MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The West Virginia University Board of Advisors Friday voted to recommend that WVU remain in the Atlantic 10 Conference while 'aggressively pursuing' formation of an all-sports eastern conference.
The vote by the lay advisory board was in contrast to a 9-0 vote three weeks ago by the WVU Athletic Council that the Mountaineers withdraw from the Atlantic 10.
The advisory board recommendation, which specified no length of time for remaining in the Atlantic 10, was made to WVU President E. Gordon Gee and Athletic Director Fred Schaus.
A WVU spokesman said he thinks the athletic council would have voted the same way as the advisory board had the council had the same information available when it voted April 27. The spokesman said a news conference is expected to be held early next week to announce an Atlantic 10 decision.
'In fairness to both WVU and the Atlantic 10 Conference, we now feel that we will make a decision at the early part of next week,' sports information director Joe Boczek said.
Boczek said the advisory board recommended WVU stay in the Atlantic 10 'while aggressively pursuing start of an all-sports conference in the East.'
Atlantic 10 bylaws stipulate a member must give two years notice of intent to withdraw from the conference. However, Atlantic 10 Commissioner Charlie Theokas has said that rule perhaps could be waived or relaxed to one year if WVU officials were unhappy in the league.
WVU was visited recently by the Metro Conference commissioner in the wake of the withdrawal of Tulane from that league after a point-shaving and drugs scandal prompted the school to give up basketball.
The Metro, like the Atlantic 10, is a league of basketball and non-revenue sports but no football.
Much sentiment exists among WVU fans for the Mountaineers' seeking membership in the Metro, which includes Memphis State, Louisville, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, Florida State and Southern Mississippi.
Supporters of a move to the Metro claim more exposure would reach the WVU basketball program than is available in the Atlantic 10 because of bigger markets and a television contract. The Atlantic 10 includes Duquesne, St. Bonaventure, Penn State, Rutgers, Temple, St. Joseph's (Pa.), George Washington, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
'The Athletic Council voted April 27 at a time when the council did not have information that was available to the advisory board,' Boczek said. 'We feel that had the Athletic Council had the same information the advisory board had, it might have voted the same as the advisory board.
'Findings have been made and other information has become available which might have made the athletic council change its vote. We took on a six-week study and various fact-finding missions were held during which the best interest of West Virginia University was kept in mind at all times.'
WVU's football team, which competes as an independent, is one of 10 teams which have played in a bowl game each of the past four years and is one of three teams ranked in the UPI Top 20 the past four years.
While the Metro is a basketball and non-revenue sports conference, talk has arisen that the league might add football to its fold. If that happens, the interest of WVU and other teams in joining the Metro could be enhanced.
