BIG WEST `FACT-FINDERS' WILL MAKE VISIT TO CSUN.

Byline: Chris Branam Staff Writer

Cal State Northridge will find out by January if its future lies in the Big West Conference.

Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell said a ``fact-finding'' team from the conference is scheduled to visit CSUN in the next two months.

``We have not made any commitment to expand,'' Farrell said, ``. . . (But) if CSUN were to be included in an expansion, (it) would probably have to give a year's notice to the Big Sky Conference. We're not interested in dragging this thing out.''

The Big West is also sending its representatives to UC Riverside, which is moving up from Division II to Division I. The Big West, which will be down to eight schools for the 2001-02 season, might shrink to six if football-playing members Utah State and Idaho leave.

That leaves CSUN, which plays football, and UC Riverside, which does not, as prime candidates to take the place of the departing non-California schools.

``We're trying to learn a little bit about some potential candidate schools,'' Farrell said.

After the Big West has studied CSUN and UC Riverside as potential members, Farrell said, the Big West Council won't necessarily make a move in its Jan. 9 meeting.

``The council could decide we need more information,'' he said, ``or they can decide `Let's just sort of back-burner this project,' or they could make a recommendation.''

CSUN recently joined the Big West for the 2001 baseball season, but Farrell said that doesn't give the Matadors an edge in potentially becoming a member in all sports.

``CSUN made the most sense for next year (for baseball),'' he said, ``because Riverside is not going to be Division I for next year. We're basically bringing in CSUN to fill the scheduling void, with Nevada leaving the conference.''