NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The Sun Belt Conference says the University of New Orleans is dropping out of the conference on July 1 – part of a move to drop from NCAA Division I to Division III.
An announcement Wednesday said the conference is waiving early withdrawal fees.
It quotes chancellor Tim Ryan as saying UNO must make changes to allow Division III athletics.
The league says its headquarters will stay in New Orleans, where it has been located for nearly 20 years. Commissioner Wright Waters says that is still nearly the geographic center of member schools.
League spokesman John McElwain said in an e-mail that the New Orleans bowl won’t be affected. UNO does not have a football team. The remaining 12 Sun Belt members include nine in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
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