RUSTON — The Sun Belt Conference officially welcomed Louisiana Tech University on Wednesday. 

The conference was founded in 1976 and now has 14 members. It now includes three schools in Louisiana: University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Louisiana at Monroe and now, LA Tech. 

LA Tech was previously a member from 1991 to 2001.

Now, the university has a student body of 12,000 students and sponsors 16 varsity sports, all of which will be part of the Sun Belt except women's bowling. 

The Sun Belt Conference began sponsoring football programs in 2001 and now sponsors 19 NCAA sports. 

"With a tradition of athletic success, a passionate fanbase and a geographic location situated within the current Sun Belt footprint, the addition of Louisiana Tech reunites a number of long-standing rivalries under the conference banner," Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement.

In 2025, WBRZ reported on a unanimous vote among Sun Belt Conference members to welcome LA Tech into the conference.