A new strategic conference alliance will see North Alabama play in a new league in 2026.

The ASUN Conference and Western Athletic Conference (WAC) will join together to form a consortium in 2026, it was announced on Thursday, with the WAC set to rebrand as the United Athletic Conference (UAC).

North Alabama will join the new UAC for all sports during the alliance, which will become official on July 1, 2026.

“We are proud to launch this innovative Division I conference alliance, creating an environment where institutions can elevate their programs, leverage collective resources, and champion a new era of intercollegiate athletics,” current ASUN Conference commissioner Jeff Bacon said. “This strategic alliance reflects our dedication to empowering the next generation of leaders, both on and off the field, ensuring a legacy of success and impact for years to come.” 

Among the intended members of the new UAC include current ASUN schools Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama and West Georgia joining Abilene Christian, Tarleton State and UT-Arlington from the WAC.

Every school that will be a part of the new UAC except UT-Arlington have football programs.

Programs that will remain in the ASUN Conference include Bellarmine, FGCU, Jacksonville, Lipscomb, North Florida, Queens and Stetson; only Stetson has an NCAA-sanctioned football team among that group, with the ASUN schools more basketball-centric.

The alliance comes with the move of former WAC programs Utah Tech and Southern Utah to the Big Sky Conference.

While partnering, both the ASUN and the UAC will keep their automatic qualifier bids to NCAA championship events. Along with strengthening the geographic makeup for the teams involved, the conferences noted a goal of collaborative scheduling and facilitating potential shared opportunities, including media packages.

“As collegiate athletics enters a transformational era, bold leadership is essential,” WAC commissioner Rebekah Ray said. “Our alliance with the ASUN positions our institutions for long-term success and greater competitive opportunities.

“This important step includes a period of transition, highlighted by the rebranding of our conference. While we look ahead, we remain committed to honoring the storied history and tradition of the Western Athletic Conference. We are excited to embark on this next chapter as the United Athletic Conference and to collaboratively build the consortium with our partners.”