Oral Roberts University will be ending a 14-year run in the Summit League Conference by leaving for the Southland Conference beginning at the start of 2012-2013.

After a month of rumors and speculations, the university announced at a press conference on Tuesday that Oral Roberts would become the tenth addition to the Southland Conference effective July 1, 2012.

University officials announced that the conference change would cost $250,000, a standard penalty for not giving the Summit League a two-year notice of the move.

The Southland conference is considered to be a better geographic fit for ORU, with schools located in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and now, Oklahoma.

Programs in the Southland Conference include Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State, Lamar, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Northwestern State (La.) McNeese State, Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls State.

“Our number one consideration in this and all decisions is the well being of our student-athletes,” said Oral Roberts President Dr. Mark Rutland to the Associated Press. “We look forward to being a competitive member of such an excellent conference right here in our own neighborhood.”

Oral Roberts will participate in 15 of Southland’s championships that include men’s basketball, baseball, cross-country, golf, tennis and indoor and outdoor track and field. While the women will compete in basketball cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field and volleyball.

“We are focused in on what Oral Roberts could bring to the Southland Conference and what we could provide the university,” said Tom Burnett, Southland Conference commissioner.

Since joining the Summit League, Oral Roberts has won nine Summit League Commissioner’s Cups in 14 years, 68 All-Americans and a total 75 NCAA tournament appearances in that time.

The move of Oral Roberts, historically Oakland University’s rival, may have implications that are unknown at this time for the future Golden Grizzlies.

When reached on Tuesday, the OU athletic department had no comment with the news.

With the loss of Southern Utah University, and now Oral Roberts, the Summit League is now with a nine program line-up and a future that is currently unclear.