SUN BELT CONFERENCE (cont.)

15-14 last season, was the only one of the four to finish above .500 in men’s basketball in 2021-22.

ODU finished 13-19, Marshall 12-21 and USM 7-26.

ASU men’s basketball coach Mike Balado expressed respect for all four head coaches at the new Sun Belt programs.

JMU’s Mark Byington is especially familiar since he spent seven seasons at Georgia Southern before taking over the Dukes, who won the 2021 CAA regular- season title.

“We were able to spend some time with them at the spring meetings. I know them from a distance and I’ve respected what they’ve done for a long time,” Balado said. “Mark Byington was obviously in our league already, so I know Mark really well, and the other three have been coaching for a long time.

Those are four very good programs. I think basketball has gotten that much harder and that much more competitive in the Sun Belt because of those four teams.”

Three of the four new members finished above .500 in women’s basketball earlier this year.

ODU reached the second round of the Women’s NIT before ending the season with a 24-10 record. USM ended the season 18-12, Marshall had a 15-13 record and JMU finished 14-15 in women’s basketball.

Arkansas State coach Destinee Rogers said the new schools will add to Sun Belt women’s basketball.

“They brought in four really good teams, teams that have been really successful. I think it makes it tougher, but I think it also makes it more exciting,” Rogers said. “I don’t think it will be easy for anyone. I think it’s going to be tough night in and night out. All the teams they brought in, they’re tough and they play exciting ball. I think it’s going to be good for the conference.”

The Sun Belt sponsors 18 sports. The league announced in April that men’s soccer will return this fall with nine teams, including 2020 national champion Marshall.

Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas-Arlington, which were the Sun Belt’s only non-football members, officially join other leagues today. UALR is in the Ohio Valley Conference, while UTA moves into the Western Athletic Conference.

Photo courtesy of SBC Football