Norfolk, VA (WAVY) - Old Dominion University first announced its intention to depart from the Colonial Athletics Association on May 17, 2012. After more than a year of waiting, the Monarchs made it official Monday.

July 1 marked a new era for ODU athletics, and its first day as a member of Conference USA. The Monarchs join Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, North Texas and Texas San Antonio, who also joined the conference.

Monday also marked ODU's first move away from the CAA since 1992, when it first joined the league. After a total of 51 conference championships, the Monarchs will try and make their way in the newly organized 16-team league which has the University of Southern Mississippi, Tulane, Marshall, Tulsa, East Carolina, the University of Alabama at Birmingham,  Texas El-Paso and Rice all returning as members.

The Monarch football team will have to wait yet another year before it can begin competition in its new league. The basketball programs, however, will welcome their new conference foes this upcoming season, which excites ODU's newest head coach.

"Conference USA is an exciting proposition and it will be a big challenge in a whole lot of ways particularly and hopefully in enhancing our national profile," says new men's basketball head man Jeff Jones, "With 16 schools over 12 states, that's a pretty wide range for C-USA."

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