Sun Belt Conference
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox sports league The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The 14 member institutions of the Sun Belt are distributed across the Southern United States.
History
[edit]
The Sun Belt Conference was founded on August 4, 1976, with the University of New Orleans, the University of South Alabama, Georgia State University, Jacksonville University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University of South Florida. Over the next ten years the conference would add Western Kentucky University, Old Dominion University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Virginia Commonwealth University. New Orleans was forced out of the league in 1980 due to its small on-campus gymnasium that the conference did not deem suitable for conference competition (the conference rejected UNO's offer to play all conference home games at the Louisiana Superdome). New Orleans competed as an independent before joining the newly formed American South Conference in 1987.
After the 1990–91 basketball season, all members of the Sun Belt, except Western Kentucky, South Alabama, and Jacksonville, departed for other conferences. The Sun Belt, including incoming member the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, then merged with the American South Conference, made up of Arkansas State University, Louisiana Tech University, the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), the University of Texas–Pan American (now merged into the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), New Orleans (re-joined), Lamar University, and the University of Central Florida. Although the American South was the larger conference, the merged league retained the Sun Belt name. In 1991, the league first began to explore the idea of sponsoring football.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Central Florida left the league following the 1991–92 academic year due to a dispute over television rights, among other reasons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lamar, Texas–Pan American, and Jacksonville departed at the end of the 1997–98 academic year. Florida International University joined the Sun Belt in 1998, and the University of Denver was added in 1999. Louisiana Tech departed after the 2000–01 academic year.
The conference did not sponsor football until 2001, when the league added former Big West Conference members New Mexico State University and the University of North Texas and former Ohio Valley Conference member (an FBS Independent on football) Middle Tennessee State University as full members (all three of them joined a year earlier for all sports in the 2000-01 school year) and added FBS Independent University of Louisiana at Monroe and Big West member University of Idaho as football-only members. These new members gave the Sun Belt seven football playing members in their first season, as Arkansas State and Louisiana were already full members which sponsored football. Another Big West school, Utah State University, was added as a football-only member in 2003, then departed in 2005 with Idaho and New Mexico State for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
In 2004, Troy University became a football-only member before joining for all sports in the 2005–06 academic year. In 2005, Florida Atlantic became a football-only member before joining for all sports in the 2006-07 academic year. In 2006, Louisiana–Monroe joined the conference as an all-sports full member when the Warhawks left their former home, the Southland Conference.
Longtime Sun Belt member Western Kentucky joined the Sun Belt's football conference in 2009 after its board of regents voted to upgrade the school's football program to Division I FBS.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
On November 11, 2009, New Orleans announced it was investigating a move from Division I to the NCAA's Division III. In order to maintain athletic scholarships, UNO instead opted for entry into Division II. On April 20, 2011, UNO officially received transition approval from the NCAA Division II Membership Committee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (UNO later decided to remain in Division I, and joined the Southland Conference, which has four other members in Louisiana, in 2013.)
Early 2010s realignment
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On April 9, 2012, Georgia State, one of the founding members of the Sun Belt Conference, announced that it would be returning to the conference as a full member in 2013. As part of the move, the football program began a transition from FCS to FBS in the 2012 season; it played a full Sun Belt schedule as a "transitional" FBS member in 2013, and became a full FBS member, with bowl eligibility, in 2014.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-07">Template:Cite news</ref> On May 2, 2012, Texas State University announced it would leave the WAC after just one year and join the Sun Belt in July 2013 to begin play for the 2013–14 academic year. At the press conference to announce Texas State's addition, Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson also hinted that more changes could be on the way for the conference.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> On May 25, 2012, the conference announced that the University of Texas at Arlington (a non-football member) had accepted an invitation to join the conference and would become a full member by 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On May 4, 2012, FIU and North Texas announced that they would be leaving the Sun Belt for Conference USA on July 1, 2013 as part of a Conference USA expansion effort involving four other schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On November 29, 2012, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State announced that they would also leave the Sun Belt for Conference USA.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The move for Florida Atlantic and MTSU was originally scheduled to take place in 2014; however, the two schools announced on January 28, 2013 that they would leave for Conference USA a year early, departing on July 1, 2013 with FIU and North Texas. Western Kentucky also accepted an invitation to join Conference USA on April 1, 2013, and departed from the Sun Belt on July 1, 2014.<ref>[1] Template:Webarchive</ref>
These moves depleted the Sun Belt and made the need to expand their membership more urgent than ever, as the Sun Belt was left with ten full members and only eight members that sponsor football (the minimum number required for a conference to sponsor football at the FBS level) for the 2013 season. Appalachian State University accepted an invitation on March 27, 2013 to join the Sun Belt effective July 1, 2014.<ref>[2] Template:Webarchive</ref> Georgia Southern University accepted a similar Sun Belt invitation at the same time as Appalachian State.<ref>[3] Template:Webarchive</ref> Appalachian State and Georgia Southern both joined for all sports from the Southern Conference on July 1, 2014. Both schools had been very successful within the Football Championship Subdivision, combining to win nine national championships since 1985. They upgraded to the Football Bowl Subdivision, and were eligible for Sun Belt conference championships in 2014, but were not postseason-eligible in football until 2015.
The Sun Belt also granted football-only invites to Idaho and New Mexico State on March 28, 2013.<ref>[4] Template:Webarchive</ref> Idaho and New Mexico State were both former Sun Belt members (Idaho for football only, New Mexico State for all sports) from 2001 to 2005. The large number of defections from the WAC forced that conference to drop football after the 2012 season. Idaho and New Mexico State were the only remaining WAC members that sponsored football, and competed as FBS independents for the 2013 season before competing in the Sun Belt in 2014. Idaho is located by far the farthest away from the other Sun Belt conference members, but it was rejected by the Mountain West Conference,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> leaving it with no other choice.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On September 1, 2015, Coastal Carolina University accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference. The university joined in all sports except for football starting July 1, 2016, with football joining in 2017.<ref name="coastal_sunbelt">Template:Cite press release</ref>
The conference announced on March 1, 2016, that the affiliation agreement with Idaho and New Mexico State would not be extended past the 2017 season.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
The conference announced that beginning in 2018, the conference (10 teams) would be divided into two divisions for football: East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy; West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The winner of each division will meet in the Sun Belt Championship game.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Early 2020s realignment
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Following the July 30, 2021 announcement of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Oklahoma both moving from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the world of college athletics faced the prospect of realignment once again. The Big 12 responded on September 10 by adding three schools from the American Athletic Conference (The American) and BYU, an FBS independent and otherwise a member of the non-football West Coast Conference, effective in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> The American in turn responded on October 21 by adding six schools from Conference USA (C-USA), with 2023 as the most likely entry date.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Following this move, rumors began to circulate that the Sun Belt was planning to take on another three members (the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM), Marshall University, and former Sun Belt member Old Dominion University) from C-USA, likely in response to that conference's remaining teams worried of the conference folding.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These moves would help to establish the market areas for the Sun Belt and The American, which cover similar geographic footprints. The American would now have most of its members in metropolitan areas, while the Sun Belt would instead have its members in smaller college towns.
On October 22, The Action Network reported that Southern Miss had been accepted as a new Sun Belt member, with 2023 as the likely entry date. The report also stated that the Sun Belt would add three more members—the aforementioned Marshall and Old Dominion, plus James Madison University, a member of the FCS Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).<ref name=Action1022>Template:Cite news</ref> Southern Miss<ref name=USM23>Template:Cite press release</ref> and Old Dominion<ref name=ODU23>Template:Cite press release</ref> were respectively announced as incoming members on October 26 and 27. At the time, both were to join no later than 2023. On October 29, the day after Marshall named its next president,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> both the Sun Belt and Marshall issued tweets announcing that school's entry; a formal announcement followed the next day<ref name=MU23>Template:Cite press release</ref> and an introductory press conference was held on November 1.<ref name=Traylor>Template:Cite news</ref> As for James Madison, its board met on October 29 to discuss a potential Sun Belt invitation, but its timeline was also affected by a Virginia state law that requires legislative approval for a four-year public school to move upward in athletic classification, including FCS to FBS. The legislative committee that must review the move did not meet until November 5, after the state's gubernatorial election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The committee unanimously approved JMU's move from FCS to FBS, and the Sun Belt move was officially announced on November 6.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> The original Action Network report also stated that the two full non-football SBC members, Little Rock and UT Arlington, would no longer be members of the conference after the 2022–23 school year.<ref name=Action1022/>
Initial plans were for James Madison to compete as a de facto Sun Belt affiliate in sports other than football and men's soccer during the 2022–23 season.<ref name=SunBelt>Template:Cite news</ref> However, those plans would eventually change, with JMU and the SBC jointly announcing on February 2, 2022 that JMU would become a full SBC member, including football, in 2022–23.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
By the end of January 2022, both non-football members would announce their departures for other conferences, effective that July. On December 8, 2021, the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees voted to accept an invitation for Little Rock to join the Ohio Valley Conference,<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> and UT Arlington, which had been a Western Athletic Conference member in the 2012–13 school year, announced its return to that conference on January 21, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
Shortly thereafter, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss announced that they planned to leave C-USA for the Sun Belt in July 2022. They claimed to have notified C-USA of their plans in December 2021, apparently seeking to negotiate a 2022 exit. C-USA had indicated in late January 2022 that it expected the three schools to remain in that league through the 2022–23 school year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Marshall escalated the situation by filing suit against C-USA in its local court in an attempt to force a 2022 move.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On March 29, Conference USA agreed to let Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss move to the Sun Belt starting July 1, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On April 6, with the entrance of three new men's soccer-sponsoring schools in James Madison, Marshall, and Old Dominion, the Sun Belt announced that men's soccer would be reinstated as a sponsored sport. The three aforementioned programs joined current Sun Belt members Coastal Carolina (previously affiliates with Conference USA) as well as Georgia State and Georgia Southern (previously affiliates with the Mid-American Conference). Additionally, it was announced that Kentucky, South Carolina, and West Virginia would join as men's soccer affiliate members beginning in fall 2022, giving the conference an inaugural soccer membership of 9.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Kentucky and South Carolina were previously also affiliated with C-USA, while West Virginia was affiliated with the MAC. The SBC later announced it would add UCF as a men's soccer affiliate when that school joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> In men's soccer, the conference is not a "mid-major" conference, but a "power" conference due to the quasi-alliance of the Big 12 and SEC schools, plus the presence of Marshall, which has played in two national championship games in the 2020s, winning one.
On June 6, the SBC presidents & chancellors approved adding two new women's sports, beach volleyball and swimming & diving, no later than the 2023–24 school year. They also announced that the conference would explore adding another women's sport, field hockey, at an undetermined future date.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
On January 18, 2023, the SBC officially announced that its beach volleyball league would launch that spring, with the four full members sponsoring the sport joined by Charleston, Mercer, UNC Wilmington, and Stephen F. Austin as affiliate members.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
On August 17, 2023, the SBC officially announced the return of women's swimming and diving as a sponsored sport.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> However, the SBC would only sponsor the sport for two seasons before dropping it after the 2024–25 season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Member schools
[edit]Full members
[edit]- Notes
Affiliate members
[edit]| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | Sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Sort | Charleston, South Carolina | 1770 | 2022Template:Efn | Public | 10,468 | Cougars | Template:College color boxes | Beach volleyball | CAA |
| Template:Sort | Lexington, Kentucky | 1865 | 2022 | 32,710 | Wildcats | Template:College color boxes | Soccer (m) | SEC | |
| Template:Sort | Macon, Georgia | 1833 | 2022Template:Efn | Private | 8,740 | Bears | Template:College color boxes | Beach volleyball | SoCon |
| Template:Sort | Columbia, South Carolina | 1801 | 2022 | Public | 35,364 | Gamecocks | Template:College color boxes | Soccer (m) | SEC |
| Template:Sort | Orlando, FloridaTemplate:Efn | 1963 | 2023 | 70,406 | Knights | Template:College color boxes | Big 12 | ||
| Template:Sort | Wilmington, North Carolina | 1947 | 2022Template:Efn | 14,765 | Seahawks | Template:College color boxes | Beach volleyball | CAA | |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 1867 | 2022 | 26,269 | Mountaineers | Template:College color boxes | Soccer (m) | Big 12 |
Former full members
[edit]- Notes
Former affiliate members
[edit]- Notes
Membership timeline
[edit]<timeline> DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1976 till:2030 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:50 top:5
Colors =
id:line value:black id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # some sports, but not all 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:darkblue shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1981 text:Georgia State (1976–1981) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1983 bar:1 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:2005 text:TAAC bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:CAA bar:1 color:Full from:2013 till:end text: (2013–present)
bar:2 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1998 text:Jacksonville (1976–1998) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:end text:TAAC
bar:3 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1980 text:New Orleans (1976–1980) bar:3 shift:(65) color:OtherC1 from:1980 till:1987 text:Independent bar:3 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:3 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2010 text: (1991–2010) bar:3 shift:(-25) color:OtherC1 from:2010 till:2012 text:Independent bar:3 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:end text:Southland
bar:4 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1991 text:North Carolina–Charlotte (1976–1991) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:Metro bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2005 text:C-USA bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:A-10 bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2023 text:C-USA bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:5 color:FullxF from:1976 till:2012 text:South Alabama (1976–present) bar:5 color:Full from:2012 till:end
bar:6 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1991 text:South Florida (1976–1991) bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:Metro bar:6 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2005 text:C-USA bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:Big East bar:6 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:American
bar:7 color:FullxF from:1979 till:1991 text:Alabama–Birmingham (1979–1991) bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:GMC bar:7 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2023 text:C-USA bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:8 color:FullxF from:1979 till:1991 text:VCU (1979–1991) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:Metro bar:8 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2012 text:CAA bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:end text:A-10
bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:1979 till:1982 text:CAA bar:9 color:FullxF from:1982 till:1991 text:Old Dominion (1982–1991) bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:2013 text:CAA bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2022 text:C-USA bar:9 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:(2022–present)
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:OVC bar:10 color:FullxF from:1982 till:2009 text:Western Kentucky (1982–2014) bar:10 color:Full from:2009 till:2014 bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:C-USA
bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Southland bar:11 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:11 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2001 text:Arkansas State (1991–present) bar:11 color:Full from:2001 till:end
bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1977 text:AIC bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:1977 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1979 till:1991 text:TAAC bar:12 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2022 text:Little Rock (1991–2022) bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:OVC
bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1984 till:1990 text:Independent bar:13 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1991 text:ASC bar:13 color:FullxF from:1991 till:1992 text:UCF (1991–1992) bar:13 shift:(120) color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:2005 text:TAAC/ASUN bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:2005 till:2013 text:C-USA bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:American bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present)
bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Southland bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:14 color:FullxF from:1991 till:1998 text:Lamar (1991–1998) bar:14 shift:(-10) color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:1999 text:Indep. bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1999 till:2021 text:Southland bar:14 shift:(-8) color:OtherC1 from:2021 till:2022 text:WAC bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:end text:Southland
bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Southland bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:15 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2001 text:Louisiana Tech (1991–2001) bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:2013 text:WAC bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:C-USA
bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Southland bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:1987 text:Independent bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:16 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2001 text:Louisiana-Lafayette (1991–present) bar:16 color:Full from:2001 till:end
bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1978 text:Indep. bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1978 till:1980 text:TAAC bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1980 till:1987 text:Independent bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:17 color:FullxF from:1991 till:1998 text:Texas–Pan American (1991–1998) bar:17 shift:(50) color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:2009 text:Independent bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:2009 till:2013 text:GWC bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:WAC
bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1988 text:DII Independent bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1991 text:DI Indep. bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1998 text:TAAC bar:18 color:FullxF from:1998 till:2005 text:Florida International (1998–2013) bar:18 color:Full from:2005 till:2013 bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:C-USA
bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1980 text:DI Indep. bar:19 color:OtherC2 from:1980 till:1990 text:NAIA Indep. bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1990 till:1998 text:DII Indep. bar:19 shift:(-20) color:OtherC2 from:1998 till:1999 text:DI Indep. bar:19 color:FullxF from:1999 till:2012 text:Denver (1999–2012) bar:19 shift:(-5) color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC bar:19 shift:(10) color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:Summit
bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:2000 text:OVC bar:20 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2001 text:Middle Tennessee State (2000–2013) bar:20 color:Full from:2001 till:2013 bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:C-USA
bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:MVC bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:2000 text:PCAA/Big West bar:21 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2001 text:New Mexico State (2000–2005) bar:21 color:Full from:2001 till:2005 bar:21 shift:(60) color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2014 text:WAC (FB Indep. 2013) bar:21 color:AssocF from:2014 till:2018 text:(2014–2018) bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:2023 text:WAC (FB Indep.) bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:C-USA
bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Independent bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:1996 text:Southland bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:2000 text:Big West bar:22 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2001 text:North Texas (2000–2013) bar:22 color:Full from:2001 till:2013 bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:C-USA bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1996 text:Big Sky bar:23 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2001 text:Big West bar:23 color:AssocF from:2001 till:2005 text:Idaho (2001–2005) bar:23 shift:(25) color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2012 text:WAC bar:23 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2014 text:Indep. bar:23 color:AssocF from:2014 till:2018 text:(2014–2018) bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:end text:Big Sky
bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Independent bar:24 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:2001 text:Southland; FB Indep. (1994–2000) bar:24 color:AssocF from:2001 till:2006 text:Louisiana–Monroe (2001–present) bar:24 color:Full from:2006 till:end
bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1978 text:Indep. bar:25 color:OtherC2 from:1978 till:2003 text:PCAA/Big West; FB Indep. (2001–2003) bar:25 color:AssocF from:2003 till:2005 text:Utah State (2003–2005) bar:25 shift:(85) color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:WAC bar:25 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2026 text:MWC bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:Pac-12
bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1991 text:GSC bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1991 till:1993 text:Ind. bar:26 shift:(-5) color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1994 till:1997 text:Mid-Continent bar:26 shift:(20) color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:2004 text:TAAC/ASUN (FB Ind.) bar:26 color:AssocF from:2004 till:2005 text:Troy (2004–present) bar:26 color:Full from:2005 till:end
bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:NAIA Independent bar:27 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:1993 text: DII Independent bar:27 color:AssocF from:2005 till:2006 text:Florida Atlantic (2005–2013) bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:2006 text:TAAC/ASUN bar:27 color:Full from:2006 till:2013 bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:C-USA bar:27 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:American
bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:LSC bar:28 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:1987 text:GSC bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:2012 text:Southland bar:28 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC bar:28 color:Full from:2013 till:end text:Texas State (2013–present)
bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:2012 text:Southland bar:29 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC bar:29 color:FullxF from:2013 till:2022 text:UT Arlington (2013–2022) bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:WAC
bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:2014 text:SoCon bar:30 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Appalachian State (2014–present) bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1980 text:Independent bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1980 till:1992 text:TAAC bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:2014 text:SoCon bar:31 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Georgia Southern (2014–present)
bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:Independent bar:32 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:2016 text:Big South bar:32 color:FullxF from:2016 till:2017 text:Coastal Carolina (2016–present) bar:32 color:Full from:2017 till:end
bar:37 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:37 color:OtherC2 from:1979 till:2022 text:CAA bar:37 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:James Madison (2022–present)
bar:38 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1997 text:SoCon bar:38 color:OtherC2 from:1997 till:2005 text:MAC bar:38 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2022 text:C-USA bar:38 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Marshall (2022–present)
bar:39 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Independent bar:39 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:1995 text:Metro bar:39 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2022 text:C-USA bar:39 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Southern Miss (2022–present)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1976 </timeline>
Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color
Commissioners
[edit]
- Vic Bubas (1976–1990)
- Jim Lessig (1990–1991)
- Craig Thompson (1991–1998)
- Wright Waters (1999–2012)
- Karl Benson (2012–2019)
- Keith Gill (2019–present)
In addition to the five Sun Belt commissioners, three future league leaders served on the Sun Belt staff prior to becoming conference commissioners, including Doug Elgin (Missouri Valley), John Iamarino (Northeast, Southern), and Tom Burnett (Southland).
On October 12, 2011, ESPN reported that Wright Waters would retire, effective July 1, 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On February 15, 2012, Karl Benson was hired as the new commissioner of the Sun Belt, after having been the commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference for 17 years. Waters would later move his departure date to March 15, allowing Benson to take over at that time.<ref name="McMurphy 2012-04-07"/>
Keith Gill was named the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference on March 18, 2019. He is the first African American to lead any FBS conference.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Sports
[edit]As of the current 2024–25 school year, the Sun Belt Conference sponsors championship competition in nine men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The most recent change to sports sponsorship was the reinstatement of women's swimming and diving in 2023–24.
When Marshall was formally introduced as an incoming Sun Belt member, SBC commissioner Keith Gill also announced that the conference would reinstate men's soccer once all new members joined. Men's soccer resumed play in 2022–23 with six full members joined by three associates; a fourth associate joined in 2023–24. Beach volleyball started play with eight members, evenly divided between full members and associates.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Template:LeftBaseball | 14 | – |
| Template:LeftBasketball | 14 | 14 |
| Template:LeftBeach volleyball | – | 8 |
| Template:LeftCross country | 9 | 13 |
| Template:LeftFootball | 14 | – |
| Template:LeftGolf | 14 | 13 |
| Template:LeftSoccer | 10 | 14 |
| Template:LeftSoftball | – | 12 |
| Template:LeftSwimming and diving | – | 4 |
| Template:LeftTennis | 9 | 14 |
| Template:LeftTrack and field indoor | 7 | 13 |
| Template:LeftTrack and field outdoor | 10 | 13 |
| Template:LeftVolleyball | – | 14 |
Men's sponsored sports by school
[edit]Member-by-member sponsorship of the nine men's SBC sports for the 2023–24 academic year.
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Sun Belt
[edit]| School | SailingTemplate:Efn | Swimming & diving |
Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:LeftAppalachian State | SoCon | ||
| Template:LeftOld Dominion | Independent | ASUN |
Women's sponsored sports by school
[edit]Member-by-member sponsorship of the 11 women's SBC sports for the 2024–25 academic year.
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Sun Belt
[edit]| School | Bowling | Field hockey |
Lacrosse | Rifle | Rowing | SailingTemplate:Efn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:LeftAppalachian State | MAC | |||||
| Template:LeftArkansas State | CUSA | |||||
| Template:LeftCoastal Carolina | ASUN | |||||
| Template:LeftGeorgia Southern | SoCon | |||||
| Template:LeftJames Madison | MAC | American | ||||
| Template:LeftOld Dominion | Big East | American | Big 12 | Independent |
Championships
[edit]Template:See also "RS" is regular season, "T" is tournament. Championships from the previous academic year are flagged with the calendar year in which the most recent season or tournament ended.
Current Sun Belt champions
[edit]Template:Col-begin Template:Col-3
- Fall 2024
| Sport | School |
|---|---|
| Cross Country |
Appalachian State (men) Appalachian State (women) |
| Football | Marshall (East RS & CG) Louisiana (West RS) |
| Soccer (M) | West Virginia (RS & T) |
| Soccer (W) | James Madison (RS & T) |
| Volleyball (W) | Appalachian State (East RS) Arkansas State (West RS) Texas State (T) |
- Winter 2024–25
| Sport | School |
|---|---|
| Basketball (M) | Arkansas State, James Madison, South Alabama, & Troy (RS) Troy (T) |
| Basketball (W) |
James Madison (RS) Arkansas State (T) |
| Swimming & Diving (W) |
James Madison |
| Track & Field Indoor |
Louisiana (men) Texas State (women) |
- Spring 2025
| Sport | School |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Louisiana (RS, 2024) Southern Miss (T, 2024) |
| Beach Volleyball |
Georgia State (RS & T, 2024) |
| Golf | Arkansas State (men, 2024) Southern Miss (women) |
| Softball | Louisiana (RS, 2024) Texas State (T, 2024) |
| Tennis (M) | Old Dominion (RS & T) |
| Tennis (W) | Old Dominion (RS & T, 2024) |
| Track & Field Outdoor |
South Alabama (men, 2024) Texas State (women, 2024) |
NCAA champions
[edit]The only school to have won a national title while an SBC member is Old Dominion, which won one title in women's basketball and five in the non-SBC sport of field hockey during its first conference tenure from 1982 to 1991. Six other current members have won NCAA Division I team championships prior to joining the conference. Coastal Carolina won its only D-I national title on the day before it officially joined the SBC, while representing the Big South Conference.
| School | NCAA titles |
Sport | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion | Template:Center | Women's basketball | 1985 |
| Field hockey | 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1988 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1998 • 2000 | ||
| Georgia Southern | Template:Center | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 1985 • 1986 • 1989 • 1990 • 1999 • 2000 |
| James Madison | Template:Center | Field hockey | 1994 |
| Archery | 1995 | ||
| Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 2004 • 2016 | ||
| Women's lacrosse | 2018 | ||
| Appalachian State | Template:Center | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 2005 • 2006 • 2007 |
| Marshall | Template:Center | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 1992 • 1996 |
| Men's soccer | 2020 | ||
| Louisiana–Monroe | Template:Center | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 1987 |
| Coastal Carolina | Template:Center | Baseball | 2016 |
| Total | 29 |
See also: List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships, List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships, and NCAA Division I FBS Conferences
Football
[edit]For more information see Sun Belt Conference football. For the most recent season, see 2024 Sun Belt Conference football season.
The Sun Belt first began sponsoring football in 2001. It originally consisted of seven football playing schools, three of which are still members of the conference. Up until 2009, the conference only had a contract with one bowl, the New Orleans Bowl. Following the Sun Belt's improved football success and geographical membership changes, other bowls began to sign contracts with the Sun Belt Conference. Template:As of, the conference had seven bowl game tie-ins (Cure, Boca Raton, LendingTree, New Orleans, Myrtle Beach, Frisco, and Camellia)
Throughout the years, the conference has experienced flux in membership changes, similar to many other FBS conferences. The conference announced that beginning in 2018, the conference (10 teams after the departure of Idaho and New Mexico State)<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> would be divided into two divisions for football: East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy; West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The divisional alignments changed again with the 2022 expansion, with the new dividing line being the Alabama–Georgia border. The winner of each division will meet in the Sun Belt Championship game.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Notes
Sun Belt champions
[edit]Since the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS season, the Sun Belt Conference has held a football championship game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Notes
- Louisiana–Lafayette vacated 2013 shared Sun Belt Conference co-championship due to major NCAA violations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- The 2020 championship game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues; the divisional champions were declared league co-champions.
Bowl games
[edit]As of the 2024–25 NCAA football bowl games, the Sun Belt Conference had tie-ins with the following bowl games:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Football rivalries
[edit]Football rivalries involving Sun Belt teams include:
| Teams | Rivalry Name |
Trophy | Meetings (last) |
Record | Series Leader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | Georgia Southern | Deeper Than Hate | — | 40 (2024) |
22–17–1 | style=Template:CollegePrimaryStyle| Appalachian State |
| Appalachian State | Marshall | Old Mountain Feud | — | 27 (2024) |
16–11 | style=Template:CollegePrimaryStyle| Appalachian State |
| Georgia State | Georgia Southern | Modern Day Hate | — | 11 (2024) |
6–5 | style=Template:NCAA color cell| Georgia State |
| James Madison | Old Dominion | Royal Rivalry | Crown | 5 (2024) |
3–2 | style=Template:NCAA color cell| James Madison |
| Louisiana | Louisiana–Monroe | Battle on the Bayou | Wooden Boot | 60Template:Efn (2024) |
33–26 | style=Template:NCAA color cell (2024) | Louisiana |
| South Alabama | Troy | Battle for the Belt | Belt | 13 (2024) |
9–4 | style=Template:NCAA color cell| Troy |
- Notes
Basketball
[edit]Men's basketball
[edit]This list goes through the 2021–22 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Women's basketball
[edit]This list goes through the 2022–23 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Championships
[edit]Template:Main Since the 2022–23 season, the Sun Belt Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments, held in early March, have involved all 14 of the conference's teams, and have been bracketed in a semi-stepladder format. The bottom four seeds play in the first round; seed 5 through 10 receive byes to the second round, and the top 4 seeds to the quarterfinals. All rounds are held in Pensacola, Florida at Pensacola Bay Center since 2022.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I basketball tournament.
Baseball
[edit]Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Template:Main
The Sun Belt Conference has sponsored an annual baseball tournament to determine the conference winner since 1978. South Alabama has won the most championships, at 13.
- Teams in bold represent current conference members.
| School | Tourney titles |
Title Years |
|---|---|---|
| South Alabama | Template:Center | 1980 • 1981 • 1983 • 1984 • 1987 • 1992 • 1996 • 1997 • 2000 • 2001 • 2005 • 2017 • 2021 |
| Louisiana | Template:Center | 1998 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2022 |
| New Orleans | Template:Center | 1978 • 1979 • 2007 |
| South Florida | Template:Center | 1982 • 1986 • 1990 |
| Coastal Carolina | Template:Center | 2018 • 2019 |
| FIU | Template:Center | 1999 • 2010 |
| Lamar | Template:Center | 1993 • 1995 |
| Middle Tennessee | Template:Center | 2003 • 2009 |
| Southern Miss | Template:Center | 2023 • 2024 |
| Western Kentucky | Template:Center | 2004 • 2008 |
| Arkansas State | Template:Center | 1994 |
| Florida Atlantic | Template:Center | 2013 |
| Jacksonville | Template:Center | 1989 |
| Little Rock | Template:Center | 2011 |
| New Mexico State | Template:Center | 2002 |
| Old Dominion | Template:Center | 1985 |
| Troy | Template:Center | 2006 |
| UAB | Template:Center | 1991 |
| ULM | Template:Center | 2012 |
| VCU | Template:Center | 1988 |
Template:Col-2 Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
| Season | Tournament Champion |
|---|---|
| 1978 | New Orleans |
| 1979 | New Orleans |
| 1980 | South Alabama |
| 1981 | South Alabama |
| 1982 | South Florida |
| 1983 | South Alabama |
| 1984 | South Alabama |
| 1985 | Old Dominion |
| 1986 | South Florida |
| 1987 | South Alabama |
| 1988 | Virginia Commonwealth |
| 1989 | Jacksonville |
| 1990 | South Florida |
| 1991 | Alabama–Birmingham |
| 1992 | South Alabama |
| 1993 | Lamar |
| 1994 | Arkansas State |
| 1995 | Lamar |
| 1996 | South Alabama |
| 1997 | South Alabama |
| Season | Tournament Champion |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Southwestern Louisiana |
| 1999 | Florida International |
| 2000 | South Alabama |
| 2001 | South Alabama |
| 2002 | New Mexico State |
| 2003 | Middle Tennessee State |
| 2004 | Western Kentucky |
| 2005 | South Alabama |
| 2006 | Troy |
| 2007 | New Orleans |
| 2008 | Western Kentucky |
| 2009 | Middle Tennessee State |
| 2010 | Florida International |
| 2011 | Arkansas–Little Rock |
| 2012 | Louisiana–Monroe |
| 2013 | Florida Atlantic |
| 2014 | Louisiana |
| 2015 | Louisiana |
| 2016 | Louisiana |
| 2017 | South Alabama |
| 2018 | Coastal Carolina |
| 2019 | Coastal Carolina |
| 2020 | No champion due to COVID-19 |
| 2021 | South Alabama |
| 2022 | Louisiana |
| 2023 | Southern Miss |
| 2024 | Southern Miss |
Template:Col-end Template:Col-end
Facilities
[edit]
- Notes
Athletic department revenue by school
[edit]Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights and licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, concessions, and novelties.
Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.
The following table shows institutional reporting to the United States Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2021–22 academic year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
| Institution | 2021–22 Total Revenue from Athletics | 2021–22 Total Expenses on Athletics |
|---|---|---|
| James Madison University | $52,857,185 | $52,857,185 |
| Old Dominion University | $47,364,891 | $45,109,567 |
| Georgia State University | $45,248,891 | $39,913,977 |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | $39,088,716 | $39,088,716 |
| Marshall University | $38,114,204 | $38,114,204 |
| Coastal Carolina University | $38,077,490 | $38,077,490 |
| Texas State University | $33,707,371 | $33,707,371 |
| Appalachian State University | $32,271,589 | $32,271,589 |
| Georgia Southern University | $29,737,578 | $29,737,578 |
| Troy University | $29,054,724 | $29,054,724 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | $25,564,444 | $25,564,444 |
| University of South Alabama | $24,652,380 | $24,652,380 |
| Arkansas State University | $21,009,474 | $21,009,474 |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | $18,416,615 | $18,416,615 |
Academics
[edit]Four of the Sun Belt's member schools, Georgia State, Louisiana, Old Dominion and Southern Miss are doctorate-granting universities with "very high research activity," the highest classification given by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.<ref name="carnegie">Template:Cite web</ref>
Appalachian State is also currently ranked as one of the Top 10 regional schools in the South by the U.S. News & World Report.
| University | Affiliation | Carnegie<ref name="carnegie"/> | Endowment<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | US News<ref name="US News Rankings">Template:Cite web</ref> | Forbes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Sort | Public (UNC) | Template:NtshResearch (High) | Template:Ntsh$99,593,000<ref name="nacubo.org">Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Ntsh6 (Regional: South) | Template:Ntsh301 |
| Template:Sort | Public (ASU System) | Template:NtshResearch (High) | Template:Ntsh$66,217,000<ref name="nacubo.org"/> | Template:Ntsh317 (National) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public | Template:NtshMaster's (Larger) | Template:Ntsh$39,432,000<ref name="nacubo.org"/> | Template:Ntsh38 (Regional: South) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public (USG System) | Template:NtshResearch (High) | Template:Ntsh$50,999,000<ref name="nacubo.org"/> | Template:Ntsh331-440 (National) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public (USG System) | Template:NtshResearch (Very High) | Template:Ntsh$155,303,000<ref name="nacubo.org"/> | Template:Ntsh234 (National) | Template:Ntsh367 |
| Template:Sort | Public | Template:NtshResearch (High) | Template:Ntsh$116,700,000<ref name="endowmentmarketvalue">Template:Cite report</ref> | Template:Ntsh151 (National) | Template:Ntsh139 |
| Template:Sort | Public (UL System) | Template:NtshResearch (Very High) | Template:Ntsh$178,300,000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Ntsh331-440 (National) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public (UL System) | Template:NtshDoctoral/Research | Template:Ntsh$28,787,795<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | Template:Ntsh331-440 (National) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public | Template:NtshResearch (High) | Template:Ntsh$192,000,000<ref name="endowmentmarketvalue" /> | Template:Ntsh299 (National) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public | Template:NtshResearch (Very High) | Template:Ntsh$265,800,000<ref name="endowmentmarketvalue" /> | Template:Ntsh299 (National) | Template:Ntsh472 |
| Template:Sort | Public | Template:NtshResearch (High) | Template:Ntsh$555,735,000<ref name="nacubo.org"/> | Template:Ntsh331-440 (National) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public | Template:NtshResearch (Very High) | Template:Ntsh$136,300,000<ref name="endowmentmarketvalue" /> | Template:Ntsh331-440 (National) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
| Template:Sort | Public (TSU System) | Template:NtshResearch (High) | Template:Ntsh$186,676,000<ref name="nacubo.org"/> | Template:Ntsh331-440 (National) | Template:Ntsh385 |
| Template:Sort | Public (TU System) | Template:NtshDoctoral/Research<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Ntsh$191,458,000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Ntsh44 (Regional: South) | Template:NtshN/ATemplate:Refn |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]Template:Sun Belt Conference navbox Template:NCAA Division I all-sports conferences Template:NCAA Division I FBS conference navbox
- Pages with broken file links
- Sun Belt Conference
- Organizations based in New Orleans
- Sports organizations established in 1976
- Sports in the Southern United States
- College sports in Alabama
- College sports in Arkansas
- College sports in Georgia (U.S. state)
- College sports in Louisiana
- College sports in Mississippi
- College sports in North Carolina
- College sports in South Carolina
- College sports in Texas
- College sports in Virginia
- College sports in West Virginia