Membership Drive: Louisville Among Vagabond Schools Making Friends in Many Places
November 29th, 2012 - 12:26
An announcement about Louisville joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014-15 means the Cardinals will have been members of five different leagues in 41 years. But there are other schools - including UL's fellow MVC/Metro/Great Midwest/C-USA members Cincinnati, Memphis and Saint Louis - with similar wanderlust.
Amid nearly 60 schools becoming new league members this year and the next two seasons, Memphis was slated to revive its rivalry with Louisville in the Big East but The Ville preferred to chill with new friends in the ACC. Resembling upwardly-mobile divorcees seeking the perfect spouse, New Mexico State is expected to become the 11th school to join the following list of most nomadic institutions:
| Nomadic School | Duration for Five Leagues | Conference Affiliations |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Christian | five different leagues in 18 years from 1996 to 2013 | 73-year stint in SWC through 1996, WAC 1997-2001, Conference USA 2002-05, Mountain West 2006-12 and Big 12 2013 |
| Towson | five in 21 years from 1982 to 2002 | Northeast 1982, East Coast 1983-92, Big South 1993-95, America East 1996-2001 and CAA 2002-13 |
| Saint Louis | five in 23 years from 1974 to 1996 and six in 33 from 1974 to 2006 | Missouri Valley 1938-74, Metro 1976-82, Midwestern Collegiate 1983-91, Great Midwest 1992-95, Conference USA 1996-2005 and Atlantic 10 2006-13 |
| Louisiana Tech | five in 28 years from 1987 to 2014 | Southland 1972-87, American South 1988-91, Sun Belt 1992-2001, WAC 2002-13 and C-USA 2014 |
| Nevada | five in 34 years from 1979 to 2013 | WCAC 1970-79, Big Sky 1980-92, Big West 1993-2000, WAC 2001-12 and Mountain West 2013 |
| Texas-Pan American | five in 35 years from 1980 to 2014 | TAAC 1980, American South 1988-91, Sun Belt 1992-98, Great West 2009-13 and Western Athletic 2014 |
| Cincinnati | five in 37 years from 1970 to 2006 | Missouri Valley 1958-70, Metro 1976-91, Great Midwest 1992-95, Conference USA 1996-2005 and Big East 2006-13 |
| North Texas | five in 40 years from 1975 to 2014 | Missouri Valley 1958-75, Southland 1983-96, Big West 1997-2000, Sun Belt 2001-13 and C-USA 2014 |
| Louisville | five in 41 years from 1975 to 2015 | Missouri Valley (1965-75), Metro (1976-95), Conference USA (1996-2005), Big East 2006-14 and ACC 2015 |
| Memphis | five in 42 years from 1973 to 2014 | Missouri Valley 1968-73, Metro 1976-91, Great Midwest 1992-95, Conference USA 1996-2013) and Big East 2014 |