The American Athletic Conference brings together a diverse group of schools with rich sporting traditions. This page offers the complete history of all American Athletic teams, tracing their origins, rivalries, and championship moments. Fans can explore how the American Athletic League has grown into one of the most competitive conferences in college sports.
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American Athletic Conference School History
The American Athletic Conference is a premier collegiate athletic conference that began competition in 2013 after the split of the original Big East Conference. Often called “The American,” it grew out of the tradition of the old American Athletic League, carrying forward decades of competition and rivalries among strong programs. Today, it is home to some of the most competitive American Athletic Teams in NCAA Division I sports.
The American Athletic Conference currently features 14 full members located across the United States, including schools such as Cincinnati, Tulane, Memphis, Temple, East Carolina, and South Florida. These institutions are known for their championship histories and the way they have built the conference into a nationally recognized home for elite American Athletic Teams. Before joining The American, many of these programs had already won multiple national titles in sports ranging from football to men’s basketball.
The roots of the American Athletic League go back further than 2013, as many of the conference’s current members were once part of earlier eastern-based leagues that helped define college sports. This long tradition gives the American Athletic Conference its identity and competitive spirit. It also strengthens rivalries between member schools and elevates the conference’s status within NCAA Division I athletics.
The American Athletic Conference is especially recognized for men’s basketball, where schools like Cincinnati, Houston, and Memphis have reached NCAA tournament finals and produced numerous NBA players. In football, American Athletic Teams such as UCF, Tulane, and Houston have earned major bowl appearances and national rankings, proving the conference can compete with any Power Five league. This balance of tradition and achievement reflects the continuing legacy of the American Athletic League.
In addition to athletic success, universities within the American Athletic Conference excel academically. Multiple institutions consistently appear in U.S. News & World Report’s national rankings, showing that American Athletic Teams develop student-athletes who succeed both on and off the field. The combination of academic quality and athletic success has helped the conference gain national respect and attract high-level recruits.
American Athletic Achievements
Over its first decade, the American Athletic Conference produced New Year’s Six bowl winners, NCAA men’s basketball Final Four teams, and record-setting women’s sports programs. Schools like UConn women’s basketball brought national championships to the conference, while Houston men’s basketball reached multiple Final Fours. Football powers like UCF and Tulane have claimed conference titles and earned national recognition.
Beyond the marquee sports, American Athletic Teams have excelled in baseball, soccer, and track and field, sending athletes to the Olympics and professional leagues worldwide. This continued tradition of winning shows that the American Athletic Conference is more than just a name — it’s a home for excellence across the board, rooted in the proud history of the American Athletic League.
