Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference

The Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC) was a former college athletic conference which was predominantly for smaller, private colleges in Western and Middle Tennessee.

Conference History

The TCAC was created in 1985 from the western division of the old Volunteer State Athletic Conference. The charter members were Belmont University, Bethel College, Blue Mountain College, Christian Brothers University, Cumberland University, David Lipscomb University, Freed-Hardeman University, Lambuth University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Union University. The TCAC survived in that form until 1995 when both Belmont and Christian Brothers announced their intentions to go to the NCAA. Lipscomb would follow in 1996. The remaining teams formed a new conference, the TranSouth Athletic Conference which exists to the present.

Members' New Affiliations

Institution Location Conference Tenure New Conference Classification
Belmont University Nashville, Tennessee 1985-1995 Atlantic Sun Conference NCAA Division I
Bethel College McKenzie, Tennessee 1985-1996 TranSouth Conference NAIA Division 1
Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain, Mississippi 1985-1996 TranSouth Conference NAIA Division 1
Christian Brothers University Memphis, Tennessee 1985-1995 Gulf South Conference NCAA Division II
Cumberland University Lebanon, Tennessee 1985-1996 TranSouth Conference NAIA Division 1
David Lipscomb University Nashville, Tennessee 1985-1996 Atlantic Sun Conference NCAA Division I
Freed-Hardeman University Henderson, Tennessee 1985-1996 TranSouth Conference NAIA Division 1
Lambuth University Jackson, Tennessee 1985-1996 TranSouth Conference NAIA Division 1
Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, Tennessee 1985-1996 TranSouth Conference NAIA Division 1
Union University Jackson, Tennessee 1985-1996 TranSouth Conference NAIA Division 1

The TCAC sponsored 9 sports for men and women including baseball, basketball, golf, tennis, softball, and volleyball. Bethel, Cumberland, and Lambuth play football in the Mid-South Conference.