Jason
Caesar
Consolacion
The end of the Southwest Conference represented the end of many things for the University of Houston, but at the same time it opened up a whole new door of opportunities.
Whether the move to Conference USA was a good one for UH is still up in the air, but taking into consideration the first two years of its existence, C-USA has had its ups and downs.
The last two years Houston spent in the SWC included no conference championships. Last year, the Cougars won five C-USA championships, and they already have five this year.
For volleyball, coach Bill Walton has always led a strong program, and the level of competition in C-USA has not fazed his players at all. In 1994, the Cougar volleyball team won the SWC and this year won its first C-USA championship. So from a volleyball perspective, Houston has not suffered.
Head football coach Kim Helton led the UH football team to the C-USA championship last year. With an experienced offensive line, the 1996 football team had no problems with the competition in C-USA. This year, however, was a different story, but injuries and had a lot to do with that.
Alvin Brooks led the men's basketball team to one winning record in the SWC in 1996. Since then, he has gone 20-37, producing two losing seasons in C-USA.
The move to C-USA wasn't necessarily a bad one for the basketball team. But with the combination of powerhouses (Cincinnati and UNC Charlotte) in the competition and the poor recruiting Brooks and his staff "accomplished", it was inevitable the basketball program would reach a record-low.
The baseball team won the C-USA championship last season and is en route to making a lot of noise in the tournament this year. For head coach Rayner Noble, the move hasn't really affected his program, but if the SWC were still in existence today, he might have had a lot of problems playing another local university.
The one thing Conference USA does not have is the true rivalry that the SWC carried. There are no other Texas programs in C-USA, so the big games against UT, Texas A&M and Texas Tech are non-existent. The baseball team still plays Rice, but the other sports programs have been deprived of the major rivalries.
Also, one huge adjustment the coaches have had to deal with is the longer road trips to places all around the country. Cincinnati, Charlotte, Memphis, Birmingham and St. Louis were cities unheard of in the SWC that are now annual destinations for UH.
But the nationwide trips have benefited the university in one regard: attention. Houston is recognized nationally again after years of obscurity. With the hiring of Clyde Drexler for basketball, that will do wonders for the entire athletic program as far as earning recognition as a top-notch university.
In all, I think it's safe to say the move hasn't been too drastic for UH. Gone are the rivalries with other Texas schools, and gone is the respect the other SWC opponents showed UH.
But Conference USA has given Houston more rivals and more competition. It has given the athletic program a chance to create a new image. And hopefully someday, the University of Houston will again be recognized nationally as a major athletic program.