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The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA). Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Established in 1921, the Southern Conference ranks as the fifth-oldest major college athletic conference in the United States, and either the third or fourth oldest in continuous operation, depending on definitions.[1][i]

The Southern Conference is considered one of the stronger football conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision and is considered a mid-major conference in basketball. The three-time Division I NCAA Football champion Appalachian State Mountaineers were a member of the conference when they stunned the fifth-ranked Michigan Wolverines 34–32 on September 1, 2007.[2] The Davidson Wildcats reached the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament by upsetting power programs Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin.[3] More recently, the six-time Division I NCAA football champion Georgia Southern Eagles stunned Southeastern Conference power-house Florida Gators 26–20 in The Swamp on November 23, 2013—the first loss to a lower-division opponent in the Florida program’s history.[4] In 2015, Furman defeated UCF 16–15 and The Citadel topped South Carolina 23–22 for their second win over the Gamecocks in the past three meetings. On September 4, 2021, East Tennessee State University stunned Vanderbilt 23–3 in their opening game. The SoCon also frequently sees multiple teams selected to participate in the NCAA Division I baseball championship.[5]

The SoCon was the first conference to use the three-point field goal in basketball in a November 29, 1980, game at Western Carolina against Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where Ronnie Carr shot the historic shot from 22 feet (6.7 m) away and the Catamounts won 77–70.[6][7]

History

Southern Conference
Map
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120km
75miles
Chattanooga
Tennessee Tech
Liberty
Presbyterian
North Georgia
Georgia Southern
Gardner-Webb
Davidson
Campbell
Bellarmine
Appalachian
State
UAB
Wofford
Western Carolina
VMI
UNC Greensboro
Samford
Mercer
Furman
East Tennessee State
Citadel
   
Location of SoCon members:
full member
associate member
future full member
future associate member
Conference Commissioners
Wallace Wade 1951–1960
Lloyd Jordon 1960–1973
Ken Germann 1974–1986
Dave Hart 1986–1991
Wright Waters 1991–1998
Alfred B. White 1998–2001
Danny Morrison 2001–2005
John Iamarino 2006–2019
Jim Schaus 2019–2023
Michael Cross 2023–present

Talks of a new conference for Southern athletics had started as early as fall of 1920.[8] The conference was formed on February 25, 1921, in Atlanta as fourteen member institutions split from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.[1] Southern Conference charter members were Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Washington & Lee. In 1922, six more universities—Florida, LSU, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tulane, and Vanderbilt joined the conference. The first year of competition for the conference was in 1922, effective January 1.[9][10] The new rules banned freshman play.[11] Later additions included Sewanee (1924), Virginia Military Institute (1924), and Duke (1929).

The SoCon is particularly notable for having spawned two other major conferences. In 1932, the 13 schools located south and west of the Appalachians (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, University of the South (Sewanee), Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt) all departed the SoCon to form the Southeastern Conference (SEC). In 1953, seven additional schools (Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest) withdrew from the SoCon to form the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).[1] The ACC and SEC have gone on to surpass their parent conference in prestige; while the ACC and SEC are considered “power” conferences in Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A), the SoCon dropped to Division I-AA (FCS) in 1982, four years after the top division was split into two levels in 1978.

The SoCon became the first league to hold a post-season basketball tournament to decide a conference champion. Although first played in 1921, it did not become “official” until 1922, and in its first few years included teams which were not conference members.[12] Held at the Municipal Auditorium in Atlanta from February 24 to March 2, 1922, the first meeting was won by North Carolina who defeated non-member Mercer in the Finals 40–25.[13] The SoCon Basketball Tournament continues as the nation’s oldest conference tournament. The next-oldest tournament overall is the SEC men’s basketball tournament, founded in 1933, but that event was suspended after its 1952 edition and did not resume until 1979. With the demise of the Division II West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2013, whose tournament had been continuously held since 1936, the next-oldest conference tournament in continuous existence is now the ACC men’s basketball tournament, first held in 1954.

Member schools

Current full members

The all-sports membership changed to 10 schools in 2014 following the departure of Appalachian State, Davidson, Elon, and Georgia Southern, plus the arrival of East Tennessee State (ETSU), Mercer, and VMI. The current football membership stands at nine. UNC Greensboro does not sponsor football, while ETSU relaunched its previously dormant football program in 2015 and rejoined SoCon football in 2016 after one season as an independent.[14]

The 10 members of the Southern Conference are:

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Endowment
(millions)
Nickname Joined[a] Colors
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
(UTC, UT Chattanooga, Chattanooga)
Chattanooga, Tennessee 1886 Public 11,728 $195 Mocs 1976      
The Citadel Charleston, South Carolina 1842 S.M.C. 3,693 $423.6 Bulldogs 1936    
East Tennessee State University
(ETSU)
Johnson City, Tennessee 1911 Public 9,151 $87.8 Buccaneers 1978    
2014[b]
Furman University Greenville, South Carolina 1826 Nonsectarian[c] 2,629 $812 Paladins 1936    
Mercer University Macon, Georgia 1833 Baptist
(C.B.F.)
9,026 $502 Bears 2014    
Samford University Homewood, Alabama 1841 Christian 5,729 $403.5 Bulldogs 2008    
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
(UNC Greensboro)
Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 Public 19,764 $368.6 Spartans 1997      
Virginia Military Institute
(VMI)
Lexington, Virginia 1839 S.M.C. 1,772 $703.1 Keydets 1924      
2014[d]
Western Carolina University Cullowhee, North Carolina 1889 Public 12,243 $130 Catamounts 1976    
Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina 1854 United
Methodist
1,773 $417.4 Terriers 1997    
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ East Tennessee State (ETSU) was previously a full member of the SoCon from 1978–79 to 2004–05.[14]
  3. ^ Previously affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention until 1992.
  4. ^ VMI was previously a full member of the SoCon from 1924–25 to 2002–03.[14]

Future full members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Endowment
(millions)
Nickname Joining[a] Colors Current
conference
Tennessee Tech University[15]
(Tennessee Tech)
Cookeville, Tennessee 1915 Public 9,902 $96.2 Golden Eagles 2026     Ohio Valley (OVC)
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Associate members

On January 9, 2014, the SoCon and Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN)[ii] announced a new alliance in lacrosse that took effect with the 2015 spring season (2014–15 school year). Under its terms, sponsorship of men’s lacrosse shifted from the ASUN to the SoCon, while women’s lacrosse sponsorship remained with the ASUN. Bellarmine, which had announced it would join the ASUN for men’s lacrosse for the 2015 spring season, instead joined the SoCon.[16] The alliance remains in effect in men’s lacrosse, but the leagues amicably ended their full alliance in women’s lacrosse once the SoCon began sponsoring that sport in the 2018 spring season (2017–18 school year).[17] However, the conferences maintained their working relationship in women’s lacrosse, with the SoCon adding Coastal Carolina as an associate member effective with the 2021 spring season (2020–21 school year) in order to keep both conferences at five women’s lacrosse members for 2021.[18] Coastal was intended to play in SoCon women’s lacrosse in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 school year) as well, but the SoCon decided to drop the sport after the 2021 spring season (2020–21 school year). While no formal announcement was made, the SoCon–ASUN women’s lacrosse partnership definitively ended at that time, as the three full SoCon members who sponsored women’s lacrosse moved that sport to the Big South Conference. Coastal and Delaware State both returned women’s lacrosse to the ASUN Conference.[19]

The men’s lacrosse partnership took a slightly different form from the 2022 spring season (2021–22 school year) forward, as the ASUN reinstated its men’s lacrosse league. The two full ASUN members with men’s lacrosse programs separated, with Jacksonville remaining in SoCon men’s lacrosse while Bellarmine joined the ASUN men’s lacrosse league. SoCon associate Air Force also left for ASUN men’s lacrosse.[20] The SoCon maintained its automatic NCAA tournament berth with the addition of Hampton.[21]

Before the addition of Hampton men’s lacrosse, the most recent addition to the associate membership was Presbyterian wrestling, which joined during summer 2019.[22] Two women’s lacrosse members, Central Michigan and Detroit Mercy, left after the 2020 season (2019–20 school year) to join the new women’s lacrosse league of Central’s full-time home of the Mid-American Conference;[23] this move contributed to the eventual demise of the SoCon women’s lacrosse league.

Men’s soccer member Belmont left the SoCon after the 2021–22 school year when it joined the Missouri Valley Conference, which sponsors that sport.[24] At the same time, Hampton moved men’s lacrosse to its new full-time home of the Colonial Athletic Association, now known as the Coastal Athletic Association.[25]

The addition of men’s lacrosse by the Atlantic 10 Conference, announced on May 23, 2022,[26] led to the demise of the SoCon men’s lacrosse league after the 2022 season. In addition to Hampton joining the CAA, SoCon associate members High Point and Richmond (the latter a full A-10 member) moved to the A-10, and Jacksonville returned to ASUN men’s lacrosse.


Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Colors SoCon
sport(s)
Primary
conference
University of Alabama at Birmingham
(UAB)
Birmingham, Alabama 1969 Public 18,568 Blazers 2016     Rifle[27] American
Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 1899 Public 20,641 Mountaineers 2014[b]     Men’s wrestling Sun Belt (SBC)
Bellarmine University[c] Louisville, Kentucky 1950 Catholic
(Archdiocese
of Louisville
)
3,846 Knights 2020     Men’s wrestling Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Campbell University Buies Creek, North Carolina 1887 Baptist 11,241 Fighting
Camels
2011     Men’s wrestling Coastal (CAA)
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
1,850 Wildcats 2014[d]     Men’s wrestling Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Gardner–Webb University Boiling Springs, North Carolina 1905 Southern
Baptist
5,000 Runnin’
Bulldogs
2011     Men’s wrestling Big South (BSC)
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 Public 20,517 Eagles 2016     Rifle[27] Sun Belt (SBC)
University of North Georgia Dahlonega, Georgia 1873[e] Public 16,064 Nighthawks 2016     Rifle[27] Peach Belt (PBC)[f]
Presbyterian College Clinton, South Carolina 1880 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
1,403 Blue Hose 2019     Men’s wrestling Big South (BSC)
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ The 2014 date reflects the departure of Appalachian State from the SoCon to join the Sun Belt Conference. The Mountaineers have competed in SoCon wrestling continuously since the league first sponsored the sport in 1993–94.
  3. ^ Bellarmine competed as an associate member of the SoCon for men’s lacrosse from the 2015 to 2021 spring seasons (2014–15 to 2020–21 school years).
  4. ^ The 2014 date reflects the departure of Davidson from the SoCon to join the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). The Wildcats have competed in SoCon wrestling continuously since the league first sponsored the sport in 1993–94.
  5. ^ On January 10, 2012, the University System of Georgia approved the consolidation of North Georgia College and State University and Gainesville State College to form a new institution, the University of North Georgia in January 2013.
  6. ^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.

Future associate members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Joining[a] Colors SoCon
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Liberty University Lynchburg, Virginia 1971 Private 16,000[b] Flames 2026       Men’s soccer CUSA
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Approximate on-campus enrollment. Including online students, Liberty claims an enrollment of over 130,000.

Former full members

Most former members are currently members of either the Southeastern Conference (SEC) or the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Two of the former full members, Appalachian State and Davidson, maintain SoCon associate membership in men’s wrestling. A third former full member, Georgia Southern, became an associate member in rifle when the SoCon added the sport for the 2016–17 school year.

Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] Colors Current
conference
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1831 Public Crimson Tide 1921 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 1899 Public Mountaineers 1971 2014     Sun Belt (SBC)
Auburn University Auburn, Alabama 1856 Public Tigers 1921 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
College of Charleston
(CofC)
Charleston, South Carolina 1770 Nonsectarian Cougars 1998 2013     Coastal (CAA)
Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina 1889 Public Tigers 1921 1953     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
Wildcats 1936 1988     Atlantic 10 (A-10)
1992 2014
Duke University Durham, North Carolina 1838 United
Methodist
Blue Devils 1928 1953     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
East Carolina University Greenville, North Carolina 1907 Public Pirates 1964 1976     American
Elon University Elon, North Carolina 1889 Nonsectarian[c] Phoenix 2003 2014     Coastal (CAA)
University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 1853 Public Gators 1922 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
George Washington University Washington, D.C. 1821 Federal Colonials[d] 1941 1970     Atlantic 10 (A-10)
University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 1785 Public Bulldogs 1921 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 Public Eagles 1992 2014     Sun Belt (SBC)
Georgia Institute of Technology
(Georgia Tech)
Atlanta, Georgia 1885 Public Yellow Jackets 1921 1932     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky 1865 Public Wildcats 1921 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
Louisiana State University
(LSU)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1860 Public Tigers 1922 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia 1837 Public Thundering Herd 1976 1997     Sun Belt (SBC)
University of Maryland, College Park College Park, Maryland 1856 Public Terrapins 1923 1953         Big Ten (B1G)
University of Mississippi
(Ole Miss)
Oxford, Mississippi 1848 Public Rebels 1922 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
Mississippi State University Starkville, Mississippi 1878 Public Bulldogs 1921 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(UNC)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1789 Public Tar Heels 1921 1953     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
North Carolina State University
(NC State)
Raleigh, North Carolina 1887 Public Wolfpack 1921 1953     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
University of Richmond Richmond, Virginia 1830 Nonsectarian Spiders 1936 1976     Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Sewanee: The University of the South Sewanee, Tennessee 1857 Episcopal Tigers 1923 1932     Southern (SAA)[e]
University of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina 1801 Public Gamecocks 1922 1953     Southeastern (SEC)
University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee 1794 Public Volunteers 1921 1932       Southeastern (SEC)
Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana 1834 Nonsectarian Green Wave 1922 1932     American
Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee 1873 Nonsectarian Commodores 1922 1932     Southeastern (SEC)
University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia 1819 Public Cavaliers 1921 1937     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia 1872 Public Hokies 1921 1965     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1834 Nonsectarian[f] Demon Deacons 1936 1953     Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia 1749 Nonsectarian Generals 1921 1958     Old Dominion (ODAC)[e]
West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia 1867 Public Mountaineers 1950 1968     Big 12 (B12)
College of William & Mary Williamsburg, Virginia 1693 Public Tribe 1936 1977       Coastal (CAA)
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ Has historic ties with the United Church of Christ.
  4. ^ George Washington’s nickname throughout its SoCon tenure was Colonials. The current nickname of Revolutionaries was adopted in 2023.
  5. ^ a b Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  6. ^ Historically affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina until 1986.

Former associate members

Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] Colors SoCon
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Current
conference
in former
SoCon sport(s)
United States Air Force Academy
(Air Force)
Colorado Springs,
Colorado
1954 Federal
(Military)
Falcons 2015 2021     Men’s lacrosse Mountain West (MW) Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Bellarmine University[c] Louisville,
Kentucky
1950 Catholic
(Archdiocese
of Louisville
)
Knights 2014 2021     Men’s lacrosse Atlantic Sun (ASUN)[e]
Belmont University Nashville,
Tennessee
1890 Nondenominational Bruins 2018 2022       Men’s soccer Missouri Valley (MVC)[f]
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant,
Michigan
1892 Public Chippewas 2017 2020     Women’s lacrosse Mid-American (MAC)
Coastal Carolina University Conway,
South Carolina
1954 Public Chanticleers 2020 2021       Women’s lacrosse Sun Belt (SBC) Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Delaware State University Dover,
Delaware
1891 Public[g] Hornets 2017 2021     Women’s lacrosse Mid-Eastern (MEAC) Northeast (NEC)
University of Detroit Mercy Detroit,
Michigan
1870 Catholic
(Jesuit/RSM)
Titans 2017 2020       Women’s lacrosse Horizon Mid-American (MAC)
Hampton University Hampton,
Virginia
1868 Nonsectarian[g] Pirates 2021 2022     Men’s lacrosse Coastal (CAA)[h]
High Point University High Point,
North Carolina
1924 United
Methodist
Panthers 2014 2022     Men’s lacrosse[16] Big South (BSC) Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Jacksonville University Jacksonville,
Florida
1934 Nonsectarian Dolphins 2014 2022     Men’s lacrosse[16] Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
University of Richmond Richmond,
Virginia
1830 Nonsectarian Spiders 2014 2022     Men’s lacrosse[16] Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
(SIU Edwardsville, SIUE)
Edwardsville,
Illinois
1890 Public Cougars 2012 2018     Men’s wrestling Ohio Valley (OVC) Mid-American (MAC)
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ Bellarmine remains an associate member of the SoCon for men’s wrestling.
  4. ^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  5. ^ During its tenure as an associate member of the SoCon, Bellarmine was otherwise a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference[d] (GLVC) (a conference that had existed since 1978), which remained in that conference through 2019–20, before moving to Division I as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), where they still compete to this day.
  6. ^ During its tenure as an associate member of the SoCon, Belmont was otherwise a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), which remained in that conference through 2021–22, before switching to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) where they still compete to this day.
  7. ^ a b Also a historically black college and university.
  8. ^ During its tenure as an associate member of the SoCon, Hampton was otherwise a member of the Big South Conference, which remained in that conference only during the 2021–22 school year, after years in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), before switching to the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) where they still compete to this day.

SoCon membership timeline

Tennessee Technological UniversityMercer UniversitySamford UniversityColonial Athletic AssociationElon UniversityColonial Athletic AssociationCollege of CharlestonWofford CollegeUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroSun Belt ConferenceGeorgia Southern UniversityAtlantic Sun ConferenceEast Tennessee State UniversityWestern Carolina UniversityUniversity of Tennessee at ChattanoogaSun Belt ConferenceConference USAMid-American ConferenceMarshall UniversitySun Belt ConferenceAppalachian State UniversityAmerican Athletic ConferenceConference USAColonial Athletic AssociationEast Carolina UniversityBig 12 ConferenceBig East Conference (1979–2013)Atlantic 10 ConferenceWest Virginia UniversityAtlantic 10 ConferenceGeorge Washington UniversityAtlantic-10 ConferenceDavidson CollegeThe Citadel, The Military College of South CarolinaColonial Athletic AssociationEastern College Athletic ConferenceCollege of William & MaryAtlantic 10 ConferenceColonial Athletic AssociationEastern College Athletic ConferenceUniversity of RichmondFurman UniversityAtlantic Coast ConferenceWake Forest UniversityAtlantic Coast ConferenceDuke UniversityBig SouthVirginia Military InstituteSouthern Athletic AssociationSouthern Collegiate Athletic ConferenceSoutheastern ConferenceSewanee: The University of the SouthSoutheastern ConferenceMetro ConferenceAtlantic Coast ConferenceUniversity of South CarolinaSoutheastern ConferenceVanderbilt UniversityAmerican Athletic ConferenceConference USAMetro ConferenceSoutheastern ConferenceTulane UniversitySoutheastern ConferenceUniversity of MississippiSoutheastern ConferenceLouisiana State UniversitySoutheastern ConferenceUniversity of FloridaAtlantic Coast ConferenceBig East Conference (1979–2004)Atlantic 10 ConferenceMetro ConferenceVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityOld Dominion Athletic ConferenceSouthern Collegiate Athletic ConferenceWashington and Lee UniversityBig Ten ConferenceAtlantic Coast ConferenceUniversity of Maryland, College ParkAtlantic Coast ConferenceNorth Carolina State UniversityAtlantic Coast ConferenceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillAtlantic Coast ConferenceClemson UniversityAtlantic Coast ConferenceUniversity of VirginiaSoutheastern ConferenceUniversity of TennesseeSoutheastern ConferenceMississippi State UniversitySoutheastern ConferenceUniversity of KentuckyAtlantic Coast ConferenceMetro ConferenceSoutheastern ConferenceGeorgia Institute of TechnologySoutheastern ConferenceUniversity of GeorgiaSoutheastern ConferenceAuburn UniversitySoutheastern ConferenceUniversity of Alabama

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football)   Associate member (sport)  Other Conference  Other Conference 

  • Due to space limitations, one portion of Washington and Lee’s affiliation history is not indicated in the table. In 1958, W&L stopped awarding athletic scholarships; from then until 1962, it was an independent in what was then the NCAA College Division (which was split in 1973 to form today’s Divisions II and III).

Sports

The Southern Conference sponsors championship competition in 11 men’s, 9 women’s, and one co-educational NCAA-sanctioned sports.[28][better source needed] Five schools are associate members for wrestling. Under a cooperative agreement with the ASUN Conference, the SoCon began sponsoring men’s lacrosse in the 2014–15 school year (2015 season) with three full members (Furman, Mercer, VMI) and four associates (Bellarmine, High Point, Jacksonville, Richmond). SoCon men’s lacrosse has since added Air Force. Women’s lacrosse was sponsored by the ASUN through the 2017 season,[16] after which the SoCon launched its own women’s lacrosse league.[17] Beginning in the 2016–17 academic year, after a 30-year hiatus, the SoCon resumed rifle as its 21st sport. Members for conference competition are full members The Citadel, VMI, and Wofford as well as associate members UAB, Georgia Southern, and North Georgia. The SoCon is one of only two all-sports conferences to sponsor rifle, joining the Ohio Valley Conference. Rifle is technically a men’s sport for NCAA purposes, but men’s, women’s, and co-ed teams all compete against each other.[29] Women’s lacrosse was added as the 22nd sport for 2017–18, but was dropped after the 2020–21 school year.[30]

The SoCon dropped men’s lacrosse after the 2022 season. Affiliate member Hampton joined the Colonial Athletic Association, which sponsors that sport, and the Atlantic 10 Conference, full-time home to men’s lacrosse affiliate Richmond, launched a men’s lacrosse league in the 2023 season, also taking in another SoCon affiliate in High Point.[26] With SoCon men’s lacrosse being gutted by these changes, VMI moved that sport to its former men’s lacrosse home of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and the two remaining men’s lacrosse members, Jacksonville and Mercer, moved that sport to the ASUN.[26][31][32]

The conference is unique in that it contains the only two full Division I member schools not to field a women’s basketball team. The Citadel and VMI do not sponsor the sport at the varsity level; both schools are historically all-male military colleges which only became co-educational in the 1990s.

Teams in Southern Conference competition
Sport Men’s Women’s Co-ed
Baseball 8
Basketball 10 8
Cross Country 10 10
Football 9
Golf 8 9
Rifle 2 3 3
Soccer 6 10
Softball 8
Tennis 8 8
Track and Field (Indoor) 9 9
Track and Field (Outdoor) 9 10
Volleyball 9
Wrestling 9

Men’s sponsored sports by school

School Baseball Basketball Cross country Football Golf Rifle[a] Soccer Tennis Track & field
(indoor)
Track & field
(outdoor)
Wrestling Total SoCon sports
Chattanooga No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No Yes 6
The Citadel Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes[b] No Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
East Tennessee State Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes No 8
Furman No Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No 8
Mercer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No 8
Samford Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No 8
UNC Greensboro Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes No 8
VMI Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes[b] Yes No Yes Yes Yes 10
Western Carolina Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes No 7
Wofford Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[c] Yes Yes Yes Yes No 10
Future Members
Tennessee Tech Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No 6
Totals 8 10 10 9 8 3+2[d] 6 8 8 9 3+6[e] 82+8
Notes
  1. ^ Rifle is technically a men’s sport, but men’s, women’s, and co-ed teams all compete against each other.
  2. ^ a b Men’s rifle team; school also fields a women’s team.
  3. ^ Co-ed rifle team
  4. ^ Associates North Georgia and UAB, both with co-ed teams
  5. ^ Associates Appalachian State, Bellarmine, Campbell, Davidson, Gardner–Webb, and Presbyterian

Men’s varsity sports not sponsored by the Southern Conference which are played by SoCon schools:

School Lacrosse Swimming &
diving
Mercer ASUN No
VMI NEC America East

Women’s sponsored sports by school

School Basketball Cross country Golf Rifle[a] Soccer Softball Tennis Track & field
(indoor)
Track & field
(outdoor)
Volleyball Total SoCon teams
Chattanooga Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
The Citadel No Yes Yes Yes[b] Yes No No Yes Yes Yes 7
East Tennessee State Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Furman Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10
Mercer Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 9
Samford Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
UNC Greensboro Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
VMI No Yes No Yes[b] Yes No No Yes Yes No 5
Western Carolina Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Wofford Yes Yes Yes Yes[c] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10
Future Members
Tennessee Tech Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 8
Totals 8 10 9 3+3[d] 10 8 8 9 10 9 87+4
Notes
  1. ^ Rifle is technically a men’s sport, but men’s, women’s, and co-ed teams all compete against each other.
  2. ^ a b Women’s rifle team; school also fields a men’s team.
  3. ^ Co-ed rifle team
  4. ^ Associate members Georgia Southern (women-only team), North Georgia (co-ed team), and UAB (co-ed team)

Women’s varsity sports not sponsored by the Southern Conference which are played by SoCon schools:

School Beach volleyball Lacrosse Swimming &
diving
Water polo
Chattanooga OVC No No No
Furman No Big South No No
Mercer Sun Belt Big South No No
Tennessee Tech OVC[a] No No No
VMI No No America East MAAC
Wofford No Big South No No
  1. ^ Tennessee Tech has not announced a future affiliation for its beach volleyball program.

Facilities

School Football stadium Capacity Basketball arena Capacity Baseball stadium Capacity Softball stadium Capacity Soccer field Capacity
Chattanooga Finley Stadium 20,668 McKenzie Arena 10,928 Non-baseball school Jim Frost Stadium 3,000 Finley Stadium 20,668
Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium 11,500 McAlister Field House 6,000 Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park 6,000 Non-softball school Non-soccer school
East Tennessee State William B. Greene Jr. Stadium 7,694[a] Freedom Hall Civic Center 8,500 Thomas Stadium 1,200 Betty Basler Field 500+ Summers-Taylor Stadium 2,000+
Furman Paladin Stadium 16,000 Timmons Arena 5,000 Non-baseball school Pepsi Softball Stadium 300 Eugene E. Stone III Stadium 3,000
Liberty Men’s soccer-only member Osborne Stadium 1,000
Mercer Five Star Stadium 10,200 Hawkins Arena 3,500 Claude Smith Field 500 Sikes Field 300 Betts Stadium 500
Samford Pete Hanna Stadium 6,700 Pete Hanna Center 4,974 Joe Lee Griffin Stadium 1,000 J.T. Haywood Field House 200 Samford Track and Soccer Complex 1,200
Tennessee Tech Tucker Stadium 16,500 Eblen Center 9,280 Bush Stadium at Averitt Express Baseball Complex 1,100 Tech Softball Field 800 Tech Soccer Field 800
UNC Greensboro Non-football school First Horizon Coliseum (men’s)
Fleming Gymnasium (women’s)
7,617
2,320
UNCG Baseball Stadium 3,500 UNCG Softball Stadium 500+ UNCG Soccer Stadium 3,540
VMI Alumni Memorial Field 10,000 Cameron Hall 5,020 Gray–Minor Stadium 1,400 Non-softball school Patchin Field 1,000
Western Carolina E. J. Whitmire Stadium 13,742 Ramsey Center 7,826 Hennon Stadium 1,500 Catamount Softball Complex 250+ Catamount Athletic Complex 1,000
Wofford Gibbs Stadium 13,000 Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium 3,400 Russell C. King Field 2,500 Non-softball school Snyder Field 2,250
Notes
  1. ^ Seated capacity; 10,000+ with standing room

Conference champions

Football

This is a list of recent champions. For the full history, see List of Southern Conference football champions.

Year Champion Record
2015 Chattanooga
The Citadel
6–1
2016 The Citadel 8–0
2017 Wofford 7–1
2018 East Tennessee State
Furman
Wofford
6–2
2019 Wofford 7–1
2020 VMI 6–1
2021 East Tennessee State 7–1
2022 Samford 8–0
2023 Furman 7–1
2024 Mercer 10–2
2025 Mercer 9–3

† Automatic bid to NCAA Division I Football Championship

Men’s basketball

This is a partial list of the last 10 regular-season and tournament champions. For the full history, see List of Southern Conference men’s basketball champions.

Year Regular season champion Record Tournament champion
2015–16 Chattanooga 15–3 Chattanooga
2016–17 East Tennessee State[a]
UNC Greensboro
Furman
14–4 East Tennessee State
2017–18 UNC Greensboro 15–3 UNC Greensboro
2018–19 Wofford 18–0 Wofford
2019–20 East Tennessee State 16–2 East Tennessee State
2020–21 UNC Greensboro 13–5 UNC Greensboro
2021–22 Chattanooga 14–4 Chattanooga
2022–23 Furman[a]
Samford
15–3 Furman
2023–24 Samford 15–3 Samford
2024–25 Chattanooga 15–3 Wofford
  1. ^ a b Listed in order of seeding in the conference tournament

Women’s basketball

This is a partial list of the last 10 tournament champions. For the full history, see Southern Conference women’s basketball tournament

Year Champion
2016 Chattanooga
2017 Chattanooga
2018 Mercer
2019 Mercer
2020 Samford
2021 Mercer
2022 Mercer
2023 Chattanooga
2024 Chattanooga
2025 UNC Greensboro

Baseball

This is a partial list of the last 10 champions. For the full history, see Southern Conference baseball tournament.

Year Reg. season champion Tournament champion
2015 Mercer Mercer
2016 Mercer Western Carolina
2017 Mercer UNC Greensboro
2018 UNC Greensboro Samford
2019 Samford Mercer
2020 Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Wofford Samford
2022 Wofford UNC Greensboro
2023 Samford Samford
2024 UNC Greensboro Wofford
2025 East Tennessee State East Tennessee State

Rifle

Year Air rifle champion Smallbore champion Overall champion
2017 Georgia Southern North Georgia North Georgia
2018 North Georgia North Georgia North Georgia
2019 Georgia Southern UAB UAB
2020 North Georgia UAB UAB
2021 North Georgia Georgia Southern North Georgia
2022 Georgia Southern Georgia Southern North Georgia
2023 Georgia Southern Georgia Southern The Citadel
2024 Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Georgia Southern
2025 Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Georgia Southern

Men’s Lacrosse

Year Champion
2015 High Point
2016 Air Force
2017 Air Force
2018 Richmond
2019 Richmond
2020 Not Held
2021 High Point

Commissioner’s and Germann Cups

The Commissioner’s and Germann Cups are awarded each year to the top men’s and women’s program in the conference.[33] The Commissioner’s Cup was inaugurated in 1970. The Germann Cup, named for former Southern Conference Commissioner Ken Germann, was first awarded in 1987. The completion of the 2013–2014 athletics season saw Appalachian State winning its 33rd Commissioner’s Cup and Furman its 13th Germann Cup.[34]

Year Commissioner’s Cup Germann Cup
1969–70 East Carolina
William & Mary
1970–71 William & Mary
1971–72 William & Mary
1972–73 William & Mary
1973–74 East Carolina
1974–75 East Carolina
1975–76 William & Mary
1976–77 East Carolina
1977–78 Appalachian State
1978–79 Appalachian State
1979–80 Appalachian State
1980–81 Appalachian State
1981–82 Appalachian State
1982–83 East Tennessee State
1983–84 Appalachian State
1984–85 Appalachian State
1985–86 Appalachian State
1986–87 Appalachian State Appalachian State
1987–88 Appalachian State Appalachian State
1988–89 Appalachian State Appalachian State
1989–90 Appalachian State Appalachian State
1990–91 Furman Appalachian State
1991–92 Appalachian State Appalachian State
1992–93 Appalachian State Furman
1993–94 Appalachian State Furman
1994–95 Appalachian State Furman
1995–96 Appalachian State Furman
1996–97 Appalachian State Furman
1997–98 Appalachian State Furman
1998–99 Appalachian State Furman
1999–00 Appalachian State Furman
2000–01 Appalachian State Furman
2001–02 Appalachian State Furman
2002–03 Appalachian State Furman
2003–04 Appalachian State Furman
2004–05 Chattanooga College of Charleston
2005–06 Appalachian State Appalachian State
2006–07 Appalachian State Appalachian State
2007–08 Appalachian State Chattanooga
2008–09 Appalachian State College of Charleston
2009–10 Appalachian State Samford
2010–11 Appalachian State Appalachian State
2011–12 Appalachian State College of Charleston
2012–13 Appalachian State Appalachian State
2013–14 Appalachian State Furman
2014–15 Chattanooga Samford
2015–16 East Tennessee State Furman
2016–17 East Tennessee State Furman
2017–18 East Tennessee State Furman
2018–19 East Tennessee State Furman
2020–21 Furman Samford
2021–22 East Tennessee State Samford
2022–23 Samford Samford
2023–24 Samford Samford
2024–25 East Tennessee State Samford

See also

Relevant literature

  • Iamarino, John. 2020. A Proud History of Athletic History. Mercer University Press.

Notes

  1. ^ Among conferences currently in operation, the Big Ten (1896) and Missouri Valley (1907) are indisputably older. The Pac-12 Conference did not operate under its current charter until 1959 but claims the history of the Pacific Coast Conference, founded in 1915, as its own. The Southwest Conference (SWC) was founded in 1914 but ceased operation in 1996. The Big Eight Conference claimed the same history as the Missouri Valley from 1907 to 1928 during its existence; though it essentially merged with four SWC members to form the Big 12 Conference in 1996, the Big 12 does not claim the Big Eight’s legacy. The Ivy League was formally organized in 1954 with athletic competition starting in 1955, but claims the history of the Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League, which competed from 1901 to 1955, as its own.
  2. ^ The Atlantic Sun officially used the shortened form of “ASUN Conference” from 2016 to 2023.

References

  1. ^ a b c “The History of the Southern Conference”. Southern Conference. June 30, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  2. ^ Stewart Mandel (September 1, 2007). “The Mother of All Upsets”. CNNSI. Archived from the original on December 9, 2007.
  3. ^ “Curry’s sweet touch continues as Davidson eludes Wisconsin”. ESPN. Associated Press. March 28, 2008. Archived from the original on January 28, 2017.
  4. ^ David Jones. “Florida falls to FCS opponent, won’t be bowl eligible”. USA Today. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  5. ^ “Preseason Projected Field Of 64”. BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  6. ^ “A First in NCAA Basketball”. catamountsports.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  7. ^ “Rivals.com”. Collegebasketball.rivals.com. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  8. ^ “Southern Conference Talked By College Men”. The Charlotte Observer. February 28, 1921. p. 8. Retrieved August 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ^ “Southern Conference, With 15 Colleges as Members, Is Formed At Atlanta Meeting”. The Charlotte Observer. February 27, 1921. p. 24. Retrieved August 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ Fuzzy Woodruff (October 16, 1921). “Too Many Practice Games And Too Few Real Battles”. News and Observer. p. 15. Retrieved August 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ^ “Drastic Rules Are Adopted By New Southern Conference To Keep College Sports Clean”. The Atlanta Constitution. February 27, 1921. p. 2. Retrieved August 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ^ “2014-15 Southern Conference men’s basketball media guide”. Issuu. Southern Conference. December 17, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  13. ^ “Southern Conference Tournament Results” (PDF). Southern Conference.
  14. ^ a b c “SoCon Welcomes ETSU, Mercer and VMI” (Press release). Southern Conference. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  15. ^ “The Southern Conference Approves Tennessee Tech Membership” (Press release). Southern Conference. August 13, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d e “SoCon, A-Sun Partner to Enhance Lacrosse” (Press release). Southern Conference. January 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  17. ^ a b “SoCon to Add Women’s Lacrosse as 22nd Sport” (Press release). Southern Conference. January 31, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  18. ^ “Women’s Lacrosse to Move to SoCon Beginning in 2021” (Press release). Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. February 7, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  19. ^ “Coastal Carolina and Delaware State Set to Rejoin ASUN Conference Women’s Lacrosse” (Press release). ASUN Conference. July 7, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  20. ^ “ASUN Conference Announces Formation of Men’s Lacrosse League” (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 5, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  21. ^ “Hampton joining SoCon as associate member for men’s lacrosse” (Press release). Southern Conference. February 5, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  22. ^ “PC Adds Men’s and Women’s Wrestling; Men to Join Southern Conference” (Press release). Presbyterian Blue Hose. December 7, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  23. ^ “Women’s Lacrosse Coming in 2020-21; Detroit Mercy & Youngstown State As Affiliates” (Press release). Mid-American Conference. November 6, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  24. ^ “Belmont to Join MVC in 2022–23” (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. September 28, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  25. ^ “CAA Welcomes Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as New Members” (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  26. ^ a b c “Atlantic 10 Conference Adds Men’s Lacrosse as 22nd Championship Sport” (Press release). Atlantic 10 Conference !date=May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  27. ^ a b c “Southern Conference to Add Rifle as 21st Sport”. Southern Conference. December 9, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  28. ^ “Southern Conference”. Southern Conference.
  29. ^ “Southern Conference to add rifle as 21st sport”. University of North Georgia. December 9, 2015. Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  30. ^ “Big South Adds Three Associate Members in Women’s Lacrosse” (Press release). Big South Conference. June 7, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  31. ^ “Virginia Military Institute Rejoins MAAC Men’s Lacrosse League” (Press release). Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. April 4, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  32. ^ “Jacksonville, Lindenwood & Mercer Joining #ASUNMLAX for 2023 Season” (Press release). ASUN Conference. March 30, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  33. ^ “Southern Conference Commissioner’s & Germann Cups”. Southern Conference. June 4, 2007.
  34. ^ “Southern Conference”.