Great West Football Conference Announces Formation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 25, 2004
Contact: Eric Burdick, Assistant Director of Media Relations, Cal Poly
(eburdick@calpoly.edu)

Great West Football Conference Announces Formation

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Seven intercollegiate institutions that have
competed in a combined 268 games amongst each other, ranging geographically
from North Dakota to Utah to California, have announced the formation of the
Great West Football Conference. The NCAA I-AA football-only alliance will
begin competition in 2004, with full round-robin play scheduled to commence
during the 2005 season.

Commenting on the new conference, Cal Poly President Warren Baker said, ³The
formation of the Great West Football Conference will give us an opportunity
to build on existing strong rivalries, aid in recruitment and expand
opportunities for post-season play.²

Baker went on to add, ³This is another step forward for our athletics
program. Our fans are excited, our coaches are pleased by the new
opportunities this creates and our student-athletes are energized by the
competition in the Great West Football Conference.²

Charter members of the Great West Football Conference include California
Polytechnic State University, University of California at Davis, North
Dakota State University, University of Northern Colorado, Saint Mary¹s
College of California, South Dakota State University and Southern Utah
University.

³After playing football as an NCAA Division I-AA Independent for eight
years, the Great West Football Conference will give our student-athletes
something to play for -- a true conference championship,² said Alison Cone,
Interim Director of Athletics at Cal Poly. ³We have played several of the
schools in the Great West Football Conference since the 1960s and the
formalization of the conference will foster rivalries, old and new, and
provide yet another sense of pride on campus for students, faculty,
administrators and alumni.²

Conference competition will begin in 2004, with South Dakota State visiting
UC Davis and Northern Colorado playing host to North Dakota State on Sept.
4. Each of the member institutions are scheduled to compete against at least
five other charter members during the 2004 season, with Cal Poly, UC Davis,
North Dakota State, Northern Colorado and Saint Mary¹s scheduled to play
all six other charter members. For South Dakota State and Southern Utah, one
specific non-conference opponent will be designated as a Œconference¹
opponent in order to fulfill their respective six-game commitments. All
Œdesignated¹ conference games will count for both conference standings and
statistical purposes.

Great West members Cal Poly, Saint Mary¹s and Southern Utah remain at-large
candidates for NCAA I-AA post-season playoff consideration. UC Davis and
Northern Colorado will become eligible for at-large consideration in
2007, while South Dakota State and North Dakota State become candidates in
2008. The conference has recently submitted its application for formal
recognition to the NCAA. It is expected that the NCAA will consider the
application in April.

The Great West Football Conference plans to recognize student-athletes on
both a weekly and full-season basis. Individual awards will include
Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week; All-Conference
teams; an Academic All-Conference team; and Player, Newcomer and Coach of
the Year awards. The league will also crown a team champion following the
conclusion of conference competition.

The governance of the Great West Football Conference will remain primarily
with the member institutions. Each member institution will be represented on
the Presidents Council by its respective CEO. Dr. Steven Bennion (Southern
Utah) will serve as the initial Chair with Dr. Warren Baker of Cal Poly as
Vice Chair. The general operations and management of the Conference will be
conducted by the Directors of Athletics (Directors Council). Three Athletic
Directors will comprise the Executive Committee and be responsible for the
overall administrative functions of the Conference. The initial Great West
Executive Committee includes Tom Douple (Southern Utah) as Chair, Alison
Cone (Cal Poly) as Vice-Chair and Greg Warczeka (UC Davis) as Treasurer. Jim
Fallis (Northern Colorado) will chair the External Relations Committee and
Gene Taylor (North Dakota State) will chair the Coaches Committee.
Scheduling of contests, assignment of officials and certain media relations
functions will remain with member institutions.

³Providing these student-athletes with the opportunity to compete for a
conference championship makes all of this effort so worthwhile,² Douple
noted. ³I am certain that all the coaches will also use the opportunity to
compete for a conference championship to motivate their players and to
attract recruits. This is great for all of the athletes, coaches and
institutions involved, as well as each university¹s entire community.²

League members have earned impressive RPI ratings over the past few seasons,
including a No. 14 by Northern Colorado and No. 19 by Cal Poly in 2003. In
the national I-AA Top 25 poll, Cal Poly reached No. 14 while Northern
Colorado achieved a No. 19 ranking.

The seven member schools are spread out of over five western states and
three time zones, which will give each school added exposure -- both in
terms of media and recruiting -- in new destinations. The conference
affiliation is also expected to generate much interest within the seven
schools¹ substantial alumni base, which numbers more than 400,000 combined.
- Great West Football -

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Eric Burdick
Assistant Sports Information Director
Cal Poly
Mott Gym, Room 122
1 Grand Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
(805) 756-6550
(805) 756-2650 (fax)
eburdick@calpoly.edu