CHICAGO -- Shortly after losing five schools to the Big East, Conference USA replenished its league Tuesday by adding Central Florida, Marshall, Rice, SMU and Tulsa.

Central Florida and Marshall will leave the Mid-American Conference, while Rice, SMU and Tulsa depart the Western Athletic Conference.

The schools officially join C-USA on July 1, 2005.

Earlier Tuesday, C-USA lost Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and South Florida to the Big East. DePaul and Marquette join in all sports but football.

The Big East made its move after Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College bolted to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"While we clearly would have preferred that no Big East expansion occur, that expectation was unrealistic given the actions of the ACC," C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said.

"We are excited about the opportunity to strengthen the conference and feel C-USA has the potential to be better in many ways."

In Cincinnati, Louisville and Marquette, C-USA loses its three top basketball schools. Marquette made the Final Four last year; Cincinnati and Louisville both made the NCAA tournament.

The change also leaves Saint Louis and Charlotte as the only non-football schools in C-USA -- and Banowsky said they could be the next to leave.

"We hope this concludes the restructuring but realize that there may be more change," he said.