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 New conference proposal out of WAC
Posted: Friday July 23, 1999 11:29 PM
HOUSTON (AP) -- Former Texas Christian University athletic director Frank Windegger is talking with eight universities, including three in Texas and three service academies, about forming a new athletic conference, Houston television station KRIV reported Friday night. Western Athletic Conference Comissioner Karl Benson confirmed the discussions involving Windegger, who left TCU in 1997 after 22 years as athletic director, but said it was premature to believe there was any substance to the talks. "I'm disappointed it would come at a time when the WAC is trying to prove to the general public and the overall marketplace that we are a long-term sports entity," Benson said. Four of the schools -- Rice, TCU, Southern Methodist in Texas and Tulsa in Oklahoma -- are members of the WAC, which has suffered a 50 percent defection of its members with eight schools announcing their plans to break away and form what will be called the Mountain West Conference. According to the report, other schools involved in the Windegger talks are Tulane and Army, now with Conference USA; Air Force, a Mountain West school; and independent Navy. "Frank Windegger is exploring this on his own and is not acting in concert with TCU," Texas Christian Chancellor Michael Ferrari said Friday. "We are committed to the WAC." Benson said the presidents of the eight remaining WAC schools are exploring legal options in the wake of the conference defections. But unidentified sources quoted by the television station Friday said plans to file the suit have been put on hold because of discussions about a new conference. Besides Air Force, other schools to flee the WAC are Brigham Young, Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, UNLV and San Diego State.
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