Conference USA Commissioner Judy McLeod spoke to the media during halftime of WKU football’s game against Kennesaw State about the current state of C-USA.
McLeod has served as the league’s commissioner since 2015 and also served as commissioner during the league’s realignment. In 2022, six teams left the league for the American Athletic Conference, and five teams have since joined.
He said the league is happy with 11 teams, including the future loss of UTEP in 2026 followed by the addition of Missouri State and Delaware in 2025, but the conference It said it would “constantly consider” where it stands in terms of membership numbers.
“I don’t think anyone has a crystal ball as to what’s going to happen,” MacLeod said. “We try to be as active as possible, working with our members, but we also want to leave open the possibility that our programs will be nationally relevant.”
For Hilltopper Athletics, WKU Athletic Director Todd Stewart, who served as chair of the C-USA Board of Directors, and University President Timothy Cavoni “play a very important role in Conference USA,” McLeod said. spoke.
“The leadership in the room with the AD, the president, the coaches, Western Kentucky has given us a lot,” McLeod said.
She also said The Hill’s facilities and initiatives are what make it stand out among conferences.
National relevance is something the conference has strived for in recent years with its October weekday football games. McLeod said games like last Wednesday night’s Kennesaw State-Liberty game wouldn’t have gotten as much attention on Saturday.
“I think our fan base is getting used to it,” she said. “The exposure we’re getting with our program, especially when we’re a relatively new group, and to build it up and show the country what we’re all about, the exposure is really great. .”
He said weekday games will continue for at least three more years, and the conference has the option to continue for four years. The meeting then said it would reevaluate the continuation of weekday games.
Since 2023, the conference has included three teams from the Football Championship subdivision ranks, with two more expected to join next year. MacLeod said the conference has a “rich tradition of bringing people in” and said the conference board has “30 data points” to look at when finding new members from junior ranks.
“They’re looking at everything from universities to the current state of athletics to the type of support and commitment to athletics,” she says. “There are some great schools out there and we will continue to keep an eye on them and see if they make any sense as they continue to develop.”
Regarding the conference championship game, McLeod said the conference is happy to host the C-USA Football Championship Game on the top team’s campus. She said playing games at neutral sites is “something the league would never consider” but said it would ultimately come down to geography.
“It’s hard to choose a place to take our fans on a trip,” she says.
As for basketball, Huntsville, Alabama was the host city last year and will be the host city for at least the next two years.
Sports Editor Jake McMahon can be reached at: [email protected]
