Big East Conference Information:
Headquarters: Providence, Rhode Island
Commissioner: Mike Tranghese
Schools: University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, DePaul University, Georgetown University, University of Louisville, Marquette University, University of Notre Dame, University of Pittsburgh, Providence College, Rutgers University, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, University of South Florida, Syracuse University, Villanova University, West Virginia University
Men’s Sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, indoor and outdoor track and field , soccer, softball, swimming, diving, and tennis
Women’s Sports: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, indoor and outdoor track and field, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming, diving, tennis and volleyball
Titles: 10 NCAA basketball titles
Bowl Games: Birmingham Bowl, Houston Bowl, International Bowl, Meineke Car Care Bowl, Toyota Gator Bowl, Vitalis Sun Bowl.
The Big East Conference consists of seventeen universities located in the Northeast, Midwest and Southwest United States. Only eight of the seventeen schools play football within the conference, and the Big East competes as a BCS conference in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
The Big East Conference was founded in 1979, and since its inception, it has been slowly gaining more clout in the football arena. The Big East initially rejected Penn State’s application for admission in 1982, since the conference was more focused on excelling at basketball. In 1995, Notre Dame was offered a non-football membership to the conference, and the school has not played an official inter-conference game to date. However, in 2009, Notre Dame and the Big East have agreed to a series of games, and all eight conference teams will go head-to-head with the Irish.
The Big East entered into the football arena in 1991 with the addition of Miami, and was a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series. In 2004, powerhouses Miami and Virginia Tech left the conference for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Be sure to look out for West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers, all of which have dazzled since their solid starts in the 2006 season.