WAC makes it official: snubs Utah Valley University

LOGAN — WAC Commissioner Karl Benson officially announced the addition of Seattle University to the Western Athletic Conference in non-football sports, beginning on July 1, 2012.

The Redhawks will compete in 17 different sports, but most notably, do not field a football team. Seattle will join Denver University as non-football members starting in 2012. Texas State and University of Texas San Antonio will also be new members in 2012 in all sports. The four new members will unite with remaining WAC schools Utah State, Idaho, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Louisiana Tech to form a nine-team conference, with seven of the institutions as football playing members.

In choosing Seattle University, the WAC opted not to invite Utah Valley University or Cal-State Bakersfield. Both schools submitted application papers and gave presentations to the WAC board of directors in Park City earlier this week. The WAC does not make their votes public, but Benson stated that there was "clear consensus" that Seattle brought the most to the WAC. Benson said that Seattle was chosen for their commitment to academics, aggressive hires and expansion in athletics, as well as their media market which is in the top 15 in the country and gives the WAC a presence in the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle University was once a powerhouse in basketball, including reaching the 1958 title game behind future Hall-of-Famer Elgin Baylor. More recently, the Redhawks have been climbing the road back to Division I status. Seattle dropped from Division I to NAIA classification in 1980 before moving back to division I in 2009, competing as an independent.

The Redhawks become a fully fledged member of Division I, including eligibility for postseason play including the NCAA tournament, in 2012-2013, their first season as a member of the WAC. Men's basketball will play their home games at Key Arena, the former home of the Seattle Sonics. Benson hinted that Key Arena brings a lot of potential to the school and the conference, and would be considered as a host of future WAC tournaments. The WAC basketball tournament is currently in the second year of a two year contract with the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.