It’s that time of year again. Conference realignment moves officially take effect today.
While there aren’t the monumental moves we’ll see this time next year with the Mountain West getting a makeover in 2026, there are still several moves to be aware of.
Joining: Conference USA
Leaving: CAA
The Blue Hens are moving to Conference USA. Delaware has been in the CAA for the last 24 years. Their men’s basketball made the NCAA Tournament twice in that stretch. It went 16-20 last season. The Blue Hen women went dancing four times as members of the CAA, including back-to-back appearances with Elena Delle-Donne. UD went 13-17 in 2025.
Joining: Conference USA
Leaving: Missouri Valley
The Bears from Springfield, Mo., are saying goodbye to the Missouri Valley Conference after 35 years for Conference USA. Missouri State’s men’s basketball team last made the NCAA Tournament in 1999 – Steve Alford’s last season leading the program. The team went 9-23 last year. The Bears women’s program has been historically good. They have gone dancing four times in the last decade and 13 times in a 16-year span from 1991 through 2006. They posted a 26-9 mark last season.
Joining: MAC
Leaving: Atlantic 10
Remember the rivalry of UMass and Temple? John Calipari vs. John Chaney. Well, neither one of these schools is in the Atlantic 10 anymore. UMass is now in the MAC after 43 years in the A10.
The Minutemen went to seven straight NCAA Tournaments in the 1990s, including the 1996 Final Four but have only danced once since that run. They went 12-20 last season. The Massachusetts women’s team have gone to the Tourney three times, most recently in 2022. They went 17-15 last year.
Joining: NEC
Leaving: Northeast 10 (Division II)
New Haven is the newest member of Division I. Welcome, Chargers.
They’ll join the NEC. The men’s team went 12-17 last season, and the women were 17-11.
Joining: WCC
Leaving: WAC
The Redhawks have been in the WAC the last 13 years. The men’s team hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1969. It went 14-18 last season. The women went dancing in 2018 but have won single-digit games each of the last three years.
Who’s Next
The Mountain West will look drastically different this time next year. But we’ll talk about that in 365 days.
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