ARLINGTON, Texas – The United Athletic Conference (UAC) introduced on Friday the addition of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as a full convention member following approval by the University of Arkansas System Board of Regents. Little Rock will grow to be the ninth full-time member of the UAC and can formally be a part of the league and its alliance with the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) in July of 2026.
“The addition of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock bolsters an already impressive lineup of institutions within the new United Athletic Conference and welcomes the 16th member to the first-of-its kind alliance between the United Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Sun Conference, further evidencing that the alliance and its membership are THE destination,” consortium Executive Director Jeff Bacon stated. “UA Little Rock’s impressive academic and athletic track record, their leadership’s commitment to all sports including Men’s and Women’s Basketball, and the expansion of our presence into Little Rock, combine to bring significant value to our membership as we build a new model for Division I athletics that is designed to minimize expenses, maximize revenues, and provide quality Division I competition to our entire membership.”
“We are excited to welcome the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to the United Athletic Conference,” UAC Board Chair and Abilene Christian University President Dr. Phil Schubert stated. “This milestone strengthens our strategic alliance and advances our mission of uniting like-minded institutions with bold vision across our geographic footprint. This addition comes at a time when the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics presents both challenges and opportunities, and it represents a strategic step forward for our member institutions and student-athletes. We are confident that Little Rock’s tradition of excellence will help shape the future of the UAC and exemplify the values, ambition, and resilience of our universities.”
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) will rebrand as the UAC and collectively the ASUN and UAC will type a consortium. Both the ASUN and the newly-branded UAC will retain their unbiased convention buildings and automated qualifiers to NCAA Championships. The addition of Little Rock demonstrates the concentrate on rising the alliance as a premier vacation spot in the transformative period panorama of faculty athletics.
“The United Athletic Conference is thrilled to welcome the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” WAC Commissioner Rebekah Ray added. “Little Rock enhances our profile across Olympic sports with a tradition of championship success and postseason accomplishments, particularly in Men’s and Women’s Basketball. Their rich history of academic and athletic achievement, combined with their presence in a vibrant metropolitan area that is in the heart of the league, makes them a valuable addition as we work with our members to shape the future of the UAC.”
UA Little Rock is in the midst of its largest undergraduate enrollment improve in over 20 years, with 7,011 undergraduate college students enrolled for the Fall 2025 semester. Along with the William H. Bowen School of Law and highschool concurrent enrollment college students, the whole college enrollment is over 8,000 college students as of October 2025. The Trojan athletics division has loved postseason success throughout a spread of sports activities and brings a extremely aggressive assortment of championship-caliber groups into the UAC.
“Becoming part of the United Athletic Conference is a tremendous opportunity,” stated UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale. “This affiliation will elevate the visibility of Trojan Athletics and position us well in a growth-oriented organization. The UAC gives our student-athletes the chance to compete at a high level while proudly representing Little Rock on a national stage.”
Little Rock sponsors 15 sports activities at the Division I stage, 13 of which is able to start competing in the UAC throughout the 2026-27 educational 12 months: Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Women’s Soccer, Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field, Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field and Women’s Volleyball. The Trojans Women’s Swimming & Diving program will compete as an affiliate member of the ASUN. Little Rock joins a nine-team contingent in the UAC subsequent fall that features Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Tarleton State, UT Arlington and West Georgia.
“Joining the United Athletic Conference marks an exciting new chapter for Trojan Athletics,” stated Little Rock Director of Athletics Frank M. Cuervo. “The UAC’s vision for growth and stability aligns perfectly with our mission to build champions in the classroom, in the community and in competition. This move reflects our unwavering commitment to positioning Little Rock as a leader in intercollegiate athletics during a time of great change and opportunity. As the landscape continues to evolve, we are energized by the possibilities ahead and confident that this partnership will help us elevate our programs, strengthen our national profile, and build a bright future for our student-athletes, fans, the Little Rock community and all of Trojan Nation.”
“Thank you to Chancellor Drale and Director of Athletics Frank Cuervo for their belief in our vision, and thank you to our entire Council of Presidents for their support in bringing this partnership together,” Bacon stated. “We look ahead to welcoming all Trojan student-athletes in 2026.”
Requests for interviews must be directed to:
Kaitlin Parsons, ASUN Senior Associate Commissioner for External Operations
[email protected]
UNITED ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) will rebrand as the United Athletic Conference (UAC), a Division I convention with membership of 9 (9) establishments together with Abilene Christian University (Abilene, Texas), the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Little Rock, Ark.), Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, Tenn.), the University of Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.), Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Ky.), the University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.), Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Texas), the University of Texas at Arlington (Arlington, Texas), and the University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Ga.).