STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The Big Ten might put more emphasis on geography when shuffling divisions now that eastern schools Maryland and Rutgers are joining the Midwest-centric conference by 2014.
Penn State athletic director Dave Joyner said officials within the Big Ten have had several discussions over the phone about potential divisional alignments.
"I have a feeling it will be more geography-based," Joyner said. "There seems to be a lot of sentiment for that."
It would be especially helpful, Joyner said, to ease travel issues and funding for travel, especially for Olympic sports.
Joyner made the comments in a videotaped interview with a school sports information staffer posted Tuesday on the athletic department's website.
Athletic directors already have met a couple of times to discuss topics related to the additions of Maryland and Rutgers, and probably will meet four or five more times before finalizing recommendations to the Council of Presidents/Chancellors for review in June, Big Ten spokesman Scott Chipman said.
The current 12-team Big Ten split into two divisions for football after Nebraska joined the conference in 2011.
The Legends Division comprises Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Northwestern. The Leaders Division is made up of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.
Commissioner Jim Delany had said in announcing the divisions in 2010 that the conference sought to maintain competitive balance and promote new rivalries while keeping traditions and existing rivalries in mind.
