Southern Conference

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.

Not to be confused with Conference South, Big South Conference, Conference League South, or Southern Conference (NJCAA).
Southern Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded1921 (1921)
CommissionerMichael Cross (since 2023)
Sports fielded
  • 21
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 9
    • coeducational: 1
DivisionDivision I
SubdivisionFCS
No. of teams10
HeadquartersSpartanburg, South Carolina
RegionSoutheast
Official websitewww.soconsports.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

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] 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.[2] 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.

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.[3][4]

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.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8]

History
Southern Conference
🌍
Location of SoCon members: full member, associate member, associate member, departing
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.[9] 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.[10][11] The new rules banned freshman play.[12] 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 SEC and ACC have gone on to surpass their parent conference in prestige; while the SEC and ACC 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.[13] 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.[14] 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.[15]

The 10 members of the Southern Conference are:

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmentEndowment
(millions)		NicknameColors
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee 1886 1976 Public 11,728 $147.1 Mocs      
The Citadel Charleston, South Carolina 1842 1936 Senior Military College 3,693 $305.8 Bulldogs    
East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee 1911 2014[lower-alpha 1] Public 9,151 $130.1 Buccaneers    
Furman University Greenville, South Carolina 1826 1936 Private 2,629 $812 Paladins    
Mercer University Macon, Georgia 1833 2014 9,026 $424 Bears    
Samford University Homewood, Alabama 1841 2008 5,729 $297 Bulldogs    
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 1997 Public 19,764 $368.6 Spartans      
Virginia Military Institute
(VMI)		 Lexington, Virginia 1839 2014[lower-alpha 2] Senior Military College 1,772 $539.6 Keydets      
Western Carolina University Cullowhee, North Carolina 1889 1976 Public 12,243 $88.9 Catamounts    
Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina 1854 1997 Private 1,773 $208.1 Terriers    
Notes
  1. ETSU was previously a Southern Conference member from 1978 to 2005.[15]
  2. VMI was previously a Southern Conference member from 1924 to 2003.[15]

Associate members

On January 9, 2014, the SoCon and Atlantic Sun Conference, now known as the ASUN Conference, 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 will leave the SoCon after the 2021–22 school year when it joins the Missouri Valley Conference, which sponsors that sport.[24] At the same time, Hampton will move men's lacrosse to its new full-time home of the Colonial 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.

In the table below, the "Joined" column denotes the start of the school year in which the institution became an associate member, which for spring sports differs from the first season of competition.

Institution Location Founded Joined Type Enrollment Nickname Colors Sport Primary conference
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Birmingham, Alabama 1969 2016 Public 18,568 Blazers     rifle[27] The American
Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 1899 2014[lower-alpha 1] 20,641 Mountaineers     wrestling Sun Belt
Bellarmine University Louisville, Kentucky 1950 2020 Private 3,846 Knights     wrestling ASUN
Campbell University Buies Creek, North Carolina 1887 2011 11,241 Fighting Camels     wrestling CAA
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 2014[lower-alpha 2] 1,850 Wildcats     wrestling Atlantic 10
Gardner–Webb University Boiling Springs, North Carolina 1905 2011 5,000 Runnin' Bulldogs     wrestling Big South
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 2016 Public 20,517 Eagles     rifle[27] Sun Belt
University of North Georgia Dahlonega, Georgia 1873[lower-alpha 3] 2016 Public 16,064 Nighthawks     rifle[27] Peach Belt
(NCAA D-II)
Presbyterian College Clinton, South Carolina 1880 2019 Private 1,403 Blue Hose     wrestling Big South
Notes
  1. 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.
  2. The 2014 date reflects the departure of Davidson from the SoCon to join the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Wildcats have competed in SoCon wrestling continuously since the league first sponsored the sport in 1993–94.
  3. 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.


Former full members

Most former members are currently members of either the Southeastern Conference or the Atlantic Coast Conference. Two of the former full members, Appalachian State and Davidson, maintain SoCon associate membership in 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 Joined Left Nickname Colors Current
conference
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1831 1921 1932 Crimson Tide     SEC
Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 1899 1971 2014 Mountaineers     Sun Belt
Auburn University Auburn, Alabama 1856 1921 1932 Tigers     SEC
College of Charleston Charleston, South Carolina 1770 1998 2013 Cougars     CAA
Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina 1889 1921 1953 Tigers     ACC
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 1936 1988 Wildcats     Atlantic 10
1992 2014
Duke University Durham, North Carolina 1838 1928 1953 Blue Devils     ACC
East Carolina University Greenville, North Carolina 1907 1964 1976 Pirates     The American
Elon University Elon, North Carolina 1889 2003 2014 Phoenix     CAA
University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 1853 1922 1932 Gators     SEC
George Washington University Washington, D.C. 1821 1941 1970 Colonials[lower-alpha 1]     Atlantic 10
University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 1785 1921 1932 Bulldogs     SEC
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 1992 2014 Eagles     Sun Belt
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, Georgia 1885 1921 1932 Yellow Jackets     ACC
University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky 1865 Wildcats     SEC
Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1860 1922 Tigers    
Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia 1837 1976 1997 Thundering Herd     Sun Belt
University of Maryland, College Park College Park, Maryland 1856 1923 1953 Terrapins         Big Ten
University of Mississippi Oxford, Mississippi 1848 1922 1932 Rebels     SEC
Mississippi State University Starkville, Mississippi 1878 1921 Bulldogs    
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill		 Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1789 1953 Tar Heels     ACC
North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina 1887 Wolfpack    
University of Richmond Richmond, Virginia 1830 1936 1976 Spiders     Atlantic 10
Sewanee: The University
of the South		 Sewanee, Tennessee 1857 1923 1932 Tigers     Southern Athletic
(NCAA D-III)
University of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina 1801 1922 1953 Gamecocks     SEC
University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee 1794 1921 1932 Volunteers    
Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana 1834 1922 Green Wave     The American
Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee 1873 Commodores     SEC
University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia 1819 1921 1937 Cavaliers     ACC
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University		 Blacksburg, Virginia 1872 1965 Hokies    
Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1834 1936 1953 Demon Deacons    
Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia 1749 1921 1958 Generals     Old Dominion
(NCAA D-III)
West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia 1867 1950 1968 Mountaineers     Big 12
College of William & Mary Williamsburg, Virginia 1693 1936 1977 Tribe       CAA
  1. George Washington's nickname throughout its SoCon tenure was Colonials. The current nickname of Revolutionaries was adopted in 2023.

Former associate members

In the table below, the "Joined" and "Left" columns denotes the calendar year in which each school joined and left the SoCon. For fall sports, the year of departure differs from the final year of competition. For spring sports, the year of arrival differs from the first season of competition.

Institution Location Founded Joined Left Type Enrollment Nickname Colors SoCon
sport		 Primary
conference
during SoCon
associate membership		 Current
conference
in former
SoCon sport
United States Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, Colorado 1954 2015 2021 Federal
(Military)		 4,417 Falcons     lacrosse (m) Mountain West ASUN
Bellarmine University Louisville, Kentucky 1950 2014 2021 Private 3,369 Knights     lacrosse (m) GLVC (NCAA D-II),
ASUN[lower-alpha 1]		 ASUN
Belmont University Nashville, Tennessee 1890 2018 2022 Private 8,080 Bruins       soccer (m) OVC MVC
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, Michigan 1892 2017 2020 Public 21,705 Chippewas     lacrosse (w) MAC
Coastal Carolina University Conway, South Carolina 1954 2020 2021 Public 10,484 Chanticleers       lacrosse (w) Sun Belt ASUN
Delaware State University Dover, Delaware 1891 2017 2021 Public
(HBCU)		 5,054 Hornets     lacrosse (w) MEAC ASUN
University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, Michigan 1870 2017 2020 Private 5,700 Titans       lacrosse (w) Horizon MAC
Hampton University Hampton, Virginia 1868 2021 2022 Private 4,321 Pirates     lacrosse (m) Big South CAA
High Point University High Point, North Carolina 1924 2014 2022 Private 4,500 Panthers     lacrosse (m)[16] Big South Atlantic 10
Jacksonville University Jacksonville, Florida 1934 2014 2022 Private 3,741 Dolphins     lacrosse (m)[16] ASUN
University of Richmond Richmond, Virginia 1830 2014 2022 Private 4,361 Spiders     lacrosse (m)[16] Atlantic 10
  1. Bellarmine had been a member of the Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference from that league's formation in 1978 until moving to Division I in 2020 as a new member of the ASUN Conference.

SoCon membership timeline
Mercer 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 ConferenceAtlantic 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 members Full members (except football) 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] 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]

Teams in Southern Conference competition
SportMen'sWomen'sCo-ed
Baseball8––
Basketball108–
Cross Country1010–
Football9––
Golf89–
Rifle233
Soccer610–
Softball–8–
Tennis88–
Track and Field (Indoor)99–
Track and Field (Outdoor)910–
Volleyball–9–
Wrestling9––

    Men's sponsored sports by school
    SchoolBaseballBasketballCross countryFootballGolfRifle[lower-alpha 1]SoccerTennisTrack & field
    (indoor)    		Track & field
    (outdoor)    		WrestlingTotal SoCon sports
    ChattanoogaNoYesYesYesYesNoNoYesNoNoYes6
    The CitadelYesYesYesYesNoYes[lower-alpha 2]NoYesYesYesYes9
    East Tennessee StateYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesNoYesNo8
    FurmanNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNo8
    MercerYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesNoNoNo8
    SamfordYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesNo8
    UNC GreensboroYesYesYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesNo8
    VMIYesYesYesYesNoYes[lower-alpha 2]YesNoYesYesYes10
    Western CarolinaYesYesYesYesYesNoNoNoYesYesNo7
    WoffordYesYesYesYesYesYes[lower-alpha 3]YesYesYesYesNo10
    Totals81010983+2[lower-alpha 4]68893+6[lower-alpha 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
    VMIMAAC[lower-alpha 1]America East
    1. Joining the Northeast Conference in 2024.

    Women's sponsored sports by school
    SchoolBasketballCross countryGolfRifle[lower-alpha 1]SoccerSoftballTennisTrack & field
    (indoor)    		Track & field
    (outdoor)    		VolleyballTotal SoCon teams
    ChattanoogaYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
    The CitadelNoYesYesYes[lower-alpha 2]YesNoNoYesYesYes7
    East Tennessee StateYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
    FurmanYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes10
    MercerYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYes9
    SamfordYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
    UNC GreensboroYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
    VMINoYesNoYes[lower-alpha 2]YesNoNoYesYesNo5
    Western CarolinaYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
    WoffordYesYesYesYes[lower-alpha 3]YesYesYesYesYesYes10
    Totals81093+3[lower-alpha 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
    ChattanoogaOVCNoNo
    FurmanNoBig SouthNoNo
    MercerSun BeltBig SouthNoNo
    VMINoNoAmerica EastMAAC
    WoffordNoBig SouthNoNo

      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 WLI Field
      East Tennessee State William B. Greene Jr. Stadium 7,694[lower-alpha 1] 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
      Mercer Moye Complex 10,200 Hawkins Arena 3,500 Claude Smith Field 500 Sikes Field 300 Bear Field 300
      Samford Seibert 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
      UNC Greensboro Non-football school Greensboro 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
      See also: College Football All-Southern Team

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

      Year Champion Record
      2013 Chattanooga
      Furman†
      Samford      		 6–2
      2014 Chattanooga 7–0
      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

      † 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
      2013–14 Davidson 15–1 Wofford
      2014–15 Wofford 16–2 Wofford
      2015–16 Chattanooga 15–3 Chattanooga
      2016–17 East Tennessee State[lower-alpha 1]
      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[lower-alpha 1]
      Samford      		 15–3 Furman
      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

      Year Champion
      2014 Chattanooga
      2015 Chattanooga
      2016 Chattanooga
      2017 Chattanooga
      2018 Mercer
      2019 Mercer
      2020 Samford
      2021 Mercer
      2022 Mercer
      2023 Chattanooga

      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
      2013 Western Carolina Elon
      2014 Western Carolina Georgia Southern
      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

      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

      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]

      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
      1999–00 Appalachian StateFurman
      2000–01Appalachian StateFurman
      2001–02Appalachian StateFurman
      2002–03Appalachian StateFurman
      2003–04Appalachian StateFurman
      2004–05 ChattanoogaCollege of Charleston
      2005–06Appalachian StateAppalachian State
      2006–07Appalachian StateAppalachian State
      2007–08 Appalachian StateChattanooga
      2008–09 Appalachian StateCollege of Charleston
      2009–10 Appalachian StateSamford
      2010–11 Appalachian StateAppalachian State
      2011–12 Appalachian StateCollege of Charleston
      2012–13 Appalachian StateAppalachian State
      2013–14 Appalachian StateFurman
      2014–15 ChattanoogaSamford
      2015–16 East Tennessee StateFurman
      2016–17 East Tennessee StateFurman
      2017–18 East Tennessee StateFurman
      2018–19 East Tennessee StateFurman

      See also

      References
      1. "The History of the Southern Conference". Southern Conference. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
      2. "Big 12 Biography". big12sports.com. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
      3. "A First in NCAA Basketball - CATAMOUNTSPORTS.COM - Western Carolina Official Athletic Site". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
      4. "Rivals.com". Collegebasketball.rivals.com. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
      5. Stewart Mandel (2007-09-01). "The Mother of All Upsets". CNNSI.
      6. "Curry's sweet touch continues as Davidson eludes Wisconsin". ESPN. Associated Press. 2008-03-28.
      7. David Jones. "Florida falls to FCS opponent, won't be bowl eligible". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
      8. "Preseason Projected Field Of 64". BaseballAmerica.com. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
      9. "Southern Conference Talked By College Men". The Charlotte Observer. February 28, 1921. p. 8. Retrieved August 16, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
      10. "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
      11. 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
      12. "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
      13. "SoCon Tournament Results". Southern Conference. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
      14. http://www.soconsports.com/fls/4000/socon/files/bktny/all_time_mbk_tny_results.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=4000
      15. "SoCon Welcomes ETSU, Mercer and VMI" (Press release). Southern Conference. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
      16. "SoCon, A-Sun Partner to Enhance Lacrosse" (Press release). Southern Conference. January 9, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
      17. "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. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
      21. "Hampton joining SoCon as associate member for men's lacrosse" (Press release). Southern Conference. 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. "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. "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. 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. 2007-06-04.
      34. "Southern Conference".

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