Conference USA (CUSA) is a collegiate athletic conference of member institutions in the Southern and Western United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports, with football competing in the top-level Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). CUSA's offices are located in Dallas, Texas.
Member schools Current full members Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Median earnings Endowment Nickname Joined Colors Newark, Delaware 1743 Public 24,564 $77,675 $1,770 Blue Hens 2025 Florida International University Miami, Florida 1965 Public 58,064 $62,192 $358 Panthers 2013 Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, Alabama 1883 Public 9,955 $55,318$57 Gamecocks 2023 Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, Georgia 1963 Public 51,375 $68,306 $100 Owls 2024 Liberty University Lynchburg, Virginia 1971 EvangelicalProtestant 95,148 $57,700 $3,500As of April 24, 2026. Flames &Lady Flames 2023 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, Tennessee 1911 Public 21,913 $54,525 $108.9 Blue Raiders 2013 Missouri State University Springfield, Missouri 1905 Public 25,038 $53,058 $193 Bears &Lady Bears 2025 New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 1888 Public 22,711 $54,874 $235.9 Aggies 2023 Sam Houston State University Huntsville, Texas 1879 Public 21,039 $57,044 $152.3 Bearkats 2023 Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky 1906 Public 17,672 $53,602 $209.5 Hilltoppers &Lady Toppers 2014
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Affiliate members In this table, all dates reflect the calendar year of entry into Conference USA, which for spring sports is the year before the start of competition.
Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors CUSAsport(s) Primaryconference Birmingham, Alabama 1969 Public 22,563 Blazers 2023 Beach volleyball American Arkansas State University Jonesboro, Arkansas 1909 Public 14,109 Red Wolves 2023 Bowling Sun Belt Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida 1961 Public 30,808 Owls 2023 Beach volleyball American Lincoln, Nebraska 1869 Public 23,986 Cornhuskers 2025 Bowling Big Ten Sacred Heart University Fairfield, Connecticut 1963 Catholic 5,974 Pioneers 2025 Bowling Metro Tampa, Florida 1956 Public 50,830 Bulls 2025 Beach volleyball American El Paso, Texas 1914 Public 25,121 Miners 2026 Beach volleyball Mountain West Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana 1834 Nonsectarian 11,722 Green Wave 2022 Beach volleyball American 2023 Bowling Valparaiso University Valparaiso, Indiana 1859 Lutheran 2,900 Beacons 2023 Bowling MVC Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee 1873 Nonsectarian 13,798 Commodores 2023 Bowling SEC Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas 1895 Public 17,548 Shockers 2024 Bowling American Wright State University Fairborn, Ohio 1964 Public 17,074 Raiders 2025 Bowling Horizon Youngstown State University Youngstown, Ohio 1908 Public 15,058 Penguins 2023 Bowling Horizon
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Former full members Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined Left Colors Currentconference Birmingham, Alabama 1969 Public Blazers 1995 2023 American Orlando, Florida 1963 Public Knights 2005 2013 Big 12 Cincinnati, Ohio 1819 Public Bearcats 1995 2005 Big 12 DePaul University Chicago, Illinois 1898 Catholic Blue Demons 1995 2005 Big East East Carolina University Greenville, North Carolina 1907 Public Pirates 2001 2014 American Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida 1961 Public Owls 2013 2023 American Houston, Texas 1927 Public Cougars 1996 2013 Big 12 Louisiana Tech University Ruston, Louisiana 1894 Public Bulldogs &Lady Techsters 2013 2026 Sun Belt Louisville, Kentucky 1798 Public Cardinals 1995 2005 ACC Marquette University Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1881 Catholic Golden Eagles 1995 2005 Big East Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia 1837 Public Thundering Herd 2005 2022 Sun Belt Memphis, Tennessee 1912 Public Tigers 1995 2013 American Charlotte, North Carolina 1946 Public 49ers 1995 2005 American 2013 2023 Denton, Texas 1890 Public Mean Green 2013 2023 American Norfolk, Virginia 1930 Public Monarchs 2013 2022 Sun Belt Rice University Houston, Texas 1912 Nonsectarian Owls 2005 2023 American Saint Louis University 1818 Catholic Billikens 1995 2005 Atlantic 10 Tampa, Florida 1956 Public Bulls 1995 2005 American Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas 1911 UnitedMethodist Mustangs 2005 2013 ACC Hattiesburg, Mississippi 1910 Public Golden Eagles 1995 2022 Sun Belt Texas Christian University Fort Worth, Texas 1873 Disciplesof Christ Horned Frogs 2001 2005 Big 12 El Paso, Texas 1914 Public Miners 2005 2026 Mountain West San Antonio, Texas 1969 Public Roadrunners 2013 2023 American Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana 1834 Nonsectarian Green Wave 1995 2014 American Tulsa, Oklahoma 1894 Nondenominational Golden Hurricane 2005 2014 American
Notes
Former affiliate members In this table, all dates reflect each school's actual entry into and departure from Conference USA. In the case of the two former affiliates that became full CUSA members, the "left" date reflects their elevation to full membership.
For spring sports, the joining date is the calendar year before the start of competition. For fall sports, the departure date is the calendar year after the last season of competition.
Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined Left Colors CUSAsport(s) Primaryconference Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1831 Public Crimson Tide 2009 2014 Women's rowing SEC West Point, New York 1802 Federal Black Knights 1998 2005 Football Patriot California State University, Bakersfield Bakersfield, California 1965 Public Roadrunners 2007 2010 Women's swimming & diving Big West Sacramento, California 1947 Public Hornets 2013 2014 Women's rowing Big West Coastal Carolina University Conway, South Carolina 1954 Public Chanticleers 2021 2022 Beach volleyball Sun Belt 2021 2022 Men's soccer Colorado College Colorado Springs, Colorado 1874 Nonsectarian Tigers 2006 2014 Women's soccer SCAC Dallas Baptist University Dallas, Texas 1898 Baptist Patriots 2022 2026 Baseball Lone Star Evansville, Indiana 1854 UnitedMethodist Purple Aces 1995 1996 Women's soccer Missouri Valley Georgia State University Atlanta, Georgia 1913 Public Panthers 2021 2022 Beach volleyball Sun Belt Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, Alabama 1883 Public Gamecocks 2022 2023 Beach volleyball CUSA Lawrence, Kansas 1865 Public Jayhawks 2009 2014 Women's rowing Big 12 Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas 1863 Public Wildcats 2009 2014 Women's rowing Big 12 Lexington, Kentucky 1865 Public Wildcats 2005 2022 Men's soccer SEC Missouri State University Springfield, Missouri 1905 Public Beach Bears 2023 2025 Beach volleyball CUSA Albuquerque, New Mexico 1889 Public Lobos 2013 2019 Men's soccer Mountain West Grand Forks, North Dakota 1883 Public Fighting Hawks 2008 2011 Women's swimming & diving Summit Greeley, Colorado 1889 Public Bears 2007 2010 Women's swimming & diving Big Sky Norman, Oklahoma 1890 Public Sooners 2009 2014 Women's rowing SEC San Diego State University San Diego, California 1947 Public Aztecs 2013 2014 Women's rowing Pac-12 Columbia, South Carolina 1801 Public Gamecocks 2005 2022 Men's soccer SEC Stephen F. Austin State University Nacogdoches, Texas 1923 Public Ladyjacks 2023 2025 Bowling Southland Tarleton State University Stephenville, Texas 1899 Public Texans 2023 2026 Beach volleyball UAC Texas Christian University Fort Worth, Texas 1873 Disciplesof Christ Horned Frogs 2023 2024 Beach volleyball Big 12 Knoxville, Tennessee 1794 Public Lady Volunteers 2009 2014 Women's rowing SEC Austin, Texas 1883 Public Longhorns 2009 2014 Women's rowing SEC Monroe, Louisiana 1865 Public Warhawks 2021 2022 Beach volleyball Sun Belt West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia 1867 Public Mountaineers 2012 2014 Women's rowing Big 12
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Membership timeline
History CUSA (abbreviated "C-USA" before 2023) was founded in 1995 by the merger of the Metro Conference and Great Midwest Conference, two Division I conferences that did not sponsor football. However, the merger did not include either Great Midwest member Dayton or Metro members VCU and Virginia Tech. Since this left an uneven number of schools in the conference, University of Houston of the dissolving Southwest Conference was extended an invitation and agreed to join following the SWC's disbanding at the end of the 1995–96 academic year. The conference immediately started competition in all sports, except football which started in 1996.
Being the result of a merger, CUSA was originally a sprawling, large league that stretched from Florida to Missouri, Wisconsin to Texas. Many of its original schools were located in major urban centers and had strong basketball traditions, which helped establish the league on a national basis.
2005–06 realignment The conference saw radical changes for the 2005–06 academic year. The Big East Conference had lost several members, and looked to Conference USA to attract replacements. Five CUSA members departed for the Big East, including three football-playing schools (Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida) and two non-football schools (DePaul and Marquette; both joined the New Big East in 2013). Another two schools (Charlotte and Saint Louis) left for the Atlantic 10; TCU joined the Mountain West (and is now in the Big 12 with several other former Southwest Conference members); and a ninth member, Army, which was C-USA football-only, opted to become an independent in that sport again.
With the loss of these members, CUSA lured six schools from other conferences: UCF and Marshall from the MAC, as well as Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and later UTEP from the WAC. UCF played in the MAC for football only; for all other sports, it was a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN).
With CUSA's membership now consisting of 12 schools, all of which sponsor football, the conference adopted a two-division alignment.
2013–14 realignment
In 2013, CUSA entered its next phase with the departure of four schools (Houston, Memphis, SMU, and UCF) for the American Athletic Conference, the football-sponsoring portion of the former Big East Conference. This was again the result of Big East schools leaving for the ACC, this time being Syracuse and Pittsburgh, as well as Notre Dame for non-football sports.
However, when the conferences discussed their plans with the NCAA, they were told that if they merged, the new league would receive only one automatic bid to NCAA championships; at least one of the former conferences would lose expected future revenues from the NCAA men's basketball tournament; and at least one former conference would lose exit fees from any schools that departed for the new league. As a result, both CUSA and the MW backed away from a full merger. , the likeliest scenario was an all-sports alliance in which both conferences retained separate identities. However, after the MW added more members, the alliance was apparently abandoned.
For men's soccer, there was a chance that the MW, SEC, and CUSA along with the one Sun Belt member (FIU), that sponsor the sport, would play under the CUSA's men's soccer program. The MW, which does not sponsor men's soccer, would take three of the four members that offer the sport (UNLV, Air Force, New Mexico—San Diego State is a Pac-12 associate member in that sport), join CUSA's three full members that offer the sport (UAB, Marshall, Tulsa), the two SEC members already in CUSA for the sport (Kentucky, South Carolina), and the Sun Belt's FIU. However, the only MW member school that ultimately moved to CUSA men's soccer was New Mexico.