LH Panther Mom
01-18-2009, 10:58 AM
Web Posted 01/17/2009 12:00 CST
Incarnate Word switching to Lone Star Conference
By John Whisler - Express-News
Incarnate Word has accepted an invitation to join the Lone Star Conference.
The university was extended the offer after a unanimous vote of conference presidents during a meeting Friday in Washington, D.C., site of the NCAA Convention.
“We're very excited,” said David Jurenovich, UIW's vice president for administration. “This is the culmination of a process that has unfolded over a number of years. It's one more step in the progress and growth of this university.”
The school will begin playing football in August as a Division II independent. Three of the LSC schools — Eastern New Mexico, Midwestern State and East Central, Okla. — are on the Cardinals' schedule this fall.
UIW will become a full member of the Division II LSC on July 1, 2010. All sports, including football and basketball, will be eligible for conference and NCAA championships beginning that fall.
The invitation to join the LSC came after four years of lobbying by UIW president Louis Agnese.
Agnese was in Taiwan and could not attend Friday's meeting. But Jurenovich said he talked to him by phone and reported that the president was “very delighted, as well.”
A former NAIA program, UIW moved up to Division II and joined the Heartland Conference in June 1999. UIW will remain in the Heartland in 13 of its 19 sports through 2009-10 before starting competition in the LSC.
Only two schools in the Heartland play football, both of them as independents. Now UIW is in a conference with 13 other football-playing schools, including Texas A&M-Kingsville, Angelo State and Abilene Christian.
Stan Wagnon, commissioner of the LSC, said the 78-year-old conference is excited about its newest member.
“You can tell by the vote of our presidents that we stand united in welcoming Incarnate Word into our conference,” he said. “Although it's probably taken longer than they wanted, we felt the timing was right to take this step.”
UIW has been trying to gain membership in the LSC since 2005. In 2006, Agnese offered to start a football program if the LSC extended an invitation, but the conference tabled the issue.
Agnese persisted, announcing in April 2007 that the university, backed by millionaire businessman and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, was starting football anyway.
Wagnon said the conference simply was not ready to expand until now. The commissioner noted that when UIW first approached the LSC, there was only the promise of starting a football program.
“I think the fact that Incarnate Word stepped up and made that commitment was a comfort to our presidents,” Wagnon said.
Last fall, Agnese said if the LSC did not extend an invitation to UIW, the school would attempt to jump to Division I.
But Wagnon said that had no bearing on the LSC's decision.
“We never really gave (Agnese's comments) a whole lot of thought,” Wagnon said.
The addition of UIW represents the LSC's first membership change since 2000. The LSC will now have 16 schools, with the only non-football playing members being Texas Woman's University and Cameron (Okla.).
Ten of the LSC's schools are located in Texas. Five are in Oklahoma and one in New Mexico.
UIW will be the second San Antonio school to play in the LSC. Trinity was a member from 1931-34 and 1946-49.
Kickoff for UIW's first season is Aug. 29 against Monterrey Tech at Benson Stadium, located in the center of campus.
San Antonio Express-News link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/local_colleges/Incarnate_Word_switching_to_Lone_Star_Conference.h tml)
Incarnate Word switching to Lone Star Conference
By John Whisler - Express-News
Incarnate Word has accepted an invitation to join the Lone Star Conference.
The university was extended the offer after a unanimous vote of conference presidents during a meeting Friday in Washington, D.C., site of the NCAA Convention.
“We're very excited,” said David Jurenovich, UIW's vice president for administration. “This is the culmination of a process that has unfolded over a number of years. It's one more step in the progress and growth of this university.”
The school will begin playing football in August as a Division II independent. Three of the LSC schools — Eastern New Mexico, Midwestern State and East Central, Okla. — are on the Cardinals' schedule this fall.
UIW will become a full member of the Division II LSC on July 1, 2010. All sports, including football and basketball, will be eligible for conference and NCAA championships beginning that fall.
The invitation to join the LSC came after four years of lobbying by UIW president Louis Agnese.
Agnese was in Taiwan and could not attend Friday's meeting. But Jurenovich said he talked to him by phone and reported that the president was “very delighted, as well.”
A former NAIA program, UIW moved up to Division II and joined the Heartland Conference in June 1999. UIW will remain in the Heartland in 13 of its 19 sports through 2009-10 before starting competition in the LSC.
Only two schools in the Heartland play football, both of them as independents. Now UIW is in a conference with 13 other football-playing schools, including Texas A&M-Kingsville, Angelo State and Abilene Christian.
Stan Wagnon, commissioner of the LSC, said the 78-year-old conference is excited about its newest member.
“You can tell by the vote of our presidents that we stand united in welcoming Incarnate Word into our conference,” he said. “Although it's probably taken longer than they wanted, we felt the timing was right to take this step.”
UIW has been trying to gain membership in the LSC since 2005. In 2006, Agnese offered to start a football program if the LSC extended an invitation, but the conference tabled the issue.
Agnese persisted, announcing in April 2007 that the university, backed by millionaire businessman and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson, was starting football anyway.
Wagnon said the conference simply was not ready to expand until now. The commissioner noted that when UIW first approached the LSC, there was only the promise of starting a football program.
“I think the fact that Incarnate Word stepped up and made that commitment was a comfort to our presidents,” Wagnon said.
Last fall, Agnese said if the LSC did not extend an invitation to UIW, the school would attempt to jump to Division I.
But Wagnon said that had no bearing on the LSC's decision.
“We never really gave (Agnese's comments) a whole lot of thought,” Wagnon said.
The addition of UIW represents the LSC's first membership change since 2000. The LSC will now have 16 schools, with the only non-football playing members being Texas Woman's University and Cameron (Okla.).
Ten of the LSC's schools are located in Texas. Five are in Oklahoma and one in New Mexico.
UIW will be the second San Antonio school to play in the LSC. Trinity was a member from 1931-34 and 1946-49.
Kickoff for UIW's first season is Aug. 29 against Monterrey Tech at Benson Stadium, located in the center of campus.
San Antonio Express-News link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/local_colleges/Incarnate_Word_switching_to_Lone_Star_Conference.h tml)