UConn Trustees Endorse Move Back To Big East

STORRS, CT — The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees on Wednesday officially endorsed a move back to the Big East Conference for the school's athletic teams.

The vote was unanimous, a school official said. UConn's athletic teams will likely play another season in the American Athletic Conference before making the move.

In an email sent out Tuesday evening, UConn said formal details would be released jointly with the Big East.

"The UConn Board of Trustees will be voting on an agreement with the Big East during the Wednesday board meeting ... The conference has asked that UConn refrain from commenting on the agreement at this time, and there will be no media availability on Wednesday. The Big East will schedule a separate announcement after the board has voted," the statement read.

The announcment is slated for Thursday, athletic officials said.

UConn was a charter member of the Big East when it was formed by eastern basketball powers in 1979. It joined the AAC in 2013 when several members with big-time football programs departed for other leagues like the Big 10 and Atlantic Coast Conference.

Schools that empahsized basketball as their biggest sport remained in a new Big East Conference with some additions. UConn stayed in the Big East for some sports like field hockey and women's lacrosse.

Basketball-wise, the UConn women have never lost n the AAC and are 120-0 with six conference tournament titles. The Huskies have 11 national titles.

In men's hoop, the Huskies have won four national championships in basketball since 1999 with three coming through the Big East and one in 2014 during their first year as an AAC member.

The AAC bylaws stipulate that UConn would pay a $10 million withdrawal fee with a notice of 27 months. UConn officials were not discussing the terms of the departure Wednesday but the Trustees were involved in a lengthy executive session. Atheltic officials said more details would be given Thursday. A copy of the agreement hints that the full $10 million would be paid, if necessary.

Big East membership requires a $3.5 million entrance fee, according to documents in the Trustees packet. UConn will have to field a team in every varsity sport in the Big East, according to the documents.

UConn football coach Randy Edsall said in a message to the media that he is preparing for a full AAC schedule in 2019. The UConn locker room was recently refirbished. He ackowledged in a passionate statement that he understands "leaders" must make decisions "in the best interest of their company, organization, business," and the vote took 22 teams into consideration.