It’s a good move for the university that will align our interests with a conference that has a much similar focus and level of commitment to competing at a national level.”

Wichita State joins the AAC after calling the Missouri Valley Conference home since 1945. Bill Potter, senior director of communications for the conference, confirmed a Sports Illustrated report that the 12 AAC presidents voted unanimously to invite WSU into the conference. The addition of Wichita State in basketball and Olympic sports extends our Conference’s national footprint, enhances our national profile, and strengthens our position as a leader in intercollegiate athletics.”

“This is an event of great importance in defining the future of Wichita State,” John Bardo, President of Wichita State University said. The AAC makes a natural fit for Wichita State, as the conference currently sits at 11 members — Houston, Memphis, Tulsa, Tulane, SMU, Temple, South Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, East Carolina, Central Florida as well as football-only Navy — and the addition of the Shockers would round out the conference at 12 members, and ideal number to create conference divisions. “I hope that the men’s basketball team can continue with the same amount of success, and that people will stop doubting the program as weak or inferior just because of the conference we were in.”

Of course, fans won’t have to travel to see good basketball in the American. Wichita State sponsors 15 sports – baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s indoor track & field, women’s indoor track & field, men’s outdoor track & field, women’s outdoor track & field and volleyball – all of which will compete in The American. “I will begin reaching out immediately to other presidents in The American to look for ways that we can build bridges to their academic programs and researchers, along with their athletic programs.”

 

 “We are pleased and proud to welcome Wichita State to The American,” conference commissioner Mike Aresco said.
Wichita State University will leave the Missouri Valley Conference after the 2016–17 school year to join the American Athletic Conference. The Shockers will become the first full but non-football member of The American since the 2013 split of its predecessor, the original Big East Conference.