Republished from Tarleton State Athletics.
STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State University has officially begun full-time membership into the United Athletic Conference (UAC) as of Wednesday. Tarleton State announced last summer the Texans would begin membership in the new conference on July 1, 2026.
The UAC sponsors 16 sports, which includes Tarleton State in each; baseball, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, football, men’s golf, men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s golf, women’s indoor track and field, women’s outdoor track and field, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis and volleyball. The Texans have 17 NCAA Division I programs, with Tarleton State Beach Volleyball joining the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), effective immediately.
“Tarleton State is now a full member of the United Athletic Conference, another strategic step in our rise in the collegiate ranks,” Tarleton State President Dr. James Hurley said. “The UAC is a bold new chapter in the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics. Our Texans posted a historic athletic season in 2025-26, and we have no plans to slow down as we increase our competition, challenges and opportunities. Joining the UAC furthers our commitment in providing a first-class experience to our student-athletes, while continuing to establish our national prominence.”
The UAC is the new version of the rebranded Western Athletic Conference, which is aligned with the ASUN under Unisun Sports. Unisun Sports, announced in May, is a groundbreakingstrategic alliance between the UAC and ASUN. Unisun Sports will serve both conferences, designed to significantly enhance operational efficiency, foster deeper collaboration, and drive innovation across both NCAA Division I organizations.
“This is another important milestone for Tarleton State, as we continue to elevate our department and the national footprint of a worldclass institution,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Steve Uryasz said. “Following an impressive year of countless conference championships and being named the top athletic department in the conference itself, we’re ready for the challenge in our next era of Tarleton State Athletics.”
The UAC includes nine full member institutions; Abilene Christian, Arkansas-Little Rock, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Tarleton State, UT Arlington, and West Georgia. West Florida will be an affiliate member in football. Tarleton State Football has been in the UAC for the past three years, which until Wednesday, was a football-only conference.
“Today marks more than an official launch date—it represents the beginning of what’s next in collegiate athletics. It celebrates a new era for the United Athletic Conference (UAC) as it officially steps into a multi-sport conference, the continued strength of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), and the formation of a joint-venture, Unisun Sports,” said Unisun Sports CEO, Jeff Bacon.
Tarleton State begins its UAC era following a historic 2025-26 campaign. Tarleton State won eight conference titles this past season after entering the year with three in its NCAA Division I era. The Texans claimed a share of the football conference championship, then won the outright conference tournaments in women’s indoor track and field, women’s tennis, women’s golf, men’s golf, baseball and men’s outdoor track and field, along with a baseball regular season title. There were 294 institutions across all of NCAA Division I and all sports that conferences sponsor who won at least one conference championship, regular season and/or tournament. Tarleton State placed in the top-20 nationwide with its eight conference titles (tied-17th). All of that plus impressive seasons for many other Tarleton State programs led to the Texans winning the final WAC Commissioner’s Cup, the ultimate prize for overall performance across all sports.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of more than 21,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For over 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.