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Atlantic Sun Conference

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Atlantic Sun Conference
File:Atlantic Sun conf logo.png
AssociationNCAA
CommissionerTed Gumbart (since 2007)
Sports fielded
  • 19
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 11
DivisionDivision I
Subdivisionnon-football
RegionSoutheastern United States and New Jersey
Official websitewww.atlanticsun.org
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun) is a collegiate athletic conference operating mostly in the Southeastern United States. The league participates at the NCAA Division I level, and does not sponsor football. Originally established as the Trans America Athletic Conference (TAAC) in 1978,[1] its headquarters are located in Macon, Georgia.

The most recent change in the A-Sun membership came in 2015–16, when Northern Kentucky University (transitioning from NCAA Division II sports to Division I) left the conference to join the Horizon League[2] and was replaced by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), previously the only Division I basketball independent.[3] Northern Kentucky had replaced Belmont University, which moved to the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC);[4] this maintained the membership roster at 10 schools. The 2014 departure of East Tennessee State University and Mercer University to the Southern Conference left the A-Sun with its current membership number of eight.

Membership history

Current members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment [5] U.S. News
Ranking[5]
Endowment
(mil)[5]
Joined Nickname
Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, Florida 1991 Public 14,098 87
(Regional: South)
$51.0m 2007 Eagles
Jacksonville University Jacksonville, Florida 1934 Private 4,157 73
(Regional: South)
$40.3m 1998 Dolphins
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, Georgia 1963 Public 24,629 70
(Regional: South)
$25.0m 2005 Owls
Lipscomb University Nashville, Tennessee 1891 Private 4,580 18
(Regional: South)
$62.3m 2003 Bisons
New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, New Jersey 1881 Public 10,646 140
(National)
$102.1m 2015 Highlanders
University of North Florida Jacksonville, Florida 1969 Public 16,083 51
(Regional: South)
$84.2m 2005 Ospreys
University of South Carolina Upstate Spartanburg, South Carolina 1967 Public 5,358 32
(Regional College: South)
$6.7m 2007 Spartans
Stetson University DeLand, Florida 1883 Private 4,044 6
(Regional: South)
$173.2m 1985 Hatters

Associate members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Nickname Primary
Conference
A-Sun Sports
Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, Michigan 1892 Public 27,693 2015–16 Chippewas MAC women's lacrosse
Coastal Carolina University Conway, South Carolina 1954 Public 9,976 2015–16 Chanticleers Big South
(Sun Belt in 2016)
beach volleyball
University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, Michigan 1877 Private 5,700 2012–13 Titans Horizon women's lacrosse
Furman University Greenville, South Carolina 1826 Private 3,121 2013–14 Paladins SoCon women's lacrosse
Howard University Washington, D.C. 1867 Private 10,991 2012–13 Lady Bison MEAC women's lacrosse
Mercer University Macon, Georgia 1833 Private 8,500 2014–15 Bears SoCon women's lacrosse
beach volleyball
Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia 1930 Public 24,125 2014–15 Monarchs C-USA women's lacrosse

Future Associate members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Joining Nickname Primary
Conference
A-Sun Sports
Delaware State University Dover, Delaware 1891 Public 3,400 2016-17 Hornets MEAC women's lacrosse
Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina 1854 Private 1,584 2016-17 Terriers SoCon women's lacrosse

Membership timeline

New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNorthern Kentucky UniversityUniversity of South Carolina UpstateFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityUniversity of North FloridaKennesaw State UniversityEast Tennessee State UniversityLipscomb UniversityGardner-Webb UniversityBelmont UniversityJacksonville UniversityTroy UniversityJacksonville State UniversityCampbell UniversityFlorida Atlantic UniversityUniversity of Central FloridaCollege of CharlestonSoutheastern Louisiana UniversityFlorida International UniversityThe University of Texas at San AntonioStetson UniversityGeorgia State UniversityNicholls State UniversityGeorgia Southern UniversityUniversity of Arkansas at Little RockNorthwestern State UniversityMercer UniversitySamford UniversityCentenary College of LouisianaHardin–Simmons UniversityHouston Baptist UniversityUniversity of Louisiana at MonroeThe University of Texas–Pan AmericanOklahoma City University
  • Northeast Louisiana became the University of Louisiana at Monroe (Louisiana–Monroe) in 1999.
  • Pan American, later known as Texas–Pan American or UTPA, merged with the University of Texas at Brownsville in 2015 to create the new University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The new school inherited UTPA's athletic program.

Sports sponsored

The Atlantic Sun Conference sponsors championship competition in eight men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[6]

In 2008, the Atlantic Sun, in an agreement with the Southern Conference (SoCon), Middle Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), and Big South Conference, formed the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA) for schools sponsoring men's and women's swimming and diving within the associated conferences. For the past several years, the Atlantic Sun's Commissioner has served as the president of what was initially a swimming & diving-only conference. In 2014 the CCSA expanded to include several other schools from other conferences, and the following year the conference added beach volleyball (women-only at the NCAA level) as a sponsored sport, changing its name to the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association. Currently the conference has 22 member schools, with eight men's swimming & diving teams, 11 women's swimming & diving teams, and eight beach volleyball teams.[7]

The most recent change to the roster of A-Sun sports took place after the 2013–14 school year. Under a cooperative agreement between the A-Sun and SoCon, the two leagues agreed to split lacrosse sponsorship. The SoCon took over the A-Sun men's lacrosse league, while women's lacrosse sponsorship remained with the A-Sun.[8]

Locations of 2013—14 Atlantic Sun Conference full member institutions.
Atlantic Sun Conference teams
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball
8
-
Basketball
8
8
Beach volleyball*
-
6
Cross Country
8
8
Golf
7
7
Lacrosse
-
9
Soccer
6
8
Softball
-
7
Tennis
7
7
Track and Field (Indoor)
5
6
Track and Field (Outdoor)
5
6
Volleyball
-
8
  • = Starting in 2014-15, men's lacrosse is sponsored by the Southern Conference and women's by the A-Sun.[8]
  • * = Beach volleyball is a fully sanctioned NCAA sport which will have its first national championship in the spring of 2016.[9] The A-Sun was the first conference to sponsor a championship in the sport.

Men's sports

Men's sponsored sports by school
School Baseball Basketball Cross
Country
Golf Soccer Tennis Track &
Field
(Indoor)
Track &
Field
(Outdoor)
Total
Sports
Florida Gulf Coast Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN 6
Jacksonville Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN Red XN 5
Kennesaw State Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 7
Lipscomb Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 8
NJIT Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN [m 1] Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 6
North Florida Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 8
Stetson Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN 6
USC Upstate Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 8
Totals 8 8 8 7 6 7 5 5 55
  1. ^ NJIT men's soccer will join the A-Sun in 2016.[3]

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Atlantic Sun Conference which are played by A-Sun schools:

School Fencing[m 1] Football Lacrosse Rowing Swimming
& Diving
Volleyball
Jacksonville No Pioneer League SoCon MAAC No No
NJIT MACFA No Independent[m 2] No CCSA EIVA
Kennesaw State No Big South No No No No
Stetson No Pioneer League No MAAC No No
  1. ^ Fencing is a coeducational team sport; schools have separate men's and women's teams, but the NCAA awards only a single team championship.
  2. ^ The A-Sun and Southern Conference have a lacrosse alliance under which the two conferences split lacrosse sponsorship, with men's in the SoCon and women's in the A-Sun. Although NJIT will presumably become part of this alliance, no announcement regarding the school's lacrosse affiliation was made when NJIT was announced as a new A-Sun member.

Women's sports

Women's sponsored sports by school
School Basketball Beach volleyball Cross
Country
Golf Lacrosse Soccer Softball Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Volleyball Total
Sports
Florida Gulf Coast Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN Green tickY 8
Jacksonville Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 10
Kennesaw State Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 10
Lipscomb Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 9
NJIT Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Red XN Red XN Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 7
North Florida Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 10
Stetson Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Red XN Green tickY 9
USC Upstate Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Red XN Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY Green tickY 9
Totals 8 4+2** 8 7 3+6* 8 7 7 6 6 8 72+8

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Atlantic Sun Conference which are played by A-Sun schools:

School Fencing[w 1] Rowing Swimming &
Diving
Florida Gulf Coast No No CCSA
Jacksonville No MAAC No
NJIT Independent No No
North Florida No No CCSA
Stetson No MAAC No
  1. ^ Fencing is a coeducational team sport; schools have separate men's and women's teams, but the NCAA awards only a single team championship.

Facilities

School Basketball arena Capacity Baseball stadium Capacity Soccer stadium Capacity
Florida Gulf Coast Alico Arena 4,633 Swanson Stadium 1,500 FGCU Soccer Complex 1,500
Jacksonville Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena (men)
Swisher Gymnasium (women)
14,091
1,500
John Sessions Stadium 1,500 Ashley Sports Complex 500
Kennesaw State KSU Convocation Center 4,792 Fred Stillwell Stadium 1,200 Fifth Third Bank Stadium 8,300
Lipscomb Allen Arena 5,028 Ken Dugan Field 1,500 Lipscomb Soccer Complex 600
NJIT Fleisher Athletic Center
Prudential Center (alternate)
1,000
18,711
Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium 6,200 J. Malcolm Simon Stadium 1,000
North Florida UNF Arena 5,800 Harmon Stadium 1,000 Hodges Stadium 9,300
Stetson Edmunds Center 5,000 Melching Field at Conrad Park 2,500 Stetson Soccer Complex 500
USC Upstate G. B. Hodge Center 828 Cleveland S. Harley Baseball Park 500 County U. Soccer Stadium 300

All sports championships

The Jesse C. Fletcher and Sherman Day Trophies are awarded each year to the top men's and women's program in the conference. The Bill Bibb Trophy, combining the men's and women's results for the best overall program, was first awarded in 2006–07. East Tennessee State has won this overall trophy seven of the nine years it has been awarded; Florida Gulf Coast won in 2012–13 and 2014–15.[10]

Men's All Sports: Jesse C. Fletcher Trophy

Year Champion
1978–79 Oklahoma City
1979–80 Northeast Louisiana
1980–81 Northeast Louisiana
1981–82 Northeast Louisiana
1982–83 Georgia Southern
1983–84 Centenary
1984–85 Georgia Southern
1985–86 Houston Baptist
1986–87 Georgia Southern
1987–88 Georgia Southern
1988–89 Georgia Southern
1989–90 Georgia Southern
1990–91 Georgia Southern
1991–92 Florida International
1992–93 Florida International
1993–94 Florida International
1994–95 Central Florida
1995–96 Central Florida
1996–97 Florida International
1997–98 Georgia State
1998–99 Central Florida
1999–00 Georgia State
2000–01 Georgia State
2001–02 Georgia State
2002–03 Central Florida
2003–04 Central Florida
2004–05 Central Florida
2005–06 East Tennessee State
2006–07 East Tennessee State
2007–08 East Tennessee State
2008–09 East Tennessee State
2009–10 East Tennessee State
2010–11 East Tennessee State
2011–12 East Tennessee State
2012–13 Florida Gulf Coast
2013–14 East Tennessee State
2014–15 North Florida

Women's All Sports: Sherman Day Trophy

Year Champion
1978–79 None
1979–80 None
1980–81 None
1981–82 None
1982–83 None
1983–84 None
1984–85 None
1985–86 Stetson, Georgia State
1986–87 Stetson
1987–88 Georgia State
1988–89 Georgia State
1989–90 Georgia State
1990–91 Florida International
1991–92 Florida International
1992–93 Georgia State
1993–94 Florida International
1994–95 Campbell
1995–96 Central Florida
1996–97 Central Florida
1997–98 Georgia State
1998–99 Central Florida
1999–00 Georgia State
2000–01 Georgia State
2001–02 Central Florida
2002–03 Central Florida
2003–04 Central Florida
2004–05 Central Florida
2005–06 Florida Atlantic
2006–07 East Tennessee State
2007–08 Jacksonville
2008–09 Jacksonville
2009–10 Kennesaw State
2010–11 Jacksonville
2011–12 Kennesaw State
2012–13 Florida Gulf Coast
2013–14 Jacksonville
2014–15 Florida Gulf Coast

Former A-Sun members

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Left Nickname New Conference
(Classification)
Current Conference
(Classification)
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1904 Private 3,770 1978 1979 Chiefs[a 1] Midwestern City[b 1]
(NCAA Division I non-football)
Sooner (SAC) (NAIA Division I)
Pan American University[a 2] Edinburg, Texas 1927 Public 19,302 1978 1980 Broncs[a 3] NCAA D-I Independent
(NCAA Division I non-football)
WAC
(NCAA Division I non-football)
Northeast Louisiana University[a 4] Monroe, Louisiana 1931 Public 8,405 1978 1982 Indians[a 4] Southland
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Sun Belt
(NCAA Division I FBS)
Houston Baptist University Houston, Texas 1960 Private 2,567 1978 1989 Huskies NAIA Independent
(NAIA non-football)
Southland
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Hardin–Simmons University Abilene, Texas 1891 Private 2,435 1978 1990 Cowboys TIAA
(NCAA Division III)
American Southwest
(NCAA Division III)
Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, Louisiana 1825 Private 787 1978 1999 Gentlemen (men's)
Ladies (women's)
NCAA D-I Independent
(NCAA Division I non-football)
SCAC (NCAA D-III)
(NCAA Division III non-football)
Samford University Homewood, Alabama 1841 Private 4,440 1978 2003 Bulldogs OVC
(NCAA Division I FCS)
SoCon
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Northwestern State University Natchitoches, Louisiana 1884 Public 9,244 1979 1984 Demons Southland
(NCAA Division I FCS)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas 1927 Public 13,000 1979 1991 Trojans Sun Belt[b 2]
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, Georgia 1906 Public 20,584 1979 1992 Eagles SoCon
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Sun Belt
(NCAA Division I FBS)
Nicholls State University[a 5] Thibodaux, Louisiana 1948 Public 7,093 1982 1984 Colonels Gulf Star
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Southland
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Georgia State University Atlanta, Georgia 1913 Public 32,087 1983 2005 Panthers CAA
(NCAA Division I non-football)[b 3]
Sun Belt
(NCAA Division I FBS)
University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas 1969 Public 30,474 1986 1991 Roadrunners Southland
(NCAA Division I non-football)[b 4]
C-USA
(NCAA Division I FBS)
Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond, Louisiana 1925 Public 17,800 1991 1997 Lions Southland
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Florida International University University Park, Florida 1965 Public 50,394 1990 1998 Golden Panthers[a 6] Sun Belt
(NCAA Division I non-football)[11]
C-USA
(NCAA Division I FBS)
College of Charleston Charleston, South Carolina 1770 Public 11,320 1991 1998 Cougars SoCon
(NCAA Division I non-football)[b 5]
CAA[b 5]
University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida 1963 Public 60,181 1992 2005 Golden Knights[a 7] C-USA
(NCAA Division I FBS)
The American
(NCAA Division I FBS)
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida 1961 Public 29,290 1993 2006 Owls Sun Belt
(NCAA Division I FBS)[b 6]
C-USA
(NCAA Division I FBS)
Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, Alabama 1883 Public 9,490 1995 2003 Gamecocks OVC
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Troy University Troy, Alabama 1887 Public 29,689 1997 2005 Trojans Sun Belt
(NCAA Division I FBS)[b 7]
Gardner–Webb University Boiling Springs, North Carolina 1905 Private 4,300 2002 2008 Runnin' Bulldogs Big South
(NCAA Division I FCS)
Campbell University Buies Creek, North Carolina 1887 Private 4,120 1994 2011 Fighting Camels Big South
(NCAA Division I FCS)[b 8]
Belmont University Nashville, Tennessee 1890 Private 6,647 2001 2012 Bruins OVC
(NCAA Division I FCS)[b 9]
East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee 1911 Public 15,530 2005 2014 Buccaneers SoCon
(NCAA Division I FCS)[b 10]
Mercer University Macon, Georgia 1833 Private 8,300 1978 2014 Bears SoCon
(NCAA Division I FCS) [b 11]
Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, Kentucky 1968 Public 15,263 2012 2015 Norse Horizon
(NCAA Division I non-football)
Notes

School names and nicknames listed here reflect those used during the schools' time in the TAAC/A-Sun. One school has changed both its name and nickname, and three others have changed only their nicknames:

  1. ^ Oklahoma City adopted its current nickname of Stars in 1999.
  2. ^ Pan American adopted its final name of the University of Texas–Pan American in 1989. In 2015, it merged with the University of Texas at Brownsville to form the new University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV).
  3. ^ UTRGV inherited UTPA's athletic program, with the nickname being changed from Broncs to Vaqueros. UTRGV also inherited UTPA's membership in the Western Athletic Conference.
  4. ^ a b Northeast Louisiana adopted its current name of the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 1999. The school adopted its current nickname of Warhawks in 2006, when it joined the Sun Belt Conference.
  5. ^ Nicholls State was a provisional member, and as such was never a full member of the TAAC.
  6. ^ FIU dropped the word "Golden" from its nickname in 2010, becoming simply the Panthers.
  7. ^ UCF dropped the word "Golden" from its nickname in 2007, becoming simply the Knights.
  1. ^ The Midwestern City Conference is now known as the Horizon League.
  2. ^ Although the Sun Belt Conference competes in football at the Division I FBS level, UALR does not sponsor the sport.
  3. ^ The CAA began an FCS-level football league in 2007, but Georgia State did not sponsor the sport until 2010. It began a transition from FCS to FBS in 2013, and joined the FBS Sun Belt Conference in 2014.
  4. ^ Although the Southland Conference competes in football at the Division I FCS level, UTSA did not sponsor the sport until 2011. It never competed in the Southland Conference in football; it started a two-year transition to FBS in 2011, joined the WAC in 2012, and joined Conference USA (C-USA) in 2013.
  5. ^ a b Although both the Southern Conference and CAA compete in football at the Division I FCS level, Charleston has never sponsored the sport.
  6. ^ Florida Atlantic joined the Sun Belt for football in the 2005 season before becoming an all-sports member in 2006.
  7. ^ Troy became a Sun Belt football member in 2004, a year before it became an all-sports member.
  8. ^ Campbell is a full member of the Big South, but does not participate in the Big South’s football conference. The school operates a non-scholarship FCS program in the Pioneer Football League.
  9. ^ Although the OVC competes in football at the Division I FCS level, Belmont does not sponsor the sport.[12]
  10. ^ ETSU, which had left the SoCon to join the A-Sun in 2005 after dropping football in 2003. The Buccaneers returned to the SoCon as part of relaunching the dormant football program in 2014; football will begin play in 2015 as an FCS independent, with SoCon football membership following in 2016.
  11. ^ Mercer joined the SoCon after the football program, which last played a game in 1941, signed its first players in 2012, with full play beginning in 2013.

Championships

Notes and references

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ "Northern Kentucky University to Join Horizon League in July" (Press release). Horizon League. May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 2015. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ^ a b "New Jersey Institute of Technology to Join the Atlantic Sun: #NJITtoASun" (Press release). Atlantic Sun Conference. June 12, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  4. ^ "Northern Kentucky to Join Atlantic Sun" (Press release). Atlantic Sun Conference. December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c Rankings
  6. ^ http://www.atlanticsun.org/
  7. ^ http://www.theccsa.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=24200&ATCLID=205668235
  8. ^ a b "SoCon, A-Sun Partner to Enhance Lacrosse" (Press release). Southern Conference. January 9, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  9. ^ http://www.ncaa.com/news/ncaa/article/2015-01-17/ncaa-dii-diii-membership-approves-sand-volleyball-90th-championship
  10. ^ Atlantic Sun: All Sports Race
  11. ^ The Sun Belt did not start its Division I-A (now FBS) football league until 2001, and FIU did not start a football program until 2002. It competed as a Division I-AA (now FCS) independent until joining Sun Belt football in 2005.
  12. ^ "Belmont moving to Ohio Valley Conference in 2012-13". USA Today. December 7, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011.