UCAFANS.COM | GO UCA BEARS!

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/ORU/article.aspx?subjectid=95&articleid=20110930_95_B1_OralRo406535

ORU confirms talks with Southland Conference
By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Published: 9/30/2011 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 9/30/2011 4:43 AM

Oral Roberts University will enter talks about possibly joining the Southland Conference, ORU athletic director Mike Carter confirmed Thursday.

"No invitation is expected any time soon. Nothing is pending," Carter said. "They're interested in us and they've asked us to come and visit with them about it."

Carter said such talks would occur in the next couple of weeks.

A highly placed Tulsa World source said, "There is interest both ways, and most people (involved) think it will happen."

Southland commissioner Tom Burnett confirmed a mutual interest between the parties, but said the clock might not be ticking as quickly as some have speculated...

Both of those are pretty impressive. I think I sometimes forget how good our league is in baseball.

It would be good for the Southland to get ORU for basketball and baseball...but
they don't play football do they? Seems to me that we need to pick up a school
that has a football program with the departure of TX STATE.

Lamar added football. Texas State left. It's an even swap from a numbers standpoint – still eight football teams, just like when we joined the league. So you're not in any great need of adding one, though there might be some benefit to having eight conference games instead of seven.

I thought Lamar was leaving also.

Well they're trying like hell to, just don't have anywhere to go at the moment. And Sam Houston State is always in the rumor mill as well. So from that standpoint, the Southland definitely needs to be looking at football schools and have something in the works for when that does happen. But I don't think there's a giant rush to add a team because Texas State is gone after this year.

If those other two leave at the same time you're down to 6 and that ain't good.

I would imagine there has been a lot of discussion about/with football schools. But there's definitely nothing wrong with adding a non-football school or two if it helps solidify the league overall.

ORU would replace UTSA.

It is prudent to believe that both SHSU and Lamar will be gone in a few years. We need to be looking for 2-3 additional football school to integrate in over the next 3-5 years or we may end up with a playoff issue and scheduling concerns.

Another article...
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/ORU/article.aspx?subjectid=95&articleid=20111006_95_B5_OralRo356632

Here comes Oral Roberts officially. GREAT move by the SLC, even though ORU doesnt have football.:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/ORU/article.aspx?subjectid=95&articleid=20111025_95_B1_OralRo830739

ORU to announce league change

by: MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
10/25/2011 4:51:05 AM

Oral Roberts University will announce its athletic teams are leaving the Summit League to join the Southland Conference, a source told the Tulsa World.

The announcement will be made during a 2:30 p.m. Tuesday press conference in the South Lobby of the Mabee Center.

The school announced the press conference in a four-paragraph media release Monday night. It will be "to make a major university announcement in regards to athletics," the release said.

ORU athletic director Mike Carter could not be reached for comment.

As first reported by the Tulsa World, ORU and the Southland Conference have been in discussions about the possibility for roughly the past four weeks...

Great move!

Very good pick up for the SLC. Makes more sense for Oral Roberts logistically, and they're a school that competes at a high level and should be very competitive (if not dominant) in the SLC from day 1.

http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=205322100
Oral Roberts University to Join Southland Conference
Courtesy: Southland.org
Release: 10/25/2011

ORU athletic program set to become Southland member on July 1, 2012

FRISCO, Texas - The Southland Conference and Oral Roberts University announced Tuesday that the institution will become the newest member of the NCAA Division I league. The Tulsa, Okla.-based university will become the 10th member of the Southland on July 1, 2012, and will begin competing for conference championships in the 2012-13 academic year.

The ORU Golden Eagles will participate in 15 of the Southland's 17 sponsored championships, including men's sports basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field. On the women's side, ORU will compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball.

"The Southland Conference, after a unanimous vote of its Board of Directors, is very pleased to extend an offer of membership to Oral Roberts University," said Dr. Baker Pattillo, Southland Board Chairman and the president at Stephen F. Austin State University. "Further, we are honored to learn of the institution's acceptance of our offer, and we are gratified by the approval of the ORU Board of Trustees, the leadership of President Mark Rutland and the diligent work of Athletic Director Mike Carter. The Southland presidents look forward to a beneficial partnership with ORU and its athletic program."...