SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD
3b
meet the
SUN BELT Though Western has regularly played Sun Belt Conference opponents since the 2007 season, this will be the first year the Toppers will play every Sun Belt team. Here’s a quick rundown of the eight conference opponents: Note: The Sun Belt didn’t sponsor football until 2001. Two or more teams have tied as league champion four times (2001, 2005, 2006 and 2007).
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Location: Lafayette, La. Founded: 1900 Joined League: 1991 Enrollment: 15,081 Conference Championships: 1 (2005) Notable Alumni: Ali Landry, 1996 Miss USA; Brian Mitchell, NFL alltime leader in all-purpose yards; and Jake Delhomme, current Carolina Panthers quarterback
LOUISIANA-MONROE WARHAWKS
Location: Monroe, La. Founded: 1931 Joined League: 2001 Enrollment: 9,250 Conference Championships: 1 (2005) Notable Alumni: Tim McGraw, country music singer; Ben Sheets, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher; and Tim Brando, radio host for CBS Sports and Fox Sports Net
ARKANSAS STATE RED WOLVES
FLORIDA ATLANTIC OWLS
MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE BLUE RAIDERS
NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN
Location: Jonesboro, Ark. Founded: 1909 Joined League: 1991 Enrollment: 11,011 Conference Championships: 1 (2005) Notable Alumni: Current NFL players Tyrell Johnson (Minnesota Vikings), Cleo Lemon (Miami Dolphins) and Oren O’Neal (Oakland Raiders); and current Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. Founded: 1911 Joined League: 2001 Enrollment: 23,246 Conference Championships: 2 (2001, 2006) Notable Alumni: Albert Gore Sr., former U.S. Senator, and U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon
Location: Boca Raton, Fla. Founded: 1964 Joined League: 2004 Enrollment: 27,000 Conference Championships: 1 (2007) Notable Alumni: Luis Alberto Moreno, Colombian ambassador to the United States, and Scott Thompson, the comedian known as “Carrot Top”
Location: Denton, Texas Founded: 1890 Joined League: 2001 Enrollment: 33,500 Conference Championships: 4 (2001-04) Notable Alumni: “Mean” Joe Greene, former Pittsburgh Steelers player; Norah Jones, singer/songwriter; and Dr. Phil McGraw, television personality and psychologist
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN PANTHERS Location: Miami Founded: 1972 Joined League: 1998 Enrollment: 38,000 Notable Alumni: Mike Lowell, 2007 World Series MVP and Boston Red Sox third baseman; and Liz Balmaseda, recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes
TROY TROJANS
Location: Troy, Ala. Founded: 1887 Joined League: 2004 Enrollment: 28,225 Conference Championships: 3 (2006-2008) Notable Alumni: Kevin Kregal, NASA mission commander, and Vecepia Towery, Survivor season three winner