WOW how'd they keep this secret!!!

[Zipmeister]

Associated Press Newswire (Providence, R.I.) April 1, 2007 SundayThe BIG EAST Conference Commissioner’s office announced today the planned expansion of the BIG EAST Conference from 16 to 18 members with the addition of the University of Central Florida and the University of Akron effective as of July 1, 2009. The addition of the two schools will also expand the number of BIG EAST member institutions with Division 1 football programs from 8 to 10. This is the second expansion of the BIG EAST conference in recent years. In 2005-06, the BIG EAST welcomed five new members to increase its membership to 16: University of Cincinnati, DePaul University, University of Louisville, Marquette University and the University of South Florida. At that time, some were ready to call the new BIG EAST alignment too unwieldy, but the league showed that there can be strength in numbers even when that number is a large one. After this most recent expansion is complete, the BIG EAST football championship will be contested in a single ten-team division while both men’s and women’s basketball will be contested in two nine-team divisions culminating with a post-season conference tournament. The University of Central Florida, located in Orlando, Florida, is currently a member of Conference USA and the University of Akron, located in Akron, Ohio, is a member of the MidAmerican Conference. Each school was granted full membership status in the BIG EAST Conference in 2009 by a unanimous vote of BIG EAST Conference University Presidents. Luis M. Proenza, and John C. Hitt President of the University of Akron and the University of Central Florida, respectively, expressed their pleasure with the announcement. Dr. Proenza said, “It is an honor to join an organization which has enjoyed a national leadership role.” Dr. Hitt added, “Student athletes in the BIG EAST own significantly high graduation rates and their record of scholastic achievement notably show a balance between intercollegiate athletics and academics.”BIG EAST institutions reside in nine of the nation's top 34 largest media markets, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Tampa, Pittsburgh, Hartford, Milwaukee and Cincinnati. Since opening its doors in 1979, the league has won 25 national championships in six different sports and 124 student-athletes have won individual national titles. Moving proactively has been a consistent strategy for the conference that was formed in 1979. The BIG EAST has continually turned challenges into opportunities to become stronger. The BIG EAST became a reality on May 31, 1979, following a meeting of athletic directors from Providence College, St. John's, Georgetown and Syracuse Universities. Seton Hall, Connecticut and Boston College completed the original seven school alliance. While the membership has both increased and changed, the focus of the BIG EAST has not wavered. The conference reflects a tradition of broad based programs, led by administrators and coaches who place a constant emphasis on academic integrity. The conference has long been considered a leader in innovative concepts in promotion and publicity, and they have highly recommended that the University of Akron officially change their name to Akron U. The conference office believes the new name would more easily roll off the tongues of announcers at sporting events.

[jeaglet1]

if i didnt know any better, id think it was april fools....

[UAZipster0305]

April Fools!...and not a good one I might add.

[Captain Kangaroo]

April Fools!...and not a good one I might add.

I liked it!

[timmyboy]

dont get our hopes up lol..... but it was a very nice april fools joke ha ha.

[zip81]

Did you hear that Taco Bell bought the naming rights to the Liberty Bell, which will now be known as Taco Liberty Bell?

[AZipsCrazy]

Wow that's the meanest April fools joke ever... I was about to cry I was so happy then I figured it out.

[Valpo Zip]

Good one ! I didn't buy it because something like that won't happen so quietly. I have to admit though, i googled "big east expansion" just to kill the 1% doubt voice in my head that was saying: "you never know, it might be true."Good one meister

[zippyrifle32]

the suggestion that a league would say a school needs to change their name to make it sound better is what gave it away for me... akron u HA! someone should post this over on the Can't board... see if they get it.

[skip-zip]

Let's keep hoping though. If this had been true, it would have surpassed even Getsy's touchdown pass to Hixson as my greatest moment ever as a lifetime Zips fan.

[BZip_08]

you tease me... that's just cruel