both the men's and women's basketball championship games. CUSA also renewed and expanded its partnership with American Sports Network; owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group, ASN will carry between 15 and 30 football games; between 13 and 55 men's basketball games; and between 2 and 5 women's basketball games. ASN will also carry 10 events in other C-USA sports.
The conference also entered into a contract with beIN Sports for 10 football games, 10 men's and 10 women's basketball games, 12 baseball and 12 softball games, 10 men's and 10 women's soccer games, and 10 women's volleyball games.
The total values of the 2016 contracts are notably lower than those of the previous contracts.
Former men's soccer associate members Kentucky and South Carolina have an agreement with their primary conference for other sports to carry all home matches online through the SEC Network service. This included all of those teams' matches against CUSA opponents before the two schools moved men's soccer to the Sun Belt Conference in 2022. ESPN and the SEC Network had first rights to all CUSA home men's soccer matches featuring both schools.
In 2017 American Sports Network and Campus Insiders merged creating Stadium. Stadium's C-USA content will be available to stream on Twitter and Pluto TV. In 2017 Stadium completed a deal with Facebook to exclusively stream some C-USA football games. In 2017 CUSA entered an agreement with the streaming subscription service FloSports to stream three football games.

CUSA.tv

In 2016 CUSA partnered with SIDEARM Sports to create a subscription based streaming service named CUSA.tv. In a statement CUSA Commissioner Judy MacLeod said, "Thanks to our partnership with SIDEARM Sports, this new site showcases a clean modern look with easy access to information and we are proud to offer live content and original feature stories through our CUSA.tv." Various sports including football, basketball, and baseball will exclusively air on CUSA.tv when they are not picked up by other networks.

Return to ESPN and CBS Sports Network

In 2022, CUSA signed a new media rights agreement establishing CBS Sports Network and ESPN as primary rights holders beginning in 2023. As part of this agreement, CUSA agrees to schedule eight midweek football games per season during the month of October, to be aired on ESPN platforms including both linear ESPN channels and the ESPN+ streaming outlet. CBS Sports Network continues with tier 1 selection status for CUSA football and men's basketball.

Academics

A majority of the Conference's members are ranked as Tier One National Universities in U.S. News & World Reports 2025 Best Colleges rankings.
Of the incoming members:
  • Delaware is in the Carnegie Foundation's "very high research activity" classification, and tied for #76 in US News' "National Universities" classification.
  • Jacksonville State is in the Carnegie Foundation's "Master's Colleges and Universities " classification, and is not ranked by US News as a national university, instead being classified as a Southern "Regional University".
  • Kennesaw State is in the Carnegie Foundation's "high research activity" classification, and ranked between 331 and 440 in US News' "National Universities" classification.
  • Liberty is in the Carnegie Foundation's "Doctoral/Professional" classification, and also ranked between 331 and 440 in US News' "National Universities" classification.
  • New Mexico State is in the Carnegie Foundation's "high research activity" classification, and tied for #263 in US News' "National Universities" classification.
  • Sam Houston is in the Carnegie Foundation's "high research activity" classification, and also in a tie for #263 in US News' "National Universities" classification.
UniversityAffiliationCarnegieEndowmentUS NewsForbes
Public Research $230,954,000162145
Public Research N/A277494
Public Doctoral/Professional$75,710,000288362
Public Research N/ARNP547
PublicDoctoral/Professional$118,396,000RNP521

;Notes