South Atlantic Conference

South Atlantic Conference (SAC)

Established	1975
Association	NCAA
Division	Division II
Members	12 (11 in 2017)
Sports fielded	18 (men's: 9; women's: 9)
Region	Southeastern United States
Headquarters	Rock Hill, South Carolina
Commissioner	Patrick Britz (since 2008)
Website	thesac.com
Locations

The South Atlantic Conference (SAC) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the southeastern United States. It participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division II level. The SAC was founded in 1975 as a football-only conference and became an all-sports conference beginning with the 1989–90 season.

The league currently sponsors nine sports for men (football, cross country, soccer, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, tennis and golf) and nine sports for women (volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, outdoor track & field, softball, tennis and golf).

History

The distant forerunner of the South Atlantic Conference was the North State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIAC). The NSIAC was formed when the "Little Six", as it was called, broke from the North Carolina Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1930. These charter members included such as Appalachian State Teachers College (now Appalachian State University), Lenoir–Rhyne College (now Lenoir–Rhyne University), Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College), Catawba College, Guilford College, Elon College (now Elon University), and High Point College (now High Point University).

The North State continued to grow over the next 30 years, adding Western Carolina University (1933), East Carolina University (1947) and Pfeiffer College (now Pfeiffer University) (1960). A name change became necessary when the league accepted Newberry College as its first member from the state of South Carolina in 1961. The league took on the name Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAC) on May 20th of that year.

The CIAC saw several changes in the following years as East Carolina withdrew from the league in 1962. Appalachian State and Western Carolina followed in 1971 and 1976. All three landed in the Southern Conference (SoCon).

The South Atlantic Conference was founded in 1975 solely as a football conference. The league received its name from a contest in which Kurt Brenneman of Greensboro, North Carolina became the first to submit the SAC-8 moniker.

The SAC-8 consisted of Carson–Newman College (now Carson–Newman University), Catawba College, Elon College, Gardner–Webb College (now Gardner–Webb University), Lenoir-Rhyne College, Mars Hill College (now Mars Hill University), Newberry College', and Presbyterian College. Dr. Fred Bentley, of Mars Hill College, was named league president for its inaugural year, by a vote of the member institutions.

After the first season of play in the SAC-8, the Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne College captured the first football title.

In 1989, the league's 15th year of operation, the South Atlantic Conference became a comprehensive, multi-sport conference. Doug Echols was named the league's first Commissioner. That year the South Atlantic Conference sponsored 10 sports - football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's soccer, volleyball, men's golf, men's and women's tennis. Later the conference grew to 14 championship sports by adding women's soccer (1990), men's and women's cross country (1993) and women's golf (1999). In 2013, the sports of men's and women's lacrosse and men's and women's track and field were added, increasing the number of championship sports to 18.

The South Atlantic Conference was composed of the same eight member institutions from 1975–76 until 1988–89, when Wingate College (now Wingate University) replaced Newberry College as the eighth member institution. Newberry College later re-joined the conference in the 1996–97 season.

In July of 1998, Tusculum College was admitted as a member of the league, and Lincoln Memorial University began play in the conference in the 2006-07 academic year. Brevard College was admitted to the SAC as a provisional member in 2007 and a full member in 2008.

In 2008, Echols retired after serving as Commissioner for 19 years and Patrick Britz was hired as the new Commissioner.

In July 2010, Anderson University became the league's 10th member. Three years later in July 2013, Coker College and Queens University of Charlotte joined the conference.^[1]

Member schools

Charter members

Newberry College left the SAC in 1989 (as a football member), and re-joined in 1996 (as an all-sport member). Wingate replaced Newberry College as the final member for the birth of the all-sport SAC in 1989.

Elon, Gardner–Webb, and Presbyterian (now former members) were charter members of both the SAC-8 football era and the SAC all-sport era.

**SAC-8**
football era
(1975–1989)
Carson–Newman College
Catawba College
Elon College
Gardner–Webb College
Lenoir–Rhyne College
Mars Hill College
Newberry College
Presbyterian College

**SAC**
all-sport era
(1989–present)
Carson–Newman College
Catawba College
Elon College
Gardner–Webb College
Lenoir–Rhyne College
Mars Hill College
Presbyterian College
Wingate College

Current members

Institution	Location	Founded	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined
Anderson University	Anderson, South Carolina	1911	2,900	Trojans	2010
Brevard College	Brevard, North Carolina	1934	700	Tornados	2008
Carson–Newman University	Jefferson City, Tennessee	1851	2,115	Eagles	1975
Catawba College	Salisbury, North Carolina	1851	1,300	Indians	1975
Coker College	Hartsville, South Carolina	1908	1,000	Cobras	2013
Lenoir–Rhyne University	Hickory, North Carolina	1891	1,800	Bears	1975
Lincoln Memorial University	Harrogate, Tennessee	1897	2,579	Railsplitters	2006
Mars Hill University	Mars Hill, North Carolina	1856	1,300	Lions	1975
Newberry College	Newberry, South Carolina	1856	930	Wolves	1975; 1996
Queens University of Charlotte	Charlotte, North Carolina	1857	2,100	Royals	2013
Tusculum College	Tusculum, Tennessee	1794	2,053	Pioneers	1998
Wingate University	Wingate, North Carolina	1896	2,300	Bulldogs	1989

Brevard College — will join the NCAA Division III USA South Athletic Conference in 2017.^[2]^[3]

Former members

Institution	Location	Founded	Nickname	Joined	Left	Current Conference
Elon University	Elon, North Carolina	1889	Phoenix	1975	1997	Colonial Athletic (NCAA D-I)
Gardner–Webb University	Boiling Springs, North Carolina	1905	Runnin' Bulldogs	1975	2000	Big South (NCAA D-I)
Presbyterian College	Clinton, South Carolina	1880	Blue Hose	1975	2007	Big South (NCAA D-I)

Membership timeline

Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football-only) Associate member (sport)

Sports

**Conference sports**
Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Football	Y
Golf	Y	Y
Lacrosse	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Tennis	Y	Y
Track & Field Outdoor	Y	Y
Volleyball		Y

Men's sponsored sports by school

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Football	Golf	Lacrosse	Soccer	Tennis	Track & Field Outdoor	Total SAC Sports
Anderson	Y	Y	Y		Y		Y	Y	Y	7
Brevard	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Carson–Newman	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	8
Catawba	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		8
Coker	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Lenoir–Rhyne	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Lincoln Memorial	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Mars Hill	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Newberry	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y		7
Queens		Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Tusculum	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		8
Wingate	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Totals	11	12	12	8	12	9	12	12	9	97

Women's sponsored sports by school

School	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Lacrosse	Soccer	Softball	Tennis	Track & Field Outdoor	Volleyball	Total SAC Sports
Anderson	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Brevard	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Carson–Newman	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Catawba	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	8
Coker	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Lenoir–Rhyne	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Lincoln Memorial	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Mars Hill	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Newberry	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	8
Queens	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Tusculum	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	8
Wingate	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Totals	12	12	12	9	12	12	12	9	12	102

Other sponsored sports by school

School	Men				Women
School	Swimming & Diving	Track & Field Indoor	Volleyball ^‡	Wrestling	Beach Volleyball ^‡	Bowling ^‡	Field Hockey	Swimming & Diving	Track & Field Indoor
Anderson		IND							IND
Carson–Newman	BMC	IND			IND			BMC	IND
Catawba	BMC							BMC
Coker			IND	ECAC
Lenoir–Rhyne	BMC	IND						BMC	IND
Lincoln Memorial					IND	ECC
Mars Hill	ASC	IND						ASC	IND
Newberry				ECAC			ECAC
Queens	BMC	IND					IND	BMC	IND
Wingate	BMC	IND						BMC	IND

^‡ — D-I sport
Lincoln Memorial (CC) — Volleyball (M) begins play in 2016.^[4]

Conference stadia and arenas

School	Football		Basketball
School	Stadium	Capacity	Arena	Capacity
Anderson Trojans	non-football school		Abney Athletic Center	1,500
Brevard Tornados	Brevard Memorial Stadium	5,000	Boshamer Gymnasium	1,000
Carson–Newman Eagles	Burke–Tarr Stadium	5,500	Holt Fieldhouse	2,000
Catawba Indians	Shuford Stadium	4,500	Goodman Gym	3,500
Coker Cobras	non-football school		Timberlake-Lawton Gymnasium	700
Lenoir–Rhyne Bears	Moretz Stadium	8,500	Shuford Memorial Gymnasium	2,770
Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters	non-football school		Tex Turner Arena	5,000
Mars Hill Lions	Meares Stadium	5,000	Stanford Arena	2,800
Newberry Wolves	Setzler Field	4,000	Eleazer Arena	1,600
Queens Royals	non-football school		Curry Arena	2,500
Tusculum Pioneers	Pioneer Field	3,500	Pioneer Arena	2,500
Wingate Bulldogs	Irwin Belk Stadium	3,000	Cuddy Arena	2,300

References

↑ http://www.thesac.com/about/history
↑ "College Announces Reclassification to NCAA Division III". Brevard College. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
↑ "Brevard accepted for membership in USA South Athletic Conference". Brevard College Athletics. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
↑ "Lincoln Memorial selects Dan Danis to lead first-year Men's Volleyball program". Lincoln Memorial University Athletics. Retrieved February 10, 2016.

External links

Official website

South Atlantic Conference

Members	Anderson Trojans Brevard Tornados Carson–Newman Eagles Catawba Indians Coker Cobras Lenoir–Rhyne Bears Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters Mars Hill Lions Newberry Wolves Queens Royals Tusculum Pioneers Wingate Bulldogs

NCAA Division II

Atlantic	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Mountain East Conference Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Independent — Bluefield State College

Central	Great American Conference Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

East	Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference East Coast Conference Northeast-10 Conference

Midwest	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Great Midwest Athletic Conference Independent — Oakland City University

South	Gulf South Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sunshine State Conference

South Central	Heartland Conference Lone Star Conference Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

Southeast	Conference Carolinas Peach Belt Conference South Atlantic Conference

West	California Collegiate Athletic Association Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pacific West Conference

Division II	Independents ECAC Division II Lacrosse League

NCAA	Conferences Institutions Baseball (Championship) Basketball (Men, Women) Cross Country (Men, Women) Field Hockey (Championship) Football (Championship) Golf (Men, Women) Lacrosse (Men, Women) Rowing (Championship) Soccer (Men, Women) Softball (Championship) Swimming & Diving (Men, Women) Tennis (Men, Women) Track & Field (Men's indoor and outdoor, Women's indoor and outdoor) Volleyball (Championship) Wrestling (Championship) Discontinued — Ice Hockey (Championship)

NCAA Division II football conferences

Super Region 1	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Mountain East Conference Northeast-10 Conference Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

Super Region 2	Gulf South Conference South Atlantic Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Independent — Limestone College University of North Carolina at Pembroke North Greenville University

Super Region 3	Great American Conference Great Northwest Athletic Conference Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

Super Region 4	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Lone Star Conference Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Independent — Alderson Broaddus University Kentucky Wesleyan College Malone University

Division II	Independents

Future	Great Midwest Athletic Conference (2017)

NCAA	Conferences Institutions Football (Championship)

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