Elon University has called a 2 p.m. Thursday news conference, when school officials are expected to announce that they’re leaving the Southern Conference to join the Colonial Athletic Association.
According to the Burlington (N.C.) Times News, Elon president Leo Lambert called Southern Conference commissioner John Iamarino Wednesday to inform him that the school will join the CAA.
Elon is expected to join the CAA for the 2014-15 school year. Scheduling, particularly for football, and exit fee are the primary obstacles for Elon to join the CAA for 2013-14.
Elon becomes the second Southern Conference member to bolt for the CAA in the past seven months. The College of Charleston announced last December that it would come to the CAA, starting in 2013.
The CAA will have nine members next school year. Provided there is no further movement, Elon would be the league’s 10th member.
The CAA has experienced massive changes in the past year. Old Dominion and Georgia State announced last spring that they were leaving, for Conference USA and the Sun Belt, respectively. VCUdeparted for the Atlantic 10 Conference last summer, and George Mason followed suit in March, announcing that it would join the A-10 beginning next school year.
William and Mary, James Madison and UNC Wilmington are the only remaining original CAA members.
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