Change is on the horizon for Tech athletics as conference realignment promises to transform the culture of the Wonder Boys and Golden Suns for years to come.

The hot topic this summer in college football was the arguably grim prospect of conference realignment. Nebraska and Colorado fled the Big 12 for the Big Ten and Pac-10, respectively. Utah anted up and joined a BCS conference to bolster its championship campaign, leaving the Mountain West for the newly minted Pac-12. WAC power Boise State filled the gap laft by the Utes in the Mountain West.

However, the talk wasn't limited to big time Division I football. Talks have been under way to form a new conference in Division II, of which Tech would be a founding member. The proposed conference would raid the Gulf South Conference of its six Arkansas schools as well as three Oklahoma schools from the Lone Star Conference.

Those nine schools in the new conference would be Tech, Arkansas-Monticello, East Central (Okla.), Harding, Henderson State, Ouachita Baptist, Southern Arkansas, Southeast Oklahoma State, and Southwest Oklahoma State. Arkansas-Fort Smith is rumored to become the tenth member if it can gain membership in Division II.

Perhaps the biggest winner in this scenario is Tech, which could potentially emerge as the class of the conference. The Wonder Boys football team has been the in-state power since Central Arkansas' departure to Division I. The three Oklahoma schools combined for eight wins last season, one fewer than Tech compiled by itself a year ago.

What's more, of the nine schools in the proposed conference, only Tech sent teams to the NCAA Tournament in men's or women's basketball. The schools would also stand a better chance in baseball and softball with the absence of powers like Delta State and Valdosta State, while Tech and Harding would benefit in volleyball without conference match-ups against traditional powers West Florida and West Alabama.

Granted, there are some disadvantages to joining a new conference. The conference would have decidedly less prestige than the GSC, which could hurt in recruiting and at-large bids, admittedly a lesser problem in Division II, which is largely devoid of so-called power conferences. Additionally, some of the rivalries formed would be dissolved, most notably the Golden Suns-Delta State rivalry in basketball.

The move could also potentially endanger the viability of the GSC. The Arkansas exodus would leave the conference with eight member institutions, only five of which would compete in football, which has long been the conference's life blood. The raid could leave commissioner Nate Salant scrambling to find some new member institutions.

Still, it is clear that the pros far outweigh the cons in this situation. The GSC has long been dominated by the "Big Three," a triumvirate of traditional powers formed by North Alabama, Delta State, and Valdosta State. The potential for Tech to dominate the new conference in several sports is high, and most fans would easily trade a 14-year rivalry for the opportunity to become a conference juggernaut in multiple sports.

No decision has been made as to what the name of the new conference will be. Schedules will not be affected for the 2010-2011 year.