Southwestern Athletic Conference

Last updated

Southwestern Athletic Conference
Southwestern Athletic Conference logo.svg
Association NCAA
Founded1920;104 years ago (1920)
CommissionerCharles McClelland
Sports fielded
  • 18
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 10
Division Division I
Subdivision FCS
No. of teams12
Headquarters Birmingham, Alabama
Region Southern
Official website www.swac.org
Locations
Swac2021.png

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for most sports; in football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly referred to as Division I-AA.

Contents

The SWAC is considered the premier HBCU conference and ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of alumni affiliated with professional sports teams, particularly in football. [1] On the gridiron, the conference has been the biggest draw on the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level of the NCAA, leading the nation in average home attendance every year except one since FCS has been in existence. [2] [3] In 1994, the SWAC fell just 40,000 fans short of becoming the first non-Football Bowl Subdivision conference to attract one million fans to its home games.

History

Location of SWAC members
Southwestern Athletic Conference
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Mapscaleline.svg
300km
200miles
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Alabama A&M
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Texas Southern
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Southern
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Prairie View A&M
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Grambling
State
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Arkansas–Pine Bluff
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Alcorn State
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Mississippi
Valley State
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Jackson
State
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Florida A&M
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Bethune-Cookman
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Alabama State
Location of SWAC members: Red pog.svg East Division, Black pog.svg West Division

In 1920, athletic officials from six Texas HBCUs C. H. Fuller of Bishop College, Red Randolph and C. H. Patterson of Paul Quinn College, E. G. Evans, H. J. Evans and H. J. Starns of Prairie View A&M, D. C. Fuller of Texas College and G. Whitte Jordan of Wiley University met in Houston to discuss common interests. At this meeting, they agreed to form a new league, the SWAC.[ citation needed ]

Paul Quinn became the first of the original members to withdraw from the league in 1929. When Langston University of Oklahoma was admitted into the conference two years later, it began the migration of state-supported institutions into the SWAC. Southern University entered the ranks in 1934, followed by Arkansas AM&N (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) in 1936 and Texas Southern University in 1954.[ citation needed ]

Rapid growth in enrollment of the state-supported schools made it difficult for the church-supported schools to finance their athletics programs and one by one they fell victim to the growing prowess of the state-supported colleges. Huston–Tillotson (formerly Samuel Huston) withdrew from the conference in 1954, [4] Bishop in 1956, and Langston in 1957—one year before the admittance of two more state-supported schools: Grambling College and Jackson State College. The enter-exit cycle continued in 1962 when Texas College withdrew, [5] followed by the admittance of Alcorn A&M (now Alcorn State University) that same year. Wiley left in 1968, the same year Mississippi Valley State College entered. Arkansas AM&N exited in 1970 and Alabama State University entered in 1982. Arkansas–Pine Bluff (formerly Arkansas AM&N) rejoined the SWAC on July 1, 1997, regaining full-member status one year later. Alabama A&M University became the conference's tenth member when it became a full member in September 1999 after a one-year period as an affiliate SWAC member. [6] Most of the former SWAC members that have left the conference are currently a part of the Red River Athletic Conference of the NAIA.

On 3 September 2020, the SWAC had announced that there would be a division realignment with the additions of Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University beginning with the 2021–22 academic year; which both would compete in the SWAC East, while Alcorn State would be moving to the SWAC West. [7]

Chronological timeline

Competitions

The SWAC is one of three FCS conferences the others being the Ivy League and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference whose conference champion does not participate in the FCS playoffs, opting instead to play in the Celebration Bowl against the champion of the MEAC. However, SWAC teams can still be invited via an at-large invitation, as was the case in 2021 when SWAC member Florida A&M University was invited over SWAC conference football champion Jackson State, who was obligated via contract to play in the 2021 Celebration Bowl. The SWAC instead splits its schools into two divisions, and plays a conference championship game. Three of the SWAC's teams, Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic and Grambling and Southern in the Bayou Classic, play their last games of the regular season on Thanksgiving weekend, preventing the SWAC Championship from being decided until the first weekend of December, long after the tournament is underway.

Current championship competition offered by the SWAC includes competition for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field and tennis. Women's competition is offered in the sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. [6]

Member schools

Current full members

The SWAC currently has 12 full members, all but one are public schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedColors
East Division
Alabama A&M University Huntsville, Alabama 1875Public6,172 Bulldogs (men's)
Lady Bulldogs (women's)
1999   
Alabama State University Montgomery, Alabama 1867Public4,190 Hornets (men's)
Lady Hornets (women's)
1982   
Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach, Florida 1904 United
Methodist
2,901 Wildcats 2021   
Florida A&M University Tallahassee, Florida 1887Public9,626 Rattlers (men's)
Lady Rattlers (women's)
2021   
Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi 1877Public7,080 Tigers (men's)
Lady Tigers (women's)
1958     
Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena, Mississippi [lower-alpha 1] 1950Public2,147 Delta Devils (men's)
Devilettes (women's)
1968   
West Division
Alcorn State University Lorman, Mississippi [lower-alpha 2] 1871Public3,523 Braves (men's)
Lady Braves (women's)
1962   
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Arkansas 1873Public2,498 Golden Lions (men's)
Golden Lady Lions (women's)
1936;
1997 [lower-alpha 3]
   
Grambling State University Grambling, Louisiana 1901Public5,438 Tigers (men's)
Lady Tigers (women's)
1958     
Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, Texas 1876Public9,350 Panthers (men's)
Lady Panthers (women's)
1920   
Southern University Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1880Public7,140 Jaguars (men's)
Lady Jaguars (women's)
1935   
Texas Southern University Houston, Texas 1947Public7,524 Tigers (men's)
Lady Tigers (women's)
1954   
Notes
  1. MVSU has an Itta Bena mailing address, but is located in unincorporated Leflore County and is designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as Mississippi Valley State, Mississippi.
  2. Alcorn State has a Lorman mailing address, but is located in an unincorporated area of Claiborne County that is designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as Alcorn State, Mississippi.
  3. Arkansas–Pine Bluff left the SWAC after the 1969–70 school year as Arkansas AM&N; before re-joining in the 1997–98 school year as an affiliate, and to gain full member status the following season (1998–99).

Former members

The SWAC had six former full members, all but one were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Bishop College Marshall, Texas [lower-alpha 1] 1881 Baptist HMS N/A Tigers 1920–211955–56N/A [lower-alpha 2]
Huston–Tillotson University [lower-alpha 3] Austin, Texas 1881 Methodist,
Church of Christ
900 Rams 1920–211953–54 [4] Red River (RRAC) [lower-alpha 4]
Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 1897Public3,922 Lions 1931–321956–57 Sooner (SAC) [lower-alpha 4]
Paul Quinn College Dallas, Texas 1872 A.M.E. Church 1,020 Tigers 1920–211928–29 Red River (RRAC) [lower-alpha 4]
Texas College Tyler, Texas 1894 C.M.E. Church 600 Steers 1920–211961–62 [5] Red River (RRAC) [lower-alpha 4]
Wiley University [lower-alpha 5] Marshall, Texas 1873 United Methodist 1,200 Wildcats 1920–211967–68 Gulf Coast (GCAC) [lower-alpha 4]
Notes
  1. Bishop was originally at Marshall, Texas, during its tenure with the SWAC until 1961, when the college was moved to Dallas, Texas, until the school's closing in 1988
  2. Bishop was closed in 1988. Upon its closure, Paul Quinn College relocated from Waco to Dallas and re-established itself at the Bishop College campus.
  3. Formerly known as Samuel Huston College until its merger with Tillotson College on October 24, 1952.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Currently an NAIA athletic conference.
  5. Formerly known as Wiley College from 1929 to November 3, 2023.

Divisional realignment

Alcorn State moved to the West Division with the additions of both Bethune–Cookman and Florida A&M in 2021.

East DivisionWest Division
Alabama A&MAlcorn State
Alabama StateArkansas-Pine Bluff
Bethune-CookmanGrambling State
Florida A&MPrairie View A&M
Jackson StateSouthern
Mississippi Valley StateTexas Southern

Membership timeline

Bethune–Cookman UniversityFlorida A&M UniversityAlabama A&M UniversityAlabama State UniversityMississippi Valley State UniversityAlcorn State UniversityJackson State UniversityGrambling State UniversityTexas Southern UniversityUniversity of Arkansas at Pine BluffUniversity of Arkansas at Pine BluffSouthern UniversityLangston UniversityWiley UniversityTexas CollegeHuston–Tillotson UniversityHuston–Tillotson UniversityPrairie View A&M UniversityPaul Quinn CollegeBishop CollegeSouthwestern Athletic Conference

Full membersFull members (non-football)

Sports

The SWAC sponsors championship competitions in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports: [8]

Teams in Southwestern Athletic Conference competition
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
12
-
Basketball
12
12
Bowling
-
9
Cross Country
10
12
Football
12
-
Golf
7
4
Soccer
-
10
Softball
-
12
Tennis
8
11
Track and Field (Indoor)
12
12
Track and Field (Outdoor)
12
12
Volleyball
-
12

Men's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
Country
FootballGolfTennisTrack & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Total SWAC
Sports
Alabama A&MYesYesNo [lower-alpha 1] YesYesYesYesYes7
Alabama StateYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes8
Alcorn StateYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes7
Arkansas-Pine BluffYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes8
Bethune-CookmanYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes8
Florida A&MYesYesNoYesYesNoYesYes6
Grambling StateYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYes6
Jackson StateYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes7
Mississippi ValleyYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes7
Prairie ViewYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes8
SouthernYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYes6
Texas SouthernYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes7
Totals1212101278121285
  1. Alabama A&M will reinstate men's cross country in 2024 after a 20-year absence.

Women's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBasketballBowlingCross
Country
GolfSoccerSoftballTennisTrack & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
VolleyballTotal SWAC
Sports
Alabama A&MYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
Alabama StateYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes10
Alcorn StateYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes8
Arkansas-Pine BluffYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes8
Bethune-CookmanYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYes9
Florida A&MYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYes8
Grambling StateYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
Jackson StateYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
Mississippi ValleyYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes8
Prairie ViewYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes10
SouthernYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes9
Texas SouthernYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes9
Totals129124101211121212106

    Facilities

    SchoolFootball stadiumCapacityBasketball arenaCapacityBaseball stadiumCapacity
    Alabama A&M Louis Crews Stadium 21,000 Alabama A&M Events Center 6,000 Bulldog Field 500
    Alabama State Hornet Stadium 26,500 ASU Acadome 7,400 Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex 500
    Alcorn State Spinks-Casem Stadium 22,500 Davey Whitney Complex 7,000 Foster Baseball Field at McGowan Stadium
    Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lion Stadium 16,000 K. L. Johnson Complex 4,500 Torii Hunter Baseball/Softball Complex 1,000
    Bethune-Cookman Daytona Stadium 10,000 Moore Gymnasium 3,000 Jackie Robinson Ballpark 4,200 [9]
    Florida A&M Bragg Memorial Stadium 25,500 [10] Al Lawson Teaching Gym 9,639 [11] Moore-Kittles Field 500 [12]
    Grambling State Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium 19,600 Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center 7,500 Wilbert Ellis Field at Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones Park 1,100
    Jackson State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 60,492 Williams Assembly Center 8,000 Braddy Field 800
    Mississippi Valley State Rice-Totten Stadium 10,000 Harrison HPER Complex 5,000 Magnolia Field 120
    Prairie View A&M Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field 15,000 William Nicks Building 6,500 John W. Tankersley Field 512 [13]
    Southern Ace W. Mumford Stadium 29,000 F. G. Clark Center 7,500 Lee-Hines Field 1,500
    Texas Southern Shell Energy Stadium 22,000 Health and Physical Education Arena 8,100 MacGregor Park

    SWAC championships

    A medal podium at the 2021 SWAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship SWAC Track Field 69.jpg
    A medal podium at the 2021 SWAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship

    Football

    Prior to splitting into divisions and using a postseason championship game to decide its overall champion, the SWAC determined its champions by winning-percentage against conference opponents in regular season play.

    In 1933 Langston appeared to win the title outright with a 4–0 conference record after the regular season, while Wiley finished 4–1, and Prairie View A&M finished 3–1. Langston was invited to the Prairie View Bowl, which was won by Prairie View. The Panthers subsequently declared themselves SWAC champions even though their claim was based on a postseason game. The SWAC seems to acknowledge both schools' claims to the title in the conference's football media guide, [14] although some other sources [15] including Michael Hurd's Black College Football, 1892–1992: One Hundred Years of History, Education, and Pride (1993) also list Wiley as an additional co-champion, apparently since all three schools had 4–1 records against conference opponents if the postseason game is incorporated into the regular season conference standings.

    Prairie View vacated [15] its 1941 championship. [16] No championship was awarded in 1943 due to World War II. [15] Grambling vacated its 1975 championship due to a violation of SWAC rules for scheduling opponents.

    Games from 1999 to 2012 were played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The conference moved the game in 2013 to NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Starting in 2019, the game will officially be played at the first place team's home. Since 2015, the winner of the SWAC plays the winner of the MEAC conference in an overall HBCU championship bowl game called the Celebration Bowl in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The MEAC gave up its automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs for this game.

    Texas Southern vacated its 2010 championship due to violations of NCAA rules. [17]

    The 2020–21 football season was played during Spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    YearChampionRunner-upScore
    1999 Southern Jackson State 31–30
    2000 Grambling Alabama A&M 14–6
    2001 Grambling Alabama State 38–31
    2002 Grambling Alabama A&M 31–19
    2003 Southern Alabama State 20–9
    2004 Alabama State Southern 40–35
    2005 Grambling Alabama A&M 45–6
    2006 Alabama A&M Arkansas–Pine Bluff 22–13
    2007 Jackson State Grambling 42–31
    2008 Grambling Jackson State 41–9
    2009 Prairie View A&M Alabama A&M 30-24
    2010 Texas Southern (vacated) Alabama State 11–6
    2011 Grambling Alabama A&M 16–15
    2012 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Jackson State 24–21
    2013 Southern Jackson State 34–27
    2014 Alcorn State Southern 38–24
    2015 Alcorn State Grambling 49–21 [18]
    2016 Grambling Alcorn State 27–20
    2017 Grambling Alcorn State 40–32
    2018 Alcorn State Southern 37–28
    2019 Alcorn State Southern 39–24
    2020 Alabama A&M Arkansas–Pine Bluff 40–33
    2021 Jackson State Prairie View A&M 27–10
    2022 Jackson State Southern 43–24
    2023 Florida A&M Prairie View A&M 35–14

    Since splitting into western and eastern divisions and using a postseason championship game to decide its overall champion, the SWAC determines its division champions by winning-percentage against conference opponents in regular season play. For the 1999 season only, inter-divisional conference games did not count in the conference standings. Each division's outright champion or top-seeded co-champion advances to the championship game. [14]

    Texas Southern vacated its 2010 division championship due to violations of NCAA rules. [17]

    YearWestern Division champion(s)Eastern Division champion(s)
    1999 Southern Jackson State
    2000 Grambling Alabama A&M*
    Alabama State
    2001 Grambling Alabama State
    2002 Grambling Alabama A&M
    2003 Southern*
    Grambling
    Alabama State*
    Alcorn State
    2004 Southern Alabama State
    2005 Grambling Alabama A&M
    2006 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Alabama A&M
    2007 Grambling Jackson State
    2008 Grambling Jackson State
    2009 Prairie View A&M Alabama A&M
    2010 Texas Southern* (vacated)
    Grambling
    Alabama State*
    Jackson State
    2011 Grambling Alabama A&M*
    Alabama State
    Jackson State**
    2012 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Jackson State*
    Alabama State
    2013 Southern Jackson State
    2014 Southern Alcorn State
    2015 Grambling Alcorn State
    2016 Grambling Alcorn State
    2017 Grambling Alcorn State
    2018 Southern Alcorn State
    2019 Southern Alcorn State
    2020 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Alabama A&M
    2021 Prairie View A&M Jackson State
    2022 Southern*
    Prairie View A&M
    Jackson State
    2023 Prairie View A&M Florida A&M

    Note: an asterisk denotes the division's top-seeded co-champion and representative in the SWAC Championship Game; a double-asterisk denotes that the division's co-champion was ineligible for the SWAC Championship Game due to a violation of SWAC rules that were in effect from 2011 to 2014 concerning Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores. [19] [20]

    Starting with the 2021 season with the additions of both Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M, the football schedule is as follows:

    Celebration Bowl results

    YearMEAC teamSWAC teamAttendanceSeries
    2015 North Carolina A&T Aggies 41 Alcorn State Braves 3435,528MEAC 1–0
    2016 North Carolina Central Eagles 9 Grambling Tigers 1031,096Tied 1–1
    2017 North Carolina A&T Aggies 21 Grambling Tigers 1425,873MEAC 2–1
    2018 North Carolina A&T Aggies 24 Alcorn State Braves 2231,672MEAC 3–1
    2019 North Carolina A&T Aggies 64 Alcorn State Braves 4432,968MEAC 4–1
    2021 South Carolina State Bulldogs 31 Jackson State Tigers 1048,653MEAC 5–1
    2022 North Carolina Central Eagles 41 Jackson State Tigers 34 (OT)49,670MEAC 6–1
    2023 Howard Bison 26 Florida A&M Rattlers 3041,108MEAC 6–2

    Men's basketball

    The 1977–78 season was the SWAC's first as an NCAA Division I basketball conference. [21]

    The semi-final and championship SWAC Basketball Tournament games are held at the Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. [22] As of the 2017 tournaments, [23] they feature an eight-team three-day layout with the quarterfinal rounds hosted on campus sites. This changes the previous 10-team, five-day tournament format. The higher seeded teams will host a combined eight games leaving two days for travel and practice rounds. The tournament concludes with the semi-finals and championship rounds inside Birmingham's Bill Harris Arena. Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I Tournaments. The championship games are nationally televised live annually on an ESPN network.

    YearRegular seasonCoachTournamentCoach
    1956–57 Texas Southern Ed Adamsnot held
    1957–58 Texas Southern Ed Adams
    1958–59 Grambling Fred Hobdy
    1959–60 Grambling Fred Hobdy
    1960–61 Prairie View A&M Leroy Moore Jr.
    1961–62 Prairie View A&M Leroy Moore Jr.
    1962–63 Grambling Fred Hobdy
    1963–64 Grambling
    Jackson
    Fred Hobdy
    Harrison Wilson
    1964–65 Southern Richard Mack
    1965–66 Alcorn A&M
    Grambling
    E. E. Simmons
    Fred Hobby
    1966–67 Alcorn A&M
    Arkansas AM&N
    Grambling
    E. E. Simmons
    Hubert Clemens
    Fred Hobby
    1967–68 Alcorn A&M
    Jackson State
    Bob Hopkins
    Paul Covington
    1968–69 Alcorn A&M Bob Hopkins
    1969–70 Jackson State Paul Covington
    1970–71 Grambling Fred Hobdy
    1971–72 Grambling Fred Hobdy
    1972–73 Alcorn A&M Davey L. Whitney
    1973–74 Jackson State Paul Covington
    1974–75 Jackson State Paul Covington
    1975–76 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    1976–77 Texas Southern Robert Moreland
    1977–78 Southern Carl Stewart Jackson State Paul Covington
    1978–79 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    1979–80 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    1980–81 Alcorn State
    Southern
    Davey L. Whitney
    Carl Stewart
    Southern Carl Stewart
    1981–82 Alcorn State
    Jackson State
    Davey L. Whitney
    Paul Covington
    Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    1982–83 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    1983–84 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    1984–85 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Southern Bob Hopkins
    1985–86 Alcorn State
    Southern
    Davey L. Whitney
    Bob Hopkins
    Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
    1986–87 Grambling Bob Hopkins Southern Ben Jobe
    1987–88 Southern Ben Jobe Southern Ben Jobe
    1988–89 Grambling
    Southern
    Texas Southern
    Bob Hopkins
    Ben Jobe
    Robert Moreland
    Southern Ben Jobe
    1989–90 Southern Ben Jobe Texas Southern Robert Moreland
    1990–91 Jackson State Andy Stoglin Jackson State Andy Stoglin
    1991–92 Texas Southern
    Mississippi Valley State
    Robert Moreland
    Lafayette Stribling
    Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
    1992–93 Jackson State Andy Stoglin Southern Ben Jobe
    1993–94 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Texas Southern Robert Moreland
    1994–95 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Texas Southern Robert Moreland
    1995–96 Jackson State
    Mississippi Valley State
    Andy Stoglin
    Lafayette Stribling
    Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
    1996–97 Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling Jackson State Andy Stoglin
    1997–98 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Prairie View A&M Elwood Plummer
    1998–99 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    1999–00 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Jackson State Andy Stoglin
    2000–01 Alabama State Rob Spivery Alabama State Rob Spivery
    2001–02 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
    2002–03 Prairie View A&M Jerome Francis Texas Southern Ronnie Courtney
    2003–04 Alabama State Rob Spivery Alabama State Rob Spivery
    2004–05 Alabama A&M L. Vann Pettaway Alabama A&M L. Vann Pettaway
    2005–06 Southern Rob Spivery Southern Rob Spivery
    2006–07 Mississippi Valley State James Green Jackson State Tevester Anderson
    2007–08 Alabama State Lewis Jackson Mississippi Valley State James Green
    2008–09 Alabama State Lewis Jackson Alabama State Lewis Jackson
    2009–10 Arkansas–Pine Bluff George Ivory Arkansas–Pine Bluff George Ivory
    2010–11 Texas Southern Tony Harvey Alabama State Lewis Jackson
    2011–12 Mississippi Valley State Sean Woods Mississippi Valley State Sean Woods
    2012–13 Southern Roman Banks Southern Roman Banks
    2013–14 Southern Roman Banks Texas Southern Mike Davis
    2014–15 Texas Southern Mike Davis Texas Southern Mike Davis
    2015–16 Texas Southern Mike Davis Southern Roman Banks
    2016–17 Texas Southern Mike Davis Texas Southern Mike Davis
    2017–18 Grambling Donte Jackson Texas Southern Mike Davis
    2018–19 Prairie View A&M Byron Smith Prairie View A&M Byron Smith
    2019–20 Prairie View A&M Byron Smith Canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
    2020–21 Prairie View A&M Byron Smith Texas Southern Johnny Jones
    2021–22 Alcorn State Landon Bussie Texas Southern Johnny Jones
    2022–23 Alcorn State
    Grambling
    Landon Bussie
    Donte Jackson
    Texas Southern Johnny Jones
    2023–24 Grambling Donte Jackson Grambling Donte Jackson

    Men's basketball tournament performance by school

    SchoolChampionshipsYears
    Texas Southern
    11
    1990, 1994, 1995, 2003, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
    Southern
    9
    1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2006, 2013, 2016
    Alcorn State
    7
    1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1999, 2002
    Jackson State
    5
    1978, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2007
    Mississippi Valley State
    5
    1986, 1992, 1996, 2008, 2012
    Alabama State
    4
    2001, 2004 2009, 2011
    Prairie View A&M
    2
    1998, 2019
    Alabama A&M
    1
    2005
    Arkansas–Pine Bluff
    1
    2010
    Grambling State
    1
    2024

    Women's basketball

    YearRegular seasonCoachTournamentCoach
    1981–82 Jackson State Sadie Magee Jackson State Sadie Magee
    1982–83 Jackson State Sadie Magee Jackson State Sadie Magee
    1983–84 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Jackson State Sadie Magee
    1984–85 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Jackson State Sadie Magee
    1985–86 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
    1986–87 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris
    1987–88 Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris Grambling Patricia Bibbs
    1988–89 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Alabama State Ron Mitchell
    1989–90 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Jackson State Andrew Pennington
    1990–91 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
    1991–92 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
    1992–93 Alcorn State
    Southern
    Shirley Walker
    Herman Hartman
    Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris
    1993–94 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Grambling Patricia Bibbs
    1994–95 Alcorn State
    Grambling
    Jackson State
    Shirley Walker
    Patricia Bibbs
    Andrew Pennington
    Jackson State Andrew Pennington
    1995–96 Alcorn State
    Jackson State
    Shirley Walker
    Andrew Pennington
    Grambling Patricia Bibbs
    1996–97 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Grambling Patricia Bibbs
    1997–98 Grambling David Ponton Grambling David Ponton
    1998–99 Grambling David Ponton Grambling David Ponton
    1999–00 Grambling David Ponton Alcorn State Shirley Walker
    2000–01 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
    2001–02 Southern Sandy Pugh Southern Sandy Pugh
    2002–03 Alabama State
    Jackson State
    Freda Freeman-Jackson
    Denise Taylor
    Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson
    2003–04 Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson Southern Sandy Pugh
    2004–05 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
    2005–06 Jackson State
    Southern
    Denise Taylor
    Sandy Pugh
    Southern Sandy Pugh
    2006–07 Prairie View A&M
    Jackson State
    Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
    Denise Taylor
    Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
    2007–08 Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke Jackson State Denise Taylor
    2008–09 Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
    2009–10 Southern Sandy Pugh Southern Sandy Pugh
    2010–11 Southern Sandy Pugh Prairie View A&M Toyelle Wilson
    2011–12 Mississippi Valley State Nate Kilbert Prairie View A&M Toyelle Wilson
    2012–13 Texas Southern Cynthia Cooper-Dyke Prairie View A&M Toyelle Wilson
    2013–14 Southern Sandy Pugh Prairie View A&M Dawn Brown
    2014–15 Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson
    2015–16 Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson
    2016–17 Texas Southern Johnetta Hayes-Perry Texas Southern Johnetta Hayes-Perry
    2017–18 Southern Sandy Pugh Grambling Freddie Murray
    2018–19 Southern Carlos Funchess Southern Carlos Funchess
    2019–20 Southern Carlos FunchessCanceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
    2020–21 Jackson State Tomekia Reed Jackson State Tomekia Reed
    2021–22 Jackson State Tomekia Reed Jackson State Tomekia Reed
    2022–23 Jackson State Tomekia Reed Southern Carlos Funchess
    2023–24 Jackson State Tomekia ReedJackson StateTomekia Reed

    Baseball

    This is a list of the last ten SWAC baseball champions; for the full history, see the list of Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball champions. In recent decades, the conference tournament has determined the overall champions; for specifics concerning the tournament in particular, see the Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament.

    YearProgram
    2014 Jackson State
    2015 Texas Southern
    2016 Alabama State
    2017 Texas Southern
    2018 Texas Southern
    2019 Southern
    2021 Southern
    2022 Alabama State
    2023 Florida A&M
    2024 Grambling State

    SWAC marching bands

    Marching bands have a rich tradition being a centerpiece of school spirit and pride for each institution in the conference. Furthermore, the competitiveness, prestige, pageantry, and showmanship of SWAC marching bands significantly add to the unique identity and culture of the conference.

    SchoolBandDance Auxiliary
    Alabama A&MMarching Maroon and WhiteDancin' Divas
    Alabama State Mighty Marching Hornets Sensational Stingettes
    Alcorn StateSounds of DynomiteWorld Renowned Golden Girls
    Arkansas-Pine Bluff Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (M4) Golden Girls
    Bethune-CookmanMarching Wildcats14 Karat Gold Dancers
    Florida A&M Marching 100 -----
    Grambling State World Famed Marching Band Orchesis Dance Company
    Jackson State Sonic Boom of the South Prancing J-Settes
    Mississippi Valley StateMean Green Marching MachineSatin Dolls
    Prairie View A&M Marching Storm Black Foxes
    Southern Human Jukebox Fabulous Dancing Dolls
    Texas Southern Ocean of Soul Motion of The Ocean

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