Tulane to Join Big East in 2014, Leaving C-USA Tulane is joining the Big East as a full member in 2014. "I would go as far to say as this is a historic day for Tulane University ... the Big East is coming to the Big Easy," school President Scott Cowen said. East Carolina will also join the rebuilding Big East for football only in 2014, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because neither the conference nor the school was prepared to make an official announcement. East Carolina, located in Greenville, N.C., has a news conference scheduled for 5 p.m. FILE - This Nov. 26, 2011 file photo shows Tulane wide receiver Wilson Van Hooser (9) taking off running in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game in Honolulu. A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that Tulane University is joining the Big East as a full member in 2014 and East Carolina will be joining as a football-only member. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither the conference nor school was prepared to make an official announcement. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner, File) Close With Maryland leaving the ACC, there has been strong speculation that Connecticut or Louisville will be the next to leave the Big East. If either does, the conference is still on target to have 12 football members in 2014, just not the same ones as it will have in 2013 when the new Big East debuts. Navy has committed to join the Big East football in 2015. The conference had planned to find a 14th member to balance out its divisions even before Rutgers left. Tulane seems an odd choice based on the school's recent performance in football and men's basketball, the two most prominent sports. The Green Wave haven't been to a bowl game since 2002 and last made the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 1995. Tulane just completed a 2-10 football season under first-year coach Curtis Johnson. Though the Big East has been trying to gather as many major television markets as possible and New Orleans comes in at 53rd-largest in the country, the move also gives Memphis a natural rival. The Green Wave play their home football games in the Superdome, but have struggled to draw fans. Tulane's average attendance for six home games was 18,085 this season. East Carolina has been a consistent winner in football and looked to get in the Big East for years. The Pirates have played in a bowl five out of the last six years and finished 8-4 this season, just missing out on a trip to the C-USA title game.