Reports: Coastal Carolina to join Sun Belt
The Sun Belt will reportedly add Coastal Carolina as its 12th member.
ESPN is reporting that CCU will join the Sun Belt in all sports but football for the 2016-17 year, with the football program joining the league for the 2017-18 academic year.
According to multiple reports, the news will become official at a press conference Tuesday afternoon near Coastal Carolina’s Myrtle Beach, S.C., campus.
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Coastal was reportedly voted in as a member over Eastern Kentucky, the other finalist for the 12th spot.
In football, the Chanticleers currently play at the FCS level in the Big South Conference and have reached the FCS playoffs in four of the past five seasons.
The addition of CCU will allow the Sun Belt to create divisions and a conference title game for football.
Appalachian State and Georgia Southern joined the league as full members in 2014, moving up from the FCS level. The league also added Idaho and New Mexico State as football-only members in 2014.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
