The rarest trick in recruiting is to out-perform conference affiliation.
Wichita State men’s basketball reached that level in recent seasons, piling up talent that outranks the Missouri Valley Conference. Now Shocker coaches are back on the recruiting trail selling membership in the American Athletic Conference.
“They did something that most can’t do,” Hutchinson Community College coach Steve Eck said. “They got kids to look past the conference.”
The immediate consensus from athletes and coaches: American membership makes a good situation better. While it might not dramatically change Wichita State’s recruiting — say into five-star, one-and-done territory — that edge won’t go to waste.