Tarleton signs with WAC, Nov. 19, 2019 named Tarleton State University Day
Makenzie Plusnick– Editor-in-Chief
Tarleton officially signed with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) today, finalizing the move to Division I. Texan A&M Chancellor John Sharp, as well as several U.S. Representatives, joined Tarleton President James Hurley to accept the invitation from WAC Commissioner Jeff Hurd.
Hurley believes this move was due to the students.
“In closing, I want to thank our students. A sincere thank you, because without your support and passage of the student referendum we would not be standing here today,” Hurley said. “So as much as all of on this stage, we want to think this is about us, it’s about you.”
Hurley took a moment to thank the senior class who voted to pass the referendum.
“What you did was you paved a smoother path for those who follow,” he said. “You will not get to be here as a student next year, experiencing a Division I student experience. But what you will do is you will be able to come back… you will get to say, you know what, on this day we made history for this institution.”
“Every day, Chancellor, is a great day to be a Texan,” Hurley told Sharp. “But today is a little more special.”
Jay Graham, a Texas A&M University System Regent, surprised many students with an unexpected invitation.
“2025, I would like to extend an invitation to Tarleton to come play Texas A&M University Aggies in College Station,” Graham said.
Hurley responded to the invitation.
“We accept the invitation and we are not going to promise you any outcomes. We don’t want to hear it when we come to Kyle Field and beat your Aggies,” he said.
Nicholas Watt, deputy chief of staff for Texas Senator Pat Fallon, made a special presentation during the event.
“When Senator Fallon first heard the news, he definitely wanted to do something special, so today we present an official proclamation from the Texas Senate not only commemorating today’s historic achievement but officially declaring and claiming today, Nov. 12, 2019 as Tarleton State University Day,” Watt said.
Tarleton will officially join the WAC on July 1, 2020.
