FAMU trustees, this afternoon, approved the university’s move to a new athletics conference.
Trustees voted unanimously to leave the MEAC on June 20, 2021. FAMU expects to join the Southwestern Athletic Conference the next day.
SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland said, “I’m excited about the unanimous vote of FAMU to join, in my opinion, one of the greatest conferences in America.”
“The SWAC has led FCS in (football) attendance in 42 of the past 43 years. Our rich history, pageantry and fan base will be well-suited for FAMU. I think it’s a perfect fit.”
The SWAC which consist of Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alcorn, Grambling State, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State, Prairie View A&M, Southern, Texas Southern, and Arkansas Pine Bluff universities, must take a vote to admit FAMU as a member.
University leaders said today that FAMU is switching conference largely to help student-athletes by significantly reducing time spent traveling to competitions. The average travel time to universities in the SWAC is 5.4 hrs compared to 10.1 hrs in the MEAC, according to documents presented to trustees.