Oakland University to Join Horizon League in July

Oakland University will join the Horizon League beginning with the 2013-14 season, President Gary D. Russi announced Tuesday, according to a statement from university officials.

The move will apply to all of the university's athletic teams beginning July 1.

"Oakland University is pleased to be the newest member of the Horizon League," Russi said. "The universities in this conference are strong academically and they value the student-athlete experience. Oakland fits well with them and we look forward to being part of their tradition of excellence."

Russi said the move makes sense academically and financially. More than half of the Horizon League student-athletes have grade point averages of 3.2 or better, and the league exceeds NCAA academic averages in 14 of the 19 sports it sponsors, including men's and women's basketball. In the most recent academic year, 29 league teams posted perfect NCAA Academic Progress Ratings scores, and 33 squads were recognized by the NCAA for being in the top 10 academically in their respective sports.

"Moving to the Horizon allows us to associate and compete with institutions with outstanding academic profiles and values," Oakland Athletic Director Tracy Huth said. "They value the experience of the student-athlete. It also gives us the opportunity to play the University of Detroit Mercy Titans on a regular basis for some spirited Metro Detroit competition."

Competition will require less travel time due to closer proximity to universities in the league. This will mean a reduction in out-of-class time for student-athletes. "Our student success in the classroom will never be compromised," Huth said.

"Joining the Horizon also increases Oakland's visibility within the major media markets in the Midwest, which means greater student recruitment opportunities," Russi said.

Oakland joined the Summit League in 1997 and previously was in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.