FAU is moving up in the world of collegiate sports. The Florida Atlantic University Athletic Department is in the midst of a multi-year transition that will take it from the regional Atlantic Sun and catapult it to a big time Division 1, NCAA conference: the Sun Belt. Our sports teams will now play on a national level against larger, more competitive universities from across the country. The swimming and diving teams made the transition last year; this year the football team is making the switch. Next year, the rest of the university’s sports teams will make the change. The move not only raises the level of competition but the profiles of the teams and student athletes as well. The significance of the change resounded in the Lifelong Learning Center on Sept. 12 as President Frank Brogan addressed a gathering of attentive student athletes. President Brogan stressed the responsibility and importance of the athletes proudly representing themselves, their team and our university.

“It is an awesome responsibility being an FAU student athlete,” said Brogan. “Performance on the field, diamond, court, track, or in the pool is as important as conduct. FAU needs to be known as a class act.”

The move to the Sun Belt will increase the level of competition to a “world class” level. Football has been the biggest beneficiary, but the other sports will profit as well. Theoretically, as the strength of the schedule increases, the strength of the athletics program grows too. The football team is proving this already, with games against top NCAA competition like Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Louisville, as well as new Sun Belt rivals North Texas, Middle Tennessee State and Troy University. Of course natural rival Florida International University joins FAU once again in the Sun Belt.

In closing, President Brogan reaffirmed the responsibilities of the “student athletes.”

“It is no accident that we call you student athletes. People look at you differently and there is a double standard that goes along with being a student athlete. You need to represent this university 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

President Brogan promised some A-Sun championships in FAU’s final year and expressed determination and excitement for the future of the big move.

“The Sun Belt is beyond thrilled to have us, they like having FAU in a young, growing and dynamic conference,” he said.