UTSA is expected to join The American Athletic Conference effective next summer. “Our intent is to join The American on July 1, 2023,” UTSA athletic director Lisa Campos said in a statement on Friday.
UTSA released the statement in the wake of news that the AAC would terminate its agreements with Cincinnati, Houston and UCF, which means that those schools could move into the Big 12 for the 2023-24 season.
Since the first season of UTSA football in 2011, the school’s athletics program as a whole has been in transition. As UTSA football operated as an independent in 2011, the other sports finished their affiliation with the Southland Conference in 2011-12.
After departing the Southland and starting play in the Western Athletic Conference in 2012-13, UTSA promptly moved out of the WAC and into Conference USA in 2013-14.
Now, after a 10th season in the C-USA in 2022-23, the Roadrunners’ 17 Division I teams are headed to the AAC. It’s a move that has been imminent for almost a year. The only detail in question since last October has been the timing, and now it’s official.
Six Conference USA schools are expected to split from the C-USA for the AAC — UTSA, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice and UAB. The other conference members are expected to include East Carolina, Tulsa, SMU, Memphis, Navy, Temple, South Florida and Tulane.
UTSA, Charlotte and FAU all announced Friday that they would make the move for the 2023-24 season.