Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference which stretches from Texas in the west to Florida in the east. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I, and in Division I-A for football.

C-USA was founded in 1995 by the merger of the Metro Conference and Great Midwest Conference , two Division I conferences that did not sponsor football. The conference immediately started competition in all sports, including football.

For 2004/2005, there will be 15 member schools:

• United States Military Academy football only (Army Black Knights)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte non-football member (Charlotte 49ers)
• University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati Bearcats)
• DePaul University non-football member (DePaul Blue Demons)
• East Carolina University (ECU Pirates)
• University of Houston (Houston Cougars)
• University of Louisville (Louisville Cardinals)
• Marquette University non-football member (Marquette Golden Eagles)
• University of Memphis (Memphis Tigers)
• Saint Louis University non-football member (Saint Louis Billikens)
• University of South Florida (USF Bulls)
• University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss Golden Eagles)
• Texas Christian University (TCU Horned Frogs)
• Tulane University (Tulane Green Wave)
• University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB Blazers)

After the 2004 football season, Army will give up its football-only membership in C-USA and revert to independent status in that sport.

In 2005, eight of the current members will leave for other conferences:

• Big East
  • Cincinnati
  • DePaul
  • Louisville
  • Marquette
  • USF
• Atlantic 10
  • Charlotte
  • Saint Louis
• Mountain West
  • TCU

In the same year, six schools will join:

• From Mid-American Conference
  • University of Central Florida - Football only (UCF Golden Knights)
  • Marshall University (Marshall Thundering Herd)
• From Western Athletic Conference
  • Rice University (Rice Owls)
  • Southern Methodist University (SMU Mustangs)
  • University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP Miners)
  • University of Tulsa (Tulsa Golden Hurricane)
• From Atlantic Sun Conference
  • University of Central Florida - All sports but football, (UCF Golden Knights)

Member schools participate in football, men's and women's basketball, volleyball, baseball, cross country, golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, women's swimming, tennis and track and field.

External link

• Conference USA Official Web Site