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Conference Realignment Board

VTHokie2000

Joined: 01/01/2005 Posts: 33818
Likes: 12458


FWIW UConn started playing football in 1896.


Conference Membership History
Athletic League of New England State Colleges (1897–1922)
New England Conference (1923–46)
Yankee Conference (1947–96) *charter member which and FWIW the Yankee was essentially the NEC minus private schools

Yankee Conference (charter members)
University of Connecticut
University of Maine
University of Massachusetts Amherst (then Massachusetts State College)
University of New Hampshire
University of Rhode Island (then Rhode Island State College)
University of Vermont

I think in the early 1970s ('71 or '74 sticks out in my mind for some reason) the NCAA created the current 3 division levels. Then in 1978 the NCAA created DI-A and DI-AA for football. The Yankee Conference was one of the charter DI-AA conference (UMass lost to FAMU in the first DI-AA Championship Game). So to answer your question, you may have to go back to who was AD at UConn in 1979 when UConn became a charter member of the Big East and ask "Why in 1979 did UConn decide to remain the Yankee Conference instead of becoming a DI-A Independent?"

FWIW I kinda did research on UConn football based on my conversations with HOO and UCHusky these past couple years. From what I can tell UConn's attitude towards football may not have changed until it hired Lew Perkins (former UMD AD) as AD in 1990. Also, I found it interesting that Bill Belichick interviewed for the HC job in 1983, but UConn decided to promote Tom Jackson instead.

Even though the hyperlink is wikipedia, it does talk about the Big East deadline, CT state legislation getting involved, and the Pats possible move to CT as having an impact on UConn's plans. I do remember when all that went down, so the information appears to be accurate.

[Post edited by VTHokie2000 at 09/21/2017 11:18AM]

(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)

Link: Scroll Down to Transition to Division I-A


Posted: 09/21/2017 at 11:18AM



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Current Thread:
 
  
Swofford interview at BC-ND game. -- HOO86 09/18/2017 5:24PM
  I would not recommend that the ACC wait on ND ** -- TerryD 09/19/2017 11:45AM
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  Concur, we probably have too many now. -- EDGEMAN 09/18/2017 9:50PM

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