Established in 1995, Conference USA has become a staple conference in NCAA Division I, despite its frequent turnover.
The conference’s inaugural members were Charlotte, Cincinnati, DePaul, Houston, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis, Saint Louis, Southern Miss, Tulane, UAB, and USF. As of the 2023-24 athletic year, the conference’s current members are: Liberty, UTEP, Sam Houston State, Jacksonville State, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, New Mexico State, and FIU.
The conference sponsors 19 sports (eight men’s sports and eleven women’s sports), with the newest addition being women’s bowling for this upcoming athletic season. Judy MacLeod is the commissioner of Conference USA, becoming the third-ever commissioner in the history of the conference in 2015.
Conference USA has seen great success in football on the national scene. As one of just ten FBS conferences, CUSA teams have made 135 bowl appearances all-time. While no teams from CUSA have ever played in a New Year’s Six bowl or higher, members of the conference are eligible to make the College Football Playoff.
Last season, the conference had six bowl teams become eligible to play in a bowl game (even though Rice was 5-7). CUSA had a 3-3 record last bowl season, with two out of the three wins coming from Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky who will remain in CUSA, while the other teams have left the conference.
Conference USA has primary bowl tie-ins with the Bahamas Bowl, Armed Forces Bowl, New Orleans Bowl, and the Independence Bowl. They have secondary tie-ins with the Cure Bowl, Boca Raton Bowl, Hawaii Bowl, and the Frisco Bowl.
Football greats such as Brett Farve, Randy Moss, LaDainian Tomlison, and Chris Johnson all played college football in Conference USA.
Basketball is the sport that CUSA is most renowned for. One of the most respected mid-major conferences in the country, CUSA has made 115 NCAA Tournament appearances all-time (both men’s and women’s basketball) including four Final Four appearances by a CUSA team in the men’s tournament.
The conference technically has five Final Four appearances (and a national championship appearance), as Derrick Rose led the Memphis Tigers to the 2008 national championship game, but the NCAA vacated all of the Tiger’s wins that season, due to Rose being deemed “ineligible.”
Other teams to make the Final Four from CUSA include: Florida Atlantic (2022), Louisville (2005), and Marquette (2003). All these programs left the conference shortly after making the Final Four. Louisville is currently in the ACC, Marquette is in the Big East, and Memphis and Florida Atlantic currently reside in the AAC.
Last season was undoubtedly the best basketball season the conference has ever seen in men’s basketball. The conference saw five teams play in postseason tournaments last year (NCAA, NIT, and CBI). CUSA went 18-3 overall in postseason basketball, winning 90% of their games against non-conference competition. Florida Atlantic made the Final Four, Charlotte won the CBI, and North Texas won the NIT over fellow CUSA rival, UAB. While none of these programs will be returning to the conference in 2023-24, last year’s success just adds to the already impressive history of the conference and gives CUSA much more name recognition and respect as the Flames enter the conference this upcoming athletic year.
Conference USA has made 80 appearances in the NCAA baseball tournament, including six berths in the College World Series. Last season the conference was a multi-bid league, with conference champion Charlotte and Dallas Baptist qualifying for the tournament. Charlotte and DBU went 4-4 overall in the 2023 NCAA baseball tournament.
Another one of CUSA’s most successful sports is soccer. The conference has seen 101 appearances in the NCAA tournament, including five trips to the College Cup (soccer’s final four). While the conference does not sponsor men’s soccer anymore, Marshall won the 2020 men’s soccer national championship while a part of CUSA, giving the conference it’s only team national championship.
Conference USA has also been successful in both track and field and cross country. CUSA has seen 41 individual National Champions all-time in both sports during the conference’s history.
There is no disputing that Conference USA has historically been used as a stepping stone for college programs that are looking to eventually get to a higher-level conference. Despite this constant turnover, the conference consistently remains competitive at the G5 level in all sports and has produced some dominant power five programs. If the history of the conference is any indication, the Flames will have the opportunity to compete at a high-level while in CUSA and potentially set themselves up for an even better opportunity down the road.
