List of Sun Belt Conference champions

The Sun Belt Conference sponsors nine men's sports and 10 women's sports. This is a list of conference champions for each sport.

Members

All dates of membership reflect the calendar years of entry and departure. Since all past Sun Belt associate members participated only in fall sports, the year of departure is the calendar year after the final (planned) season of competition.

Full members

Affiliate members

Future affiliate members
  • UCF – men's soccer, 2023–future

Former full members

Former affiliate members
  1. Howard did not participate in what would have been its last season in Sun Belt men's soccer in the 2020–21 school year due to COVID-19 concerns.

Vic Bubas Cup

The Vic Bubas Cup (formerly the Sun Belt Cup) is the Sun Belt's all-sports championship trophy, named after the Sun Belt's first commissioner Vic Bubas.[1] South Alabama has won the most Bubas Cups with 15.[2]

Scoring
  • For sports with regular season conference competition (baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, and volleyball), cup points are awarded based on each teams' regular season finish (determined by winning percentage in conference games for all sports besides soccer. In soccer, standings are determined by points, with three points given for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss).[1]
  • For sports without regular season competition (cross country, golf, track and field, and tennis), points are awarded based on Sun Belt Tournament finish.[1]
  • The number of points for each sport is based on the number of schools in the conference which sponsor that sport. For example, the men's basketball regular season champion receives 12 points but the men's cross country champion only receives 9.[1]
  • For sports with both a regular season conference competition and a conference tournament, the conference tournament winner receives one additional point.[1]
  • For sports with divisions (baseball, basketball, football, and volleyball), points are awarded based on overall conference record regardless of divisional finish.[1]
  • If necessary, the tiebreaker is the number of conference titles each school won that season. If this is also tied then the teams involved are declared co-champions.

History

The early years of the competition were largely dominated by the South Florida Bulls, who won 8 of the first 10 Vic Bubas Cups. After USF left the conference following their 9th Cup win after the 1990 season, South Alabama took over as the dominant force in the conference, winning 8 of the next 10 competitions. Between 2001 and 2014, the only teams to win the Cup were Middle Tennessee (with 9) and Western Kentucky (with 5). Middle Tennessee left the conference after 2013 and Western Kentucky did the same the following year, which paved the way for South Alabama to retake control of the Cup for each of the next 4 seasons.

Winners
Year Winner
1976–77 Jacksonville*
1977–78 South Florida*
1978–79 South Florida*
1979–80 South Florida*
1980–81 South Florida*
1981–82 South Florida*
1982–83 Old Dominion
1983–84 South Florida*
1984–85 South Florida*
1985–86 South Florida*
1986–87 Western Kentucky*
1987–88 South Alabama
1988–89 South Alabama
1989–90 South Florida*
1990–91 South Alabama
1991–92 South Alabama
1992–93 South Alabama
1993–94 South Alabama
1994–95 Arkansas State
1995–96 South Alabama
1996–97 South Alabama
1997–98 Arkansas State
1998–99 South Alabama
1999–2000 South Alabama
2000–01 Middle Tennessee*
2001–02 Western Kentucky*
2002–03 Western Kentucky*
2003–04 Middle Tennessee*
2004–05 Middle Tennessee*
2005–06 Western Kentucky*
2006–07 Middle Tennessee*
2007–08 Western Kentucky*
2008–09 Middle Tennessee*
2009–10 Middle Tennessee*
2010–11 Middle Tennessee*
2011–12 Middle Tennessee*
2012–13 Middle Tennessee*
2013–14 Western Kentucky*
2014–15 South Alabama
2015–16 South Alabama
2016–17 South Alabama
2017–18 South Alabama
2018–19 Texas State
2019–20 Arkansas State
2020–21 South Alabama
2021–22 Texas State

[2][3]

Team Number of Bubas Cups
South Alabama 15
South Florida* 9
Middle Tennessee*
Western Kentucky* 6
Arkansas State 3
Texas State 2
Jacksonville* 1
Old Dominion

[2][3]

*– No longer members of the Sun Belt Conference. Old Dominion left the SBC in 1991 and returned in 2022.

Current champions
Sport Regular Season Champion Postseason Champion
Baseball Texas State (2022) Louisiana (2022)
Football Troy (2022) –
Men's Basketball Southern Miss (2022–23) Louisiana (2022–23)
Men's Cross Country – Arkansas State (2022)
Men's Golf – Little Rock (2022)
Men's Soccer Kentucky (2022) Kentucky (2022)
Men's Indoor Track and Field – Arkansas State (2023)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field – South Alabama (2022)
Men's Tennis Georgia State (2022) Georgia State (2022)
Women's Basketball James Madison, Kennesaw State, Texas State (2022–23) James Madison (2022–23)
Beach Volleyball First championships in 2023
Women's Cross Country – Kennesaw State (2022)
Women's Golf – Georgia Southern (2022)
Women's Soccer Georgia Southern (2022) Old Dominion (2022)
Softball Louisiana (2022) Louisiana (2022)
Women's Tennis Georgia Southern, South Alabama, UT Arlington (2022) South Alabama (2022)
Women's Indoor Track and Field – Arkansas State (2023)
Women's Outdoor Track and Field – Arkansas State (2022)
Volleyball James Madison (2022) James Madison (2022)

    Baseball
    Main article: Sun Belt Conference Baseball Tournament

    The Sun Belt Conference has sponsored an annual baseball tournament to determine the conference winner and automatic NCAA Division I Tournament host since 1978. South Alabama has won the most championships, at 13. The Sun Belt also has imposed several seasons under divisional structure (1981-1994; 2016-2021). In 2022, the structure reverted back to standard structure (1978-1980; 1995-2015; 2022-present).

    Season Tournament Champion Regular Season Champion
    1978 New Orleans South Alabama
    1979 New Orleans
    1980 South Alabama
    1981 South Alabama (T & South Division) Alabama–Birmingham (North Division)
    1982 South Florida (T & South Division)
    1983 South Alabama (T & West Division) Old Dominion (East Division
    1984 UNC Charlotte (East Division)
    1985 Old Dominion (T & East Division) Western Kentucky (West Division)
    1986 South Florida (T & West Division) Jacksonville (East Division)
    1987 South Alabama (T & West Division) Old Dominion (East Division)
    1988 Virginia Commonwealth (T & East Division) Western Kentucky (West Division)
    1989 Jacksonville (T & East Division) South Florida (West Division)
    1990 South Florida Jacksonville (East Division)
    South Alabama (West Division)
    1991 Alabama–Birmingham Jacksonville (East Division)
    South Alabama (West Division)
    1992 South Alabama (T & East Division) Louisiana Tech (West Division)
    1993 Lamar (T & West Division) South Alabama (East Division)
    1994 Arkansas State South Alabama (East Division)
    Lamar (West Division)
    1995 Lamar Jacksonville
    1996 South Alabama
    1997 South Alabama Southwestern Louisiana
    1998 Southwestern Louisiana South Alabama
    1999 Florida International
    2000 South Alabama New Orleans
    2001 South Alabama (T & Co-RS) Middle Tennessee (Co-RS)
    2002 New Mexico State South Alabama
    2003 Middle Tennessee
    2004 Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee
    2005 South Alabama Louisiana–Lafayette
    2006 Troy
    2007 New Orleans Louisiana–Lafayette
    2008 Western Kentucky Louisiana–Monroe
    2009 Middle Tennessee State
    2010 Florida International Louisiana–Lafayette
    Florida Atlantic
    2011 Arkansas–Little Rock Troy
    2012 Louisiana–Monroe Florida Atlantic
    2013 Florida Atlantic Troy
    South Alabama
    2014 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2015 Louisiana–Lafayette South Alabama
    2016 Louisiana–Lafayette (T & Co-RS) South Alabama (Co-RS)
    2017 South Alabama Coastal Carolina (East Division)
    UT Arlington (West Division)
    2018 Coastal Carolina (T & East Division) Louisiana (West Division)
    2019 Coastal Carolina Georgia Southern (East Division)
    Texas State (West Division)
    2020 None
    2021 South Alabama (T & East Division) Louisiana (West Division)
    2022 Louisiana Texas State

    Softball
    Main article: Sun Belt Conference softball tournament

    The Sun Belt Conference has sponsored an annual softball tournament to determine the conference winner and automatic bid to the NCAA Division I softball tournament since 2000. Louisiana has won the most championships, at 17.

    Season Tournament Champion Regular Season Champion
    2000 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2001
    2002
    2003
    2004
    2005
    2006
    2007 Florida Atlantic
    2008 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2009 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2010 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2011 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2012 South Alabama Louisiana–Lafayette
    2013 South Alabama Western Kentucky
    2014 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2015 South Alabama Louisiana–Lafayette
    2016 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2017 Louisiana–Lafayette
    2018 Texas State
    2019 Louisiana
    2020 None
    2021 Louisiana
    2022 Louisiana

    Basketball
    Main articles: Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament and Sun Belt Conference women's basketball tournament

    Since 2020–21, the Sun Belt Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments, held in early March, has involved all conference members and is played entirely in Pensacola, Florida. First- and second-round games are played at Hartsell Arena on the campus of Pensacola State College and the Pensacola Bay Center, with semifinals and finals at the Bay Center.[4] Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.

    Season Men's
    Regular Season
    Champion    		 Men's
    Tournament
    Champion    		 Women's
    Regular Season
    Champion    		 Women's
    Tournament
    Champion
    1977 North Carolina–Charlotte No Regular Season No Tournament
    1978 North Carolina–Charlotte New Orleans No Regular Season No Tournament
    1979 South Alabama Jacksonville No Regular Season No Tournament
    1980 South Alabama Virginia Commonwealth No Regular Season No Tournament
    1981 Virginia Commonwealth No Regular Season No Tournament
    1982 Alabama–Birmingham No Regular Season No Tournament
    1983 Virginia Commonwealth Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
    1984 Virginia Commonwealth Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
    1985 Virginia Commonwealth Old Dominion
    1986 Old Dominion Jacksonville Western Kentucky
    1987 Western Kentucky Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
    1988 North Carolina–Charlotte Old Dominion Western Kentucky
    1989 South Alabama Old Dominion Western Kentucky
    1990 Alabama–Birmingham South Florida Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
    1991 South Alabama Alabama–Birmingham Western Kentucky
    1992 Southwestern Louisiana Western Kentucky
    1993 New Orleans Western Kentucky Western Kentucky
    1994 Western Kentucky Southwestern Louisiana Louisiana Tech
    1995 Western Kentucky Louisiana Tech Western Kentucky
    1996 Arkansas–Little Rock New Orleans Louisiana Tech
    1997 South Alabama Louisiana Tech
    1998 South Alabama Louisiana Tech
    1999 Louisiana Tech Arkansas State Louisiana Tech
    2000 Louisiana–Lafayette Louisiana Tech
    2001 Western Kentucky Louisiana Tech
    2002 Western Kentucky Florida International
    2003 Western Kentucky Western Kentucky
    2004 Louisiana–Lafayette (vacated) South Alabama Middle Tennessee State
    2005 Denver Louisiana–Lafayette (vacated) Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee State
    2006 Western Kentucky South Alabama Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee
    2007 South Alabama North Texas Middle Tennessee
    2008 South Alabama Western Kentucky Western Kentucky
    2009 Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee
    2010 Troy North Texas Arkansas–Little Rock Middle Tennessee
    2011 Florida Atlantic Arkansas–Little Rock Middle Tennessee
    Arkansas–Little Rock    		 Arkansas–Little Rock
    2012 Middle Tennessee Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee Arkansas–Little Rock
    2013 Middle Tennessee Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee Arkansas–Little Rock
    2014 Georgia State Louisiana–Lafayette Arkansas State Western Kentucky
    2015 Georgia State Arkansas–Little Rock
    2016 Little Rock Arkansas State Troy
    2017 UT Arlington Troy Little Rock Troy
    2018 Louisiana Georgia State Little Rock
    2019 Georgia State Little Rock
    UT Arlington    		 Little Rock
    2020 Little Rock Tournament canceled Troy Tournament canceled
    2021 Texas State Appalachian State Louisiana Troy

    Football

    All 14 full Sun Belt members play football in the conference. Idaho and New Mexico State competed as single-sport members before being dropped from Sun Belt football after the 2017 season.

    Champions
    Football Summary
    Current Members
    School Last Sun Belt Title Number of Sun Belt Titles
    Troy20227
    Arkansas State20166
    Appalachian State20194
    Louisiana20213[lower-alpha 1]
    Coastal Carolina20201
    Georgia Southern20141
    UL-Monroe20051
    Georgia StateNever0
    South AlabamaNever0
    Texas StateNever0
    Former Members
    North Texas20044
    Middle Tennessee20062
    Florida Atlantic20071
    FIU20101
    IdahoNever0
    New Mexico StateNever0
    Utah StateNever0
    Western KentuckyNever0
    Year Champion(s)
    2001 North Texas, Middle Tennessee
    2002 North Texas
    2003 North Texas
    2004 North Texas
    2005 Arkansas State, UL Monroe, UL Lafayette
    2006 Troy, Middle Tennessee
    2007 FAU, Troy
    2008 Troy
    2009 Troy
    2010 Troy, FIU
    2011 Arkansas State
    2012 Arkansas State
    2013 Arkansas State, UL Lafayette[lower-alpha 2]
    2014 Georgia Southern
    2015 Arkansas State
    2016 Appalachian State, Arkansas State
    2017 Appalachian State, Troy
    2018 Appalachian State
    2019 Appalachian State
    2020 Coastal Carolina & Louisiana[lower-alpha 3]
    2021 Louisiana
    2022 Troy
    1. Does not include one title in 2013 vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
    2. Louisiana's title was vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
    3. Divisional champions Coastal Carolina and Louisiana were declared conference co-champions after the scheduled Sun Belt championship game was canceled due to COVID-19.

    Golf

    Champions
    Year Men's Champion Women's Champion
    1977 Jacksonville
    1978 Jacksonville
    1979 South Florida
    1980 South Florida
    1981 South Florida
    1982 South Florida
    1983 South Florida
    1984 South Florida
    1985 South Florida
    1986 South Florida
    1987 South Florida
    1988 South Florida
    1989 South Florida
    1990 Virginia Commonwealth South Florida
    1991 South Alabama
    1992 South Alabama UCF
    1993 Louisiana-Lafayette Lamar
    1994 South Alabama Lamar
    1995 South Alabama Lamar
    1996 South Alabama Lamar
    1997 Louisiana-Lafayette South Alabama
    1998 South Alabama UALR
    1999 South Alabama UALR
    2000 UALR Arkansas State
    2001 UALR New Mexico State
    2002 South Alabama New Mexico State
    2003 North Texas New Mexico State
    2004 New Mexico State Denver
    2005 South Alabama Denver
    2006 Western Kentucky Denver
    2007 Louisiana-Lafayette Denver
    2008 Denver Denver
    2009 Middle Tennessee Denver
    2010 South Alabama Denver
    2011 Denver Denver
    2012 North Texas Denver

    References
    1. "2020-21 Vic Bubas Cup Standings". sunbeltsports.org. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
    2. "South Alabama Earns 15th Vic Bubas Cup". sunbeltsports.org. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
    3. "Sun Belt Conference record book" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 November 2020.
    4. "Pensacola Selected to Host 2021-25 Basketball Championships" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
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