In the latest conference realignment shake-up throughout college athletics, Marshall has accepted membership into the Sun Belt Conference.
The Thundering Herd will leave behind Conference USA, which is losing six schools to the American Athletic Conference and soon after discovered three others are moving on to the Sun Belt.
Southern Mississippi and Old Dominion recently announced they would become Sun Belt members no later than July 1, 2023, and it is expected Marshall will follow that time frame.
Let’s have some fun! ☀️#RiseAsOne | @SunBelt
— Marshall Athletics (@HerdZone) October 29, 2021
Marshall had been in Conference USA since 2005, but the ever-changing climate of college athletics ultimately forced MU officials into a belief that joining what is expected to be a 14-member Sun Belt was best.
Earlier Friday, Marshall president-elect Brad Smith confirmed on MetroNews “Talkline” he would be involved Friday in meetings with university officials on conference realignment, though Smith declined to confirm Marshall was joining the Sun Belt.
?????? ? ?????????.@HerdZone brings the state of West Virginia into the Sun Belt Conference footprint. ☀️ pic.twitter.com/i4rzZf543y
— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) October 29, 2021
After Texas and Oklahoma announced their intentions to bolt the Big 12 for the SEC, the Big 12 added four new members: BYU and a trio of AAC schools — Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston. In turn, C-USA lost six members to the AAC: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA.
The Sun Belt is currently a 12-team league comprised of Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, South Alabama, Troy, Arkansas State, Little Rock, Louisiana, UL Monroe, UT Arlington and Texas State.
Little Rock and UT Arlington are non-football playing members and expected to be out of the league before the new additions from C-USA.
In addition to Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss, the Sun Belt is expected to add a 14th member in James Madison, which would be moving up from the FCS to FBS level in football.
JMU took a big step toward moving up Friday when the school’s board of visitors executive committee passed a motion that allows the Dukes to pursue joining the FBS as they look for an invitation from the Sun Belt.
Brett McMurphy of The Action Network previously reported a 14-team Sun Belt would be split into an East division and West division. The East will be made up of: Marshall, ODU, James Madison, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State and Georgia Southern.
The loss of Marshall, ODU and Southern Miss leaves C-USA with five members: Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP and Western Kentucky.
In 2013, FIU, Middle Tennessee and WKU left the Sun Belt to join C-USA.
Joining the Sun Belt means Marshall will be a member of three conferences in less than 20 years. The Thundering Herd were previously in the Mid-American Conference from 1997-2005.