Southern Utah, Utah Tech moving to Big Sky Conference in 2026
FARMINGTON, Utah (AP) — Southern Utah and Utah Tech will join the Big Sky Conference as full members starting with the 2026-27 academic year.
The additions announced Wednesday will give the conference 11 full members following Sacramento State's departure for the Big West in all sports except football.
'The time is right for the Big Sky to bring in Utah Tech and to bring back Southern Utah,' Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill said in a statement. 'The addition of rising rival athletic departments from these two universities, located squarely within our geographic footprint in the western United States, reinforce the long-term stability and success of our league. '
The losses of Southern Utah and Utah Tech leaves the Western Athletic Conference with five members following the departures of Seattle, Grand Canyon and Utah Valley. Both schools will remains in the WAC until moving to the Big Sky.
The Big Sky also has two football affiliate members, Cal Poly and UC Davis, along with men's golf affiliate Francis Marion, which joins the league on July 1.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
28 minutes ago
- New York Times
How to watch X Games Salt Lake City Day 3: Best trick showcase in grand finale
Sunday highlights the highest risks and best tricks as the 30th anniversary X Games come to a close in Salt Lake City. It is a day reserved for the most consequential contests, in which a single run can redefine an athlete's legacy. It's also a day of fan favorites. Betting remains active, and with stunts this dicey, the odds can shift before the wheels touch down. Advertisement An all-day digital livestream of Sunday's events can be found on the Roku Sports Channel. Women's Skateboard Street Best Trick opens the day. Chloe Covell is just 15, but she's already the rider to beat as the owner of four X Games gold medals. Her lines are crisp, fast and technically advanced. She faces a deep field of teenage talent, pushing the ceiling higher with each appearance. The lineup continues with Men's Skateboard Vert Best Trick, BMX Dirt Best Trick, Men's Skateboard Street Best Trick and Moto X QuarterPipe High Air. Colby Raha enters as the favorite in the latter — he's won four titles and continues to hit heights once thought impossible. But new challengers are closing in, and a single slip can change the standings. In the Men's Skateboard Vert Best Trick final, Gui Khury is within reach of another gold. The 16-year-old claimed his eighth X Games gold, the most ever for a teenager, when he won the Men's Skateboard Vert competition on Friday. Vert is the sport's root system, where style, control and innovation collide. Finally, after Women's BMX Park, the Dave Mirra BMX Park Best Trick closes the weekend. Kevin Peraza returns to chase a sixth medal in the event that honors Mirra's legacy. Expect big air and creative lines that nod to BMX history while pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Streaming and ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Kevin Peraza: Al Bello / Getty Images)
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Oklahoma City's Game 7 victory over Indiana draws largest NBA Finals audience in six years
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — Oklahoma City's 103-91 victory over Indiana in Game 7 was the most-watched NBA Finals game in six years. Sunday night's game averaged 16.53 million on ABC and ESPN+ according to preliminary ratings data from Nielsen. The audience peaked at 19.28 million during the second half (9:45-10 p.m. EDT). Advertisement It is the first time since Toronto wrapped up its title in Game 6 against Golden State in 2019 (18.34 million) that the finals have had an audience over 16 million. The last Game 7, when Cleveland beat Golden State in 2016, averaged 31.02 million. The seven-game series averaged 10.27 million, down from the 11.31 million average for Boston's victory over Dallas in five games last year. The seven games were the most-watched television broadcasts since the first week of May. ESPN and ABC averaged 6.12 million for the 34 games they carried during the playoffs, a 10% increase over last year. ___ AP NBA: The Associated Press
New York Times
38 minutes ago
- New York Times
How to watch the USMNT vs. Costa Rica: Tournament legacy on the line in 2025 Gold Cup
The United States returns to the Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinals Sunday under the dome at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, facing a depleted but familiar Costa Rica squad with tournament pedigree and a long memory. Here's how to watch as the USMNT tries to keep its tournament run on track against an old rival. Advertisement International streaming via Concacaf GO. Chris Richards was everywhere in the group stage, breaking up plays, winning headers and volleying in the match's only goal in a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia. The U.S. finished atop Group D after defeating Haiti and reminded viewers that, for all its volatility, this young squad still knows how to close. Now comes Costa Rica. These teams know each other well, and while the U.S. enters as the favorite — BetMGM has the squad listed at -175 — recent history says this fixture tends to get complicated. Costa Rica will be without striker Manfred Ugalde and winger Carlos Mora (both suspended), as well as injured attackers Ariel Lassiter and Warren Madrigal. It's a short bench, but not a soft opponent. Up front, the USMNT still lacks a clear finisher. Haji Wright remains unavailable, and no striker has fully claimed the job. Off the field, the most competitive battle may be for bragging rights in the team's Clash Royale matches. The U.S. has reached the semifinals in all but one Gold Cup since 1991. A win keeps them on script. A loss would mark just the second time in 34 years they've missed the final four. Streaming and ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Matt Freese: Omar Vega / Getty Images)
