ARKADELPHIA, Ark.—Ouachita Baptist University officials announced plans July 13 to join with eight other universities in Arkansas and Oklahoma to apply to the National Collegiate Athletic Association for permission to create a new NCAA Division II conference.
Joining Ouachita in the announcement were five other Arkansas schools – the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas Tech University, Harding University, Henderson State University and Southern Arkansas University – as well as three Oklahoma universities – East Central University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
“The intent of the conference is to group together similar institutions in terms of budgets and goals,” said the presidents, chancellors and directors of athletics from the nine institutions in a joint statement. “Furthermore, the conference is intended to be made up of universities that field an intercollegiate football program. Our most important goals in this new endeavor are to limit time away from class and limit our travel costs.”
The six Arkansas schools currently are members of the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference and the three Oklahoma schools currently compete in the Lone Star Conference. University officials noted that no decisions have been made yet regarding the name of the new conference or the location of the conference office.
“It is has been a pleasure to compete in the Gulf South Conference,” said Ouachita President Rex M. Horne, Jr. “The friendships formed and the competition engaged have been good for Ouachita. We wish the member schools only the best.
“Now we have the wonderful opportunity of joining with five other Arkansas schools and three from Oklahoma to form a new conference,” Dr. Horne added. “The schools are much closer geographically. The size and philosophy of the schools related to student athletes, budgets, travel and days away from class are highly consistent. I also believe the keen competition of our athletic teams will introduce greater excitement and participation from our constituents.”
Ouachita, which has been a member of the Gulf South Conference since 2000, previously competed for three years in the Lone Star Conference. Prior to that, the Tigers were longtime members of the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference.
According to Ouachita Athletic Director David Sharp, “One of the most significant benefits of making this move is partnering with schools that we have known and competed against for years before we went into the Gulf South Conference. We will be renewing relationships that we have had going back into the ’70s.
“These schools are very similar in size, budgets and staffs which will be a definite plus,” Sharp added. “We’re really looking forward to rekindling the competition with these schools and working together with them to build an outstanding conference.”
Ouachita currently competes on the intercollegiate level in men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, swimming & diving and tennis as well as men’s baseball, football and golf and women’s cross country, softball and volleyball. The university is adding men’s wrestling and women’s golf this fall for a total of 16 intercollegiate athletic teams.
The nine member institutions of the proposed conference plan to submit a conference strategic plan, constitution and bylaws to the NCAA by Dec. 1. The pursuit of creating the new conference will not affect athletic schedules for the 2010-11 academic year.
