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Mustangs Head For
Greener Pastures, Will Join Heartland Conference This Fall |
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Portions courtesy MSU-Billings Sports Information Office Silver City, NM – Scott Woodard, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Western New Mexico University, announced that the school, as well as fellow PacWest Institution MSU-Billings will join the Heartland Conference beginning with the 2005-2006 academic year. The Heartland Conference is an NCAA Division II conference based in Texas and includes Dallas Baptist University, University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio), Lincoln University (Jefferson City, MO), Panhandle State University (Goodwell, OK), St. Edward's University (Austin, TX), and St. Mary's University (San Antonio). The move by WNMU and MSUB to the Heartland comes after months of negotiations between various parties. The Heartland invited both schools to join in October. Since that time, numerous scenarios were explored, including an invitation from the Pacific West Conference to the four schools in Texas to join the PacWest. The PacWest includes BYU-Hawaii, Chaminade University, Hawaii Pacific University, and University of Hawaii-Hilo. On Wednesday the schools from Texas announced their decision to remain in the Heartland Conference and not join the PacWest, reopening the opportunity for MSU-Billings and Western New Mexico to move to the Heartland. Western New Mexico, Dr. John Counts announced the school's decision to join the Heartland Thursday afternoon, as did the Chancellor of MSU-Billings, Dr. Ronald Sexton. Joining the Heartland is seen as beneficial to both the Mustang and the Yellowjacket Athletics Departments for various reasons. The move is believed to assist in cost containment since the schools will no longer incur rising travel costs to Hawaii. In addition, women's basketball—one of the schools' most successful progrrams—will have a conference affiliation and conference schedule for the first time since 2000-2001. Dallas Baptist at a Glance Incarnate Word at a Glance Lincoln University at a Glance Montana State-Billings at a Glance Panhandle State at a Glance St. Edward's at a Glance St. Mary's at a Glance Western New Mexico at a Glance |
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