Southland Conference

Last updated
Southland Conference
Southland Conference primary logo.svg
FormerlySouthland Football League (1996–2002, football-only)
Association NCAA
Founded1963
CommissionerChris Grant (since 2022)
Sports fielded
  • 18
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 10
Division Division I
Subdivision FCS
No. of teams10 (11 in 2024)
Headquarters Frisco, Texas
Region West South Central
Official website southland.org
Locations
Southland Conference Map.svg

The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Southland sponsors 18 sports, 10 for women and eight for men, and is governed by a presidential Board of Directors and an Advisory Council of athletic and academic administrators. Chris Grant became the Southland's seventh commissioner on April 5, 2022. [1] From 1996 to 2002, for football only, the Southland Conference was known as the Southland Football League. [2]

Contents

The conference's offices are located in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas. According to a press release from April 11, 2022, the conference was to undergo a rebrand in 2022 that included a new name and logo. [3] The rebranding was unveiled in March 2023, with a new logo but no change to the conference name. [4]

History

Chronological timeline

Southland Conference
Southland Conference
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150km
100miles
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Houston Christian
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UTRGV
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Southeastern Louisiana
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Texas A&M–Corpus Christi
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Northwestern State
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Nicholls
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New Orleans
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Texas A&M–Commerce
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Lamar
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McNeese
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Incarnate Word
Location of Southland members: Location dot blue.svg full, Location dot orange.svg future

Founded in 1963, its members were Abilene Christian College (now Abilene Christian University; departed in 1973 for NCAA Division II, but moved to Division I and rejoined the Southland in 2013), Arkansas State College (now Arkansas State University; departed in 1987, now a member of the Sun Belt Conference), Arlington State College (now The University of Texas at Arlington, departed in 2012 and now in the Western Athletic Conference), [5] Lamar State College of Technology (now Lamar University; departed in 1987, rejoined in 1999, left again in 2021, returned in 2022), [6] and Trinity University (departed in 1972, now participating in NCAA Division III).

Since its founding, the Southland Conference has been the home for 18 college and university all-sports programs (see membership timeline below). In addition, the conference has also been home to some schools for one sport only. In the case of football, Troy University fielded a team from 1996 to 2000 and Jacksonville State University did so from 1997 to 2002. This has also been the case for some Olympic sports like men's tennis, in which the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA) and the University of New Orleans (UNO) fielded teams as affiliate members before 2013, when UTPA joined the WAC and UNO became a full Southland member.

The Southland underwent major turmoil in 2021, losing five members. On January 14, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) announced that four Southland members—Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, and Stephen F. Austin—would join that conference in July 2022. [7] Within a week, the Southland expelled those four schools, leading the WAC to move their entry up to July 2021. [8] [9] A fifth member, Central Arkansas, announced on January 29 that it would join the ASUN Conference effective that July. [10] At the time, the ASUN was a non-football conference, but soon entered into a football partnership with the WAC that gave Central Arkansas and two other incoming ASUN members a football home until an ASUN football league was established. [11]

The Southland began the process of rebuilding its core membership in September 2021, announcing that Texas A&M University–Commerce would start a transition from NCAA Division II and join the conference in July 2022. [12] The SLC also announced a football scheduling alliance with the Ohio Valley Conference, another FCS league that had experienced major membership losses during the early-2020s realignment cycle, for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. [13] However, shortly after A&M–Commerce was announced as a future member, the SLC was set to experience further attrition when the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) announced that it would leave for the WAC after the 2021–22 school year. [14] Ultimately, however, this did not come to pass, as UIW announced it would be staying in the SLC only 7 months after announcing its departure. [15] McNeese was also courted by the WAC, and also flirted with a move to Conference USA, but eventually stayed in the SLC. According to the American Press, the daily newspaper of McNeese's home of Lake Charles, Louisiana, McNeese became "the de facto lead school in the league". It was set to host the SLC's football media day through at least the 2026 season, as well as the conference tournaments in men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball through 2026. [16]

More recently, Lamar announced it would return to the SLC effective in 2023–24. [17] In addition, on April 11, 2022 the conference announced in a press release that it had partnered with Troika Media Group to institute a rebrand to be implemented before the end of the calendar year. The release stated that the rebrand would include, among other things, a new name for the conference. [18] On July 11, 2022, Lamar and the Southland Conference announced Lamar's accelerated return to the SLC effective immediately. [19] The following day saw the SLC lose two of its women's golf associates when the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Northeast Conference (NEC) announced a partnership for baseball and men's and women's golf that saw all MEAC schools that sponsored those sports become NEC associates. Accordingly, Delaware State and Maryland Eastern Shore, which had joined SLC women's golf just a year earlier, moved that sport to the NEC. [20]

On March 25, 2024, the Southland expanded again with the announcement that the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley would join the conference effective in July 2024, joining Lamar from the WAC. [21]

Member schools

Current full members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmentEndowment
(millions)		NicknameColors
Houston Christian University [lower-alpha 1] Houston, Texas 19602013Private4,257 [23] $132 Huskies    
University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, Texas 18812013Private9,191 [24] $175 Cardinals      
Lamar University Beaumont, Texas 19231963;
1999;
2022 [lower-alpha 2] [25] 		Public17,044 [26] $161 Cardinals/Lady Cardinals    
McNeese State University Lake Charles, Louisiana 19391972Public7,648 [27] $118 Cowboys/Cowgirls    
University of New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana 19582013Public8,151 [28] $25.8 Privateers      
Nicholls State University Thibodaux, Louisiana 19481991Public6,366 [29] $30 Colonels    
Northwestern State University Natchitoches, Louisiana 18841987Public10,979 [30] $20.8 Demons/Lady Demons      
Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond, Louisiana 19251997Public13,492 [31] $22.6 Lions/Lady Lions    
Texas A&M University–Commerce Commerce, Texas 18892022Public12,385 [32] $33.2 Lions    
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas 19472006Public12,174 [33] $24.7 Islanders      

Future members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoiningTypeEnrollmentEndowment
(millions)		NicknameCurrent conferenceColors
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(UTRGV)		 Edinburg, Texas [lower-alpha 3] 2015 [lower-alpha 4] 2024 [lower-alpha 5] Public32,419 [34] $103.7 Vaqueros WAC    
Notes
  1. ↑ As of September 2022, Houston Baptist University's name transitioned to "Houston Christian University" and will play under that name, including the shorthand "Houston Christian" effective immediately. [22]
  2. ↑ Lamar departed in 1987, rejoined in 1999, left again in 2021, returned in 2022.
  3. ↑ UTRGV has multiple campuses within its service area, but its academic and athletic administrations are at the Edinburg campus it inherited from its athletic predecessor of the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA).
  4. ↑ UTRGV was formally founded in 2013, but did not start instruction until 2015.
  5. ↑ While UTRGV will formally join the Southland in 2024, the athletic program traces its history through UTPA, which was a Southland affiliate in men's tennis from 2000 until 2013. The UTRGV athletic program inherited UTPA's memberships in Division I and the Western Athletic Conference.

Associate members

The Southland added four associate members in golf effective with the 2021–22 school year. One school joined in men's golf only, two in women's golf only, and one in both. [35] [36] A fifth school joined at the same time for both men's and women's tennis, [37] and two more schools joined in July 2022, one for men's and women's golf and tennis and the other for beach volleyball. [38] [39] However, as noted previously, two of these schools left a year later when their full-time home of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference entered into a women's golf partnership with the Northeast Conference. The Southland Conference announced UIC joining the conference as an affiliate in men's tennis for the 2022–23 season on July 14. [40] San Jose State was added as a multi-year beach volleyball affiliate beginning with the 2023 season (2022–23 school year). [41] UIC would only spend one season in SLC men's tennis, moving that sport to the Mid-American Conference in July 2023. [42]

InstitutionNicknameLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentJoinedCurrent
primary
conference		Southland
sport(s)
Augusta University Jaguars Augusta, Georgia 1828Public9,2742021–22m.gf.
2021–22w.gf.		 Peach Belt
(NCAA Division II)		Men's golf
Women's golf
Boise State University Broncos Boise, Idaho 1932Public22,0642022–23 Mountain West Beach volleyball
Bryant University Bulldogs Smithfield, Rhode Island 1863Private3,7512022–23 America East Men's golf
Women's golf
Men's tennis
Women's tennis
Francis Marion University Patriots Florence, South Carolina 1970Public4,1872021–22 Carolinas
(NCAA Division II)		Men's golf
New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders Newark, New Jersey 1881Public12,3322021–22 America East Men's tennis
Women's tennis
San Jose State University Spartans San Jose, California 1857Public33,8482022–23 Mountain West Beach Volleyball

Former full members

School names and nicknames listed here reflect those in use in each institution's final school year of Southland Conference membership.

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedLeftTypeNicknameColorsCurrent
conference
Abilene Christian University Abilene, Texas 19061963;
2013		1973;
2021		Private Wildcats     WAC [lower-alpha 1]
Arkansas State University Jonesboro, Arkansas 190919631987Public Indians [lower-alpha 2]     Sun Belt
University of Central Arkansas Conway, Arkansas 190720062021Public Bears/Sugar Bears     ASUN [lower-alpha 1]
Louisiana Tech University Ruston, Louisiana 189419711987Public Bulldogs
Lady Techsters 		   
   		 CUSA
Northeast Louisiana University Monroe, Louisiana 193119822006Public Indians [lower-alpha 3]     Sun Belt
University of North Texas Denton, Texas 189019821996Public Mean Green     The American
Oral Roberts University Tulsa, Oklahoma 196320122014Private Golden Eagles       Summit League
University of Southwestern Louisiana [lower-alpha 4] Lafayette, Louisiana 189819711982Public Ragin' Cajuns     Sun Belt
Sam Houston State University Huntsville, Texas 187919872021Public Bearkats     CUSA
Stephen F. Austin State University Nacogdoches, Texas 192319872021Public Lumberjacks/Ladyjacks     WAC [lower-alpha 1]
Texas State University [lower-alpha 5] San Marcos, Texas 189919872012Public Bobcats     Sun Belt
University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas 189519632012Public Mavericks       WAC
University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas 196919912012Public Roadrunners       The American
Trinity University San Antonio, Texas 186919631972Private Tigers     SCAC
(NCAA Division III)
Notes
  1. 1 2 3 Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, and Stephen F. Austin play football in the United Athletic Conference, a football-only partnership between the ASUN and WAC.
  2. ↑ Arkansas State changed its nickname to Red Wolves after leaving the Southland Conference.
  3. ↑ Louisiana–Monroe changed its nickname to Warhawks after leaving the Southland Conference.
  4. ↑ Southwestern Louisiana changed its institutional name to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1999, after leaving the Southland Conference. Still later, the school changed its athletic branding to "Louisiana", with no city identifier.
  5. ↑ Texas State dropped its city of San Marcos from its institutional name in 2013, a year after leaving the Southland Conference.

Former associate members

InstitutionNicknameLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentJoinedLeftCurrent
primary
conference		Current conference
in former
SLC sport(s)		SLC
sport(s)
Centenary College of Louisiana [lower-alpha 1] Gentlemen Shreveport, Louisiana 1825Private/United Methodist5002000–012002–03 SCAC [43]
(NCAA Division III)		N/Amen's tennis
Delaware State University Hornets Dover, Delaware 1891Public [lower-alpha 2]
(HBCU)		5,0542021–222021–22 MEAC NEC Women's golf
Jacksonville State University Gamecocks Jacksonville, Alabama 1883Public9,4901997–982002–03 CUSA football
University of Illinois Chicago Flames Chicago, Illinois 1859Public34,1992022–232023–24 Missouri Valley MAC Men's tennis
University of Southwestern Louisiana [lower-alpha 3] Ragin' Cajuns Lafayette, Louisiana 1898Public16,8851982–831986–87 Sun Belt women's sports
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks Princess Anne, Maryland 1886Public2,8882021–222021–22 MEAC NEC Women's golf
University of New Orleans Privateers New Orleans, Louisiana 1958Public9,8252012–132012–13Southlandmen's tennis
Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi Islanders Corpus Christi, Texas 1947Public9,6002003–042005–06Southlandmen's tennis
University of Texas–Pan American [lower-alpha 4] Broncs [lower-alpha 5] Edinburg, Texas [lower-alpha 6] 1927Public17,0482000–012012–13 WAC
(Southland in 2024 as UTRGV)		men's tennis
Troy State University [lower-alpha 7] Trojans Troy, Alabama 1887Public29,6891996–972000–01 Sun Belt football
Notes
  1. ↑ Centenary no longer sponsors men's tennis.
  2. ↑ Delaware State is officially chartered as a "privately-governed, state-assisted" institution. This status is broadly similar to that of New York State's statutory colleges, most of which are housed at Cornell University, or institutions in Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education.
  3. ↑ Currently known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and branded athletically as Louisiana.
  4. ↑ Texas–Pan American (UTPA) ceased to exist at the start of the 2015–16 school year, when it merged with the nearby University of Texas at Brownsville to create the new University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), which becomes a full SLC member in July 2024. [44]
  5. ↑ Nearly a year before the merger, the University of Texas System announced that UTRGV would directly inherit the UTPA athletic program. [45] The new nickname of Vaqueros was announced in November 2014. [46] The UTRGV athletic program thus claims all of UTPA's athletic history and records.
  6. ↑ The UTRGV athletic program continues to be based at the former UTPA main campus in Edinburg.
  7. ↑ Currently known as Troy University.

Membership timeline

University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyUniversity of Texas–Pan AmericanTexas A&M University–CommerceUniversity of the Incarnate WordHouston Christian UniversityHouston Christian UniversityUniversity of New OrleansOral Roberts UniversityUniversity of Central ArkansasTexas A&M University–Corpus ChristiSoutheastern Louisiana UniversityJacksonville State UniversityTroy UniversityNicholls State UniversityUniversity of Texas at San AntonioStephen F. Austin State UniversitySam Houston State UniversityNorthwestern State UniversityTexas State UniversityTexas State UniversityUniversity of Louisiana at MonroeUniversity of Louisiana at MonroeUniversity of North TexasMcNeese State UniversityLouisiana Tech UniversityUniversity of Louisiana at LafayetteUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonLamar UniversityLamar UniversityArkansas State UniversityAbilene Christian UniversityAbilene Christian UniversityTrinity University (Texas)Southland Conference

Full membersFull members (non-football)Associate members (football only)

1. - Southwestern Louisiana became the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Louisiana–Lafayette, now athletically branded as simply Louisiana) in 1999.
2. - Northeast Louisiana became the University of Louisiana at Monroe (Louisiana–Monroe) in 1999.

Sports

The Southland Conference sponsors championship competition in eight men's and 10 women's NCAA sanctioned sports. [47] The most recently added sport is beach volleyball, with SLC competition starting in 2019–20. [48]

Teams in Southland Conference competition
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
9
–
Basketball
10
10
Beach Volleyball
–
7
Cross Country
10
10
Football
8
–
Golf
11
8
Soccer
–
9
Softball
–
9
Tennis
7
10
Track and Field (Indoor)
9
10
Track and Field (Outdoor)
9
10
Volleyball (Indoor)
–
10

Men's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross CountryFootballGolfTennisTrack & Field
(Indoor)		Track & Field
(Outdoor)		Total Southland Sports
Houston ChristianYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes7
Incarnate WordYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes8
LamarYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes8
McNeeseYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes7
New OrleansYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes7
NichollsYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNo6
Northwestern StateYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYes6
Southeastern LouisianaYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes7
Texas A&M–CommerceNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes6
Texas A&M–Corpus ChristiYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYes6
Future member
UTRGVYesYesYesNo [lower-alpha 1] YesYesYesYes7
Affiliate members
AugustaYes1
BryantYesYes2
Francis MarionYes1
NJITYes1
Totals9101088+35+29968+5

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Southland Conference which are played by SLC schools:

SchoolSoccerSwimming &
Diving		Fencing
Houston Christian OVC NoNo
Incarnate Word OVC MPSF MPSF
UTRGV WAC NoNo

Notes

  1. ↑ UTRGV plans to play an exhibition football schedule in 2024 and start full varsity play in the Southland in 2025.

Women's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBasketballBeach VolleyballCross CountryGolfSoccerSoftballTennisTrack & Field
(Indoor)		Track & Field
(Outdoor)		VolleyballTotal Southland Sports
Houston ChristianYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes9
Incarnate WordYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes9
LamarYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes9
McNeeseYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes9
New OrleansYesYesYesNoNoNoYesYesYesYes7
NichollsYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
Northwestern StateYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes8
Southeastern LouisianaYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
Texas A&M–CommerceYesNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes8
Texas A&M–Corpus ChristiYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes10
Future member
UTRGVYesNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes8
Affiliate members
AugustaYes1
Boise StateYes1
BryantYesYes2
NJITYes1
San Jose StateYes1
Totals105+2106+2998+210101087+6

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Southland Conference which are played by SLC schools:

SchoolSwimming &
Diving		Fencing
Incarnate Word MPSF MPSF
UTRGV WAC No

Notes

    Football

    Former and current players from the Southland that would go on to star in the National Football League include Gary Barbaro, Mike Barber, Fred Barnett, Bill Bergey, Derrick Blaylock, Bubby Brister, Ray Brown, Roger Carr, Mark Carrier, Larry Centers, Bruce Collie, Keith Davis, Fred Dean, Jackie Harris, Stan Humphries, Buford Jordan, Wade Key, Josh McCown, Tim McKyer, Jeff Novak, Kavika Pittman, Mike Quinn, Billy Ryckman, Ricky Sanders, Eugene Seale, Rafael Septién, Terrance Shaw, Marcus Spears, Chad Stanley, Pat Tilley, Jeremiah Trotter, Marvin Upshaw, Lardarius Webb and Spergon Wynn. The Southland was instrumental in founding the Independence Bowl, and the Southland champion served as the automatic home team for that bowl from 1976–1980. [49] On May 21, 2014, the Southland Conference approved the use of instant replay at all its home games becoming the first FCS league to fully commit to having all games utilize instant replay. [50] [51]

    Men's basketball

    Among notable NBA stars attending Southland Conference schools include Karl Malone (Louisiana Tech), Joe Dumars (McNeese), Jeff Foster (Southwest Texas State, now known as Texas State), and Andrew Toney (Southwestern Louisiana, now known as Louisiana).

    Women's basketball

    Former member Louisiana–Monroe (then Northeast Louisiana) advanced to the 1985 NCAA Women's Final Four.

    Championships

    Spending and revenue

    Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights/licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, food and novelties. Total expenses includes coaching/staff, scholarships, buildings/ground, maintenance, utilities and rental fees and all other costs including recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues and insurance costs.

    Conference Rank (2022-23) Institution2022-23 Total Revenue from Athletics [52] 20222-23 Total Expenses on Athletics [52]
    1 Incarnate Word $24,544,713$24,544,713
    2 Lamar $21,287,614$21,287,614
    3 Houston Christian $20,167,919$20,167,919
    4 Southeastern Louisiana $15,750,278$15,750,278
    5 Texas A&M Commerce $15,344,594$15,568,324
    6 Texas A&M Corpus Christi $15,046,826$15,046,826
    7 McNeese $14,926,562$14,991,656
    8 Nicholls $11,658,725$11,658,725
    9 Northwestern State $10,802,623$13,074,407
    10 New Orleans $8,497,274$8,497,274
    Notes
    Note 1 - Data from U.S. Department of Education Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Cutting Tool Database. Ranking based on revenue position in selection of records using NCAA Division I-FBS, NCAA Division I-FCS, and NCAA Division I without football criteria. OPE Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Cutting Tool used in order to provide ranking for private institutions in the conference.
    Note 2 - Non football programs
    Note 3 - Reporting period is from midyear 2022 to midyear 2023

    Facilities

    SchoolFootball stadiumCapacitySoccer stadiumCapacityBasketball arenaCapacityBaseball stadiumCapacitySoftball stadiumCapacity
    Houston Christian Husky Stadium 5,000 [53] Sorrels Field 500 Sharp Gymnasium 1,000 Husky Field 500 [54] Husky Field 300
    Incarnate Word Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium 6,000 Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium 6,000 McDermott Convocation Center 2,000 Sullivan Field 1,000 H-E-B Field 250
    Lamar Provost Umphrey Stadium 16,000 Lamar Soccer Complex 500 Montagne Center 10,080 Vincent–Beck Stadium 3,500 Lamar Softball Complex 500 [55]
    McNeese Cowboy Stadium 17,610 Cowgirl Field 300 The Legacy Center 4,242 [56] Joe Miller Ballpark 2,000 Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond 1,200
    New Orleans Non-football schoolNon-soccer school Lakefront Arena 8,933 Maestri Field at Privateer Park 2,900 [57] Non-softball school
    Nicholls Manning Field at John L. Guidry Stadium 10,500 Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex [58] 1,000 Stopher Gymnasium 3,800 Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field 2,100 Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park 500
    Northwestern State Harry Turpin Stadium 15,971 Lady Demon Soccer Complex 1,000 Prather Coliseum 3,900 H. Alvin Brown–C. C. Stroud Field 1,200 Lady Demon Diamond 1,000 [59]
    Southeastern Louisiana Strawberry Stadium 7,408 Southeastern Soccer Complex 1,000 University Center 7,500 Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field 2,500 North Oak Park 500
    Texas A&M–Commerce Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium 11,582 Lion Soccer Field 500 Texas A&M–Commerce Field House 3,055Non-baseball school John Cain Family Softball Complex 800
    Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Non-football school Dr. Jack Dugan Soccer & Track Stadium 1,000 American Bank Center 9,385 Chapman Field [lower-alpha 1] 750 Chapman Field 200
    UTRGV Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium [lower-alpha 2] 9,735UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex [62] 1,555 UTRGV Fieldhouse [lower-alpha 3] 2,500 [64] UTRGV Baseball Stadium 5,000 [65] Non-softball school
    Notes
    1. ↑ Texas A&M–Corpus Christi uses off-campus Whataburger Field as their home field for some high-profile games and some tournaments. [60]
    2. ↑ UTRGV also plans to play one home game a year at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville (Capacity 10,300) [61] .
    3. ↑ UTRGV also schedules home basketball games at Bert Ogden Arena (capacity 9,334). [63]

    Media

    Southland Conference Television Network

    The Conference began its own syndicated broadcast entity in 2008, the Southland Conference Television Network. It aired in over 25 markets in the league's four-state region, plus on national networks such as Fox College Sports, ESPN GamePlan, and ESPN3. In 2008-09, the network featured 35 broadcasts, and over 30 in each of the next four seasons.

    For 2013 and 2014, the syndicated network was restricted to only regular season football games. The remainder of the schedule was available on ESPN3 or regional sports networks, including regular season and tournament basketball as well as championships in soccer, volleyball, softball and baseball. ESPN3 also carried an exclusive package of football games beyond the syndicated network's schedule.

    SLCTV dissolved on July 1, 2015. Beginning with the 2015–16 school year, the Southland Conference entered into an agreement with the American Sports Network to syndicate and televise selected games, [66] while also continuing its association with ESPN3. [67] A separate deal will allow for Louisiana-based Cox Sports Television to air select games. [68]

    After ASN folded following the 2016–17 academic year, the Southland announced a television agreement with Eleven Sports. [69] During 2017-18, conference-controlled games aired on ESPN3, Eleven Sports, Fox Sports Southwest and Cox Sports Television. For 2018-19, ESPN productions began to be split between ESPN3 and ESPN+ platforms. On October 8, 2020, the Southland Conference announced a multi-year extension through the 2024–25 academic year as well as an expansion of its media rights agreement with ESPN. [70]

    Academics

    InstitutionUniversity System Endowment [71] [72] U.S. News
    rank [71]     		Carnegie
    Foundation
    Classification     [73]
    Houston Christian UniversityNot Applicable$111,000,000 [74] 61
    (Regional: West)    		Masters
    (Larger Programs)
    University of the Incarnate WordNot Applicable$143,800,000 [75] 263
    (National)    		Doctoral
    (Professional Universities)
    Lamar University Texas State University System $131,000,000 [76] [77] RNP
    (National)    		Doctoral
    (Professional Universities)
    McNeese State University University of Louisiana System $118,000,000 [78] 98
    (Regional: South)    		Masters
    (Larger Programs)
    University of New OrleansUniversity of Louisiana System$22,100,000 [79] 202
    (National)    		Doctoral
    (High Research)
    Nicholls State UniversityUniversity of Louisiana System$8,190,000 [80] 88
    (Regional: South)    		Masters
    (Medium Programs)
    Northwestern State UniversityUniversity of Louisiana System$16,400,000 [81] 88
    Regional: South)    		Masters
    (Larger Programs)
    Southeastern Louisiana UniversityUniversity of Louisiana System$18,100,000 [82] 93
    (Regional: South)    		Masters
    (Larger Programs)
    Texas A&M University–Commerce Texas A&M University System $30,200,000 [83] RNP
    (National)    		Doctoral
    (Professional Universities)
    Texas A&M University–Corpus ChristiTexas A&M University System$20,100,000 [84] RNP
    (National)    		Doctoral
    (High Research)

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    The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) located in the U.S. state of Texas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as members of the United Athletic Conference. The UAC, newly formed for the 2023 season, is a merger of the football leagues of SFA's primary home of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the ASUN Conference. It replaces an alliance between the two conferences that operated in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

    The Southland Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is an award given to the Southland Conference's (SLC) most outstanding player. The award was first given following the conference's inaugural basketball season of 1963–64. Five players have won the award two times: Jerry Rook, Larry Jeffries, Andrew Toney, Ryan Stuart and Thomas Walkup. No player has ever won three times. McNeese has the most all-time winners with nine. Among current SLC members, three have never had a winner: Houston Christian and Incarnate Word, both of which joined in 2013, and Texas A&M–Commerce, which joined in 2022.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Abilene Christian Wildcats</span> Sports teams of Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas

    Abilene Christian Wildcats refers to the sports teams of Abilene Christian University located in Abilene, Texas. The Wildcats joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) on July 1, 2021, after having spent the previous eight years in the Southland Conference. The nickname "Wildcat" is derived from the mascot of the team.

    The Lamar Cardinals football program represents Lamar University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level. The Cardinals are members of the Southland Conference and play their home games in the 16,000 seat Provost Umphrey Stadium. The Cardinals left the Southland Conference in July 2021 to join the Western Athletic Conference, which relaunched its football league at the FCS level during the 2021 season. After one season in the WAC, Lamar and the Southland Conference announced on July 11, 2022 Lamar's accelerated return to the Southland Conference effective immediately.

    The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball team, or UTRGV Vaqueros, represents the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas, United States. The school's team competed in the Western Athletic Conference through the 2023–24 season, and will move to the Southland Conference after that season. They play their home games at the UTRGV Fieldhouse. The Vaqueros are one of 45 Division I programs to have never appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">American South Conference</span>

    The American South Conference was an NCAA Division I athletic conference that existed from 1987–88 to 1990–91. The charter members were Arkansas State University, Lamar University, Louisiana Tech University, the University of New Orleans, the University of Southwestern Louisiana and the University of Texas–Pan American. The University of Central Florida (UCF) became the only expansion school during the conference's final academic season before merging with the Sun Belt Conference. The Sun Belt, which was losing all but three members, merged with the American South conference. The combined conference retained the name of the older Sun Belt Conference. Craig Thompson, the American South's first and only commissioner, became commissioner of the merged Sun Belt. After serving as Sun Belt commissioner for eight years, he became commissioner of the newly formed Mountain West Conference in 1998.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros</span>

    The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros is a collegiate athletic program that represents the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The Vaqueros inherited the NCAA Division I status of the Texas–Pan American Broncs and competed in the Western Athletic Conference. In March 2024, it was reported that the Vaqueros would leave the WAC for the Southland Conference, beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.

    The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros women's basketball team is the intercollegiate women's basketball program representing the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The school competed in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), part of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), through the 2023–24 season. In July 2024, UTRGV will leave the WAC for the Southland Conference. The Vaqueros play home basketball games at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the university campus in Edinburg, Texas.

    The 2022 NCAA Division I baseball season was a college baseball season in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level. It began on February 18, 2022, with play progressing through the regular season, various conference tournaments and championship series, and concluding with the 2022 NCAA Division I baseball tournament and 2022 Men's College World Series. The Men's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA tournament and held annually in Omaha, Nebraska, at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, ended on June 26, 2022.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2021–2024 NCAA conference realignment</span> Changes in US college athletic conferences

    Beginning in the 2021–22 academic year, extensive changes occurred in NCAA conference membership, primarily at the Division I level.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 NCAA Division I softball season</span> College softball in the United States

    The 2023 NCAA Division I softball season, play of college softball in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level, began in February 2023. The season progressed through the regular season, many conference tournaments and championship series, and concluded with the 2023 NCAA Division I softball tournament and 2023 Women's College World Series. The Women's College World Series, consisting of the eight remaining teams in the NCAA tournament and held annually in Oklahoma City at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, ended in June 2023.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">United Athletic Conference</span> American college athletics conference

    The United Athletic Conference (UAC) is an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) conference. The conference is a merger of the existing football leagues of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The UAC covers the southwestern, western, and southern United States with member institutions located in Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah, with a future member located in Georgia.

    The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros football team will represent the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) in college football. A future member of the Southland Conference in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), they will begin play at that level in 2025, after an exhibition schedule in 2024. They are coached by Travis Bush.

    References

    1. ↑ "Chris Grant Begins His Tenure as Southland Conference Commissioner".
    2. ↑ George Becnel (July 13, 2015). The Southland Conference: Small College Football, Big Dreams. AuthorHouse. pp. 394, 519. ISBN   978-1-5049-1887-9.
    3. ↑ "Southland Conference and Troika Media Group Announce 2022 Rebrand" (Press release). Southland Conference. April 11, 2022.
    4. ↑ "Southland Conference Navigates Its Path with Dynamic Rebrand" (Press release). Southland Conference. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
    5. ↑ "University of Texas at Arlington Accepts Invitation to Join WAC" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
    6. ↑ "Lamar University To Join Southland Conference". Associated Press. August 23, 1996. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
    7. ↑ "WAC Announces Expansion, Plans to Reinstate Football" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
    8. ↑ Blum, Sam (January 14, 2021). "As WAC announces addition of 5 schools, Frisco-based Southland Conference left in no man's land". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved January 18, 2021.
    9. ↑ "WAC Announces Expedited Entrance for Four Texas Institutions" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
    10. ↑ "ASUN Conference Announces Three New Institutions; Adds Football as 20th Sport" (Press release). ASUN Conference. January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
    11. ↑ "ASUN, WAC Conferences Announce Football Partnership for 2021" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
    12. ↑ "Southland Conference Extends Membership to Texas A&M University–Commerce" (Press release). Southland Conference. September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
    13. ↑ "Southland and Ohio Valley Conferences Announce Football Scheduling Alliance" (Press release). Southland Conference. October 11, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
    14. ↑ "University of the Incarnate Word Accepts Invitation to Join the WAC" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
    15. ↑ "University of the Incarnate Word Staying in the Southland Conference" (Press release). Southland Conference. June 24, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
    16. ↑ Gazzolo, Jim (November 9, 2021). "McNeese sticks with Southland in move that will bring millions in for SW La. tourism". American Press. Lake Charles, LA. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
    17. ↑ "Lamar University Is Coming Home to the Southland Conference" (Press release). Southland Conference. April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
    18. ↑ "Southland Conference and Troika Media Group Announce 2022 Rebrand".
    19. ↑ Thomas Scott (July 11, 2022). "Lamar moving to Southland Conference -- immediately". Hearst. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
    20. ↑ "NEC & MEAC Announce Three-Sport Associate Member Partnership" (Press release). Northeast Conference. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
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    22. ↑ "Houston Baptist University Changes Name to Houston Christian University | Houston Baptist University". 21 September 2022.
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    25. ↑ "LAMAR UNIVERSITY PREPARES FOR EARLY MOVE TO SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE". southland.org. Southland Conference. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
    26. ↑ "Student Demographics". Lamar.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
    27. ↑ "Fall 2015 Enrollment Quick Facts". McNeese State. September 1, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
    28. ↑ "UNO Enrollment Trends from 1958 to 2015" (PDF). September 1, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
    29. ↑ "Nicholls State University Fall 2016 Enrollment Statistics" (PDF). September 3, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
    30. ↑ "Northwestern State has fall enrollment increase". September 15, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
    31. ↑ "Enrollment by Major". SLU Institutional Research. October 10, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
    32. ↑ "Total Texas A&M University System Enrollment". The Texas A&M University System. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
    33. ↑ "Enrollment Continues to Rise at the Island University". TAMUCC Marketing & Communications. January 9, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
    34. ↑ "UTRGV preliminary enrollment steady". UTRGV Student Media. August 23, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
    35. ↑ "Southland Conference Adds Men's & Women's Golf Affiliate Members" (Press release). Southland Conference. June 24, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
    36. ↑ "Southland Adds Maryland Eastern Shore as Women's Golf Affiliate Member" (Press release). Southland Conference. August 11, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
    37. ↑ "NJIT Men's and Women's Tennis Joins Southland Conference" (Press release). NJIT Highlanders. June 22, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
    38. ↑ "Bryant Joins Southland Conference as Affiliate Member for Men's & Women's Golf and Tennis" (Press release). Southland Conference. June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
    39. ↑ "Southland Conference Adds Boise State as Beach Volleyball Affiliate Member" (Press release). Southland Conference. June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
    40. ↑ "Southland Conference Adds UIC as Men's Tennis Affiliate Member". Southland Conference. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
    41. ↑ "Southland Conference Adds San José State as Beach Volleyball Affiliate Member" (Press release). Southland Conference. August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
    42. ↑ "University of Illinois Chicago to Join MAC As Affiliate Member in Men's Tennis" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
    43. ↑ "Centenary College to Join Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference". Archived from the original on 2012-07-06.
    44. ↑ "Project South Texas: Timeline". University of Texas System. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
    45. ↑ "Project South Texas: Ask a Question". University of Texas System. July 30, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
    46. ↑ Brito, Victoria (November 5, 2014). "UT-RGV mascot recommended to be the Vaquero". The Monitor . McAllen, Texas . Retrieved November 5, 2014.
    47. ↑ "Southland Conference". southland.org.
    48. ↑ "Southland Conference Adds Beach Volleyball to Championship Sports Offerings" (Press release). Southland Conference. August 14, 2019. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
    49. ↑ "About the Southland". Archived from the original on August 4, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
    50. ↑ "Southland Conference spring meeting concludes". Southland Conference. May 21, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
    51. ↑ "Southland first FCS conference with full replay". Fox News. March 24, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
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    56. ↑ "Legacy Center". McNeese State University Athletics. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
    57. ↑ "University of New Orleans Privateers 2015 Baseball Quick Facts" (PDF). University of New Orleans Athletics. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
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