WAC Reaches Agreement To Keep Nevada, Fresno State In League Through 2012

Fresno State and Nevada have been insistent on trying to leave the WAC after this season to join the Mountain West, but lawyers have been involved and this whole situation has taken so many turns. The situation finally showed progress on Tuesday, when reports out of ESPN Radio 1430 in Fresno reported that Fresno State and Nevada would join the Mountain West in 2011 for all sports except for football which would join the Mountain West in 2012. Also, there would be only a $1 million exit penalty to be paid by each school. That report was proven to be inaccurate shortly after the announcement.

Now, there are multiple sources saying that Nevada and Fresno State will stay in the WAC through July of 2012 for all sports, and then join the Mountain West in the fall of 2012. The exit fee is expected to be lower for both schools, but at this time that information is not available. The official announcement is expected to come out on Thursday.

The main reason to keep Fresno State and Nevada in the WAC for football through the 2012 season is for scheduling purposes. Boise State is leaving for the Mountain West in 2011 and that leaves the WAC with eight teams, and had Fresno State and Nevada also left the Mountain West then the WAC would be down to six teams. The NCAA may have granted a waiver for the football conference, but the main concern would be in scheduling enough games for the remaining teams in only a few months time.

The prospective schools that the WAC is looking to bring in are: Texas State, University of Texas at San Antonio and Montana for all sports, and then Denver and Seattle University for all non-football sports.