Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference | |
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GCAC | |
Established | 1981 |
Association | NAIA |
Members | 5 (8 in 2022) |
Sports fielded |
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Region | Southeastern United States |
Commissioner | Kiki Baker-Barnes (Interim) |
Website | gcaconf.com |
Locations | |
Part of a series on |
African Americans |
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The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) is a college athletic conference made up entirely of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
History[]
The GCAC was established in 1981, with the following charter institutions: Belhaven College, Dillard University, Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian University), Spring Hill College, Tougaloo College, William Carey University, and Xavier University of Louisiana. The first sports were men and women's basketball and men's tennis, with other sports soon following.[1]
The University of Mobile was admitted in October 1985, Southern University at New Orleans was granted admission in May 1986, Loyola University was admitted in April 1995, and Louisiana State University in Shreveport became a member in April 2000. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced Dillard and Xavier (Louisiana) to cancel all athletic competition for the 2005–06 season and Loyola and Southern–New Orleans were able only to compete partially. All schools returned to competition in 2006–07, although in most cases with a reduced number of sports.
Louisiana College left the GCAC to join the American Southwest Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III in 2000. Belhaven also left in 2000, only to re-join in 2002; while Talladega College, which joined in 1999, left in 2002. In 2010, Belhaven, Loyola–New Orleans, Spring Hill, Mobile, and William Carey left the GCAC to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC).[2] In 2010 LSU–Shreveport left the conference to join the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). Edward Waters College and Fisk University joined to replace the departed schools in 2010. Philander Smith College also joined the GCAC in 2011. Talladega College re-joined the conference starting in the 2011–12 academic year. Talladega had been a member of the GCAC from 1999–2000 to 2001–02.[3]
On April 17, 2018, it was announced that Rust College had joined the GCAC in the 2018–19 season.[4]
In 2019, Steve Martin resigned from the conference after 5 years to become commissioner of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges [5]
In 2019, Southern University at New Orleans suspended its sports program.[6]
On September 14, 2020, it was also announced that Xavier (La.) would leave the GCAC for the RRAC[7] and on December 18, Talladega was accepted by the SSAC as a new member.[8] Both departures became effective after the 2020–21 season concluded, coinciding with Fisk's return to the GCAC as published on March 16, 2021.[9] On July 19, it was reported that Edward Waters would leave the GCAC to join NCAA Division II for the first time in its history and re-join the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, effectively the 2021–22 season.[10]
In October 2021, Southern at New Orleans began to offer sports again after adding a student fee to fund it.[11] On January 20, 2022, the GCAC extended its membership to Oakwood University and Wiley College, the conference's first Texas member, in addition to the returning Southern at New Orleans. Oakwood and Wiley are expected to join the conference later in July.[12]
Member schools[]
Current members[]
Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dillard University | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1869 | Private (United Methodist & Church of Christ) |
900 | Bleu Devils and Lady Bleu Devils | 1981 |
Fisk University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1866 | Private (United Church of Christ) | 910 | Bulldogs | 2010; 2021[a] |
Philander Smith College | Little Rock, Arkansas | 1864 | Private (United Methodist) | 700 | Panthers | 2011 |
Rust College | Holly Springs, Mississippi | 1886 | Private (United Methodist) | 900 | Bearcats | 2018 |
Tougaloo College | Tougaloo, Mississippi | 1869 | Private (Church of Christ) | 900 | Bulldogs | 1981 |
- Notes
- ^ Fisk left the GCAC after the 2013–14 season; before re-joining in the 2021–22 season
Future members[]
Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Joining | Current conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oakwood University | Huntsville, Alabama | 1896 | Private (Seventh-day Adventist) | 1,400 | Ambassadors | 2022 | None (USCAA) |
Wiley College | Marshall, Texas | 1873 | Private (United Methodist) | 1,250 | Wildcats | Red River |
Former members[]
Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belhaven College | Jackson, Mississippi | 1883 | Private (Evangelical Presbyterian) | Blazers | 1981; 2002 |
2000; 2010 |
American Southwest (NCAA D-III) |
Edward Waters College | Jacksonville, Florida | 1866 | Private (AME Church) | Tigers | 2010 | 2021 | Southern Intercollegiate (NCAA D-II) |
Louisiana College | Pineville, Louisiana | 1906 | Private (Baptist) | Wildcats | 1981 | 2000 | Red River |
Louisiana State University Shreveport | Shreveport, Louisiana | 1967 | Public | Pilots | 2000 | 2010 | Red River |
Loyola University New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1904 | Private (Catholic) | Wolf Pack | 1995 | 2010 | Southern States |
University of Mobile | Mobile, Alabama | 1961 | Private (Baptist) | Rams | 1985 | 2010 | Southern States |
Southern University at New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1956 | Public | Knights and Lady Knights | 1986 | 2019 | Suspended athletic programs (Rejoining GCAC in July 2022) |
Spring Hill College | Mobile, Alabama | 1830 | Private (Catholic) | Badgers | 1981 | 2010 | Southern Intercollegiate (NCAA D-II) |
Talladega College | Talladega, Alabama | 1867 | Private (United Church of Christ) | Tornadoes | 1999; 2011 |
2002; 2021 |
Southern States |
Voorhees College | Denmark, South Carolina | 1897 | Private (Episcopal) | Tigers | 2013 | 2015 | Independent |
William Carey University | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | 1906 | Private (Baptist) | Crusaders | 1981 | 2010 | Southern States |
Xavier University of Louisiana | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1925 | Private (Catholic) | Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets | 1981 | 2021 | Red River |
Membership timeline[]
Full member (non-football)
Conference sports[]
Sport | Men's | Women's |
---|---|---|
Basketball | ||
Cross Country | ||
Track & Field Outdoor | ||
Volleyball |
Conference champions[]
Baseball[]
Year | Regular season champion | Tournament champion |
---|---|---|
2015 | Edward Waters College | Talladega College |
2014 | Talladega College | Talladega College |
2010 | Belhaven College | Louisiana State University in Shreveport |
2009 | William Carey University | Belhaven College |
2008 | University of Mobile | cancelled |
2007 | Belhaven College | Louisiana State University in Shreveport |
2006 | Belhaven College | Louisiana State University in Shreveport |
2005 | Louisiana State University in Shreveport | William Carey University |
2004 | William Carey University | Belhaven College |
2003 | William Carey University | none |
2002 | Loyola University New Orleans | none |
2001 | Spring Hill College | none |
2000 | Spring Hill College | none |
1999 | University of Mobile | none |
1998 | University of Mobile | none |
1997 | Spring Hill College | none |
1996 | William Carey University | none |
1995 | William Carey University | none |
1994 | Belhaven College | none |
1993 | William Carey University | none |
1992 | William Carey University | none |
1991 | William Carey University | none |
1990 | William Carey University | none |
1989 | William Carey University | none |
1988 | William Carey University | none |
1987 | Louisiana College | none |
1986 | William Carey University | none |
1985 | Spring Hill College | none |
1984 | William Carey University | none |
1983 | William Carey University/Spring Hill College | none |
1982 | William Carey University | none |
References[]
- ^ "Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Directory 1981–1982" (PDF). p. 2.
- ^ "SSAC To Expand And Restructure Conference In 2010-11". TheChattanoogan.com. September 29, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2009.
- ^ "Talladega College join the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference". Talladega College Tornadoes. January 9, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
- ^ "Great 8: GCAC Welcomes Rust College As Newest Member". Victory Sports Network. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "GCAC's Steve Martin named commissioner of Mississippi Junior College system". Crescent City Sports. March 11, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ "SUNO to suspend athletic programs months after it was placed on probation over financial problems". nola.com. December 19, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ "Xavier University Of Louisiana To Become RRAC's 13th Member Institution In 2021-22". Victory Sports Network. September 14, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Talladega College to join NAIA's Southern States Conference in 2021-22". Talladega College Tornadoes. December 18, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- ^ "GCAC To Welcome Fisk University Back To Conference In Fall 2021". Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
- ^ "Edward Waters University Returns as SIAC Member Institution". Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. July 19, 2021.
- ^ Canicosa, JC (October 22, 2021). "At a cost to their students, SUNO's athletics program will return next year". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ "GCAC Extends Membership To Oakwood University, Wiley College, Southern University at New Orleans". January 20, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
External links[]
- Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
- College sports in Alabama
- College sports in Arkansas
- College sports in Florida
- College sports in Louisiana
- College sports in Mississippi
- College sports in South Carolina