Big Sky considers Northern Colorado

OGDEN — The Big Sky Conference Presidents Council moved to take a closer look at the University of Northern Colorado for possible membership during a meeting Monday in Salt Lake City. Northern Colorado, located in Greeley, was one of four institutions to publicly express interest in gaining entrance into the Big Sky.

The Presidents Council met in August and developed a set of expansion criteria and formalized an expansion process. At the time, the council discussed adding between one and three schools or remaining at the current eight-team makeup.

North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Southern Utah were the other institutions that expressed public interest in the Big Sky Conference.

"Every institution had support from the presidents, but the Big Sky Conference presidents were committed to building a consensus in this process," said Commissioner Doug Fullerton. "The University of Northern Colorado is where they reached a consensus."

The presidents' criteria included academic quality, athletic competitiveness, commitment to gender equity, commitment to student-athlete success and geography.

A team comprised of a university president, an athletic director, a faculty representative, a senior women's administrator and Fullerton will visit the Greeley campus in early 2005.

The team will report to the Presidents Council during a conference call in March. A formal invitation for membership could come as early as March or not at all.

"Expansion in the Big Sky Conference is not inevitable," Fullerton said. "We are eager to visit the University of Northern Colorado campus to further explore the institution's commitment to academic excellence, the athletic facilities, and other important components."

The Big Sky Conference is currently made up of Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Portland State, Sacramento State and Weber State.

The Big Sky Conference was established in 1963 with six charter members Idaho, Idaho State, Gonzaga, Montana, Montana State and Weber State.

This is the Big Sky"s fourth year of its current membership.

The Big Sky Conference was a nine-team league for the first time in 1987 when Eastern Washington joined. It remained a nine-team league until 1992 when the University of Nevada left.

The Big Sky was once again a nine-team league from 1996-2000. Boise State and Idaho left the Big Sky following the 1995-96 season.

Sacramento State, Portland State and Cal State Northridge joined the league in the fall of 1996. Cal State Northridge left following the 2000-2001 campaign, leaving the Big Sky with eight institutions.