Deep South Conference

The Deep South Conference (DSC) was an NCAA Division II men's lacrosse-only college athletic conference that operated in the Southeastern United States.[1] It was founded in 1993 in advance of the 1994 NCAA lacrosse season, and expanded over time to as many as 10 schools. The conference dissolved after the 2013 lacrosse season.

Deep South Conference
ConferenceNCAA
Founded1994
Ceased2013
CommissionerDavid Sherwood (at dissolution)
Sports fielded
DivisionDivision II
No. of teams9 (at dissolution)
HeadquartersSalisbury, North Carolina
RegionSoutheast US

History

The conference began in 1994 as the Deep South League with five inaugural members Catawba, Greensboro, Limestone, Pfeiffer, and Virginia Tech.[2] In 1995 Greensboro and Virginia Tech left the conference and it added St. Andrews. In 1997 the DSC added Wingate and Lees-McRae in 1999 Mars Hill became the seventh member of the conference.[2] In 2004 Queens joined the Deep South followed by Belmont Abbey and Presbyterian a few seasons later in 2006.[2] In 2006 the conference saw its largest membership, with ten member schools. Following the 2006 season, Conference Carolinas began sponsoring men's lacrosse, causing several members to leave the Deep South.[2] In 2009 Florida Southern joined the Deep South Conference and in 2011 Lenoir-Rhyne began sponsoring lacrosse and joined the DSC.[3] The conference continued expansion in 2012, adding Florida Tech and the University of Tampa, bringing the conference to nine members.[4]

However, the continued growth of the sport soon led to the conference's demise. On July 3, 2012, the South Atlantic Conference, the all-sports home of four DSC members, announced that it would begin sponsoring four new sports, including men's lacrosse, in the 2013–14 school year (2014 lacrosse season). The sponsorship of men's lacrosse was made possible when Coker College, which already sponsored men's lacrosse, and former DSC member Queens were confirmed as new SAC members for 2013–14. This brought the number of SAC men's lacrosse schools to six.[5] Five months later on December 6, the Sunshine State Conference, home to the other five DSC members, announced that it would also sponsor men's lacrosse in the 2014 season. This followed the announcement by another SSC member, Lynn University, that it would start sponsoring the sport in that season.[6] These moves meant that the 2013 season would be the last for the DSC.

Final members

All of the final members of the conference are private schools that now play men's lacrosse in their all-sports leagues.

Institution Location Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Primary conference
Catawba College Salisbury, North Carolina United Church of Christ 1,358 Indians South Atlantic Conference
Florida Southern College Lakeland, Florida Methodist 2,426 Moccasins Sunshine State Conference
Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, Florida Nonsectarian 8,985 Panthers Sunshine State Conference
Lenoir–Rhyne University Hickory, North Carolina Lutheran (ELCA) 1,674 Bears South Atlantic Conference
Mars Hill College Mars Hill, North Carolina Baptist 1,237 Lions South Atlantic Conference
Rollins College Winter Park, Florida Congregationalists 3,294 Tars Sunshine State Conference
Saint Leo University Saint Leo, Florida Catholic 14,339 Lions Sunshine State Conference
University of Tampa Tampa, Florida Nonsectarian 10,515 Spartans Sunshine State Conference
Wingate University Wingate, North Carolina Baptist 2,163 Bulldogs South Atlantic Conference

Former members

Regis University (1997-2000)

National Championship

National Championships
  • Limestone - 2000, 2002

Appearances
  • Limestone - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

See also

References
  1. "Deep South Conference - DSC - 2010". Inside Lacrosse. 2010. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  2. "About". Deep South Conference. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  3. Staff (January 28, 2011). "Lenoir-Rhyne Lacrosse Set for Inaugural Season in 2011". LaxPower.com Lacrosse News. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  4. "Deep South Conference adds Florida Tech and Tampa". Deep South Conference. January 31, 2012. Archived from the original on August 31, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  5. "SAC to Sponsor Four New Sports Starting in 2013-14" (Press release). South Atlantic Conference. July 3, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  6. "SSC Announces Plans to Sponsor Men's Lacrosse Beginning in 2014" (Press release). Sunshine State Conference. December 6, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
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