Shake-up in the Big East Appears to Be in the Works

There are numerous reports that the Big East faces yet more changes in its membership. The seven Catholic institutions, which don't play FCS football, are apparently banding together to leave, or at least consider leaving, the conference.

The schools involved, most of which play men's and/or women's lacrosse, are DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall, St. John's, and Villanova.

The AP report notes that the "Catholic schools can leave without financial penalty" and that the conference by-laws "allow a group of schools to leave without [paying] exit fees." If the seven institutions do in fact break ties with the Big East, it would remain to be determined who owns the rights to the conference name.

For the 2013 season, Big East members are Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John's, Syracuse, and Villanova for men's lacrosse and Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Loyola, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Villanova for women's lacrosse.

2012-12-14