UCF's first six years in Division I were spent as an independent. That seems wild today that you could fill out basketball schedules from January-March without conference opponents but I'm guessing maybe there were a few schools in the same situation.
For instance, here is UCF's MBB schedule for their last season as an independent:
It wasn't until the 1990s that UCF first joined a Division I conference. It was one year in the American South, which then merged with the Sun Belt. From an old UCF page:
American South Conference (1990-91)
In 1990, the Golden Knights joined the American South Conference, its first Division I league affiliation for all sports. UCF spent one campaign in the league which also featured Arkansas State, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, New Orleans, Texas-Pan American and Southwestern Louisiana.
Sun Belt Conference (1991-92)
Following the 1990-91 academic year, the American South merged with the Sun Belt (which retained its name), forming an 11-institution conference. During the 1991-92 season, the league was composed of Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State, UCF, Jacksonville, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, New Orleans, South Alabama, Southwestern Louisiana, Texas-Pan American and Western Kentucky. That year marked the Golden Knights lone season in the Sun Belt.
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Here's how UCF did in MBB:
UCF left the Sun Belt in a dispute over TV. From a 1992 Orlando Sentinel story about Gene McDowell's likely giving up the AD responsibility to focus just on football head coach:
The TV dispute has caused UCF to resign from the Sun Belt, which has refused to honor an agreement the university has with Sunshine Network because of the conference’s conflicting agreement with SportsChannel. That has McDowell looking at other conferences, including the Metro, Southern and Trans America Athletic.
“The Sun Belt thing is the straw that broke the camel’s back . . . the TV thing has been an exercise in futility,” McDowell said. “I had to take so much time with it that the football program was cheated.”
And this is pretty wild:
Whether he would give up his coaching job or the AD’s job remains a question for the university and himself, McDowell said.
“My closest friends and advisers give me different opinions,” he said. “Some think I should continue in the athletic director’s role and hire a new football coach. Others say I should coach and give up the AD’s job.”
Rumors abound that McDowell might try to bring Terry Bowden, the highly successful young football coach at Samford University, to UCF. Bowden’s dad, Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden, and McDowell are long-time friends.
www.orlandosentinel.com
For instance, here is UCF's MBB schedule for their last season as an independent:
It wasn't until the 1990s that UCF first joined a Division I conference. It was one year in the American South, which then merged with the Sun Belt. From an old UCF page:
American South Conference (1990-91)
In 1990, the Golden Knights joined the American South Conference, its first Division I league affiliation for all sports. UCF spent one campaign in the league which also featured Arkansas State, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, New Orleans, Texas-Pan American and Southwestern Louisiana.
Sun Belt Conference (1991-92)
Following the 1990-91 academic year, the American South merged with the Sun Belt (which retained its name), forming an 11-institution conference. During the 1991-92 season, the league was composed of Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State, UCF, Jacksonville, Lamar, Louisiana Tech, New Orleans, South Alabama, Southwestern Louisiana, Texas-Pan American and Western Kentucky. That year marked the Golden Knights lone season in the Sun Belt.
==
Here's how UCF did in MBB:
UCF left the Sun Belt in a dispute over TV. From a 1992 Orlando Sentinel story about Gene McDowell's likely giving up the AD responsibility to focus just on football head coach:
The TV dispute has caused UCF to resign from the Sun Belt, which has refused to honor an agreement the university has with Sunshine Network because of the conference’s conflicting agreement with SportsChannel. That has McDowell looking at other conferences, including the Metro, Southern and Trans America Athletic.
“The Sun Belt thing is the straw that broke the camel’s back . . . the TV thing has been an exercise in futility,” McDowell said. “I had to take so much time with it that the football program was cheated.”
And this is pretty wild:
Whether he would give up his coaching job or the AD’s job remains a question for the university and himself, McDowell said.
“My closest friends and advisers give me different opinions,” he said. “Some think I should continue in the athletic director’s role and hire a new football coach. Others say I should coach and give up the AD’s job.”
Rumors abound that McDowell might try to bring Terry Bowden, the highly successful young football coach at Samford University, to UCF. Bowden’s dad, Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden, and McDowell are long-time friends.
KNIGHTS’ MCDOWELL WANTS OUT OF 1 TITLE
Gene McDowell soon may relinquish his athletic director’s position or the head football coach’s job at the University of Central Florida. “I have a feeling it’s time,”…
www.orlandosentinel.com
