Southern Miss to leave C-USA in June 2022

The University of Southern Mississippi is terminating its membership in Conference USA effective June 30, 2022, the university said in a statement issued today.

USM said it will not participate in Conference USA during the 2022-23 academic year. The university said the decision came after considering the best interests of the university and the entire Golden Eagle family, including nearly 350 student-athletes and thousands of fans and supporters.

Southern Miss first advised Conference USA in early December 2021 of its plans to leave the conference in June 2022. Since then, USM has clearly and consistently repeated its intentions to the conference.

USM said that from the outset, it has expressed its desire to work with Conference USA to achieve an amicable separation, including offering to cooperate to ensure that all remaining conference members had complete competitive schedules for those sports in which the University competes. Conference USA has so far refused to discuss any such arrangement with the University.

The Conference’s unwillingness to discuss the concept of separation this year creates confusion and doubt for all concerned. The remaining members of Conference USA deserve certainty about their schedules as they plan for competition next year. USM said it was for the sake of the other conference members that it decided to go public with its separation date.

“While the University appreciates its time and experience as a Conference USA member, that time will end on June 30, 2022. We wish Conference USA and its membership success in the future.”

Southern Miss will join the Sun Belt Conference in 2023.