The University of Delaware on Tuesday confirmed that it has accepted an invitation to join Conference USA as a full-league member effective July 1, 2025.
University of Delaware president Dennis Assanis said in a press release that joining Conference USA will present opportunities to not only broaden exposure of the school's athletics programs, but also enhance awareness and visibility of the school's academic offerings.
"The Blue Hens will compete in Conference USA in baseball, men's and women's basketball, cross country, football, men's and women's golf, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, track & field, and volleyball," Assanis said. "More information will become available in the coming months about where the other seven programs will compete in the future."
All UD varsity programs will remain in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) through the 2024-2025 season, with all sports except football maintaining eligibility to compete for conference championships and NCAA postseason play.
Per NCAA rules, football will not be eligible for a conference title or the FCS playoffs once the transition process begins at the conclusion of this season. In the 2024 season, football will have an FCS schedule that will be announced in the coming months. In 2025, football will compete in Conference USA, and will be eligible for a Conference USA regular season championship. In 2026, football will be eligible to compete in the Conference USA Championship game and a bowl game.
"Thanks to our recently opened Whitney Athletic Center and improvements to Delaware Stadium and other facilities, we are confident that we have the infrastructure in place at UD to compete with the very best in college football and simultaneously witness the growth of our other intercollegiate programs in the department," director of Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation Chrissi Rawak said. "UD Athletics continues to ascend, and Blue Hen football is prepared to take the next step and lead the way."
The University continues to have a strong commitment to Title IX and gender equity. With the move to FBS football and the additional scholarships it requires, Delaware will begin to sponsor another women's varsity sport, which will be announced at a later date.
Conference USA is an NCAA Division I conference. Founded in 1995 and based in Dallas, CUSA is home to nine schools: FIU, Jacksonville State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP, and WKU. Kennesaw State joins the league in 2024 and Delaware begins competition in 2025.
