Big Sky Conference expands
The Big Sky Conference will be getting two new members in the 2012-13 season, in the way of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux and the Southern Utah Thunderbirds.
The Fighting Sioux will be joining the Big Sky out of the Great West Conference where they finished in fourth last season at 8-23 with a 5-7 record against conference opponents. Meanwhile Southern Utah will be moving from the Summit League Conference, where
they finished 7-22 and had a conference record of 3-15.
The Big Sky conference is also said to be very close to adding the South Dakota Coyotes, who have experienced a great deal of success, winning the Great West Conference last season with a 22-10 record.
The moves are positive for the Fighting Sioux and Thunderbirds, who are not considered top rate programs and now have the opportunity to join a mid-major conference. North Dakota in particular seems to be advancing quickly as they have only been a Division
1-A school for three seasons.
The Big Sky has been trying to establish itself as a major player in both basketball and football, where the conference is in the Football Championship Series.
The addition of two new basketball schools comes in the midst of a major conference transformation, which sees the Big Sky adding UC Davis and Cal Poly as football only schools, in the FBS. The Fighting Sioux were initially drawn to the Big Sky because of
their involvement in both football and basketball.
Regardless of the Big Sky’s attempt to make themselves a strong football conference, they have experienced the most success on the basketball court. The conference has benefited from the development of the Weber State Wildcats basketball program along with
continued progress from the Montana Grizzlies.
The additions will bring the Big Sky basketball conference to 12 teams, while the football conference will balloon to 14 teams by the 2012-13 season.
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