6 move to form new conference

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis and five other schools agreed Monday "to proceed immediately" to form a new conference with a new name and hope to begin competition in most sports starting next fall, said U of M President V. Lane Rawlins."We will move forward to form a new league; it's full speed ahead," Rawlins said by telephone from Chicago, where he and other presidents met Monday. "Our intent is to go beyond six (members), and we will be issuing additional invitations as soon as possible."

Rawlins said the six schools agreed to welcome an undisclosed number of additional charter members. "I am not going to say how many, because if I did it would be too easy to figure out who they are," Rawlins said.

Earlier reports were that DePaul, St. Louis, Alabama-Birmingham and Marquette of the Great Midwest Conference might be included, giving the new league a membership of 10. There also has been talk that GMC member Dayton might be considered, along with Metro Conference members South Florida and North Carolina-Charlotte and independent East Carolina.

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Attending Monday's meeting were the presidents of Memphis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Houston and Southern Mississippi, with Tulane President Eamon Kelly participating via telephone. Those six schools announced Sept. 22 that they had "agreed in principle" to unite in a comprehensive conference.

Regardless of the new league's makeup, it will exert heavy, possibly fatal, impacts on both the Metro and Great Midwest. Memphis and Cincinnati are GMC members; and Louisville, Tulane and Southern Mississippi belong to the Metro. Houston is a member of the Southwest Conference, already doomed to dissolve in 1996 because of defections to other leagues.

"Our intent is to start competing in everything but football next year, if we can clear ourselves legally to do that," Rawlins said.

The new conference will have a new name, which Rawlins said is yet to be determined. "We (the presidents) talked about some possible names, but none that I like. Maybe we ought to sponsor a national contest to pick one."

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