ASUN, UAC forge 2026 alliance: Another new era for Bears

CONWAY, Ark. — The Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and the United Athletic Conference (UAC), the latter currently a football partnership between the ASUN and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), announced a sweeping strategic alliance that will launch in July 2026.

It’s not a merger, but the effect will be big with a single, full-sports United Athletic Conference, uniting institutions from Texas to Georgia, and redrawing the lines of college athletics once again.

As the dominoes of conference realignment have fallen with dizzying speed in recent years, even seasoned athletic directors have struggled to keep up.

“The landscape of collegiate athletics has changed rapidly in recent years, and this strategic alliance creates innovative opportunities for collaboration and increased efficiencies for all of the institutions involved,” said UCA athletics director Matt Whiting, which will be one of the new conference’s anchor schools.

The news signals a new era, one that promises more regional matchups, shorter travel, and a clearer identity for southern schools.

The details are intricate but telling. With Southern Utah and Utah Tech set to depart the WAC for the Big Sky Conference (Big Sky Conference), the WAC was left with three full members (UT Arlington, Abilene Christian, and Tarleton State).

These Texas schools, already competing in the football-only UAC, found themselves at a crossroads. The alliance with the ASUN offers a fresh start and a new home.

“This is not a merger, but a forward-thinking alliance. We are proactively building a modern structure for intercollegiate athletics that benefits everyone involved,” the ASUN said in its official statement.

The new UAC will include Austin Peay State University, UCA, Eastern Kentucky University, University of North Alabama, and University of West Georgia—five football-playing ASUN schools. The total UAC membership will be eight with seven football schools.

The realignment aims to address what many in college sports view as a growing problem.

“We now have conferences that stretch from coast to coast, and conference membership often consists of a mix of football and non-football playing member institutions, public and private institutions, or institutions whose geography does not align well,” the ASUN said.

The new alliance promises to “better align membership; reduce expenses; collectively leverage assets such as media rights; provide members of both conferences games and home games in multiple sports; and situate both conferences for streamlined decision making.”

Current ASUN commissioner Jeff Bacon will serve as executive director of the consortium. Rebekah Ray, the current WAC Commissioner, will also assume a leadership role.

Their task will be to manage the logistical and cultural challenges that come with such a broad coalition.

“This alliance positions the University of Central Arkansas well geographically, creating greater experiences for our student-athletes and fans,” said UCA president Dr. Houston Davis.

For UT Arlington, which has been adrift since the Sun Belt Conference era, the move offers a shot at becoming the flagship of the new UAC.

Jon Fagg, UTA’s athletic director, called it “a strategic, forward-thinking partnership … meant to benefit all UAC and ASUN members.” If you recognize that name, he was formerly an assistant at the University of Arkansas.

The Mavericks, along with Tarleton State and Abilene Christian, will finally have a stable conference home, a relief after years of speculation and shifting affiliations.

Importantly, the alliance preserves what matters most to many college programs: access to the NCAA postseason. Both the ASUN and the UAC will continue to operate as independent conferences, each with their own automatic qualifiers (AQs) for NCAA championships.

The ASUN basketball tournament will remain in Jacksonville, Florida, while the UAC’s tournament location is yet to be determined. Each conference will also continue to meet NCAA sport sponsorship and membership standards.

For athletes, the effect is both practical and profound. Shorter travel means less time on the road and more time for academics and recovery. Regional rivalries, which have been diluted by recent coast-to-coast realignments, will take center stage again.

“This alliance provides great leverage for two conferences and long-term stability amongst like-minded and similarly situated institutions,” said ASUN officials.

The hope is that this stability will translate into more competitive games and a better experience for student-athletes and fans alike.

Notably, the ASUN will retain several non-football institutions in Bellarmine University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Lipscomb University, University of North Florida, Queens University of Charlotte, and Stetson University.

While these schools won’t be UAC members, they’ll continue to compete in the ASUN’s independent championships, keeping their own traditions and rivalries intact .

Conference realignment is often driven as much by television contracts and media rights as by geography or tradition. By pooling their assets, the ASUN and UAC hope to unlock new revenue streams and boost their negotiating power with broadcasters.

“Conferences and institutions are looking for ways to reduce or streamline expenses, unlock new revenue streams, forge scheduling alliances, and prepare for the modern world of intercollegiate athletics,” the ASUN said.

In a sports landscape where media deals can make or break entire leagues, this alliance is as much a business decision as an athletic one.

For the broader college sports community, this move is another chapter in a long story of shifting allegiances, but it’s one that could provide a blueprint for other mid-major conferences.

By acting proactively and collaboratively, the ASUN and UAC have managed to stabilize their membership and chart a path forward in a volatile environment.

As the NCAA continues to grapple with the fallout from NIL (name, image, likeness) rights, expanded playoffs, and the ever-present threat of further realignment, regional alliances like this one may become increasingly common.

As July 2026 approaches, the new UAC will begin to take shape, both on the field and off. Schedules will be redrawn, travel routes mapped, and new rivalries will begin to simmer.

For now, though, the architects of this alliance are focused on the big picture: creating a sustainable, competitive, and regionally coherent home for southern college athletics.

“Membership will continue to be a top priority for both conferences,” the ASUN emphasized, hinting that further expansion or adjustments could be on the horizon.