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| Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton |
A day that has been over 25 years in the making finally was celebrated at Southern Utah University on July 2, as Commissioner Doug Fullerton officially welcomed the University into the Big Sky Conference.
"I've had several people stop me today and tell me that this is a great day for Southern Utah University, but let me tell you, this is a great
"I've had several people stop me today and tell me that this is a great day for Southern Utah University, but let me tell you, this is a great
day for the
Big Sky Conference too," Fullerton
said during his address to an overflow crowd
at SUU's Sharwan Smith Center Rotunda on Monday afternoon.
Fullerton said that the changing landscape in collegiate sports as well as SUU's mission, location and level of competition all played a role, adding that Southern Utah will help establish the Big Sky as one of the most stable conferences in the country.
"About four years ago the presidents of the Big Sky Conference that in [the
shake-up of conferences across the country] there was going to be tremendous
opportunity," he pointed out. "If we were to sit together, and pay more
attention to the type of institution that we bring into the league, and worry
less about whether or not they were in huge demographic markets, and pay more
attention to the mission and to the people of the universities ... we could win
this game. Today the Big Sky Conference is one of only three remaining
football-playing conferences in the west: there's the Pac-12, the Mountain West,
and the Big Sky Conference.
"As is evidenced by the turnout today, Southern Utah has a tremendous commitment level."
SUU President Michael T. Benson also addressed the crowd, noting: "When I came to work at Southern Utah University ... I was given the charge to accomplish two things ... the first was to get SUU into the Big Sky Conference and the second was to get a Phi Beta Kappa chapter on campus. We've now accomplished the first and we're going to apply for our Phi Beta Kappa chapter in the next little while. This is a huge accomplishment for our University.
"This is a wonderful chance for us to associate with universities that we
aspire to be more like," Benson added. "This is an association that goes beyond
athletics, it's an association for us academically in a wonderful sense, and it
will bring a lot of notoriety to campus and I know a lot of recognition."
For alumni, the conference is welcome news. "SUU will now be traveling to locations throughout the West where the majority of our alumni live," said Mindy Benson, Executive Director of Alumni Relations. "This is a fantastic opportunity and we invite all alumni to become more involved in Thunderbird Athletics, to show their SUU pride by wearing red and to come out to games or matches in your area."
Fullerton said that the changing landscape in collegiate sports as well as SUU's mission, location and level of competition all played a role, adding that Southern Utah will help establish the Big Sky as one of the most stable conferences in the country.
"About four years ago the presidents of the Big Sky Conference that in [the
shake-up of conferences across the country] there was going to be tremendous
opportunity," he pointed out. "If we were to sit together, and pay more
attention to the type of institution that we bring into the league, and worry
less about whether or not they were in huge demographic markets, and pay more
attention to the mission and to the people of the universities ... we could win
this game. Today the Big Sky Conference is one of only three remaining
football-playing conferences in the west: there's the Pac-12, the Mountain West,
and the Big Sky Conference."As is evidenced by the turnout today, Southern Utah has a tremendous commitment level."
SUU President Michael T. Benson also addressed the crowd, noting: "When I came to work at Southern Utah University ... I was given the charge to accomplish two things ... the first was to get SUU into the Big Sky Conference and the second was to get a Phi Beta Kappa chapter on campus. We've now accomplished the first and we're going to apply for our Phi Beta Kappa chapter in the next little while. This is a huge accomplishment for our University.
For alumni, the conference is welcome news. "SUU will now be traveling to locations throughout the West where the majority of our alumni live," said Mindy Benson, Executive Director of Alumni Relations. "This is a fantastic opportunity and we invite all alumni to become more involved in Thunderbird Athletics, to show their SUU pride by wearing red and to come out to games or matches in your area."
Cedar City Mayor Joe Burgess was also on hand to declare the day Big Sky Day in Cedar City, and SUU Director of Athletics Ken Beazer pointed out that "This is a long-awaited day at Southern Utah University. Ever since the University moved to Division I competition in 1987 membership in the Big Sky Conference has been a goal. Now we have to move forward and become a contributing member."
The Thunderbirds' first official Big Sky contest will be September 14, when volleyball travels to Weber State, while soccer plays its first BSC game on September 21 when it travels to Northern Arizona and the SUU football team kicks off its BSC era at Portland State on September 22.
The Big Sky now stands at 11 full institutions: Eastern Washington, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, North Dakota, Portland State, Sacramento State, Southern Utah and Weber State. Cal Poly and UC Davis joined the conference as affiliate-football members.
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