Southern States Athletic Conference

The Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. The 10 member universities compete in 13 sports in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Basketball teams compete as a single division in the NAIA.

Not to be confused with Southern States Conference.
Southern States Athletic Conference
SSAC
Established1999
AssociationNAIA
Members10 (11 in 2022)
Sports fielded
  • 15
    • men's: 7
    • women's: 8
RegionSoutheastern United States
Former namesGeorgia Alabama Carolina Conference (1999–2004)
HeadquartersAtlanta, Georgia
CommissionerMike Hall
Websitessacsports.com
Locations

History

The Southern States Athletic Conference was established as the Georgia–Alabama–Carolina Conference (GACC) on March 16, 1999. On June 27, 2004, the conference changed its name to the Southern States Athletic Conference.[1]

Chronological timeline
  • 2004 - On June 27, 2004, the GACC was rebranded as the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), effective the 2004-05 academic year.
  • 2006 - Georgia Southwestern State left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Peach Belt (PBC), effective after the 2005-06 academic year.
  • 2011 - Columbia (S.C.) left the SSAC to join the Appalachian (AAC), effective after the 2010-11 academic year.
  • 2012 - Shorter left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Gulf South Conference (GSC), effective after the 2011-12 academic year.
  • 2016 - Lee left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Gulf South (GSC), effective after the 2012-13 academic year.
  • 2014 - Three institutions left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and their respective new home primary conferences: Emmanuel (Ga.) and Southern Wesleyan to the Conference Carolinas (CC), Spring Hill to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC); and Southern Poly announced that it would drop its athletic program and close once being consolidated by Kennesaw State University, all effective after the 2013-14 academic year.
  • 2015 - Belhaven left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the American Southwest Conference, effective after the 2014-15 academic year.
  • 2016 - Auburn–Montgomery left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Gulf South (GSC), effective after the 2015-16 academic year.
  • 2017 - Two institutions left the SSAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Brenau to join the Appalachian (AAC), and Coastal Georgia to join the Sun Conference, both effective after the 2016-17 academic year.
  • 2020 - Bethel (Tenn.) and Martin Methodist left the SSAC to join the Mid-South Conference (MSC), effective after the 2019-20 academic year.
  • 2022 - Life University will join the SSAC, effective beginning the 2022-23 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The SSAC currently has ten full members, all but two are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Basketball?
Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain, Mississippi 1873 Mississippi Baptist 505 Toppers 2013 both
Brewton–Parker College Mount Vernon, Georgia 1904 Southern Baptist 1,050 Barons 1999 both
Dalton State College Dalton, Georgia 1963 Public [lower-alpha 1] 5,047 Roadrunners 2014 men's
Faulkner University Montgomery, Alabama 1942 Churches of Christ 3,703 Eagles 1999 both
Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana 1904 Catholic, Jesuit 4,858 Wolf Pack 2010 both
Middle Georgia State University Cochran, Georgia[lower-alpha 2] 2013 Public [lower-alpha 1] 8,404 Knights 2014 both
University of Mobile Mobile, Alabama 1961 Southern Baptist 1,577 Rams 2010 both
Stillman College Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1876 Presbyterian 1,000 Tigers 2018 both
Talladega College Talladega, Alabama 1867 United Church of Christ 600 Tornadoes 2021[2] both
William Carey University Hattiesburg, Mississippi 1892 Southern Baptist 3,250 Crusaders 2010 both
Notes
  1. Part of the University System of Georgia.
  2. Middle Georgia State's main campus is in Macon, where the women's cross-country and volleyball teams and men's and women's tennis teams are housed; the other intercollegiate athletics teams compete on the Cochran campus.

Future members

The SSAC will have one future full member, which will also be a private school:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining Current
conference
Life University[3] Marietta, Georgia 1974 Nonsectarian 2,692 Running Eagles 2022–23 Mid-South

Former members

The SSAC had 19 former full members, all but five were private schools. School names and nicknames reflect those used in the final school year of SSAC membership:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, Alabama 1967 Public 5,188 Warhawks 1999–2000 2015–16 Gulf South (GSC)
(NCAA D-II)
Belhaven University Jackson, Mississippi 1883 Presbyterian 3,245 Blazers 2010–11 2014–15 American Southwest
(NCAA D-III)
(CCS starting in 2022-23)
Bethel University McKenzie, Tennessee 1842 Cumberland
Presbyterian		 2,975 Wildcats 2013–14 2019–20 Mid-South[4][lower-alpha 1]
Berry College Mount Berry, Georgia 1902 Non-denominational 1,937 Vikings 2004–05 2009–10 Southern (SAA)
(NCAA D-III)
Brenau University[lower-alpha 2] Gainesville, Georgia 1878 Nonsectarian 3,500 Golden Tigers 1999–2000 2016–17 Appalachian (AAC)
College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick, Georgia 1961 Public [lower-alpha 3] 3,438 Mariners 2012–13 2016–17 The Sun
Columbia College[lower-alpha 4] Columbia, South Carolina 1854 United Methodist 1,200 Fighting Koalas 2005–06 2010–11 Appalachian (AAC)
Emmanuel College Franklin Springs, Georgia 1919 Pentecostal 760 Lions 1999–2000 2013–14 Carolinas
(NCAA D-II)
Florida College Temple Terrace, Florida 1946 Christian 505 Falcons 2018–19 2020–21 Continental
Georgia Southwestern State University Americus, Georgia 1906 Public [lower-alpha 3] 3,033 Hurricanes 1999–2000 2005–06 Peach Belt (PBC)
(NCAA D-II)
Lee University Cleveland, Tennessee 1918 Church of God 5,189 Flames 2004–05 2012–13 Gulf South (GSC)
(NCAA D-II)
Martin Methodist College[lower-alpha 5] Pulaski, Tennessee 1870 Public [lower-alpha 6] 1,000 RedHawks[lower-alpha 7] 2013–14 2019–20 Mid-South[4]
North Georgia College & State University[lower-alpha 8] Dahlonega, Georgia 1873 Public [lower-alpha 3] 18,782 Saints[lower-alpha 9] 1999–2000 2004–05 Peach Belt (PBC)
(NCAA D-II)
Reinhardt College[lower-alpha 10] Waleska, Georgia 1883 United Methodist 1,057 Eagles 1999–2000 2008–09 Appalachian (AAC)
Shorter University Rome, Georgia 1873 Georgia Baptist 1,520 Hawks 1999–2000 2011–12 Gulf South (GSC)
(NCAA D-II)
Southern Polytechnic State University Marietta, Georgia 1948 Public [lower-alpha 3] N/A Runnin' Hornets 1999–2000 2013–14 N/A[lower-alpha 11]
Southern Wesleyan University Central, South Carolina 1906 Wesleyan 1,616 Warriors 1999–2000 2013–14 Carolinas
(NCAA D-II)
Spring Hill College Mobile, Alabama 1830 Catholic
(Jesuit)		 1,439 Badgers 2010–11 2013–14 Southern (SIAC)
(NCAA D-II)
Truett–McConnell College Cleveland, Georgia 1946 Georgia Baptist 1,600 Bears 2010–11 2012–13 Appalachian (AAC)
Notes
  1. Bethel was already a Mid-South Conference affiliate in archery and football. Bethel returned to the MSC in track and field, and transferred all other sports to that conference as a full member.
  2. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
  3. Part of the University System of Georgia.
  4. This institution was a women's college, but has since then been a co-educational institution, therefore it does compete in some men's sports (Columbia (S.C.) since 2020–21).
  5. Martin Methodist joined the University of Tennessee system in July 2021 to become the University of Tennessee Southern.
  6. Martin Methodist (now UT Southern) was a private institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church until July 2021.
  7. Martin Methodist is now competing as the UT Southern FireHawks.
  8. North Georgia State consolidated with Gainesville State College in 2013 to form the current University of North Georgia.
  9. Since the 2013 merger, North Georgia has competed as the North Georgia Nighthawks.
  10. Currently known as Reinhardt University since 2010.
  11. Southern Poly had consolidated with Kennesaw State University in 2014.

Membership timeline
Life UniversityTalladega CollegeStillman CollegeFlorida CollegeMiddle Georgia State UniversityDalton State CollegeUniversity of Tennessee SouthernBlue Mountain CollegeBethel University (Tennessee)College of Coastal GeorgiaWilliam Carey UniversityTruett McConnell UniversitySpring Hill CollegeUniversity of MobileLoyola University New OrleansBelhaven UniversityColumbia College (South Carolina)Lee UniversityBerry CollegeSouthern Wesleyan UniversitySouthern Polytechnic State UniversityShorter UniversityReinhardt UniversityUniversity of North GeorgiaGeorgia Southwestern State UniversityFaulkner UniversityEmmanuel College (Georgia)Brewton–Parker CollegeBrenau UniversityAuburn University at Montgomery

 Full member (non-football) 

Sports

The SSAC holds championships in the following 15 sports:

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballY
BasketballYY
Cross CountryYY
GolfYY
SoccerYY
SoftballY
TennisYY
Track & Field OutdoorYY
VolleyballY

References
  1. "The Governance Structure of the SSAC". Southern States Athletic Conference. Retrieved November 4, 2009.
  2. "Talladega College to join NAIA's Southern States Conference in 2021-22". Talladega College Tornadoes. December 18, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  3. "Life U Athletics Headed to Southern States Athletic Conference in 2022-23". Life Running Eagles. December 16, 2020.
  4. "Bethel, Freed-Hardeman and Martin Methodist Renew Rivalries with Mid-South Conference Move". Mid-South Conference. July 25, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.