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Big South Conference

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Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox sports league

The Big South Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. Originally a non-football conference, the Big South began sponsoring football in 2002 as part of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and began operating the OVC–Big South Football Association in partnership with the Ohio Valley Conference in 2023. The Big South, founded in 1983, is firmly rooted in the South Atlantic region of the United States, with full member institutions located in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Associate members are located in Georgia and South Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

History

[edit]

Template:OSM Location map

Charter members included Armstrong State (later Armstrong Atlantic State University and now merged into Georgia Southern University as its Armstrong Campus) (1983–1987), Augusta (later Augusta State University and now merged into Augusta University) (1983–1990), Campbell University (1983–1994; 2011–2023), Baptist College (now Charleston Southern University) (1983–present), Coastal Carolina University (1983–2016), Radford University (1983–present) and Winthrop University (1983–present).

The expansion of membership occurred during the 1980s and 1990s. Some of those members are the University of North Carolina at Asheville (1984–present), Davidson College (1990–1992), Liberty University (1991–2018), the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (1992–1998), the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (1992–1997), Towson University (1992–1995), Elon University (1999–2003), High Point University (1999–present) and Birmingham–Southern College (2000–2006).

The Big South Conference began sponsoring football in 2002, with Charleston Southern, Elon (at the time) and Liberty (Gardner–Webb University also joined as a football-only member) fielding teams; Coastal Carolina and Virginia Military Institute (VMI) joined the conference as football-only members in 2003. In that same athletic year, VMI also joined the conference for all sports, but left to re-join the Southern Conference in 2014. Presbyterian College joined the conference in 2007, moving up from Division II, and became eligible for regular-season championships and conference honors during the 2008–09 athletic year.<ref name="GWebb">Template:Cite news</ref> Gardner–Webb, which had been a football-only member since 2002, joined the conference for all sports on July 1, 2008.<ref name="GWebb"/> Campbell rejoined the Big South for all sports except football in the 2011–12 athletic year. Longwood University accepted an invitation to join the Big South on January 23, 2012, and membership formally began July 1 of that year; Longwood had been independent since 2004, during their transition to Division I.<ref name="Longwood">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2014, following the departure of VMI, the conference returned to a single-division structure.<ref name="onedivision">Template:Cite news</ref> On September 1, 2015, Coastal Carolina announced they would leave the conference following the 2015–16 school year to transition to FBS-level football and the Sun Belt Conference.<ref name="coastal_sunbelt">Template:Cite press release</ref> On June 30, 2016, the day before the school joined the Sun Belt, Coastal Carolina won the 2016 College World Series in baseball. This was the first time in conference history that a team won an NCAA championship in any sport.

In September 2016, the Big South and the ASUN Conference (ASUN) announced a football partnership that effectively combined the two conferences in that sport. Under its terms, any members of either conference that add or upgrade to scholarship football, provided they fall within the current geographic footprint of the two leagues, automatically join Big South football. At the time of announcement, the only ASUN member that played scholarship football, Kennesaw State, was already a Big South football member. The partnership also provides a guaranteed football home to the leagues' non-scholarship football programs (at that time, Campbell from the Big South, and Jacksonville and Stetson from the ASUN) should they upgrade to scholarship status.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

In November 2016, Campbell announced that it would begin offering scholarships and move its football program from the Pioneer Football League to the Big South in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

In December 2016, the University of North Alabama, ASUN, and the Big South Conference announced that, effective in 2018, the school will leave the Division II Gulf South Conference and will join ASUN in non-football sports and the Big South in football. UNA has won three Division II NCAA national championships in football and has won at least a share of the Gulf South Conference football championship for four consecutive seasons through 2016.

Three months later, Liberty announced that it would begin a transition to FBS football in July 2017 and leave the Big South football league in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Liberty and the Big South agreed later in 2017 that the school would continue to house all of its non-football sports (except for field hockey and women's swimming, neither of which is sponsored by the Big South) in that conference for the immediate future. Once Liberty became a full FBS member at the start of the 2019–20 school year, it would have technically become a Big South associate member (barring the school joining an FBS conference).<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> However, Liberty's plans would change several months later, as it instead announced in May 2018 that it would move its non-football sports to the ASUN effective that July (except for the aforementioned field hockey and women's swimming, also not sponsored by the ASUN).<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

In November 2017, the University of South Carolina Upstate and Hampton University announced that they would be leaving the ASUN and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, respectively, to join the Big South, starting in the fall of 2018.<ref name="upstate">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="hampton">Template:Cite news</ref>

On November 19, 2017, Presbyterian College announced it would be moving its football program to the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Presbyterian's last Big South football season was in 2019; the Blue Hose planned to play the 2020 season as an independent before joining the Pioneer League for 2021 and beyond.<ref name="PC to Pioneer">Template:Cite press release</ref> The Blue Hose remain a member of the Big South in all other sports.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

A more recent change to its core membership was the July 2021 arrival of North Carolina A&T State University from the MEAC as a full member, including football.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the same time, Robert Morris University was planned to join as a football-only member.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> North Carolina A&T joined on the originally planned schedule, but Robert Morris became a Big South football member in November 2020. COVID-19 led the conference to move its 2020 football season to spring 2021. Since two of the eight Big South football members (apart from RMU) chose to play in the originally scheduled fall 2020 season and a third chose not to play football at all in 2020–21, the Big South chose to bring the Colonials into the football league for spring 2021.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

More recently, the Big South added three new single-sport members in women's lacrosse effective with the 2022 season (2021–22 school year): Furman University, Mercer University, and Wofford College. All three are full members of the Southern Conference (SoCon), which disbanded its women's lacrosse league after the 2021 season.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

On January 25, 2022, the Colonial Athletic Association (now the Coastal Athletic Association) announced that Hampton University would join that conference, as well as CAA Football, its technically separate football league, on July 1, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On February 22, that conference announced that North Carolina A&T State University would be leaving the Big South, joining the all-sports CAA on July 1. North Carolina A&T would play Big South football in 2022 and join CAA Football on July 1, 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Also on February 22, the conference announced its intent to combine its football membership with the Ohio Valley Conference beginning in 2023 and operate as the OVC–Big South Football Association.<ref>"Big South Conference and OVC Announce Football Agreement" OVCSports.com. Retrieved 2022-02-22.</ref> The following month saw Bryant University announced as a new football-only member effective with the 2022 season.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Campbell announced on August 3 that it would join both sides of the CAA in 2023 as well.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> This was followed by Bryant announcing that it would join CAA Football in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> On November 28, it was announced that Robert Morris would also leave the association and return football to its previous home, the Northeast Conference effective after the 2023 football season.

Member schools

[edit]

Current full members

[edit]
Institution Location Founded Joined Type Enrollment Endowment
(millions)
Nickname Colors Football
Charleston Southern University North Charleston, South Carolina 1964 1983 Private
Template:Small
3,414 $24 Buccaneers Template:College color boxes Template:Yes
Gardner–Webb University Boiling Springs, North Carolina 1905 2008 Private
Template:Small
3,594 $70.5 Runnin' Bulldogs Template:College color boxes Template:Yes
High Point University High Point, North Carolina 1924 1999 Private
Template:Small
4,545 $138.5 Panthers Template:College color boxes Template:No
Longwood University Farmville, Virginia 1839 2012 Public 4,470 $100 Lancers Template:College color boxes Template:No
Presbyterian College Clinton, South Carolina 1880 2007 Private
Template:Small
1,330 $88.1 Blue Hose Template:College color boxes Template:NoTemplate:Efn
Radford University Radford, Virginia 1910 1983 Public 10,700 $55.2 Highlanders Template:College color boxes Template:No
Template:Sort Asheville, North Carolina 1927 1984 Public
Template:Small
3,762 $52.4 Bulldogs Template:College color boxes Template:No
Template:Sort Spartanburg, South Carolina 1967 2018 Public
Template:Small
6,000 $74 Spartans Template:College color boxes Template:No
Winthrop University Rock Hill, South Carolina 1886 1983 Public 6,073 $62.3 Eagles Template:College color boxes Template:No
Notes

Template:Notelist

Current associate members

[edit]
Institution Location Founded Joined Type Enrollment Nickname Colors Big South
sport
Primary
conference
Furman University Greenville, South Carolina 1826 2021 Private
Template:Small
2,629 Paladins Template:College color boxes Women's lacrosse SoCon
Mercer University Macon, Georgia 1833 2021 Private
Template:Small
9,026 Bears Template:College color boxes
Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina 1854 2021 Private
Template:Small
1,773 Terriers Template:College color boxes
Notes

Template:Notelist


Former full members

[edit]
Institution Location Founded Joined Left Type Nickname Colors Current
conference
Armstrong State University Savannah, Georgia 1935 1983 1987 Public Pirates Template:College color boxes noneTemplate:Efn
Augusta UniversityTemplate:Efn Augusta, Georgia 1785 1990 Jaguars Template:College color boxes Peach BeltTemplate:Efn
Birmingham–Southern College Birmingham, Alabama 1856 2000 2007 Private
Template:Small
Panthers Template:College color boxes Closed in 2024
Campbell University Buies Creek, North Carolina 1887 1983Template:Efn;
2011
1994;
2023
Private
Template:Small
Fighting Camels Template:College color boxes CAA
Coastal Carolina University Conway, South Carolina 1954 1983 2016 Public Chanticleers Template:College color boxes Sun Belt
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 1990 1992 Private
Template:Small
Wildcats Template:College color boxes Atlantic 10
Elon University Elon, North Carolina 1889 1999 2003 Private
Template:Small
Phoenix Template:College color boxes CAA
Hampton University Hampton, Virginia 1868 2018 2022 Private
Template:Small
Pirates Template:College color boxes CAA
Liberty University Lynchburg, Virginia 1971 1991Template:Efn 2018 Private
Template:Small
Flames and Lady Flames Template:College color boxes CUSA
Template:Sort Catonsville, Maryland 1966 1992 1998 Public Retrievers Template:College color boxes America East
North Carolina A&T State University Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 2021 2022 Public
Template:Small
Aggies Template:College color boxes CAA
Template:Sort Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 1992 1997 Public Spartans Template:College color boxes SoCon
Towson University Towson, Maryland 1866 1992 1995 Public Tigers Template:College color boxes CAA
Virginia Military Institute Lexington, Virginia 1839 2003 2014 Senior Military College Keydets Template:College color boxes SoCon
Notes

Template:Notelist

Former associate members

[edit]
Institution Location Founded Joined Left Type Nickname Colors Big South
sport
Primary
conference
Conference
in former
Big South sport
Bryant University Smithfield, Rhode Island 1863 2022<ref name="bryantfb">Template:Cite web</ref> 2024 Private
Template:Small
Bulldogs Template:College color boxes Football America East CAA FootballTemplate:Efn
Robert Morris University Moon Township, Pennsylvania 1921 2020Template:Efn 2024 Private
Template:Small
Colonials Template:College color boxes Football Horizon Northeast
North Carolina A&T State University Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 2022Template:Efn 2023 Public
Template:Small
Aggies Template:College color boxes Football CAA CAA FootballTemplate:Efn
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, Georgia 1963 2015 2022 Public Owls Template:College color boxes Football CUSA
Monmouth University West Long Branch, New Jersey 1933 2014 2022 Private Hawks Template:College color boxes Football CAA CAA FootballTemplate:Efn
University of North Alabama Florence, Alabama 1830 2019 2022 Public Lions Template:College color boxes Football ASUN UAC
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina 1837 2012 2014 Private
Template:Small
Wildcats Template:College color boxes Lacrosse (w) Atlantic 10
Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York 1957 2008 2013 Public Seawolves Template:College color boxes Football CAA CAA FootballTemplate:Efn
Template:Sort Wilmington, North Carolina 1947 2000 2004 Seahawks Template:College color boxes Golf (w) CAA
Notes

Template:Reflist

Membership timeline

[edit]

<timeline>

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1983 till:2028

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#

Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)

         id:line     value:black
         id:bg       value:white
         id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
         id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
         id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
         id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote)
         id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference
         id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two

PlotData =

     width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
  bar:1  color:FullxF from:1983 till:1987 text:Armstrong Atlantic State (1983–1987)
  bar:1  color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1990 
  bar:1  shift:(40) color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:2017 text:Peach Belt (PBC), then dropped athletics
  bar:2  color:FullxF from:1983 till:1990 text:Augusta State (1983–1990)
  bar:2  color:OtherC1 from:1990 till:end text:Peach Belt (PBC)
  bar:3  color:FullxF from:1983 till:1990 text:Baptist (1983–present)
  bar:3  color:FullxF from:1990 till:2002 text:Charleston Southern
  bar:3  color:Full from:2002 till:end
  bar:4  color:FullxF from:1983 till:1994 text:Campbell (1983–1994)
  bar:4  color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:2011 text:Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
  bar:4  color:FullxF from:2011 till:2018 text:(2011–2018)
  bar:4  color:Full from:2018 till:2023 text:(2018–2023)
  bar:4  color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:CAA
  bar:5  color:FullxF from:1983 till:2003 text:Coastal Carolina (1983–2016)
  bar:5  color:Full from:2003 till:2016
  bar:5  color:OtherC1 from:2016 till:end text:Sun Belt
  bar:6  color:FullxF from:1983 till:end text:Radford (1983–present)
  bar:7  color:FullxF from:1983 till:end text:Winthrop (1983–present)
  bar:8  color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1984 text:Ind.
  bar:8  color:FullxF from:1984 till:end text:UNC Asheville (1984–present)
  bar:9  color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1988 text:SoCon
  bar:9  shift:(-10) color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1990 text:Independent
  bar:9  color:FullxF from:1990 till:1992 text:Davidson (1990–1992)
  bar:9  shift:(70) color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:2014 text:SoCon
  bar:9  shift:(-60) color:AssocOS from:2012 till:2014 text: (lacrosse, 2012–14)
  bar:9  color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:A-10
  bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1991 text:Independent
  bar:10 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2002 text:Liberty (1991–2018)
  bar:10 color:Full from:2002 till:2018
  bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:2023 text:ASUN
  bar:10 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:C-USA
  bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1992 text:ECC
  bar:11 color:FullxF from:1992 till:1995 text:Towson State (1992–1995)
  bar:11 shift:(70) color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2001 text:NAC/AEC
  bar:11 color:OtherC2 from:2001 till:end text:CAA
  bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1988 text:DIAC
  bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1992 text:Independent
  bar:12 color:FullxF from:1992 till:1997 text:UNC Greensboro (1992–1997)
  bar:12 shift:(40) color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:end text:SoCon
  bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1990 text:Independent
  bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1992 text:ECC
  bar:13 color:FullxF from:1992 till:1998 text:UMBC (1992–1998)
  bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:2003 text:NEC
  bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:2003 till:end text:America East
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1989 text:CIAC
  bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1989 till:1997 text:SAC
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:1999 text:Indep.
  bar:14 color:FullxF from:1999 till:2002 text:Elon (1999–2003)
  bar:14 color:Full from:2002 till:2003 
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2003 till:2014 text:SoCon
  bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:2014 till:end text:CAA
  bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1995 text:CIAC
  bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:1997 text:CVAC
  bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:1997 till:1999 text:Indep.
  bar:15 color:FullxF from:1999 till:end text:High Point (1999–present)
  bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1996 text:SSC (NAIA)
  bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2001 text:TSAC (NAIA)
  bar:16 color:FullxF from:2001 till:2006 text:Birmingham–Southern (2001–2006)
  bar:16 shift:(70) color:OtherC1 from:2006 till:2012 text:SCAC
  bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2024 text:SAA, then closed
  bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1989 text:Independent
  bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1989 till:2000 text:SAC
  bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2000 till:2002 text:Indep.
  bar:17 color:AssocF from:2002 till:2008 text:Gardner–Webb (football, 2002–2008; all sports, 2008–present)
  bar:17 color:Full from:2008 till:end
  bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:2003 text:SoCon
  bar:18 color:Full from:2003 till:2014 text:VMI (2003–2014)
  bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:SoCon
  bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1989 text:Independent
  bar:19 color:OtherC2 from:1989 till:2007 text:SAC
  bar:19 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2009 text:Presbyterian (2007–present)
  bar:19 color:Full from:2009 till:2020
  bar:19 color:FullxF from:2020 till:end
  bar:20 color:AssocF from:2008 till:2013 text:Stony Brook (football, 2008–2013)
  bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1995 text:Independent
  bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2003 text:CVAC
  bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2003 till:2012 text:Independent
  bar:21 color:FullxF from:2012 till:end text:Longwood (2012–present)
  bar:23 color:AssocF from:2014 till:2022 text:Monmouth (football, 2014–2022)
  bar:24 color:AssocF from:2015 till:2022 text:Kennesaw State (football, 2015–2022)
  bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1990 text:NAIA Independent
  bar:25 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:2000 text:PBAC
  bar:25 color:OtherC2 from:2000 till:2007 text:PBC
  bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2018 text:ASUN
  bar:25 color:FullxF from:2018 till:end text:USC Upstate (2018–present)
  
  bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:1995 text:CIAA
  bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2018 text:MEAC
  bar:26 color:FullxF from:2018 till:2019 text:Hampton (2018–2022)
  bar:26 color:Full from:2019 till:2022
  bar:26 shift:(30) color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:CAA
  bar:27 color:AssocF from:2019 till:2022 text:North Alabama (football, 2019–2022)
  bar:28 color:AssocF from:2020 till:2024 text:Robert Morris (football, 2020–2024)
  bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:1983 till:2021 text:MEAC
  bar:29 shift:(-20) color:Full from:2021 till:2022 text:North Carolina A&T (2021–2022)
  bar:29 color:AssocF from:2022 till:2023 :text:
  bar:29 shift:(90) color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end :text:CAA
  bar:30 color:AssocF from:2022 till:2024 :text:Bryant (football, 2022-2024)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1983

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   fontsize:L
   textcolor:black
   pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center)
   text:^"Big  South membership history"
  #> If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following six options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color <#  </timeline>
  • Augusta State was merged into Georgia Regents University in January 2013; the merged school renamed itself Augusta University in 2015.

Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color

Sports

[edit]
Teams in Big South competition
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball 9
Basketball 9 9
Cross Country 9 9
Football 2
Golf 8 9
Lacrosse 9
Soccer 8 9
Softball 7
Tennis 6 7
Track and Field (Indoor) 6 7
Track and Field (Outdoor) 7 8
Volleyball 8

Men's sponsored sports by school

[edit]
School Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Soccer Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Total Big South Sports
Charleston Southern Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes 7
Gardner–Webb Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
High Point Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes 7
Longwood Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes 7
Presbyterian Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:NoTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No 6
Radford Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:NoTemplate:Efn Template:NoTemplate:Efn 6
UNC Asheville Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 7
USC Upstate Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
Winthrop Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes 7
Totals 9 9 9 2 8 8 6 6 7 64
Notes

Template:Notelist

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Big South Conference which are played by Big South schools:

School Lacrosse Swimming Wrestling
Gardner–Webb No ASUN SoCon
High Point A-10 No No
Presbyterian No No SoCon
Notes

Template:Notelist

In addition to the above, Campbell counts both its male and female cheerleaders as varsity athletes.

Women's sponsored sports by school

[edit]
School Basketball Cross Country Golf Lacrosse Soccer Softball Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Volleyball Total Big South Sports
Charleston Southern Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Gardner–Webb Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 10
High Point Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
Longwood Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:No 8
Presbyterian Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes 8
Radford Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 10
UNC Asheville Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
USC Upstate Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Winthrop Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Totals 9 9 9 6+3 9 7 7 7 8 8 79+3
Affiliate members
Furman Template:Yes 1
Mercer Template:Yes 1
Wofford Template:Yes 1
Notes

Template:Notelist

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Big South Conference which are played by Big South schools:

School Acrobatics &
TumblingTemplate:Efn
Field Hockey Rowing Swimming WrestlingTemplate:Efn
Gardner–Webb No No No ASUN No
High Point No No IndependentTemplate:Efn No No
Longwood No MAC No No No
Presbyterian Independent No No No Independent
UNC Asheville No No No ASUN No
Notes

Template:Notelist

In addition to the above, Campbell, Gardner–Webb, and Presbyterian consider their female cheerleaders to be varsity athletes, with Campbell also considering its male cheerleaders as such.

Football – players drafted by the NFL

[edit]

Football players from the Big South have been drafted to play professionally in the National Football League.

Name Position School Draft year Draft pick NFL team
Tyler Thigpen QB Coastal Carolina 2007 Round 7, Pick 217 Vikings
Jerome Simpson WR Coastal Carolina 2008 Round 2, Pick 46 Bengals
Brian Johnston DE Gardner–Webb 2008 Round 7, Pick 210 Chiefs
Rashad Jennings RB Liberty 2009 Round 7, Pick 250 Jaguars
Josh Norman CB Coastal Carolina 2012 Round 5, Pick 143 Panthers
Justin Bethel S Presbyterian 2012 Round 6, Pick 177 Cardinals
Walt Aikens CB Liberty 2014 Round 4, Pick 125 Dolphins
NFL Draftees from the Big South Conference

Conference champions

[edit]

Men's basketball

[edit]
Season Regular season champion Tournament champion Tournament final location
1986 Charleston Southern (5–1) Charleston Southern Savannah Civic Center, Savannah, GA
1987 Charleston Southern (12–2) Charleston Southern Savannah Civic Center
1988 Coastal Carolina (9–3) Winthrop Winthrop Coliseum, Rock Hill, SC
1989 Coastal Carolina (9–3) UNC Asheville Winthrop Coliseum
1990 Coastal Carolina (11–1) Coastal Carolina Winthrop Coliseum
1991 Coastal Carolina (13–1) Coastal Carolina Civic Center of Anderson, Anderson, SC
1992 Radford (12–2) Campbell Civic Center of Anderson
1993 Towson State (14–2) Coastal Carolina North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, SC
1994 Towson State (15–3) Liberty North Charleston Coliseum
1995 UNC Greensboro (14–2) Charleston Southern Vines Center, Lynchburg, VA
1996 UNC Greensboro (11–3) UNC Greensboro Vines Center
1997 UNC Asheville (11–3) Charleston Southern Vines Center
1998 UNC Asheville (11–1) Radford Vines Center
1999 Winthrop (9–1) Winthrop Asheville Civic Center, Asheville, NC
2000 Radford (12–2) Winthrop Asheville Civic Center
2001 Radford (12–2) Winthrop Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke, VA
2002 Winthrop, UNC Asheville (10–4) Winthrop Roanoke Civic Center
2003 Winthrop (11–3) UNC Asheville Vines Center (semis & finals only)
2004 Liberty (12–4) Liberty Vines Center (finals only)
2005 Winthrop (15–1) Winthrop Winthrop Coliseum (finals only)
2006 Winthrop (13–3) Winthrop Winthrop Coliseum (semis & finals only)
2007 Winthrop (14–0) Winthrop Winthrop Coliseum (semis & finals only)
2008 UNC Asheville, Winthrop (10–4) Winthrop Justice Center, Asheville, NC (semis & finals only)
2009 Radford (15–3) Radford Dedmon Center, Radford, VA (finals only)
2010 Coastal Carolina (15–3) Winthrop Kimbel Arena, Conway, SC (semis & finals only)
2011 Coastal Carolina (16–2) UNC Asheville Kimbel Arena (semis & finals only)
2012 UNC Asheville (16–2) UNC Asheville Kimmel Arena, Asheville, NC (quarters, semis & final)
2013 Charleston Southern, High Point (12–4) Liberty HTC Center, Conway, SC
2014 High Point (12–4) Coastal Carolina HTC Center, Conway, SC
2015 Charleston Southern, High Point (13–5) Coastal Carolina HTC Center, Conway, SC
2016 High Point, Winthrop (13–5) UNC Asheville Gore Arena, Buies Creek, NC
2017 Winthrop, UNC Asheville (15–3) Winthrop Winthrop Coliseum, Rock Hill, SC (quarters, semis, & finals)
2018 UNC Asheville (13–5) Radford Dedmon Center, Radford, VA
2019 Campbell, Radford (12–4) Gardner–Webb Dedmon Center, Radford, VA
2020 Radford, Winthrop (15–3) Winthrop Winthrop Coliseum, Rock Hill, SC
2021 Winthrop (17–1) Winthrop Winthrop Coliseum, Rock Hill, SC
2022 Longwood (15–1) Longwood Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
2023 UNC Asheville (16–2) UNC Asheville Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, NC
2024 High Point (13-3) Longwood Qubein Center, High Point, NC
2025 High Point (14-2) Freedom Hall Civic Center, Johnson City, TN

Basketball Tournament Championships by school

[edit]
School # of Tournament Championships Last Tournament Championship
Winthrop 13 2021
UNC Asheville 6 2023
Coastal CarolinaTemplate:Sup 5 2015
Charleston Southern 4 1997
LibertyTemplate:Sup 3 2013
Radford 3 2018
Longwood 2 2024
CampbellTemplate:Sup 1 1992
Gardner–Webb 1 2019
UNC GreensboroTemplate:Sup 1 1996

Template:Small

Template:Main

Football

[edit]
Season Champion Record
2002 Gardner–Webb 3–0
2003 Gardner–Webb 4–0
2004 Coastal Carolina 4–0 (10–1)
2005 Charleston Southern 3–1 (7–4)
Coastal Carolina 3–1 (9–2)
2006 Coastal Carolina 4–0 (9–3)
2007 Liberty 4–0 (8–3)
2008 Liberty 5–0 (10–2)
2009 Stony Brook 5–1 (6–5)
Liberty 5–1 (8–3)
2010 Coastal CarolinaTemplate:Efn 5–1 (6–5)
Stony Brook 5–1 (6–5)
Liberty 5–1 (8–3)
2011 Stony Brook 6–0 (8–3)
2012 Coastal CarolinaTemplate:Efn 5–1 (7–4)
Stony Brook 5–1 (9–2)
Liberty 5–1 (6–5)
2013 Coastal Carolina 4–1 (10–2)
Liberty 4–1 (8–4)
2014 LibertyTemplate:Efn 4–1 (8–4)
Coastal Carolina 4–1 (11–1)
2015 Charleston Southern 6–0 (9–2)
2016 Charleston SouthernTemplate:Efn 4–1 (7–4)
Liberty 4–1 (6–5)
2017 Kennesaw State 5–0 (12–2)
2018 Kennesaw State 5–0 (11–2)
2019 Monmouth 6–0 (11–3)
2020 Monmouth 3–0 (3–1)
2021 Kennesaw State 7–0 (11–2)
2022 Gardner–Webb 5–0 (7–6)
2023 Gardner–Webb 5–1 (7–4)

Template:Notelist

Women's basketball

[edit]
Season Regular Season Champion Tournament Champion Tournament Runner-up
1986–87 Radford Radford Campbell
1987–88 Radford & Campbell Radford Campbell
1988–89 Radford Campbell Radford
1989–90 Radford Radford Campbell
1990–91 Campbell Radford Campbell
1991–92 Radford Radford Campbell
1992–93 UNC Greensboro Radford UNC Greensboro
1993–94 UNC Greensboro Radford UNC Greensboro
1994–95 UNC Greensboro Radford UNC Greensboro
1995–96 UNC Greensboro Radford Winthrop
1996–97 UNC Greensboro Liberty UNC Greensboro
1997–98 Liberty Liberty UNC Asheville
1998–99 Liberty Liberty Coastal Carolina
1999-00 Liberty Liberty Coastal Carolina
2000–01 Liberty Liberty Elon
2001–02 Liberty Liberty Coastal Carolina
2002–03 Liberty Liberty High Point
2003–04 Liberty Liberty Birmingham-Southern
2004–05 Liberty Liberty UNC Asheville
2005–06 Liberty Liberty High Point
2006–07 High Point UNC Asheville Radford
2007–08 Liberty Liberty Radford
2008–09 Liberty Liberty Gardner-Webb
2009–10 Gardner-Webb Liberty Gardner-Webb
2010–11 Liberty Gardner-Webb Liberty
2011–12 Liberty Liberty High Point
2012–13 Liberty Liberty Longwood
2013–14 High Point Winthrop High Point
2014–15 Liberty Liberty High Point
2015–16 UNC Asheville UNC Asheville Liberty
2016–17 Radford UNC Asheville Radford
2017–18 Liberty Liberty UNC Asheville
2018–19 Radford Radford Campbell
2020–21 High Point High Point Campbell
2021–22 Campbell Longwood Campbell
2022–23 Gardner-Webb Gardner-Webb High Point

Men's Soccer

[edit]

Template:Further

Broadcasters (Big South Network)

[edit]

In addition to basketball games being broadcast on regional and national television, member schools of the Big South Conference are required to provide a live stream of all home games for all sports when playing teams both within and outside the conference. These streams are run by the university hosting the event. All streams are featured on the conference website and are available for free. The football games broadcast on the web are branded as part of a Big South Network.

National champions

[edit]
School Sport Coach Year Opponent Opponent's Conference
Coastal Carolina Baseball Template:Sortname 2016 Arizona Pac-12

Facilities

[edit]
Template:CollegePrimaryHeader
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Charleston Southern Buccaneers|Template:Color]] Buccaneer Field 4,000 CSU Field HouseTemplate:Efn
North Charleston Coliseum
790
11,475
Buccaneer Ballpark 1,500 Buccaneer Field 4,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs|Template:Color]] Ernest W. Spangler Stadium 7,800 Paul Porter Arena 3,500 John Henry Moss Stadium 700 Greene–Harbison Stadium Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[High Point Panthers|Template:Color]] Non-football school Qubein Center 4,200 George S. Erath Field at Coy O. Williard Baseball Stadium 700 Vert Track and Soccer Stadium 1,100
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Longwood Lancers|Template:Color]] Non-football school Joan Perry Brock Center 3,000 Bolding Stadium 500 Longwood University Athletics Complex Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Presbyterian Blue Hose|Template:Color]] Plays in the Pioneer Football League Templeton Physical Education Center 2,300 Presbyterian College Baseball Complex Template:Nts Martin Stadium at Edens Field 400
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Radford Highlanders|Template:Color]] Non-football school Dedmon Center 3,205 Carter Memorial Stadium 700 Patrick D. Cupp Stadium 5,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[UNC Asheville Bulldogs|Template:Color]] Non-football school Kimmel Arena 3,200 Greenwood Baseball Field,
McCormick Field
300,
4,000
Greenwood Field 1,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[USC Upstate Spartans|Template:Color]] Non-football school G. B. Hodge Center 878 Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park 500 County University Soccer Stadium 3,000
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Winthrop Eagles|Template:Color]] Non-football school Winthrop Coliseum 6,100 Winthrop Ballpark 1,989 Eagle Field 1,500
Notes

Template:Notelist

References

[edit]

Template:Reflist

[edit]

Template:Commons cat

Template:Big South Conference navbox Template:NCAA Division I all-sports conferences Template:NCAA Division I FCS conference navbox