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Louisiana Tech is set to join the Sun Belt Conference no later than July 1, 2026, the Sun Belt announced. The Sun Belt's CEOs voted to extend an invitation to Louisiana Tech, which Louisiana Tech accepted, on Monday, CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello reports.

Louisiana Tech is set to leave Conference USA and replace Texas State, which is departing for the Pac-12 in 2026, as the Sun Belt's 14th member.

"We are thrilled to welcome Louisiana Tech University to the Sun Belt. Geographically situated within the current Sun Belt footprint, the addition of Louisiana Tech reunites a number of long-standing regional rivalries under the conference banner," Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement. "I am grateful to President Dr. Jim Henderson and Athletic Director Ryan Ivey for their leadership during this process. I'd also like to thank the CEOs and athletic directors of our Sun Belt member institutions for their continued commitment to the premier FBS non-autonomy conference in the country. The Sun Belt Conference is RISING and our best days are ahead." 

The move will be a homecoming of sorts for Louisiana Tech, which was a full member of the Sun Belt from 1991-2001, though the football program remained independent for a majority of the 1990s following its transition from the NCAA Division I-AA level. The Bulldogs were in the Big West Conference from 1993-95. 

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Louisiana Tech has competed in Conference USA since 2013. Though the Bulldogs never won a Conference USA championship, they did claim the West Division crown twice under former coach Skip Holtz, and shared the top spot with UAB in 2019. 

Coach Sonny Cumbie led Louisiana Tech to the Independence Bowl last season for the Bulldogs' first postseason appearance since 2020. 

The men's basketball program won two straight C-USA regular season titles from 2014-15 and earned a bid to the National Invitation Tournament with coach Mike White leading the charge.