
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 24, 1994                   TAG: 9402240258
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: WACO, TEXAS                                LENGTH: Short

BAYLOR ACCEPTS BIG EIGHT OFFER

Baylor voted Wednesday to become the first Southwest Conference school to accept a merger offer from the Big Eight, starting a process that is likely to dismantle the nearly 80-year-old league.

"We are delighted and excited that our board unanimously voted to accept the invitation that's been offered," Thomas Powers, chairman of the Board of Regents, said after a 2 1/2-hour board meeting. "We think the financial possibilities of this new alliance are exciting."

Two other original SWC members, Texas and Texas A&M, and longtime member Texas Tech had regents meetings scheduled this week to consider the offer from the Big Eight.

A formal announcement of the merger appeared to need only the rubber-stamp of the regents at the schools.

"We're looking forward to the challenge," Baylor president Herbert Reynolds said. "I believe it's a new era for us."

Reynolds said Baylor received the invitation late last week, and the Big Eight schools voted unanimously to invite his university, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

by CNB