Sun Conference
| Sun Conference (TSC) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1990 |
| Association | NAIA |
| Members | 11 |
| Sports fielded | 16 (men's: 8; women's: 8) |
| Region |
Southern United States Region XIV of the NAIA |
| Former names |
Florida Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1990–1992) Florida Sun Conference (1992–2008) |
| Headquarters | Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Commissioner | Mark Pope (since 2011) |
| Website | thesunconference.com |
| Locations | |
 | |
The Sun Conference (TSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Nine of the eleven full member institutions are located in Florida, with two in Georgia and one in South Carolina. In addition there are two football-only affiliate members, one each in Florida and Georgia. The Sun Conference competes in the NAIA in all sponsored sports.
History
The conference was created in March 1990 as the Florida Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (FIAC), and renamed to the Florida Sun Conference in 1992. Charter members consisted of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Flagler College, Florida Memorial University, Nova University of Advanced Technology (now Nova Southeastern University), Palm Beach Atlantic University, Saint Thomas University, Webber International University and Warner Southern College (now Warner University).
The league later grew to nine members with the addition of Northwood University in 1994 (now Keiser University). Between 2002 and 2006, Nova Southeastern (2002), Palm Beach Atlantic (2003) and Flagler (2006) moved to NCAA Division II. But the league was able to recruit new members as Savannah College of Art and Design joined in 2004, followed by Edward Waters College in 2006. It adopted its current name in August 2008 to reflect its expansion to institutions outside of Florida.[1] With the addition of the University of South Carolina at Beaufort in 2007, Johnson and Wales University, Southeastern University and Ave Maria University in 2009, and Thomas University of Georgia in 2012, years, along with Edward Waters’ move to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference after the 2009–10 season, the league membership now stands at 12 schools, as of the 2012–13 season.
In 2014, Point University and former member Edward Waters College joined the conference for football only. Starting with the 2016 season, all six football members moved to the Mid-South Conference for that sport.[2]
Charter member Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University departed the conference on June 30, 2015 and joined the Sunshine State Conference (NCAA II).
Member schools
There are currently 11 full members.[3]
Current members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ave Maria University | Ave Maria, Florida | 2003 | 1,200 | Gyrenes | 2009 |
| Florida Memorial University | Miami Gardens, Florida | 1879 | 1,784 | Lions | 1990 |
| Johnson & Wales University–North Miami | North Miami, Florida | 1914 | 2,000 | Wildcats | 2009 |
| Keiser University | West Palm Beach, Florida | 1984 | 484 | Seahawks | 1994 |
| St. Thomas University | Miami Gardens, Florida | 1961 | 1,750 | Bobcats | 1990 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia | 1978 | 11,897 | Bees | 2004 |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort | Beaufort, South Carolina | 1959 | 1,386 | Sand Sharks | 2007 |
| Southeastern University | Lakeland, Florida | 1935 | 3,850 | Fire | 2009 |
| Thomas University | Thomasville, Georgia | 1950 | 1,100 | Night Hawks | 2012 |
| Warner University | Lake Wales, Florida | 1968 | 1,037 | Royals | 1990 |
| Webber International University | Babson Park, Florida | 1927 | 616 | Warriors | 1990 |
Former affiliate members
For the 2014 and 2015 football seasons, Edward Waters and Jacksonville joined the conference. All six members moved to the Mid-South Conference for the 2016 season. With the exception of Point, which participates in the Appalachian division, these teams plus Faulkner University now form the Sun Division of the Mid-South Conference.[4]
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Sport | Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Waters College | Jacksonville, Florida | 1866 | 800 | Tigers | 2014 | football | Gulf Coast |
| Point University | West Point, Georgia | 1937 | 1450 | Skyhawks | 2014 | football | Appalachian |
- Edward Waters College — was a full member from 2006–2010.
Former members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University | Daytona Beach, Florida | 1926 | Eagles | 1990 | 2015 | Sunshine State (NCAA D-II) |
| Flagler College | St. Augustine, Florida | 1968 | Saints | 1990 | 2006 | Peach Belt (NCAA D-II) |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 1964 | Sharks | 1990 | 2002 | Sunshine State (NCAA D-II) |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach, Florida | 1968 | Sailfish | 1990 | 2003 | Sunshine State (NCAA D-II) |
Membership timeline
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football-only)
Sports
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  | |
| Basketball | | |
| Cross Country | | |
| Football | | |
| Golf | | |
| Soccer | | |
| Softball | | |
| Tennis | | |
| Track & Field Outdoor | | |
| Volleyball | |
References
- ↑ "About the Sun Conference". Retrieved 2008-11-19.
- ↑ "Mid-South Conference Creates Largest College Football Conference". 25 February 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
- ↑ "The Sun Conference". The Sun Conference. 2008-08-18. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- ↑ Wilson, Michael (25 February 2016). "Local teams officially join Mid-South football conference". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
External links
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