UIW Headed to the WAC

University of the Incarnate Word agrees to Join Western Athletic Conference

San Antonio – Nov. 12, 2021 – The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is arrogant to denote that it has accepted an invitation to go a portion of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). UIW volition articulation the WAC opening July 1, 2022.
 
“As we person witnessed implicit the past respective months, Division 1 athletics tin beryllium a changing scenery and with that alteration volition travel opportunity,” says UIW President Dr. Thomas M. Evans. “The University of the Incarnate Word is committed to prioritizing what is champion for our student-athletes and the Mission of the University. A determination to the WAC astatine this clip puts our student-athletes successful the champion presumption to win academically and competitively. We privation to convey the WAC Board of Directors, Commissioner Jeff Hurd and each the subordinate institutions for the accidental to articulation this prestigious league and we look guardant to moving with them to support and fortify the level of sportsmanship and contention for which the WAC is known. We would besides similar to convey the institutions of the Southland Conference for their concern implicit the past 9 years.”
 
With the summation of UIW, the WAC volition soon dwell of 14 schools competing successful 20 antithetic men’s and women’s sports, including 8 teams that volition vie successful shot astatine the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
 
The league is opening its 60th twelvemonth of intercollegiate contention and successful August 2021 the WAC entered into a caller media rights statement with ESPN. Under that agreement, much than 500 unrecorded WAC games and events including football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming and diving, way and field, softball and shot volition beryllium disposable for fans to ticker connected ESPN+. In addition, ESPN volition nutrient the men’s and women’s hoops title games.
 
“UIW brings a stellar reputation, a balanced athletics programme and a large geographic determination to the WAC,” says Jeff Hurd, commissioner of the WAC. “The conference’s Board evaluated each facet of UIW’s illustration and cognize it is simply a large acceptable for the league present and for years to come.”
 
UIW presently has 23 men’s and women’s teams competing successful 14 antithetic sports. Student-athletes astatine the assemblage person proven to beryllium champions connected and disconnected the field.  In the Spring of 2021, UIW student-athletes recorded a corporate GPA of 3.27. Despite the ongoing effects of the pandemic felt passim the year, they managed to log 4,895 hours of unpaid work successful the assemblage implicit 2020-2021.
 
“We are excited to beryllium joining the WAC,” says Richard Duran, UIW diversion director. “This volition rise the illustration of each our sports teams and springiness our student-athletes a accidental to vie connected a antithetic level. We consistently inquire our students to beryllium champions successful the classroom, the assemblage and successful competition. This determination volition supply them the accidental to bash conscionable that.”