Gulf South Conference

Gulf South Conference (GSC)
Established	1970
Association	NCAA
Division	Division II
Members	12 (14 in 2017)
Sports fielded	17 (men's: 8; women's: 9)
Region	Southeastern United States
Headquarters	Birmingham, Alabama
Commissioner	Matt Wilson (since 2014)
Website	www.gulfsouthconference.org
Locations

The Gulf South Conference (GSC) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II level which operates in the southeastern United States.

History

Originally known as the Mid-South Conference, the Gulf South Conference was formed by six universities in the summer of 1970: Delta State, Florence State (now North Alabama), Jacksonville State, Livingston (now West Alabama), Tennessee–Martin, and Troy State (now Troy). Scheduling problems for the 1970–71 academic year limited the league to football, won by Jacksonville State.

In 1971, the league changed its name to the Gulf South Conference; added Southeastern Louisiana (SLU) and Nicholls State (increasing the membership to eight); opened an office in Hammond, Louisiana; and began championships in all men’s sports. The following year, Mississippi College and Northwestern Louisiana (NWLA, now Northwestern State) were admitted. NWLA withdrew to go Division I two years later, followed by SLU and Nicholls State in 1979.

The conference continued with seven teams until 1981, when the presidents admitted Valdosta State. West Georgia joined in 1983. Eight years of stability ended in 1991 when Tennessee–Martin and Troy State went Division I, briefly dropping the GSC back to seven members, before the beginning of an expansion resulting in ten new members: Lincoln Memorial (1992–93); Alabama–Huntsville, Henderson State, Central Arkansas, and Mississippi University for Women (MUW) (1993–94); West Florida (1994–95); and Arkansas-Monticello, Arkansas Tech, Montevallo, and Southern Arkansas (1995–96). Jacksonville State went Division I at the end of 1992–93. Mississippi College dropped to Division III at the end of 1995–96 and was replaced by Christian Brothers to keep the Conference at 16 schools. In July 2000, the GSC welcomed Harding University and Ouachita Baptist University, making it the largest NCAA conference at any level with 18 schools. The Conference membership decreased to 17 when MUW dropped its athletics program at the end of the 2002–03 season.

2006–07 was another season of change for the GSC. Central Arkansas moved to Division I, leaving the West Division with eight schools while Lincoln Memorial left for the South Atlantic Conference due to travel and location issues, leaving the East Division with seven schools.

Montevallo announced on June 27, 2008 that they will be leaving for the Peach Belt Conference following the 2008–09 season due to issues between the University's President and the Commissioner.

The GSC moved away from divisional play after the 2010-11 season after its six Arkansas members broke away, dropping the membership to eight. Thanks to an aggressive expansion plan, the GSC sponsored the Division II applications of Union University (TN) and Shorter University (GA), which became official members in 2014-15. The next step in bolstering its membership came in 2012, backing the Division II application of Lee University (TN) which is on track to join the league officially in 2015-16. The league added its first-ever associate member, Florida Tech, in football only in 2013. The Conference hopes to officially add an old friend back into the fold when Mississippi College submitted its application to rejoin Division II and is on track for 2016-17 membership.

Former Commissioner Jim McCullough brought the GSC office to Birmingham when he was hired in 1979. The Conference welcomed its seventh Commissioner in May, 2014 when Matt Wilson was selected to follow Nate Salant who retired after a 22-year stint.

Map of GSC school locations

2010s realignment

Beginning with the 2011–12 academic year; Arkansas Tech University, University of Arkansas at Monticello, Harding University, Henderson State University, Ouachita Baptist University, and Southern Arkansas University left the GSC to form the Great American Conference.^[1]

The University of New Orleans, which was transitioning from Division I to Division II, was accepted into the conference in June 2011,^[2] but the school announced intentions to stay at Division I in March 2012.^[3] In July 2011, Shorter University and Union University (Jackson, Tenn.) were accepted into the NCAA and will begin the multi-year transition process from the NAIA to NCAA.^[4] Both universities will begin GSC competition in the 2012–13 academic year but will not be eligible for NCAA national tournaments until the 2014–15 academic year.^[5] In August 2011, the GSC added the Florida Institute of Technology as an associate member for football beginning in the 2013 season.^[6]

On October 11, 2012, Mississippi College announced that it would petition the NCAA to leave Division III and return to the conference.^[7] There is a lengthy process involved as Mississippi College becomes part of the Division II candidacy starting with the 2013-14 academic year. The transition period will end with the 2016-17 season when Mississippi College will become a full Division II member.^[8]

In 2013, Lee University joined the GSC, bringing the membership to 11. Lee University moved to Division II provisional membership for the 2014-15 season. They will complete transition to Division II in the 2015-16 season. Mississippi College entered its second candidacy year with the 2014-15 season in its path to full Division II membership in 2016-17 and added Gulf South Conference teams to its schedule.^[9]

Member schools

Current members

Future members

• Reclassifying member in yellow.
• Montevallo — lacrosse (W) is an affiliate member from 2015–2017.

Affiliate members

• Reclassifying member in yellow.

Future affiliate members

Former members

• Harding — soccer (M) was an affiliate member in 2011–12.
• New Orleans — provisional member in transition from D-I to D-II which competed in baseball, cross country (M / W), golf (M / W), tennis (M / W), and volleyball. However, the school announced intentions to remain D-I in March 2012.
• Ouachita Baptist — soccer (M) was an affiliate member in 2011–12.

Membership timeline

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football-only)   Associate member (sport) 

Conference venues

Sponsored sports

The GSC sponsors competition in 8 men's sports and 9 women's sports. The conference begins sponsoring women's lacrosse and men's / women's track & field in the 2015–16 school year.^[10][11]

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Football	Y
Golf	Y	Y
Lacrosse		Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Tennis	Y	Y
Track & Field Outdoor	Y	Y
Volleyball		Y

Men's sponsored sports by school

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Football	Golf	Soccer	Tennis	Track & Field Outdoor	Total GSC Sports
Alabama–Huntsville	Y	Y	Y			Y	Y	Y	6
Christian Brothers	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Delta State	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y		6
Lee	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Mississippi College	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
North Alabama	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y		6
Shorter	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Union	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y			5
Valdosta State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y		6
West Alabama	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
West Florida	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		7
West Georgia	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y				5
Totals	12	12	11	8	11	9	10	6	79
Future Members
Auburn–Montgomery	Y	Y	Y			Y	Y		5
Montevallo	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y		Y	6
Affiliate Members
Florida Tech				Y					1
Spring Hill						Y			1

• Montevallo — Tennis (M) begins play in 2017.^[12]

Women's sponsored sports by school

School	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Lacrosse	Soccer	Softball	Tennis	Track & Field Outdoor	Volleyball	Total GSC Sports
Alabama–Huntsville	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Christian Brothers	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Delta State	Y	Y			Y	Y	Y			5
Lee	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Mississippi College	Y	Y			Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
North Alabama	Y	Y			Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Shorter	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Union	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y			Y	6
Valdosta State	Y	Y			Y	Y	Y		Y	6
West Alabama	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
West Florida	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y		Y	7
West Georgia	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Totals	12	12	7	3	12	12	11	8	11	88
Future Members
Auburn–Montgomery	Y	Y			Y	Y	Y			5
Montevallo	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Affiliate Members
Montevallo				Y						1
Spring Hill			Y		Y					2
Young Harris				Y						1

• Auburn-Montgomery — Volleyball begins play in 2017.^[13]

Other sponsored sports by school

• ^‡ — D-I sport
• Montevallo (IND) — Lacrosse (M) begins play in 2017.^[14]

National championships

• Valdosta State won 1979 baseball national championship prior to joining the GSC.
• Mississippi College's 1989 football tournament participation and national championship were vacated by the NCAA Committee on Infractions for recruiting violations.
• Ice Hockey is not a conference-sanctioned sport.

References

External links

• Official website

NCAA Division II
Atlantic	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Mountain East Conference Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Independent — Bluefield State College
Central	Great American Conference Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
East	Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference East Coast Conference Northeast-10 Conference
Midwest	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Great Midwest Athletic Conference Independent — Oakland City University Salem International University
South	Gulf South Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sunshine State Conference Independent — Auburn University at Montgomery
South Central	Heartland Conference Lone Star Conference Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Southeast	Conference Carolinas Peach Belt Conference South Atlantic Conference
West	California Collegiate Athletic Association Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pacific West Conference
Division II	Independents ECAC Division II Lacrosse League
NCAA	Conferences Institutions Baseball (Championship) Basketball (Men, Women) Cross Country (Men, Women) Field Hockey (Championship) Football (Championship) Golf (Men, Women) Lacrosse (Men, Women) Rowing (Championship) Soccer (Men, Women) Softball (Championship) Swimming & Diving (Men, Women) Tennis (Men, Women) Track & Field (Men's indoor and outdoor, Women's indoor and outdoor) Volleyball (Championship) Wrestling (Championship) Discontinued — Ice Hockey (Championship)

NCAA Division II football conferences
Super Region 1	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Mountain East Conference Northeast-10 Conference Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Super Region 2	Gulf South Conference South Atlantic Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Independent — Limestone College University of North Carolina at Pembroke North Greenville University
Super Region 3	Great American Conference Great Northwest Athletic Conference Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Super Region 4	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Lone Star Conference Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Division II	Great Midwest Athletic Conference Independents
NCAA	Conferences Institutions Football (Championship)