CONWAY, Ark. — The University of Central Arkansas has decided to chart its own course in the evolving world of college athletics.

On July 1, as the landmark House v. NCAA settlement ushered in a new era of direct payments to student-athletes, UCA announced it would not opt in … at least for now.

The move sets UCA apart from the majority of Division I schools and reveals the complexities facing smaller athletic programs as college sports undergo rapid change.

The House v. NCAA settlement, approved on June 6 by U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken, resolved three class-action lawsuits that targeted the NCAA’s longstanding restrictions on athlete compensation.

The settlement mandates not only a $2.8 billion payout in back damages to athletes dating as far back as 2016, but also enacts sweeping changes for the 2025-26 academic year: up to $20.5 million in annual revenue sharing per school, new roster limits by sport, and the removal of scholarship caps.

While many hailed the decision as a long-overdue recognition of athletes’ value, it forced universities to confront a new financial and operational realit.

In an interview, UCA athletics director Matt Whiting was candid about the university’s rationale.

“We’ve made the decision at UCA, for 2025-26, to opt out,” Whiting told Sam Lane with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “Revenue sharing and scholarship limits are really one piece, but the big thing for us is the roster limitation.”

For UCA, the prospect of slicing dozens of roster spots from its football and baseball teams, among others, was untenable. The football program typically carries about 130 student-athletes—well above the new cap of 105. Baseball, with an average roster of 40, would likewise be forced to make cuts.

Whiting framed the decision as a matter of institutional mission and survival.

“We can be a revenue driver for UCA. We’re proud of the number of student-athletes that we have in our program. Opting in would require us to reduce by a significant amount of student-athletes in our program. And so that’s obviously lost revenue for the university during a time where enrollment across the country is declining,” he said.

At UCA, where athletics is deeply tied to campus life and tuition revenue from athletes is significant, the loss of paying student-athletes would not just hit the locker room—but the university’s bottom line.

Across the country, the NCAA’s new settlement has sparked a wave of anxious recalculations, especially among smaller Division I schools.

While powerhouse programs in the so-called Power Five conferences are expected to meet or exceed the $20.5 million revenue-sharing cap, schools with leaner budgets like UCA, whose entire athletics budget for 2024-25 is just $8.3 million face a starkly different equation.

“You’re adding a $20.5 million expense to your athletic department budget. That’s tough to do, right? I think we’re all operating lean, and we’re all operating to the best of our ability,” Whiting said. “I think the revenue across the board in college athletics is different at all levels, right? And so, ultimately, I don’t know that that is very instrumental at our level, but we’ll see.”

Under the new rules, schools that opt in will be allowed to directly compensate athletes up to $20.5 million per year, with the cap set to increase by about 4% annually through 2034. The changes also eliminate scholarship limits, meaning every rostered athlete can receive a full scholarship, a benefit for some, but a logistical challenge for programs already stretched thin.

The impact of these changes is not uniform. For larger schools, the settlement provides a way to retain top talent and remain competitive in the high-stakes world of college sports.

For mid-majors like UCA, the risk calculus is different.

Keeping more student-athletes on the roster means more tuition revenue and a broader campus impact. Cutting athletes to comply with new roster limits would mean fewer students, less revenue, and potentially, a diminished campus experience.

UCA is not alone in its approach. While approximately 82% of Division I schools opted in to the settlement for the 2025-26 year, a number of smaller institutions are waiting to see how the new landscape develops. Legal risks, Title IX compliance, and the uncertainty of how revenue sharing will affect athletic departments’ finances are all in play.

The NCAA’s implementation of the settlement has also drawn criticism and concern from coaches, athletes, and administrators.

Some argue that the new roster limits will force programs to cut opportunities for aspiring athletes, particularly walk-ons and those in non-revenue sports. Others worry that the new system will exacerbate the financial gulf between rich and poor schools, further entrenching the advantages of the largest programs.

For now, UCA’s decision to opt out is not permanent. Schools are permitted to revisit the decision annually, with the next deadline for the 2026-27 academic year set for March 1, 2026.

“We’re going to monitor things,” Whiting said. “You don’t know what happens in the future, and it’s a unique time. Who knows what will be right for all institutions, but we feel opting out at this time is in the best interest for University of Central Arkansas.”

This wait-and-see approach reflects broader uncertainty across college sports.

As universities grapple with declining enrollment, rising costs, and shifting expectations from athletes, alumni, and fans, the House settlement is both a catalyst and a crucible for change. Some see it as a long overdue reckoning, others as a challenge that could threaten the viability of smaller programs.

What is clear is that the stakes are higher than ever. For schools like UCA, the decision is about more than compliance or financial calculus. It is about preserving opportunities for students, sustaining the fabric of campus life, and adapting to a landscape that is shifting beneath their feet.

The next chapter in college athletics is being written in real time. For now, UCA has chosen caution over compliance.

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.