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Southern Conference

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Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Distinguish". Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox sports league

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]Template:Refn

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 Template:Convert away and the Catamounts won 77–70.[6][7]

History

Template:OSM Location map

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

Template:Further 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]

Template:Clear right The 10 members of the Southern Conference are:

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Endowment
Template:Small 		Nickname JoinedTemplate:Efn Colors
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Template:Small 		Chattanooga, Tennessee 1886 Public 11,728 $195 Mocs 1976 Template:College color boxes
The Citadel Charleston, South Carolina 1842 S.M.C. 3,693 $423.6 Bulldogs 1936 Template:College color boxes
East Tennessee State University
Template:Small 		Johnson City, Tennessee 2014Template:Efn Public 9,151 $87.8 Buccaneers 1911 Template:College color boxes
Furman University Greenville, South Carolina 1826 NonsectarianTemplate:Efn 2,629 $812 Paladins 1936 Template:College color boxes
Mercer University Macon, Georgia 1833 Baptist
Template:Small 		9,026 $502 Bears 2014 Template:College color boxes
Samford University Homewood, Alabama 1841 Christian 5,729 $403.5 Bulldogs 2008 Template:College color boxes
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Template:Small 		Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 Public 19,764 $368.6 Spartans 1997 Template:College color boxes
Virginia Military Institute
Template:Small 		Lexington, Virginia 1839 S.M.C. 1,772 $703.1 Keydets 2014Template:Efn Template:College color boxes
Western Carolina University Cullowhee, North Carolina 1889 Public 12,243 $130 Catamounts 1976 Template:College color boxes
Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina 1854 United
Methodist 		1,773 $417.4 Terriers 1997 Template:College color boxes
Notes

Template:Notelist

Future full members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Endowment
Template:Small 		Nickname JoiningTemplate:Efn Colors Current
conference
Tennessee Tech University[15]
Template:Small 		Cookeville, Tennessee 1915 Public 9,902 $96.2 Golden Eagles 2026 Template:College color boxes Ohio Valley (OVC)
Notes

Template:Notelist

Associate members

On January 9, 2014, the SoCon and Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN)Template:Refn 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 JoinedTemplate:Efn Colors SoCon
sport(s) 		Primary
conference
Template:Sort
Template:Small 		Birmingham, Alabama 1969 Public 18,568 Blazers 2016 Template:College color boxes Rifle[27] American
Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 1899 Public 20,641 Mountaineers 2014Template:Efn Template:College color boxes Men's wrestling Sun Belt (SBC)
Bellarmine UniversityTemplate:Efn Louisville, Kentucky 1950 Catholic
Template:Small 		3,846 Knights 2020 Template:College color boxes Men's wrestling Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Campbell University Buies Creek, North Carolina 1887 Baptist 11,241 Fighting
Camels 		2011 Template:College color boxes Men's wrestling Coastal (CAA)
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 Presbyterian
Template:Small 		1,850 Wildcats 2014Template:Efn Template:College color boxes Men's wrestling Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Gardner–Webb University Boiling Springs, North Carolina 1905 Southern
Baptist 		5,000 Runnin'
Bulldogs 		2011 Template:College color boxes Men's wrestling Big South (BSC)
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 Public 20,517 Eagles 2016 Template:College color boxes Rifle[27] Sun Belt (SBC)
Template:Sort Dahlonega, Georgia 1873Template:Efn Public 16,064 Nighthawks 2016 Template:College color boxes Rifle[27] Peach Belt (PBC)Template:Efn
Presbyterian College Clinton, South Carolina 1880 Presbyterian
Template:Small 		1,403 Blue Hose 2019 Template:College color boxes Men's wrestling Big South (BSC)
Notes

Template:Notelist

Future associate members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname JoiningTemplate:Efn Colors SoCon
sport(s) 		Primary
conference
Liberty University Lynchburg, Virginia 1971 Private 16,000Template:Efn Flames 2026 Template:College color boxes Men's soccer CUSA
Notes

Template:Notelist

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 JoinedTemplate:Efn LeftTemplate:Efn Colors Current
conference
Template:Sort Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1831 Public Crimson Tide 1921 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 1899 Public Mountaineers 1971 2014 Template:College color boxes Sun Belt (SBC)
Auburn University Auburn, Alabama 1856 Public Tigers 1921 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Template:Sort
Template:Small 		Charleston, South Carolina 1770 Nonsectarian Cougars 1998 2013 Template:College color boxes Coastal (CAA)
Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina 1889 Public Tigers 1921 1953 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 Presbyterian
Template:Small 		Wildcats 1936 1988 Template:College color boxes Atlantic 10 (A-10)
1992 2014
Duke University Durham, North Carolina 1838 United
Methodist 		Blue Devils 1928 1953 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
East Carolina University Greenville, North Carolina 1907 Public Pirates 1964 1976 Template:College color boxes American
Elon University Elon, North Carolina 1889 NonsectarianTemplate:Efn Phoenix 2003 2014 Template:College color boxes Coastal (CAA)
Template:Sort Gainesville, Florida 1853 Public Gators 1922 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
George Washington University Washington, D.C. 1821 Federal ColonialsTemplate:Efn 1941 1970 Template:College color boxes Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Template:Sort Athens, Georgia 1785 Public Bulldogs 1921 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 Public Eagles 1992 2014 Template:College color boxes Sun Belt (SBC)
Template:Sort
Template:Small 		Atlanta, Georgia 1885 Public Yellow Jackets 1921 1932 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Template:Sort Lexington, Kentucky 1865 Public Wildcats 1921 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Louisiana State University
Template:Small 		Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1860 Public Tigers 1922 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia 1837 Public Thundering Herd 1976 1997 Template:College color boxes Sun Belt (SBC)
Template:Sort College Park, Maryland 1856 Public Terrapins 1923 1953 Template:College color boxes Big Ten (B1G)
Template:Sort
Template:Small 		Oxford, Mississippi 1848 Public Rebels 1922 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Mississippi State University Starkville, Mississippi 1878 Public Bulldogs 1921 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Template:Sort
Template:Small 		Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1789 Public Tar Heels 1921 1953 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
North Carolina State University
Template:Small 		Raleigh, North Carolina 1887 Public Wolfpack 1921 1953 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Template:Sort Richmond, Virginia 1830 Nonsectarian Spiders 1936 1976 Template:College color boxes Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Sewanee: The University of the South Sewanee, Tennessee 1857 Episcopal Tigers 1923 1932 Template:College color boxes Southern (SAA)Template:Efn
Template:Sort Columbia, South Carolina 1801 Public Gamecocks 1922 1953 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Template:Sort Knoxville, Tennessee 1794 Public Volunteers 1921 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana 1834 Nonsectarian Green Wave 1922 1932 Template:College color boxes American
Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee 1873 Nonsectarian Commodores 1922 1932 Template:College color boxes Southeastern (SEC)
Template:Sort Charlottesville, Virginia 1819 Public Cavaliers 1921 1937 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Template:Small 		Blacksburg, Virginia 1872 Public Hokies 1921 1965 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1834 NonsectarianTemplate:Efn Demon Deacons 1936 1953 Template:College color boxes Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia 1749 Nonsectarian Generals 1921 1958 Template:College color boxes Old Dominion (ODAC)Template:Efn
West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia 1867 Public Mountaineers 1950 1968 Template:College color boxes Big 12 (B12)
Template:Sort Williamsburg, Virginia 1693 Public Tribe 1936 1977 Template:College color boxes Coastal (CAA)
Notes

Template:Notelist

Former associate members

Institution Location Founded Type Nickname JoinedTemplate:Efn LeftTemplate:Efn Colors SoCon
sport(s) 		Primary
conference 		Current
conference
in former
SoCon sport(s)
Template:Sort
Template:Small 		Colorado Springs,
Colorado 		1954 Federal
Template:Small 		Falcons 2015 2021 Template:College color boxes Men's lacrosse Mountain West (MW) Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Bellarmine UniversityTemplate:Efn Louisville,
Kentucky 		1950 Catholic
Template:Small 		Knights 2014 2021 Template:College color boxes Men's lacrosse Atlantic Sun (ASUN)Template:Efn
Belmont University Nashville,
Tennessee 		1890 Template:Small Bruins 2018 2022 Template:College color boxes Men's soccer Missouri Valley (MVC)Template:Efn
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant,
Michigan 		1892 Public Chippewas 2017 2020 Template:College color boxes Women's lacrosse Mid-American (MAC)
Coastal Carolina University Conway,
South Carolina 		1954 Public Chanticleers 2020 2021 Template:College color boxes Women's lacrosse Sun Belt (SBC) Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Delaware State University Dover,
Delaware 		1891 PublicTemplate:Efn Hornets 2017 2021 Template:College color boxes Women's lacrosse Mid-Eastern (MEAC) Northeast (NEC)
Template:Sort Detroit,
Michigan 		1870 Catholic
Template:Small 		Titans 2017 2020 Template:College color boxes Women's lacrosse Horizon Mid-American (MAC)
Hampton University Hampton,
Virginia 		1868 NonsectarianTemplate:Efn Pirates 2021 2022 Template:College color boxes Men's lacrosse Coastal (CAA)Template:Efn
High Point University High Point,
North Carolina 		1924 United
Methodist 		Panthers 2014 2022 Template:College color boxes Men's lacrosse[16] Big South (BSC) Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Jacksonville University Jacksonville,
Florida 		1934 Nonsectarian Dolphins 2014 2022 Template:College color boxes Men's lacrosse[16] Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Template:Sort Richmond,
Virginia 		1830 Nonsectarian Spiders 2014 2022 Template:College color boxes Men's lacrosse[16] Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Template:Small 		Edwardsville,
Illinois 		1890 Public Cougars 2012 2018 Template:College color boxes Men's wrestling Ohio Valley (OVC) Mid-American (MAC)
Notes

Template:Notelist

SoCon membership timeline

<timeline> DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1921 till:2036 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5

Colors = 

         id:line value:black
         id:bg value:white
         id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
         id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
         id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
         id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only
         id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference
         id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used

PlotData= 

  width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

  bar:1 color:Full from:1921 till:1933 text:Alabama (1921–1933)
  bar:1 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:2 color:Full from:1921 till:1933 text:Auburn (1921–1933)
  bar:2 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:3 color:Full from:1921 till:1933 text:Georgia (1921–1933)
  bar:3 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:4 color:Full from:1921 till:1933 text:Georgia Tech (1921–1933)
  bar:4 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:1964 text:SEC
  bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:1964 till:1975 text:Ind.
  bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1975 till:1979 text:Metro
  bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:1979 till:end text:ACC

  bar:5 color:Full from:1921 till:1933 text:Kentucky (1921–1933)
  bar:5 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:6 color:Full from:1921 till:1933 text:Mississippi A&M/State (1921–1933)
  bar:6 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:7 color:Full from:1921 till:1933 text:Tennessee (1921–1933)
  bar:7 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:8 color:Full from:1921 till:1937 text:Virginia (1921–1937)
  bar:8 color:OtherC2 from:1937 till:1953 text:Ind.
  bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:end text:ACC

  bar:9 color:Full from:1921 till:1953 text:Clemson (1921–1953)
  bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:end text:ACC

  bar:10 color:Full from:1921 till:1953 text:North Carolina (1921–1953)
  bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:end text:ACC

  bar:11 color:Full from:1921 till:1953 text:North Carolina State (1921–1953)
  bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:end text:ACC

  bar:12 color:Full from:1921 till:1953 text:Maryland (1921–1953)
  bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:2014 text:ACC
  bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:2014 till:end text:Big Ten

  bar:13 color:Full from:1921 till:1958 text:Washington and Lee (1921–1958)
  bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1958 till:1962
  bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:1962 till:1976 text:CAC
  bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:end text:VCC/ODAC

  bar:14 color:Full from:1921 till:1965 text:Virginia Tech (1921–1965)
  bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1965 till:1978 text:Ind.
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1995 text:Metro
  bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2000 text:A-10
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2000 till:2004 text:Big East
  bar:14 shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:2004 till:end text:ACC

  bar:15 color:Full from:1922 till:1933 text:Florida (1922–1933)
  bar:15 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:16 color:Full from:1922 till:1933 text:LSU (1922–1933)
  bar:16 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:17 color:Full from:1922 till:1933 text:Ole Miss (1922–1933)
  bar:17 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:18 color:Full from:1922 till:1933 text:Tulane (1922–1933)
  bar:18 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:1966 text:SEC
  bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:1966 till:1975 text:Ind.
  bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1975 till:1995 text:Metro
  bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2014 text:C-USA
  bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:AAC

  bar:19 color:Full from:1922 till:1933 text:Vanderbilt (1922–1933)
  bar:19 shift:(80) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:end text:SEC

  bar:20 color:Full from:1922 till:1953 text:South Carolina (1922–1953)
  bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:1971 text:ACC
  bar:20 color:OtherC2 from:1971 till:1983 text:Ind.
  bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1991 text:Metro
  bar:20 color:OtherC2 from:1991 till:end text:SEC

  bar:21 color:Full from:1923 till:1933 text:Sewanee (1923–1933)
  bar:21 shift:(30) color:OtherC1 from:1933 till:1940 text:SEC
  bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:1940 till:1962 text:Ind.
  bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1962 till:2012 text:CAC/SCAC
  bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:end text:SAA

  bar:22 color:Full from:1924 till:2003 text:VMI (1924–2003)
  bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:2003 till:2014 text:Big South
  bar:22 color:Full from:2014 till:end text: (2014–present)

  bar:23 color:Full from:1928 till:1953 text:Duke (1928–1953)
  bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:end text:ACC

  bar:24 color:Full from:1936 till:1953 text:Wake Forest (1936–1953)
  bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:1953 till:end text:ACC

  bar:25 color:Full from:1936 till:end text:Furman (1936–present)

  bar:26 color:Full from:1936 till:1976 text:Richmond (1936–1976)
  bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1976 till:1979 text:Ind.
  bar:26 shift:(-2) color:OtherC1 from:1979 till:1983 text:ECAC S.
  bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:2001 text:CAA
  bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:end text:A-10

  bar:27 color:Full from:1936 till:1977 text:William & Mary (1936–1977)
  bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:1977 till:1983 text:ECAC S.
  bar:27 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:end text:CAA

  bar:28 color:Full from:1936 till:end text:The Citadel (1936–present)

  bar:29 color:Full from:1936 till:2014 text:Davidson (1936–2014)
  bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1990 
  bar:29 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1992 
  bar:29 color:FullxF from:1992 till:2014:(1992–2014)
  bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:A-10

  bar:30 color:Full from:1941 till:1967 text:George Washington (1941–1970)
  bar:30 color:FullxF from:1967 till:1970
  bar:30 color:OtherC2 from:1970 till:1976 text:Ind.
  bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:end text:A-10

  bar:31 color:Full from:1950 till:1968 text:West Virginia (1950–1968)
  bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1968 till:1976 text:Ind.
  bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1995 text:A-10
  bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2012 text:Big East
  bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:end text:Big 12

  bar:32 color:Full from:1964 till:1977 text:East Carolina (1964–1977)
  bar:32 shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1977 till:1981 text:Ind.
  bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:2001 text:CAA
  bar:32 color:OtherC2 from:2001 till:2014 text:C-USA
  bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:AAC

  bar:33 color:Full from:1971 till:2014 text:Appalachian State (1971–2014)
  bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:Sun Belt

  bar:34 color:Full from:1976 till:1997 text:Marshall (1976–1997)
  bar:34 color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:2005 text:MAC
  bar:34 color:OtherC2 from:2005 till:2022 text:C-USA
  bar:34 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:Sun Belt

  bar:35 color:Full from:1976 till:end text:Chattanooga (1976–present)

  bar:36 color:Full from:1976 till:end text:Western Carolina (1976–present)

  bar:37 color:Full from:1978 till:2004 text:East Tennessee State (1978–2005)
  bar:37 color:FullxF from:2004 till:2005
  bar:37 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2014 text:A-Sun
  bar:37 color:FullxF from:2014 till:2015 text: (2014–present)
  bar:37 color:Full from:2015 till:end

  bar:38 color:Full from:1992 till:2014 text:Georgia Southern (1992–2014)
  bar:38 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:Sun Belt

  bar:39 color:FullxF from:1997 till:end text:UNC Greensboro (1997–present)

  bar:40 color:Full from:1997 till:end text:Wofford (1997–present)

  bar:41 color:FullxF from:1998 till:end text:Charleston (1998–2013)
  bar:41 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:CAA

  bar:42 color:Full from:2003 till:end text:Elon (2003–2014)
  bar:42 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:CAA

  bar:43 color:Full from:2008 till:end text:Samford (2008–present)

  bar:44 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Mercer (2014–present)

  bar:45 shift:(-60) color:Full from:2026 till:end text:Tennessee Tech (2026–future)

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  1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.

Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color <# </timeline>

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Sports

The Southern Conference sponsors championship competition in 11 men's, 9 women's, and one co-educational NCAA-sanctioned sports.[28]Template: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 – –

Template:Notelist

Men's sponsored sports by school

School Baseball Basketball Cross country Football Golf RifleTemplate:Efn Soccer Tennis Track & field
(indoor)		 Track & field
(outdoor)		 Wrestling Total SoCon sports
Chattanooga Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes 6
The Citadel Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
East Tennessee State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:No 8
Furman Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No 8
Mercer Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:No 8
Samford Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No 8
UNC Greensboro Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No 8
VMI Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 10
Western Carolina Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No 7
Wofford Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No 10
Future Members
Tennessee Tech Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:No 6
Totals 8 10 10 9 8 3+2Template:Efn 6 8 8 9 3+6Template:Efn 82+8
Notes

Template:Notelist

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

Template:Notelist

Women's sponsored sports by school

School Basketball Cross country Golf RifleTemplate:Efn Soccer Softball Tennis Track & field
(indoor)		 Track & field
(outdoor)		 Volleyball Total SoCon teams
Chattanooga Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
The Citadel Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 7
East Tennessee State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Furman Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 10
Mercer Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Samford Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
UNC Greensboro Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
VMI Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No 5
Western Carolina Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Wofford Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 10
Future Members
Tennessee Tech Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
Totals 8 10 9 3+3Template:Efn 10 8 8 9 10 9 87+4
Notes

Template:Notelist

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 OVCTemplate:Efn No No No
VMI No No America East MAAC
Wofford No Big South No No

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Facilities

Template:CollegePrimaryHeader
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| Template:CollegeSecondaryColorLink Finley Stadium 20,668 McKenzie Arena 10,928 colspan=2 Template:N/A Jim Frost Stadium 3,000 Finley Stadium 20,668
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| Template:CollegeSecondaryColorLink Johnson Hagood Stadium 11,500 McAlister Field House 6,000 Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park 6,000 colspan=2 Template:N/A colspan=2 Template:N/A
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| Template:CollegeSecondaryColorLink William B. Greene Jr. Stadium 7,694Template:Efn Freedom Hall Civic Center 8,500 Thomas Stadium 1,200 Betty Basler Field 500+ Summers-Taylor Stadium 2,000+
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Furman Paladins|Template:White]] Paladin Stadium 16,000 Timmons Arena 5,000 colspan=2 Template:N/A Pepsi Softball Stadium 300 Eugene E. Stone III Stadium 3,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Liberty Flames men's soccer|Template:White]] colspan=8 Template:N/A Osborne Stadium 1,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| Template:CollegeSecondaryColorLink Five Star Stadium 10,200 Hawkins Arena 3,500 Claude Smith Field 500 Sikes Field 300 Betts Stadium 500
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Samford Bulldogs|Template:White]] 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
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| Template:CollegeSecondaryColorLink Tucker Stadium 16,500 Eblen Center 9,280 Bush Stadium at Averitt Express Baseball Complex 1,100 Tech Softball Field Template:Nts Tech Soccer Field Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| Template:CollegeSecondaryColorLink colspan=2 Template:N/A 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
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| Template:CollegeSecondaryColorLink Alumni Memorial Field 10,000 Cameron Hall 5,020 Gray–Minor Stadium 1,400 colspan=2 Template:N/A Patchin Field 1,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Western Carolina Catamounts|Template:White]] E. J. Whitmire Stadium 13,742 Ramsey Center 7,826 Hennon Stadium 1,500 Catamount Softball Complex 250+ Catamount Athletic Complex 1,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Wofford Terriers|Template:White]] Gibbs Stadium 13,000 Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium 3,400 Russell C. King Field 2,500 colspan=2 Template:N/A Snyder Field 2,250
Notes

Template:Notelist

Conference champions

Football

Template:See also

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 StateTemplate:Efn
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 FurmanTemplate:Efn
Samford 		15–3 Furman
2023–24 Samford 15–3 Samford
2024–25 Chattanooga 15–3 Wofford

Template:Notelist

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 Template:Cbsb link Mercer
2016 Template:Cbsb link Template:Cbsb link
2017 Template:Cbsb link Template:Cbsb link
2018 Template:Cbsb link Template:Cbsb link
2019 Template:Cbsb link Template:Cbsb link
2020 Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Template:Cbsb link Samford
2022 Wofford UNC Greensboro
2023 Samford Samford
2024 Template:Cbsb link Template:Cbsb link
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


References

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Template:Commons cat

Template:Southern Conference navbox Template:NCAA Division I all-sports conferences Template:NCAA Division I FCS conference navbox Template:Authority control

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  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Template:Cite press release
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Template:Cite web
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  30. ↑ Template:Cite press release
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  33. ↑ Template:Cite web
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