Sun Conference
| Sun Conference | |
|---|---|
| TSC | |
 | |
| Established | 1990 |
| Association | NAIA |
| Members | 11 (10 in 2022) |
| Sports fielded |
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| Region | Southern United States |
| Former names | Florida Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1990–1992) Florida Sun Conference (1992–2008) |
| Headquarters | Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Commissioner | Dustin Wilke |
| Website | thesunconference.com |
| Locations | |
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The Sun Conference (TSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Eight of the twelve full member institutions are located in Florida, with three in Georgia and one in South Carolina. The Sun Conference competes in the NAIA in all sponsored sports.
History[]
The conference was created in March 1990 as the Florida Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (FIAC), and renamed to the Florida Sun Conference in 1992. Charter members consisted of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Flagler College, Florida Memorial University, Nova University of Advanced Technology (now Nova Southeastern University), Palm Beach Atlantic University, Saint Thomas University, Webber International University and Warner Southern College (now Warner University).
The league later grew to nine members with the addition of Northwood University in 1994 (now Keiser University). Between 2002 and 2006, Nova Southeastern (2002), Palm Beach Atlantic (2003) and Flagler (2006) moved to NCAA Division II. But the league was able to recruit new members as Savannah College of Art and Design joined in 2004, followed by Edward Waters College in 2006. It adopted its current name in August 2008 to reflect its expansion to institutions outside of Florida.[1] With the addition of the University of South Carolina at Beaufort in 2007, Johnson & Wales University, Southeastern University and Ave Maria University in 2009, and Thomas University of Georgia in 2012, years, along with Edward Waters’ move to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference after the 2009–10 season, the league membership stood at 12 schools as of the 2012–13 season.
In 2014, Point University and former member Edward Waters College joined the conference for football only. Starting with the 2016 season, all six football members moved to the Mid-South Conference for that sport.[2] Charter member Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University departed the conference on June 30, 2015 and joined the Sunshine State Conference (D-II). In 2017, the College of Coastal Georgia joined the Sun Conference,[3] with the conference again standing at a total of 12 members. In 2018, Sun conference member Keiser added football[4] but Edward Waters left Mid-South. In 2019, Saint Thomas also added football and Florida Memorial re-added the sport after more than 60 years,[5][6] bringing the number of members participating in football to 8.
On June 25, 2020, Johnson & Wales announced it would close down its North Miami campus at the end of the 2020-21 school year,[7] and on July 28, Johnson & Wales North Miami discontinued all sports.[8]
On April 14, 2021, South Carolina–Beaufort reported its invitation to join the Division II Peach Belt Conference in 2022 after applying for membership in, and pending acceptance into, the NCAA.[9] The conference published on December 22 its reinstatement of football for the 2022 season.[10]
Member schools[]
There are currently 11 full members.[11][3]
Current members[]
- Notes
- ^ Keiser University's teams were the teams of Northwood University's Florida campus until Keiser University purchased it in 2015 and made the teams its own.
- ^ South Carolina–Beaufort has planned to move to NCAA Division II in the fall of 2022.[12]
Former members[]
| Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University | Daytona Beach, Florida | 1926 | Private (Nonsectarian) | Eagles | 1990 | 2015 | Sunshine State (NCAA D-II) |
| Edward Waters College | Jacksonville, Florida | 1866 | Private (A.M.E. Church) | Tigers | 2006 | 2010 | SIAC (NCAA D-II) |
| Flagler College | St. Augustine, Florida | 1968 | Private (Nonsectarian) | Saints | 1990 | 2006 | Peach Belt (NCAA D-II) |
| Northwood University | West Palm Beach, Florida | 1984 | Private (Nonsectarian) | Seahawks | 1994 | 2015 | Sold to Keiser University |
| Johnson & Wales University–North Miami | North Miami, Florida | 1992 | Private (Nonsectarian) | Wildcats | 2009 | 2020 | Discontinued sports Closed in 2021 |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 1964 | Private (Nonsectarian) | Sharks | 1990 | 2002 | Sunshine State (NCAA D-II) |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | West Palm Beach, Florida | 1968 | Private (Christian) | Sailfish | 1990 | 2003 | Sunshine State (NCAA D-II) |
Former affiliate members[]
For the 2014 and 2015 football seasons, Edward Waters and Point joined the conference. All six members moved to the Mid-South Conference for the 2016 season. With the exception of Point, which participates in the Appalachian division, these teams plus Faulkner University now form the Sun Division of the Mid-South Conference.[13]
| Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Nickname | Joined | Left | Sun sport |
Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Waters College | Jacksonville, Florida | 1866 | Private (A.M.E. Church) | Tigers | 2014 | 2016 | football | SIAC (NCAA D-II) |
| Point University | West Point, Georgia | 1937 | Private (Christian) | Skyhawks | 2014 | 2016 | football | Appalachian (AAC) |
Membership timeline[]
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football-only)
Sports[]
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  |
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| Basketball | |
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| Beach Volleyball |
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| Cross Country | |
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| Flag football |
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| Football | |
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| Golf | |
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| Soccer | |
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| Softball |
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| Tennis | |
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| Track & Field Outdoor | |
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| Volleyball |
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References[]
- ^ "About the Sun Conference". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
- ^ "Mid-South Conference Creates Largest College Football Conference". February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
- ^ a b "COASTAL GEORGIA SET TO OFFICIALLY BECOME SUN CONFERENCE MEMBER". June 29, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ Evenson, Johyn (October 11, 2016). "Keiser University Athletics adds football starting in 2018". Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ^ "St. Thomas to Launch Football in 2019; Joins MSC Sun Division". mid-southconference.org. August 29, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "This is why Florida Memorial is bringing back college football after a 61-year hiatus". Miami Herald. June 4, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "Johnson & Wales, which trained many local chefs, is closing its North Miami campus". June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ "Johnson & Wales Discontinues Athletics". Victory Sports Network. July 30, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ "Peach Belt Accepts USCB as Newest League Member". USCB Sand Sharks. April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ "Football Returns to the Sun Conference in 2022". Sun Conference. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
- ^ "The Sun Conference". The Sun Conference. August 18, 2008. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
- ^ Murdaugh, Shellie (April 15, 2021). "University of South Carolina Beaufort plans move to NCAA Division II". Bluffton Today. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ Wilson, Michael (February 25, 2016). "Local teams officially join Mid-South football conference". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
External links[]
- Sun Conference