A look at Wichita State’s new conference, sport by sport

BASEBALL

Champions

2014 – Louisville (regular season), Houston (tournament)

2015 – Houston, East Carolina

2016 – Tulane, Connecticut

Best NCAA performances

East Carolina (2016) and Houston (2014) lost in super regionals. Former member Louisville played in the 2014 College World Series.

Who’s the power?

Houston, Tulane and East Carolina are the most consistent winners. Both own two NCAA appearances in the AAC’s three seasons.

Tulane (2005) has the most recent berth in the College World Series by a current member.

UConn leads American members with five College World Series appearances, most recently in 1979. Tulane (2001, 2005) and Houston (1953, 1967) own two each.

This season

Houston and East Carolina both dropped out of the Baseball America top 25 this week. Warrennolan.com ranks the American fifth in its RPI with No. 7 Houston, No 31 UConn, No. 33 Central Florida and No. 38 South Florida in the top 50 of the power rankings.

All eight schools are in the top 160.

Compared to the MVC

The American is a step up, but Valley baseball is no weakling and the Shockers are in no position to judge with their slippage since 2008. The addition of Dallas Baptist strengthened the MVC and the Patriots played host to a regional in 2015.

In baseball, the AAC consistently ranks higher than the MVC in RPI. In the past three seasons, it earned six at-large bids. The MVC, in the past three seasons, has four at-large bids. Missouri State played in a super regional in 2015.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Champions

2014 – Cincinnati, Louisville (regular season), Louisville (tournament)

2015 – SMU, SMU

2016 – Temple, Connecticut

2017 – SMU, SMU

Best NCAA performances

UConn won the 2014 NCAA Tournament title in the American’s first season.

Who’s the power?

UConn’s title puts it atop this list, but not by much after finishing fifth this season.

SMU owns two AAC titles and NCAA appearances in 2015 and 2017. Cincinnati owns a streak of seven NCAA appearances, best in the conference. It advanced to a regional semifinal in 2012 as a Big East member.

This season

The American finished the season ranked No. 7 in the RPI.

SMU (30-5) and Cincinnati (30-6) both earned No. 6 seeds. Southern Cal defeated the Mustangs 66-65 in the first round. Cincinnati defeated Kansas State 75-61 before losing to UCLA 79-67.

Central Florida lost to TCU 68-53 in the semifinals of the NIT. The Knights ended Illinois State’s season with a 63-62 win at Redbird Arena.

Compared to the MVC

This is the move’s driving athletic motivation and it’s a good one. The American will challenge WSU with bigger budgets, top coaches, better talent and travel.

Is the road to the NCAA Tournament easier for the Shockers? Maybe. Maybe not.

They will certainly enjoy more chances for quality wins in conference play. They need to win. Non-conference victories remain critical. The American isn’t so strong that a team can expect to muddle through November and December and make up ground.

The AAC isn’t greedily snapping up NCAA bids. It earned one at-large bid this season, three in 2016 (when 25-5 SMU served a post-season ban), one in 2015 and three in 2014.

That is a strong edge over the Valley. It’s not the ACC or Big East, where half of the conference teams might earn a tournament bid.

Southern Illinois, in 2007, is the most recent current MVC team other than WSU to earn an at-large spot.

Women’s basketball

Champions

2014 – Connecticut (regular season), Connecticut (tournament)

2015 — Connecticut, Connecticut

2016 — Connecticut, Connecticut

2017 — Connecticut, Connecticut

Best NCAA performances

Connecticut won the NCAA title in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The Huskies lost in the Final Four this season.

Who’s the power?

UConn is 68-0 in American regular-season play.

This season

UConn’s 111-game win streak ended in the Final Four against Mississippi State.

South Florida, seeded 11th, lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Missouri 66-64. Oregon defeated No. 7 Temple 71-70.

Central Florida, SMU and Tulane played in the WNIT.

The American ranked No. 6 in the RPI.

Compared to the MVC

UConn’s presence makes the AAC prestigious. Remove UConn and it is still a significant upgrade.

The American produced two at-large team in 2015 and one in 2016.

In the past 15 seasons, the MVC earned two at-large bids, Creighton (2013) and Northern Iowa (2017). A current Valley school last won an NCAA game in 2002, when Drake went 2-1.

Softball

Champions

2014 – Central Florida (regular season), Louisville (tournament)

2015 – Central Florida, Central Florida

2016 – South Florida, Tulsa

Best NCAA performances

Central Florida advanced to regional title games in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Who’s the power?

Central Florida owns two regular-season titles and three NCAA appearances in three seasons.

This season

Tulsa is the lone American school receiving votes in the USA Today top 25. South Florida started the season No. 25.

Compared to the MVC

The MVC slipped in recent seasons and the American is capable of earning multiple at-large bids — two in 2016 and three in 2014.

Volleyball

Champions

2013 – Louisville (regular season)

2014 – Central Florida

2015 – SMU

2016 — SMU

Best NCAA performances

SMU defeated Texas A&M 3-0 in 2016 to win the American’s first NCAA match.

Who’s the power?

SMU owns AAC titles and NCAA berths in 2015 and 2016.

This season

The Mustangs (26-8) went 18-2 in the American to finish ahead of 17-3 Cincinnati. Cincinnati (22-10) lost its NCAA match to Florida State 3-1.

No. 30 SMU, No. 38 Cincinnati and No. 47 Temple finished in the top 50 of the NCAA’s RPI.

Compared to the MVC

The Valley holds up well vs. the American in all measurements. In 2016, the MVC put three teams in the NCAA Tournament, one more than the American.

Cross country

Men’s champions

2013 – Louisville

2014 – Tulsa

2015 – Tulsa

2016 – Tulsa

Women’s champions

2013 – SMU

2014 – Tulsa

2015 – Tulsa

2016 – SMU

Indoor track and field

Men’s champions

2014 – Connecticut

2015 – Houston

2016 – Houston

Women’s champions

2014 – SMU

2015 – Connecticut

2016 – Connecticut

Outdoor track and field

Men’s champions

2014 – Houston

2015 – Connecticut

2016 – Houston

Women’s champions

2014 – SMU

2015 – SMU

2016 – Cincinnati

Golf

Men’s champions

2014 – SMU

2015 – South Florida

2016 – South Florida

Women’s champions

2014 – Louisville

2015 – Central Florida

2016 – Houston

Tennis

Men’s champions

2014 – South Florida

2015 – South Florida

2016 – South Florida

Women’s champions

2014 – South Florida

2015 – Tulsa

2016 – Tulsa

2016-17 conference tournaments

Cross country — Cincinnati, Ohio

Volleyball — No tournament

Indoor track and field — Birmingham, Ala.

Women’s basketball — Uncasville, Conn. (also in 2018)

Men’s basketball — Hartford, Conn. (Orlando in 2018)

Women’s golf — Palm Coast, Fla.

Men’s golf — Palm Harbor, Fla.

Women’s tennis — Orlando, Fla.

Men’s tennis — Orlando, Fla.

Outdoor track and field — Houston

Softball — Greenville, N.C.

Baseball — Clearwater, Fla.

This story was originally published April 7, 2017 at 10:15 AM with the headline "A look at Wichita State’s new conference, sport by sport."