Conference USA facts for kids
Conference USA, often called C-USA, is a group of college sports teams. These teams play against each other at the highest level of college sports, called NCAA Division I.
C-USA started in 1995 when two other sports groups, the Great Midwest Conference and Metro Conference, joined together. Since then, more teams have joined C-USA. Many new teams came from the Western Athletic Conference or the Sun Belt Conference. Between 2005 and 2014, some teams left C-USA. Most of them moved to the original Big East Conference or the American Athletic Conference.
Each year, Conference USA sends several of its teams to exciting post-season games, like the Liberty Bowl and New Orleans Bowl.
The University of Memphis (which is now part of The American conference) had a very successful men's basketball team in C-USA. They even reached the national championship game in 2008.
Teams in Conference USA
Conference USA currently has 14 "full members." These schools play most of their sports within the league. Almost all of them are public schools, except for Rice University. Also, 13 of the 14 schools play football in the top Division I FBS level. The only school that doesn't play football in C-USA is Charlotte. Charlotte started its football team in 2013 and joined the C-USA football league in 2015.
For football, the schools are divided into two groups: East and West Divisions. This setup allows the winning teams from each division to play a championship game against each other.
| School | Location | Founded | Type (affiliation) |
Nickname | Joined | Football Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte) | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1946 | Public | 49ers | 1995, 2013 | N/A |
| Florida International University (FIU) | Miami, Florida | 1965 | Public | Panthers | 2013 | East |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, Florida | 1961 | Public | Owls | 2013 | East |
| Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | 1894 | Public | Bulldogs & Lady Techsters |
2013 | West |
| Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | 1837 | Public | Thundering Herd | 2005 | East |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 1911 | Public | Blue Raiders | 2005 | East |
| University of North Texas | Denton, Texas | 1890 | Public | Mean Green | 2013 | West |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 1930 | Public | Monarchs & Lady Monarchs |
2013 | East |
| Rice University | Houston, Texas | 1912 | Private | Owls | 2005 | West |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | 1910 | Public | Golden Eagles & Lady Eagles |
1995 | West |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) | Birmingham, Alabama | 1969 | Public | Blazers | 1995 | East |
| University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) | El Paso, Texas | 1914 | Public | Miners & Lady Miners |
2005 | West |
| University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) | San Antonio, Texas | 1969 | Public | Roadrunners | 2013 | West |
| Western Kentucky University (WKU) | Bowling Green, Kentucky | 1906 | Public | Hilltoppers & Lady Toppers |
2014 | East |
Other Members
C-USA also has three "associate members." These schools play only men's soccer in the conference.
| School | Location | Founded | Type | Nickname | C-USA Sport |
Joined | Main Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | 1865 | Public | Wildcats | Men's soccer | 2005 | SEC |
| University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1889 | Public | Lobos | Men's soccer | 2013 | Mountain West |
| University of South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | 1801 | Public | Gamecocks | Men's soccer | 2005 | SEC |
Past Members
Many schools have left C-USA since it began. Most of these schools are now part of the American Athletic Conference.
| School | Location | Founded | Type | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | 1819 | Public | Bearcats | 1995 | 2005 | The American |
| DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois | 1898 | Private | Blue Demons | 1995 | 2005 | Big East |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, North Carolina | 1907 | Public | Pirates | 2001 | 2014 | The American |
| University of Houston | Houston, Texas | 1907 | Public | Cougars | 1996 | 2013 | The American |
| University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | 1798 | Public | Cardinals | 1995 | 2005 | ACC |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 1881 | Private | Golden Eagles | 1995 | 2005 | Big East |
| University of Memphis | Memphis, Tennessee | 1912 | Public | Tigers | 1995 | 2013 | The American |
| Saint Louis University | St. Louis, Missouri | 1818 | Private | Billikens | 1995 | 2005 | Atlantic 10 |
| Southern Methodist University (SMU) | University Park, Texas | 1911 | Private | Mustangs | 2005 | 2013 | The American |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, Florida | 1956 | Public | Bulls | 1995 | 2005 | The American |
| Texas Christian University (TCU) | Fort Worth, Texas | 1873 | Private | Horned Frogs & Lady Frogs |
2001 | 2005 | Big 12 |
| Tulane University | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1834 | Private | Green Wave | 1995 | 2014 | The American |
| University of Tulsa | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 1894 | Private | Golden Hurricane | 2005 | 2014 | The American |
| University of Central Florida (UCF) | Orlando, Florida | 1963 | Public | Knights | 2005 | 2013 | The American |
The United States Military Academy, often called "Army" in sports, was a football member from 1996 to 2005 (their last C-USA season was in 2004).
Images for kids
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Map showing Conference USA members after the 2014–15 changes.
See also
In Spanish: Conference USA para niños
