CSUN SAYS `I DO' NORTHRIDGE ACCEPTS BIG WEST'S INVITATION TO JOIN CONFERENCE.Byline: Chris Branam Staff Writer Twice, Cal State Northridge tried to get into the Big West Conference. On Wednesday, it finally succeeded. The Big West announced that CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge and UC Riverside were extended invitations to become the conference's newest members, starting in June 2001. Northridge's invitation was enthusiastically accepted by Louanne Kennedy, CSUN's interim president, who presided over the eight-month process. ``The ball went up from the Big West, and the question was: `Are we going to catch it?' '' Kennedy said at the news conference announcing the move. ``Or are we going to wait and risk the fact that they might not throw the ball again?'' It turned out to be a slam dunk. ``It was a unanimous, enthusiastic vote to offer the invitation to these two fine universities to join the Big West Conference,'' said Long Beach State president Robert Maxson, the chairman of the board of presidents. ``Northridge has excelled academically and it's made a firm commitment to a sports program and demonstrated excellence for many years in sports. ``I just thought Northridge was the perfect fit. Time will show this was a good move,'' he said. ``For several years, I thought Northridge was a natural for the conference.'' CSUN tried to get into the Big West once before, in 1994, but was turned down. The athletics program then joined the Big Sky in a partnership often tested by CSUN's inability to upgrade its athletic facilities and the scandals that rocked the school in the recent past. ``We have had a wonderful experience playing in the Big Sky,'' Kennedy said of the membership that ends next spring. ``We leave them with regret, but at the same time we're really pleased to be able to now come into the Big West and be part of this largely California conference.'' The Big West, based in Irvine, will have 10 members when CSUN begins play. Six schools are in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, : UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. , Riverside and CSUN. The others are Cal Poly Cal Poly may refer to:
 `ĭs ōbĭs`pō), city (1990 pop. 41,958), seat of San Luis Obispo co., S Calif., near San Luis Obispo Bay; inc. 1856. , Pacific, Utah State and Idaho. ``To be able to play natural rivals . . . we really believe we can increase our attendance at sports events,'' Kennedy said, alluding to the fact that Northridge has ranked last in the Big Sky in attendance in almost every sport, ``and to develop and continue the kind of rivalries that exist in high schools carrying on to college.'' Maxson, Long Beach State's president for six years, agreed. ``For us in Southern California,'' he said, ``what a wonderful, natural, wholesome rivalry this will be between our campuses. There will be conference games that it's just (as) easy for our fans to go to the other school as it is to our own place.'' Fifteen of Northridge's 20 sports are affected by the move, with one notable exception: football. That program will become an independent in 2001. ``We'll play I-AA football, we'll play nonconference until we can find a conference that we'll be able to join,'' Kennedy said. ``What we're really trying to do is provide revenues to all the athletic (teams) in a relatively fair manner. We have no intention of de-emphasizing football.'' Northridge could continue to play in the Big Sky as an associated member, though, or latch on to a potential I-AA conference that could include Cal Poly and UC Davis. The Big Sky's scholarship mandate of 60 is too much for CSUN, especially with the department's gender-equity issues. Athletic director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic Dick Dull, the driving force behind Northridge's campaign to be invited to the Big West, said the Matadors are out of the Big Sky in football for good. ``I really believe it's in the best interest on this institution to carve out to make or get by cutting, or as if by cutting; to cut out. - Shak. See also: Carve an independent schedule,'' he said. ``Yes, there could be opportunities for a California-based football conference in the future. We never seriously considered playing footbal . . . as an associate member in the Big Sky. I'm not sure that's a practical reality.'' When the Big West expanded in the '90s, its hopes were to strengthen its status in Division I-A football. That position has changed, even if Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell said football is still a ``priority'' sport. In the fall of 2001, only three Big West schools will be playing football: Utah State, Idaho and CSUN. Football-playing members Arkansas State and Nevada are both out of the Big West by the end of this spring. Boise State, North Texas and New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). State are all leaving the conference. The momentum in the Big West has shifted to men's and women's basketball Women's basketball is one of the few games which developed in tandem with men's. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast, in large part via women's colleges. , which happily coincides with Northridge's new philosophy. ``Basketball has always been a sport of emphasis in the Big West Conference,'' Farrell said. ``We will continue to strengthen our position regionally and nationally in men's and women's basketball.'' Does that mean a basketball arena is in the works at CSUN? The men and women play in tiny Matador matador In bullfighting, the principal performer, who works the capes and attempts to dispatch the bull with a sword thrust between the shoulder blades. Most of the techniques used by modern matadors were established in the 1910s by Juan Belmonte (b. 1894–d. Gym, which seats just 1,600, and despite their success, the basketball teams haven't played to a sellout this season. ``I would personally love to have a basketball arena,'' Kennedy said. ``There are issues about where it would be built and how it would be done. We've had discussions with private developers . . . none of those have panned out.'' WHO'S AFFECTED Sports offered by the Big West for the 2000-'01 school year: FALL Cross country (men's and women's) Women's volleyball Women's soccer *Football WINTER Basketball (M&W) Women's gymnastics Swimming (M&W) SPRING Baseball Softball Tennis (M&W) Golf (M&W) Outdoor track and field (M&W) *-TWill likely be dropped as a championship sport in 2001The sports offered by Cal State Northridge for the 2000-'01 school year: TIME LINE --July 1, 1969 - The desire to form a Division I football conference sparks the formation of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA PCAA Prevent Child Abuse America PCAA Probation Community Action Association PCAA Palliative Care Association of Alberta PCAA Pre-Cast Concrete Association of America ), with seven chartermembers: Fresno State, Long Beach State, San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. State, UC Santa Barbara, Pacific, Cal State Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. State. The conference sponsors 11 men's sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, water polo water polo, swimming game encompassing features of soccer, football, basketball, and hockey. The object of the game is to maneuver, by head, feet, or hand, a leather-covered ball 27 to 28 in. and wrestling. J. Kenneth Fagans is named commissioner. --Dec. 6, 1969 - San Diego State's football team beats Boston U. 28-0 in the Pasadena Bowl The Pasadena Bowl, also known as the Junior Rose Bowl, was formerly a college football bowl game which was played between 1967 and 1971 in Pasadena, California. The game originally paired top small college teams, but it was overshadowed as a four-year college bowl by the . --Jan. 3, 1972 - Former USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. athletic director and head football coach Jesse T. Hill becomes commissioner. --June 30, 1974 - Cal State L.A. and UC Santa Barbara leave the conference. --July 1, 1974 - Cal State Fullerton joins the conference. --July 1, 1976 - UC Santa Barbara rejoins the conference. --March 5, 1977 - The men's basketball tournament moves to the Anaheim Convention Center Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities. . --July 1, 1977 - UC Irvine joins the conference. --Sept. 10, 1977 - Utah State becomes the first non-California member. --June 1978 - San Diego State leaves the conference. --July 1, 1978 - Lewis Cryer CRYER, practice. An officer in a court whose duty it is to make various proclamations ordered by the court. becomes commissioner. --Nov. 13, 1981 - UNLV UNLV University of Nevada, Las Vegas joins the conference. --Dec. 19,1981 - The first California Bowl The California Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game played annually at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, California, from 1981 to 1991. The games matched the championship teams from the Big West Conference (formerly the PCAA) with teams from the MAC. . Toledo beats San Jose State 27-25. --Jan. 1, 1983 - New Mexico State joins the conference. --March 10, 1983 - The men's basketball conference tournament moves to the Forum. --Fall 1983 - UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and UNLV compete in cross country, the first conference women's sport. The schools also compete in basketball, swimming and diving, and track and field. In the next two years, Fullerton, Long Beach, Fresno, Hawaii, Pacific and San Jose field women's teams. New Mexico State and Utah State field teams in 1989. --Aug. 23, 1984 - Hawaii joins the conference. --Aug. 31, 1984 - Women's volleyball is added. Women's tennis and softball also are added for the 1984-85 year. --Aug. 1, 1985 - Men's gymnastics becomes the first conference sport dropped. --May 14, 1986 - Women's golf is added. --March 1987 - The conference has basketball teams in the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association men's (UNLV) and women's (Long Beach State) Final Four. --Jan. 15, 1988 - Lewis Cryer resigns as commissioner --March 10, 1988 - James Haney becomes commissioner. --July 1, 1988 - The PCAA changes its name to Big West Conference. --March 8, 1989 - The basketball tournaments move to the Long Beach Arena. The entire women's tournament is played along with the men's. --July 1, 1990 - San Diego State leaves the conference. --April 1992 - The Big West Council approves the formation of the Las Vegas Bowl The Las Vegas Bowl is an NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A post-season college football bowl game that has been played annually at 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada since 1992. , pitting the Big West and Mid-American champions. That December, UNLV loses to Bowling Green Bowling Green. 1 City (1990 pop. 40,641), seat of Warren co., S Ky., on the Barren River; inc. 1812. It is a shipping and marketing center for an area producing tobacco, corn, livestock, and dairy items. 35-34. --June 5, 1992 - Jim Haney Jim Haney was the head basketball coach at University of Oregon from 1978 to 1983. Haney resigned after five years because of his uninspiring record. The University of Oregon basketball program had a record of 52-80, including 26-61 in the Pac Ten conference while Haney was the resigns as commissioner, effective June 30. --July 1, 1992 - Fresno State leaves the conference. Nevada joins. The Big West joins with the WAC WAC (Women's Army Corps), U.S. army organization created (1942) during World War II to enlist women as auxiliaries for noncombatant duty in the U.S. army. Before 1943 it was known as the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC). Its first director was Oveta Culp Hobby. and Pac-10 in forming the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation is a college athletic conference whose member teams are located in the western United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I. in water polo, wrestling, men's volleyball, men's gymnastics, men's and women's soccer and men's and women's indoor track and field. Dennis Farrell becomes commissioner. --Fall 1993 - Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois For the university, see Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois is a region generally covering the northern third of the U.S. state of Illinois. Economics and Southwestern Louisiana join the conference for football only. --May 19, 1995 - The Big West announces it will suspend football after the 1995 season. This causes the football-only schools to leave. --July 1, 1996 - San Jose State, UNLV and Hawaii leave the conference. Boise State, Idaho, North Texas and Cal Poly join. Football is reinstated. --July 8, 1996 - Cal State Northridge and Sacramento State join the conference in softball only. Sacramento joins in baseball a year later. --Fall 1996 - Women's soccer becomes a conference sport. --June 12, 1997 - The NCAA Special Events Committee approves the formation of the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, to replace the Las Vegas Bowl. It guarantees a minimum $750,000 payout. --Dec. 18, 1997 - Arkansas State rejoins the conference in football only. --June 3, 1998 - Bianca Maran of Cal Poly wins the NCAA women's pole vault. --July 30, 1998 - The Humanitarian Bowl announces a two-year agreement between the Big West and Conference USA. --June 8, 1999 - Nevada announces it will leave the conference, effective July 1, 2000. --June 14, 1999 - Long Beach volleyball player Misty May becomes the first conference athlete to win the Honda Broderick Cup, given to the top collegiate athlete. --Sept. 1999 - Boise State announces it will leave the conference effective July 1, 2000. The conference has no choice but to drop football after the 2000 season because it won't have six schools playing. --Nov. 4, 1999 - New Mexico State, North Texas and Arkansas State announce their intent to leave the conference. --Feb. 9, 2000 - Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside are invited to join the conference, effective June 1, 2001. NCAA CHAMPIONS Cal Poly - None while in Big West Cal State Fullerton - Baseball (1979, 1984, 1995); Softball (1986) Idaho - None while in Big West Long Beach State - Women's volleyball (1989, 1993, 1998) Pacific - Women's volleyball (1985-86) UC Irvine - Men's water polo** (1982, 1989) UC Riverside - Will join conference with CSUN UC Santa Barbara - Men's water polo (1979) Utah State - None ** - Irvine also won a Division II water polo title in 1979. Also: San Jose State won the women's golf titles in 1987, '89 and '92 while a member. Hawaii won the women's volleyball title in 1987. UNLV won the men's basketball title in 1990. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) One of the items at the end of CSUN's rainbow will be Long Beach State's Pyramid, a regular stop in their new conference, the Big West. Matthew J. Lee/Special to the Daily News (2 -- color) CSUN interim president Louanne Kennedy, center, leads the Big West conference call with Northridge athletic director Dick Dull, right, and Long Beach State president Robert Maxson. (3) Long Beach State president Robert Maxson said Wednesday that CSUN will be a perfect fit for the Big West Conference. Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer Box: Who's affected/Time line/NCAA champions (see text) |
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