Southern Conference

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Southern Conference
Southern Conference
Data
Classification NCAA Division I FCS
Established 1921
Members 12[1]
Sports fielded 19 (10 men's, 9 women's)
Region Southeastern United States
States 5 - Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee
Headquarters Spartanburg, South Carolina
Commissioner John Iamarino
Locations

The Southern Conference (or SoCon) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. SoCon football teams compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as I-AA). Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Southern Conference ranks as the fifth oldest major college athletic conference in the United States.[2]

The conference was formed on February 25, 1921 in Atlanta, Georgia as fourteen member institutions split from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.[2] Southern Conference charter members were Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi A&M (now Mississippi State), North Carolina, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Washington & Lee. In 1922, six more universities - Florida, Louisiana State, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tulane, and Vanderbilt joined the conference. Later additions included Sewanee (1923), Virginia Military Institute (1925), Duke (1929), and Wake Forest (1936).

The SoCon is particularly notable for having spawned two other major conferences. In 1933, thirteen schools located south and west of the Appalachians (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisiana State, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Sewanee, Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt) departed the SoCon to form the Southeastern Conference.[2] In 1953, seven schools (Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest) withdrew from the SoCon to form the Atlantic Coast Conference.[2]

Other former members (in addition to those listed above) were East Carolina (1964–1976), East Tennessee State (1978–2005), George Washington (1936–1970), Marshall (1976–1997), Richmond (1936–1976), William & Mary (1936–1977) and West Virginia (1950–1968).

The SoCon is considered one of the strongest football conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision, and is considered a mid-major conference in basketball. It has also garnered considerable national attention from its recent success in these sports: in particular, from the now three-peat Division I-FCS champion Appalachian State Mountaineers, who stunned the #5 Michigan Wolverines 34–32 on September 1, 2007; and from the Davidson Wildcats, who reached the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament by upsetting power programs Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin.

Contents

[edit] Sports offered


[edit] Current members

There are twelve full member schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Joined Nicknames
Appalachian State University Boone, North Carolina 1899 Public 15,117 1971 Mountaineers
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee 1886 Public 8,923 1976 Mocs and Lady Mocs
The Citadel Charleston, South Carolina 1842 Public 3,138 1936 Bulldogs
College of Charleston Charleston, South Carolina 1770 Public 11,218 1998 Cougars
Davidson College[3] Davidson, North Carolina 1837 Private 1,700 1936–88; 1991 Wildcats
Elon University Elon, North Carolina 1889 Private 5,230 2003 Phoenix
Furman University Greenville, South Carolina 1826 Private 3,042 1936 Paladins and Lady Paladins
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 Public 16,841 1991 Eagles and Lady Eagles
Samford University Homewood, Alabama 1841 Private 4,440 July 1, 2008 Bulldogs
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 Public 16,425 1997 Spartans
Western Carolina University Cullowhee, North Carolina 1889 Public 9,055 1976 Catamounts and Lady Catamounts
Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina 1854 Private 1,300 1997 Terriers

[edit] Associate members

There is one associate member school (wrestling only):

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname
Virginia Military Institute[4] Lexington, Virginia 1839 Public 1,377 Keydets

[edit] Former members

[edit] Conference facilities

School Football Capacity Basketball Capacity Baseball Capacity Soccer Capacity
Appalachian State Kidd Brewer Stadium 16,650 Holmes Center 8,325 Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium 2,000 ASU Soccer Stadium ~1,000
Chattanooga Finley Stadium 20,668 McKenzie Arena 11,218 Non-baseball School N/A North River Soccer Complex 500
The Citadel Johnson Hagood Stadium 21,000 McAlister Field House 6,000 Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park 6,000 WLI Field ?
College of Charleston Non-football School N/A John Kresse Arena 5,600 CofC Baseball Stadium 2,000 CofC Soccer Stadium ~1,000
Davidson Richardson Stadium[3] 6,000 John M. Belk Arena 6,000 Wilson Field ? Alumni Stadium 2,000
Elon Rhodes Stadium 11,250 Alumni Gym 1,585 Latham Park 500 Rhodes Stadium 11,250
Furman Paladin Stadium 16,000 Timmons Arena 5,000 Furman Baseball Stadium 2,000 Stone Stadium 3,000
Georgia Southern Paulson Stadium 18,000 Hanner Fieldhouse 4,358 J.I. Clements Stadium 3,000 Eagle Field 500
Samford Seibert Stadium 6,700 Pete Hanna Center 5,000 Joe Lee Griffin Stadium 1,000 Bulldog Field 972
UNC Greensboro Non-football School N/A Fleming Gymnasium 2,320 UNCG Baseball Stadium 3,500 UNCG Soccer Stadium 3,540
Western Carolina E.J. Whitmire Stadium 13,742 Ramsey Center 7,826 Hennon Stadium 1,500 Catamount Athletic Complex 1,000
Wofford Gibbs Stadium 13,000 Benjamin Johnson Arena 3,500 Russell C. King Field 2,500 Snyder Field 2,250

[edit] Conference champions

[edit] Football

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

Season Champion(s) Record
1998 Georgia Southern 8–0–0
1999 Furman / Georgia Southern / Appalachian State 7–1–0
2000 Georgia Southern 7–1–0
2001 Georgia Southern / Furman 7–1–0
2002 Georgia Southern 7–1–0
2003 Wofford 8–0–0
2004 Furman / Georgia Southern 6–1–0
2005 Appalachian State 6–1–0
2006 Appalachian State 7–0–0
2007 Wofford / Appalachian State 5–2–0

[edit] Men's basketball

This is a partial list of the last 10 champions. For the full history, see Southern Conference men's basketball champions.

The Southern Conference split into a divisional format for basketball beginning with the 1994–95 season.

Season Regular Season Champion (North) Record Regular Season Champion (South) Record Tournament Champion
1999 Appalachian State 13–3 College of Charleston 16–0 College of Charleston
2000 Appalachian State 13–3 College of Charleston 13–3 Appalachian State
2001 East Tennessee State 13–3 College of Charleston 12–4 UNC Greensboro
2002 Davidson / UNC Greensboro / East Tennessee State 11–5 College of Charleston / Georgia Southern / Chattanooga 9–7 Davidson
2003 Davidson / East Tennessee State / Appalachian State 11–5 College of Charleston 13–3 East Tennessee State
2004 East Tennessee State 15–1 Davidson / Georgia Southern / College of Charleston 11–5 East Tennessee State
2005 Davidson 16–0 College of Charleston / Georgia Southern 10–6 Chattanooga
2006 Elon 10–4 Georgia Southern 11–4 Davidson
2007 Appalachian State 15–3 Davidson 17–1 Davidson Tourney
2008 Appalachian State / Chattanooga 13–7 Davidson 20–0 Davidson Tourney

[edit] 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. 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 2007–08 athletics season saw Appalachian State winning its 28th Commissioner's Cup and Chattanooga winning its 1st Germann Cup.[5]

[edit] Commissioner's Cup

Year Champion
1969–70 East Carolina / William & Mary
1970–71 William & Mary
1971–72 William & Mary
1972–73 William & Mary
1973–74 East Carolina
1974–75 East Carolina
1975–76 William & Mary
1976–77 East Carolina
1977–78 Appalachian State
1978–79 Appalachian State
1979–80 Appalachian State
1980–81 Appalachian State
1981–82 Appalachian State
1982–83 East Tennessee State
1983–84 Appalachian State
1984–85 Appalachian State
1985–86 Appalachian State
1986–87 Appalachian State
1987–88 Appalachian State
1988–89 Appalachian State
1989–90 Appalachian State
1990–91 Furman
1991–92 Appalachian State
1992–93 Appalachian State
1993–94 Appalachian State
1994–95 Appalachian State
1995–96 Appalachian State
1996–97 Appalachian State
1997–98 Appalachian State
1998–99 Appalachian State
1999–00 Appalachian State
2000–01 Appalachian State
2001–02 Appalachian State
2002–03 Appalachian State
2003–04 Appalachian State
2004–05 Chattanooga
2005–06 Appalachian State
2006–07 Appalachian State
2007–08 Appalachian State

[edit] Germann Cup

Year Champion
1986–87 Appalachian State
1987–88 Appalachian State
1988–89 Appalachian State
1989–90 Appalachian State
1990–91 Appalachian State
1991–92 Appalachian State
1992–93 Furman
1993–94 Furman
1994–95 Furman
1995–96 Furman
1996–97 Furman
1997–98 Furman
1998–99 Furman
1999–00 Furman
2000–01 Furman
2001–02 Furman
2002–03 Furman
2003–04 Furman
2004–05 College of Charleston
2005–06 Appalachian State
2006–07 Appalachian State
2007–08 Chattanooga


[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Samford joins from the Ohio Valley Conference on July 1, 2008.[1]
  2. ^ a b c d The Southern Conference. "The History of the Southern Conference", SoCon Sports, 2007-09-07. 
  3. ^ a b Davidson does not compete in the SoCon for football. Instead, they compete in the Pioneer Football League.
  4. ^ VMI competes in the Big South Conference for all other sports.
  5. ^ The Southern Conference. "ASU Men, Chattanooga Women Win SoCon All-Sports Cups", SoCon Sports, 2008-05-29. 

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Southern Conference
v • d • e
Football stadiums of the Southern Conference
v • d • e
Basketball arenas of the Southern Conference
v • d • e
NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Conferences
NCAA Division I FCS National Football Championship
Languages