1996 NCAA conference realignment
School Former Conference New Conference
Arkansas State Big West Conference Division I-A Independent
Baylor Southwest Conference Big 12 Conference
Boise State Big Sky Conference Big West Conference
Cal Poly SLO American West Conference Big West Conference
Colorado Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
Houston Southwest Conference Conference USA
Idaho Big Sky Conference Big West Conference
Iowa State Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
Kansas Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
Kansas State Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
Louisiana Tech Big West Conference Division I-A Independent
Missouri Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
Nebraska Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
North Texas Division I-A Independent Big West Conference
Northern Illinois Big West Conference Division I-A Independent
Oklahoma Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
Oklahoma State Big Eight Conference Big 12 Conference
Rice Southwest Conference Western Athletic Conference
San Jose State Big West Conference Western Athletic Conference
SMU Southwest Conference Western Athletic Conference
Conference changes
The 1996 NCAA conference realignment was initiated by the dissolution of the Southwest Conference (SWC), the formation of the Big 12 Conference and Conference USA (C-USA), and the expansion of the Western Athletic Conference to 16 teams. This new WAC ultimately did not last long, as eight of its 16 members left the conference in 1999 and founded the Mountain West Conference.