Southern Conference
Color
  1. 001489;
Font colorwhite
Founded1921 (age 105)
AssociationNCAA
DivisionDivision I
SubdivisionFCS
Teams10 (11 in 2026)
Sports21
Mens11
Womens9
Coed1
RegionSoutheast
HeadquartersSpartanburg, South Carolina
CommissionerMichael Cross
Since2023
TvESPN
CBS Sports
CW Sports
Websitesoconsports.com

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]["lower-roman" 1]

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

Conference Commissioners
Wallace Wade1951–1960
Lloyd Jordon1960–1973
Ken Germann1974–1986
Dave Hart1986–1991
Wright Waters1991–1998
Alfred B. White1998–2001
Danny Morrison2001–2005
John Iamarino2006–2019
Jim Schaus2019–2023
Michael Cross2023–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:

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentEndowment
(millions)
NicknameJoined[full 1]Colors
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
(UTC, UT Chattanooga, Chattanooga)
Chattanooga, Tennessee1886Public11,728$195Mocs1976
The CitadelCharleston, South Carolina1842S.M.C.3,693$423.6Bulldogs1936
East Tennessee State University
(ETSU)
Johnson City, Tennessee1911Public9,151$87.8Buccaneers1978
2014[full 2]
Furman UniversityGreenville, South Carolina1826Nonsectarian[full 3]2,629$812Paladins1936
Mercer UniversityMacon, Georgia1833Baptist
(C.B.F.)
9,026$502Bears2014
Samford UniversityHomewood, Alabama1841Christian5,729$403.5Bulldogs2008
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
(UNC Greensboro)
Greensboro, North Carolina1891Public19,764$368.6Spartans1997
Virginia Military Institute
(VMI)
Lexington, Virginia1839S.M.C.1,772$703.1Keydets1924
2014[full 4]
Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, North Carolina1889Public12,243$130Catamounts1976
Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, South Carolina1854United
Methodist
1,773$417.4Terriers1997
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

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentEndowment
(millions)
NicknameJoining[future 1]ColorsCurrent
conference
Tennessee Tech University[15]
(Tennessee Tech)
Cookeville, Tennessee1915Public9,902$96.2Golden Eagles2026Ohio 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)["lower-roman" 2] 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.

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentNicknameJoined[assoc 1]ColorsSoCon
sport(s)
Primary
conference
University of Alabama at Birmingham
(UAB)
Birmingham, Alabama1969Public18,568Blazers2016Rifle[27]American
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina1899Public20,641Mountaineers2014[assoc 2]Men's wrestlingSun Belt (SBC)
Bellarmine University[assoc 3]Louisville, Kentucky1950Catholic
(Archdiocese
of Louisville
)
3,846Knights2020Men's wrestlingAtlantic Sun (ASUN)
Campbell UniversityBuies Creek, North Carolina1887Baptist11,241Fighting
Camels
2011Men's wrestlingCoastal (CAA)
Davidson CollegeDavidson, North Carolina1837Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
1,850Wildcats2014[assoc 4]Men's wrestlingAtlantic 10 (A-10)
Gardner–Webb UniversityBoiling Springs, North Carolina1905Southern
Baptist
5,000Runnin'
Bulldogs
2011Men's wrestlingBig South (BSC)
Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, Georgia1906Public20,517Eagles2016Rifle[27]Sun Belt (SBC)
University of North GeorgiaDahlonega, Georgia1873[assoc 5]Public16,064Nighthawks2016Rifle[27]Peach Belt (PBC)[assoc 6]
Presbyterian CollegeClinton, South Carolina1880Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
1,403Blue Hose2019Men's wrestlingBig 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

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentNicknameJoining[futass 1]ColorsSoCon
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Liberty UniversityLynchburg, Virginia1971Private16,000[futass 2]Flames2026Men's soccerCUSA
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. ^ During its tenure as an associate member of the SoCon, Bellarmine was otherwise a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference[fass 8] (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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ Also a historically black college and university.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.

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.

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameJoined[former 1]Left[former 2]ColorsCurrent
conference
University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, Alabama1831PublicCrimson Tide1921[former 3]1932Southeastern (SEC)
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina1899PublicMountaineers19712014Sun Belt (SBC)
Auburn UniversityAuburn, Alabama1856PublicTigers1921[former 3]1932Southeastern (SEC)
College of Charleston
(CofC)
Charleston, South Carolina1770NonsectarianCougars19982013Coastal (CAA)
Clemson UniversityClemson, South Carolina1889PublicTigers1921[former 3]1953Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Davidson CollegeDavidson, North Carolina1837Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
Wildcats19361988Atlantic 10 (A-10)
19922014
Duke UniversityDurham, North Carolina1838United
Methodist
Blue Devils19281953Atlantic Coast (ACC)
East Carolina UniversityGreenville, North Carolina1907PublicPirates19641976American
Elon UniversityElon, North Carolina1889Nonsectarian[former 4]Phoenix20032014Coastal (CAA)
University of FloridaGainesville, Florida1853PublicGators19221932Southeastern (SEC)
George Washington UniversityWashington, D.C.1821FederalColonials[former 5]19411970Atlantic 10 (A-10)
University of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia1785PublicBulldogs1921[former 3]1932Southeastern (SEC)
Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, Georgia1906PublicEagles19922014Sun Belt (SBC)
Georgia Institute of Technology
(Georgia Tech)
Atlanta, Georgia1885PublicYellow Jackets1921[former 3]1932Atlantic Coast (ACC)
University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky1865PublicWildcats1921[former 3]1932Southeastern (SEC)
Louisiana State University
(LSU)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana1860PublicTigers19221932Southeastern (SEC)
Marshall UniversityHuntington, West Virginia1837PublicThundering Herd19761997Sun Belt (SBC)
University of Maryland, College ParkCollege Park, Maryland1856PublicTerrapins19231953Big Ten (B1G)
University of Mississippi
(Ole Miss)
Oxford, Mississippi1848PublicRebels19221932Southeastern (SEC)
Mississippi State UniversityStarkville, Mississippi1878PublicBulldogs1921[former 3]1932Southeastern (SEC)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(UNC)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina1789PublicTar Heels1921[former 3]1953Atlantic Coast (ACC)
North Carolina State University
(NC State)
Raleigh, North Carolina1887PublicWolfpack1921[former 3]1953Atlantic Coast (ACC)
University of RichmondRichmond, Virginia1830NonsectarianSpiders19361976Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Sewanee: The University of the SouthSewanee, Tennessee1857EpiscopalTigers19231932Southern (SAA)[former 6]
University of South CarolinaColumbia, South Carolina1801PublicGamecocks19221953Southeastern (SEC)
University of TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee1794PublicVolunteers1921[former 3]1932Southeastern (SEC)
Tulane UniversityNew Orleans, Louisiana1834NonsectarianGreen Wave19221932American
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee1873NonsectarianCommodores19221932Southeastern (SEC)
University of VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia1819PublicCavaliers1921[former 3]1937Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
(Virginia Tech)
Blacksburg, Virginia1872PublicHokies1921[former 3]1965Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North Carolina1834Nonsectarian[former 7]Demon Deacons19361953Atlantic Coast (ACC)
Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, Virginia1749NonsectarianGenerals1921[former 3]1958Old Dominion (ODAC)[former 6]
West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, West Virginia1867PublicMountaineers19501968Big 12 (B12)
College of William & MaryWilliamsburg, Virginia1693PublicTribe19361977Coastal (CAA)
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ Charter member school began athletic competition on January 1, 1922 (during the 1921–22 school year).
  4. ^ Has historic ties with the United Church of Christ.
  5. ^ George Washington's nickname throughout its SoCon tenure was Colonials. The current nickname of Revolutionaries was adopted in 2023.
  6. ^ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  7. ^ Historically affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina until 1986.

Former associate members

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameJoined[fass 1]Left[fass 2]ColorsSoCon
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Current
conference
in former
SoCon sport(s)
United States Air Force Academy
(Air Force)
Colorado Springs,
Colorado
1954Federal
(Military)
Falcons20152021Men's lacrosseMountain West (MW)Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Bellarmine University[fass 3]Louisville,
Kentucky
1950Catholic
(Archdiocese
of Louisville
)
Knights20142021Men's lacrosseAtlantic Sun (ASUN)[fass 4]
Belmont UniversityNashville,
Tennessee
1890NondenominationalBruins20182022Men's soccerMissouri Valley (MVC)[fass 5]
Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant,
Michigan
1892PublicChippewas20172020Women's lacrosseMid-American (MAC)
Coastal Carolina UniversityConway,
South Carolina
1954PublicChanticleers20202021Women's lacrosseSun Belt (SBC)Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Delaware State UniversityDover,
Delaware
1891Public[fass 6]Hornets20172021Women's lacrosseMid-Eastern (MEAC)Northeast (NEC)
University of Detroit MercyDetroit,
Michigan
1870Catholic
(Jesuit/RSM)
Titans20172020Women's lacrosseHorizonMid-American (MAC)
Hampton UniversityHampton,
Virginia
1868Nonsectarian[fass 6]Pirates20212022Men's lacrosseCoastal (CAA)[fass 7]
High Point UniversityHigh Point,
North Carolina
1924United
Methodist
Panthers20142022Men's lacrosse[16]Big South (BSC)Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Jacksonville UniversityJacksonville,
Florida
1934NonsectarianDolphins20142022Men's lacrosse[16]Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
University of RichmondRichmond,
Virginia
1830NonsectarianSpiders20142022Men's lacrosse[16]Atlantic 10 (A-10)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
(SIU Edwardsville, SIUE)
Edwardsville,
Illinois
1890PublicCougars20122018Men's wrestlingOhio Valley (OVC)Mid-American (MAC)
Notes

SoCon membership timeline

 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
SportMen'sWomen'sCo-ed
Baseball8
Basketball108
Cross Country1010
Football9
Golf89
Rifle233
Soccer610
Softball8
Tennis88
Track and Field (Indoor)99
Track and Field (Outdoor)910
Volleyball9
Wrestling9

Men's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross countryFootballGolfRifle[m 1]SoccerTennisTrack & field
(indoor)
Track & field
(outdoor)
WrestlingTotal SoCon sports
Chattanooga6
The Citadel[m 2]9
East Tennessee State8
Furman8
Mercer8
Samford8
UNC Greensboro8
VMI[m 2]10
Western Carolina7
Wofford[m 3]10
Future Members
Tennessee Tech6
Totals81010983+2[m 4]68893+6[m 5]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. ^ 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:

SchoolLacrosseSwimming &
diving
MercerASUNNo
VMINECAmerica East

Women's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBasketballCross countryGolfRifle[w 1]SoccerSoftballTennisTrack & field
(indoor)
Track & field
(outdoor)
VolleyballTotal SoCon teams
Chattanooga9
The Citadel[w 2]7
East Tennessee State9
Furman10
Mercer9
Samford9
UNC Greensboro9
VMI[w 2]5
Western Carolina9
Wofford[w 3]10
Future Members
Tennessee Tech8
Totals81093+3[w 4]1088910987+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. ^ 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:

SchoolBeach volleyballLacrosseSwimming &
diving
Water polo
ChattanoogaOVCNoNoNo
FurmanNoBig SouthNoNo
MercerSun BeltBig SouthNoNo
Tennessee TechOVC[wn 1]NoNoNo
VMINoNoAmerica EastMAAC
WoffordNoBig SouthNoNo
  1. ^ Tennessee Tech has not announced a future affiliation for its beach volleyball program.

Facilities

Finley Stadium20,668McKenzie Arena10,928colspan=2Jim Frost Stadium3,000Finley Stadium20,668
Johnson Hagood Stadium11,500McAlister Field House6,000Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park6,000colspan=2colspan=2
William B. Greene Jr. Stadium7,694[f 1]Freedom Hall Civic Center8,500Thomas Stadium1,200Betty Basler Field500+Summers-Taylor Stadium2,000+
Furman PaladinsPaladin Stadium16,000Timmons Arena5,000colspan=2Pepsi Softball Stadium300Eugene E. Stone III Stadium3,000
Liberty Flames men's soccercolspan=8Osborne Stadium1,000
Five Star Stadium10,200Hawkins Arena3,500Claude Smith Field500Sikes Field300Betts Stadium500
Samford BulldogsPete Hanna Stadium6,700Pete Hanna Center4,974Joe Lee Griffin Stadium1,000J.T. Haywood Field House200Samford Track and Soccer Complex1,200
Tucker Stadium16,500Eblen Center9,280Bush Stadium at Averitt Express Baseball Complex1,100Tech Softball FieldTech Soccer Field
colspan=2First Horizon Coliseum (men's)
Fleming Gymnasium (women's)
7,617
2,320
UNCG Baseball Stadium3,500UNCG Softball Stadium500+UNCG Soccer Stadium3,540
Alumni Memorial Field10,000Cameron Hall5,020Gray–Minor Stadium1,400colspan=2Patchin Field1,000
Western Carolina CatamountsE. J. Whitmire Stadium13,742Ramsey Center7,826Hennon Stadium1,500Catamount Softball Complex250+Catamount Athletic Complex1,000
Wofford TerriersGibbs Stadium13,000Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium3,400Russell C. King Field2,500colspan=2Snyder Field2,250
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.

YearChampionRecord
2015Chattanooga
The Citadel
6–1
2016The Citadel8–0
2017Wofford7–1
2018East Tennessee State
Furman
Wofford
6–2
2019Wofford7–1
2020VMI6–1
2021East Tennessee State7–1
2022Samford8–0
2023Furman7–1
2024Mercer10–2
2025Mercer9–3

† 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.

YearRegular season championRecordTournament champion
2015–16Chattanooga15–3Chattanooga
2016–17East Tennessee State[mbc 1]
UNC Greensboro
Furman
14–4East Tennessee State
2017–18UNC Greensboro15–3UNC Greensboro
2018–19Wofford18–0Wofford
2019–20East Tennessee State16–2East Tennessee State
2020–21UNC Greensboro13–5UNC Greensboro
2021–22Chattanooga14–4Chattanooga
2022–23Furman[mbc 1]
Samford
15–3Furman
2023–24Samford15–3Samford
2024–25Chattanooga15–3Wofford
  1. ^ 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

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

Baseball

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

YearReg. season championTournament champion
2015Mercer
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021Samford
2022WoffordUNC Greensboro
2023SamfordSamford
2024
2025East Tennessee StateEast Tennessee State

Rifle

YearAir rifle championSmallbore championOverall champion
2017Georgia SouthernNorth GeorgiaNorth Georgia
2018North GeorgiaNorth GeorgiaNorth Georgia
2019Georgia SouthernUABUAB
2020North GeorgiaUABUAB
2021North GeorgiaGeorgia SouthernNorth Georgia
2022Georgia SouthernGeorgia SouthernNorth Georgia
2023Georgia SouthernGeorgia SouthernThe Citadel
2024Georgia SouthernGeorgia SouthernGeorgia Southern
2025Georgia SouthernGeorgia SouthernGeorgia Southern

Men's Lacrosse

YearChampion
2015High Point
2016Air Force
2017Air Force
2018Richmond
2019Richmond
2020Not Held
2021High 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]

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

See also

Relevant literature

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

References

  1. ^ "The History of the Southern Conference". Southern Conference. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  2. ^ Stewart Mandel (2007-09-01). "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. 2008-03-28. Archived from the original on January 28, 2017.
  4. ^ David Jones. "Florida falls to FCS opponent, won't be bowl eligible". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  5. ^ "Preseason Projected Field Of 64". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
  6. ^ "A First in NCAA Basketball". catamountsports.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
  7. ^ "Rivals.com". Collegebasketball.rivals.com. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  8. ^ "Southern Conference Talked By College Men". The Charlotte Observer. February 28, 1921. p. 8. Retrieved August 16, 2015. – via Newspapers.com
  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
  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
  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
  12. ^ "2014-15 Southern Conference men's basketball media guide". Issuu. Southern Conference. Dec 17, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  13. ^ "Southern Conference Tournament Results". Southern Conference
  14. ^ "SoCon Welcomes ETSU, Mercer and VMI". Southern Conference. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  15. ^ "The Southern Conference Approves Tennessee Tech Membership". Southern Conference. August 13, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  16. ^ "SoCon, A-Sun Partner to Enhance Lacrosse". Southern Conference. January 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  17. ^ "SoCon to Add Women's Lacrosse as 22nd Sport". Southern Conference. January 31, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  18. ^ "Women's Lacrosse to Move to SoCon Beginning in 2021". Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. February 7, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  19. ^ "Coastal Carolina and Delaware State Set to Rejoin ASUN Conference Women's Lacrosse". ASUN Conference. July 7, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "ASUN Conference Announces Formation of Men's Lacrosse League". 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". 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". Presbyterian Blue Hose. December 7, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  23. ^ "Women's Lacrosse Coming in 2020-21; Detroit Mercy & Youngstown State As Affiliates". Mid-American Conference. November 6, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  24. ^ "Belmont to Join MVC in 2022–23". Missouri Valley Conference. September 28, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  25. ^ "CAA Welcomes Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as New Members". Colonial Athletic Association. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  26. ^ "Atlantic 10 Conference Adds Men's Lacrosse as 22nd Championship Sport". Atlantic 10 Conference !date=May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  27. ^ "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". Big South Conference. June 7, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  31. ^ "Virginia Military Institute Rejoins MAAC Men's Lacrosse League". Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. April 4, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  32. ^ "Jacksonville, Lindenwood & Mercer Joining #ASUNMLAX for 2023 Season". ASUN Conference. March 30, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  33. ^ "Southern Conference Commissioner's & Germann Cups". Southern Conference. 2007-06-04.
  34. ^ "Southern Conference"
  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.
  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.