University of Delaware’s announced move to Conference USA leaves some sports without a future home for now.
While the move is driven by football – which is stepping up to FBS – and men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, and baseball will benefit from increased national exposure, other sports' futures are not so clear right now.
Seven UD sports are not sponsored by Conference USA including lacrosse and field hockey.
UD Athletic Director Chrissi Rawak says she will work just as vigorously to find those sports new homes - likely multiple conferences - as she did get football and basketball to Conference USA.
Rawak hopes to make progress on conference affiliations for those sports by the end of the year.
"I'd like to have it done sooner rather than later of course, but one of the things that I have to do is work with those other conferences and understand exactly what their process is,” said Rawak. “So I certainly feel like by the end of December we should have some sense of where we're going to be going with those sports."
UD becomes a full-league member of Conference USA on July 1, 2025, and Rawak notes she will be proud when UD plays its first game as a member of its new league.
The move to Conference USA will not only shine a light on the football program as it steps up in competition.
UD officials expect the move will benefit other sports and the university.
While football is the primary driver of the move - opening the door to compete in bowl games like the Bahamas Bowl which has a Conference USA tie-in, university officials see this as a way to promote UD nationally.
With games on ESPN and CBS Sports Network against teams as far away as New Mexico, Texas, and Florida, UD will be highlighted to areas of the country not seen in the CAA.
Rawak says it will also mean adding a new sport.
"As a part of this move we'll be adding a women's varsity program. Our commitment to gender equity and providing opportunities for females here to compete at the highest level gives us this moment, and I look forward to sharing the details of what sport it will be and where we will compete next week," said Rawak.
UD will still compete in the CAA next season before heading to Conference USA in 2025, with all teams eligible for postseason except football.
The football team won’t be bowl eligible after the move until 2026.
The move does have include an exit fee to the CAA, an entry fee to Conference USA and a $ 5 million NCAA reclassification fee to move football to FBS. UD is the first to pay the NCAA's new, higher reclassification fee.
The total is $6 million with all fees fundraised from external sources. To date, UD has raised $3.5 million.
