WOAY – Marshall University’s athletic department announced Friday that the school intends to leave Conference USA effective June 30.
In a statement released Friday, athletic department officials said, “Marshall first advised the conference in early December 2021 of its desire to not participate in the conference after this current academic year. Since then, the University continued to communicate its intentions to Conference USA and has offered to find an amicable resolution to this matter. The conference refuses to discuss a resolution with the University. Our student-athletes, coaches, staff, fan base and the remaining members of Conference USA are deserving of clarity in this matter, thus the need for today’s message.”
“We are grateful for our 17 years of Conference USA membership, an era that will always be an important part of Thundering Herd history. Now it is time to turn the page to Marshall’s future.”
The university announced in November that it would join the Sun Belt Conference no later than 2023, marking the third conference move since becoming a Division I-A (FBS) school. As of Friday, it is unclear whether Marshall will join the Sun Belt this upcoming school year.
Marshall, Southern Miss, and Old Dominion have all recently expressed interest in joining the Sun Belt later in 2022, but Conference USA released a statement in January saying it expected all members to honor contractual obligations through 2023. James Madison is confirmed to begin Sun Belt membership in the 2022-23 school year.