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Report: UConn Athletic Director denies Catholic 7 rumors

Kevin Ollie

Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie gestures during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Vermont, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

AP

The defection of the Catholic 7 and Louisville’s recent acceptance to the ACC, have left teams like UConn and Cincinnati left in a Big East Conference that looks more and more like Conference USA.

Both Cincinnati and UConn are looking for new homes and Friday, following a meeting among Big East administrators in Dallas, rumors began to surface that the two remaining Big East schools could join the Catholic 7 in all sports, but football, and take the gridiron as part of the Mountain West Conference.

Mark Blaudschun reported that Friday evening:

According to sources at Connecticut, some UConn officials were considering a plan which would keep the Huskies with the Catholic 7–Marquette, DePaul, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Villanova and Providence, as well as Cincinnati.

He went on to suggest that UConn could play football for the MWC, C-USA, or even the MAC.

However, that report is quickly being disputed by the UConn Athletic Director, Warde Manuel, according to the Hartford Courant.

“We’ve never had a conversation,” Manuel told Paul Doyle and Desmond Conner on Friday evening. “Our intent is to work with the remaining members of the Big East and the current members coming in. That’s been our intent all along. We have not had a conversation with any other group, any other conference, period. I have not had any conversations.”

According to the report from the Courant, Mike Aresco, the Big East commissioner held the meeting to discussing expansion and a television rights package among other things.

Doyle and Conner also reported that current Big East schools Cincinnati and South Florida were in attendance, as well as future members Central Florida, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy, San Diego State, Temple and Tulane.

The remains of the Big East continue to have an unclear future.

Terrence is also the lead writer at NEHoopNews.com and can be followed on Twitter: @terrence_payne