Sun Belt Commissioner Responds to Texas State’s Departure
With Texas State University announcing its intention to depart the Sun Belt Conference, Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill offered a statement of appreciation and reassurance to fans, member institutions, and stakeholders.
“With Texas State’s recent announcement of its planned departure from the Sun Belt Conference, I want to personally take a moment to thank the Bobcat staff for their collaboration and leadership through a transformative era in college athletics—from the COVID-19 pandemic to name, image, and likeness, to the most recent round of realignment,” Gill stated.
Despite the transition, Gill emphasized the unprecedented success the Sun Belt has experienced in recent years, particularly following its expansion to 14 football-playing members.
“Since expanding to 14 football-playing members, the Sun Belt Conference has experienced the best three-year stretch in the conference’s nearly 50-year history,” he said.
Over that period, the Sun Belt has consistently led all non-autonomy (Group of Five) conferences in football postseason representation for three consecutive seasons. In 2023 alone, the conference led the nation with 12 teams participating in bowl games. The 2023–24 athletic season also saw a record 37 NCAA postseason and bowl berths—a national best among non-autonomy leagues—with multiple bids across women’s soccer, men’s soccer, volleyball, football, softball, and baseball.
Further solidifying its national standing, the Sun Belt was one of just five conferences to earn multiple appearances in NCAA Division I national championship finals during the 2024–25 season.
Commissioner Gill concluded his remarks by affirming the league’s upward trajectory and commitment to excellence across all sports.
“I will continue to update our stakeholders on developments whenever possible as we work to ensure the sustained rise of the Sun Belt Conference—a collection of like-minded, regional rivals with winning football traditions, passionate fanbases, and enduring commitments to excellence in all sports,” he said. “The Sun Belt Conference is rising, and our best days are ahead.”