USA South Athletic Conference
FormerlyDixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Dixie Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded1963
CommissionerDr. Tom Hart
Sports fielded
  • 18
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 9
DivisionDivision III
No. of teams10
HeadquartersRome, Georgia
RegionSouth
Official websiteusasouth.net
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The USA South Athletic Conference (formerly the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference or the Dixie Conference) is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member schools are located in North Carolina and Virginia.

History

The Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was founded in 1963 as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with the philosophy that participation would be strictly amateur, so no athletic financial aid or scholarships would be awarded by its affiliate institutions. The six charter members were Charlotte College, College of Charleston, Methodist College, North Carolina Wesleyan College, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, and Lynchburg College.[1] In 1973, when the National Collegiate Athletic Association divided into a three-division format, the Dixie Conference left the NAIA and moved into the non-scholarship NCAA Division III.[1]

On June 30, 2003, the conference changed to its name to the USA South Athletic Conference.[2]

During the 2010–11 school year, changes to the membership of the USA South were announced. Three colleges announced plans to join the USA South Conference beginning in the 2012–13 season while one will depart the league. Piedmont College,[3] LaGrange College,[4] and Maryville College joined the Great South Athletic Conference on July 1, 2012.

Shenandoah University left the USA South on the above date, to become a full member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), a league in which it held associate membership in several sports.

Christopher Newport University left the USA South after the 2012–2013 season to join the Capital Athletic Conference in all sports except for football which will remain a USA South affiliate member through the 2015 season.

On May 10, 2012, Covenant College and Huntingdon College announced plans to leave the Great South and join USA South Athletic Conference beginning in the 2013–2014 season.

On May 6, 2015, the USA South announced that Agnes Scott College, Salem College, and Wesleyan College would leave the Great South Athletic Conference and join the USA South beginning in the 2016–17 school year.[5] The conference announced the future arrival of three more schools during the 2015–16 school year. First, it announced on December 9, 2015, that Brevard College, transitioning from the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference to Division III, would join for 2017–18 and beyond.[6] Then, on May 4, 2016, two more incoming members were announced: Berea College, nearing completion of a transition from the NAIA to Division III, and Pfeiffer University, transitioning from the Division II Conference Carolinas to Division III. Both joined in 2017–18 as well.[7]

On June 27, 2017, Ferrum College, a conference member since 1988, announced that it would leave for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference after the 2017–18 school year.[8]

On December 11, 2019, the USA South announced the addition of Southern Virginia University who will join in the 2021–22 academic year.[9]

Later changes to the USA South membership came on March 8, 2021, when Averett University revealed its intention to leave the USA South and join Ferrum College in the ODAC as a full member in the 2022–23 academic year,[10] and on November 22, when Belhaven University, then a member of the American Southwest Conference, was at first accepted for membership in the conference also for 2022–23.[11]

On February 18, 2022, the USA South Conference presidents announced a restructuring of the conference, resulting in all of its members outside North Carolina and Virginia—Agnes Scott, Berea, Covenant, Huntingdon, LaGrange, Maryville, Piedmont, and Wesleyan—leaving the USA South to form the new Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) for the 2022-23 academic year. They were joined by incoming member Belhaven. CCS members sponsoring football, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, and women's golf remain in the USA South as associate members for those sports.[12]

USA South Athletic Conference
Location of USA South members:
Current Members
Associate Members

Chronological timeline

  • 1963 - The USA South was founded as the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. It was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Charter members included Charlotte College (now the University of North Carolina at Charlotte), the College of Charleston, Lynchburg College (now the University of Lynchburg), Methodist College (now Methodist University), North Carolina Wesleyan College (now North Carolina Wesleyan University), and St. Andrews Presbyterian College (now St. Andrews University), effective beginning the 1963-64 academic year.
  • 1966 - Greensboro College joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1966-67 academic year.
  • 1968 - The University of North Carolina at Greensboro joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1968-69 academic year.
  • 1970
    • UNC Charlotte and the College of Charleston left the Dixie Conference, effective after the 1969-70 academic year.
    • Virginia Wesleyan College (now Virginia Wesleyan University) joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1970-71 academic year.
  • 1972 - Christopher Newport College (now Christopher Newport University) joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1972-73 academic year.
  • 1973 - The Dixie Conference left the NAIA to join the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), effective in the 1973-74 academic year.
  • 1976 - Lynchburg left the Dixie Conference to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), effective after the 1975-76 academic year.
  • 1978 - Averett College (now Averett University) joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1978-79 academic year.
  • 1988
    • UNC Greensboro and St. Andrews Presbyterian left the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1987-88 academic year.
    • Ferrum College joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1988-89 academic year.
  • 1989 - Virginia Wesleyan left the Dixie Conference to join the ODAC, effective after the 1988-89 academic year.
  • 1992 - Shenandoah College (now Shenandoah University) joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 1992-93 academic year.
  • 2000 - Chowan College (now Chowan University) joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 2000-01 academic year.
  • 2003
    • Peace College (now William Peace University) joined the Dixie Conference, effective in the 2003-04 academic year.
    • The Dixie Conference was rebranded as the USA South Athletic Conference (USA South), effective in the 2003-04 academic year.
  • 2004 - Chowan left the USA South to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent, effective after the 2003-04 academic year. (Chowan would eventually join the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in 2009.)
  • 2005 - Maryville College joined the USA South as an associate member for football, effective in the 2005 fall season (2005-06 academic year).
  • 2007 - Mary Baldwin College (now Mary Baldwin University) and Meredith College joined the USA South, effective in the 2007-08 academic year.
  • 2009 - Agnes Scott College and LaGrange College joined the USA South as associate members for women's lacrosse, effective in the 2010 spring season (2009-10 academic year).
  • 2012
    • Shenandoah left the USA South to join the ODAC, effective after the 2011-12 academic year.
    • Piedmont College joined the USA South (with LaGrange and Maryville adding the rest of their sports for full member status), effective in the 2012-13 academic year.
  • 2013
  • 2014 - Agnes Scott left the USA South as an associate member for women's lacrosse, effective after the 2014 spring season (2013-14 academic year).
  • 2016
    • Christopher Newport left the USA South as an associate member for football, effective after the 2015 fall season (2015-16 academic year).
    • Salem College and Wesleyan College joined the USA South (with Agnes Scott re-joining, but for all sports), effective in the 2016-17 academic year.
  • 2017 - Berea College, Brevard College and Pfeiffer University joined the USA South, effective in the 2017-18 academic year.
  • 2018 - Ferrum left the USA South to join the ODAC, effective after the 2017-18 academic year.
  • 2021 - Southern Virginia University joined the USA South, effective in the 2021-22 academic year.
  • 2022
    • In an amicable conference split, Agnes Scott, Berea, Covenant, Huntingdon, LaGrange, Maryville, Piedmont, and Wesleyan left the USA South at the end of the 2021–22 academic year to form the new Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS). With the CCS not sponsoring football, women's golf, or men's or women's lacrosse, all CCS members that sponsored those sports remained in the USA South as associate members.
    • At the same time, Averett left the USA South to join the ODAC.
    • Also at that time, Belhaven University joined the USA South as an associate member for football. Belhaven was initially slated to join for all sports, but was admitted to the CCS as a full member instead. The three other CCS members that sponsor football (Huntingdon, LaGrange, and Maryville) became USA South football associates. Huntingdon and non-football Piedmont also became associates in women's golf and men's and women's lacrosse; LaGrange also became an associate in men's lacrosse; and Maryville became an associate in women's golf.

Member schools

Current members

The USA South currently has 10 full members, all private schools, with Meredith as the league's only secular institution.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Football?
Brevard College Brevard, North Carolina 1853 United Methodist 708 Tornados 2017 Yes
Greensboro College Greensboro, North Carolina 1838 United Methodist 1,233 Pride 1966 Yes
Mary Baldwin University[lower-alpha 1] Staunton, Virginia 1842 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
2,242 Fighting Squirrels 2007 No
Meredith College[lower-alpha 2] Raleigh, North Carolina 1891 Nonsectarian 1,990 Avenging Angels 2007 No
Methodist University Fayetteville, North Carolina 1956 United Methodist 2,215 Monarchs 1963 Yes
North Carolina Wesleyan University Rocky Mount, North Carolina 1956 United Methodist 900 Battling Bishops 1963 Yes
Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, North Carolina 1885 United Methodist 1,200 Falcons 2017 No
Salem College[lower-alpha 2] Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1772 Moravian 565 Spirits 2016 No
Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, Virginia 1867 LDS Church 1,053 Knights 2021 Yes
William Peace University[lower-alpha 1] Raleigh, North Carolina 1857 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
950 Pacers 2003 No
Notes
  1. 1 2 This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (William Peace since 2012–13, Mary Baldwin since 2017–18).
  2. 1 2 This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.

Associate members

The USA South has five associate members, all private and faith-based schools that are full CCS members. All became charter CCS members in the 2022 conference split. Belhaven had been announced as an incoming USA South member for 2022, but instead joined CCS.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined USA South
Sport(s)
Belhaven University Jackson, Mississippi 1883 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
3,245 Blazers 2022 football
Huntingdon College Montgomery, Alabama 1854 United Methodist 900 Hawks 2022 football,
men's lacrosse,
women's golf,
women's lacrosse
LaGrange College LaGrange, Georgia 1831 United Methodist 1,137 Panthers 2022 football,
men's lacrosse
Maryville College Maryville, Tennessee 1819 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
1,103 Scots 2022 football,
women's golf
Piedmont University Demorest, Georgia 1897 United Church of Christ &
Congregationalist
2,640 Lions 2022 men's lacrosse,
women's golf,
women's lacrosse

Former members

The USA South has twenty former full members, all but four were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Agnes Scott College Decatur, Georgia 1889 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
914 Scotties 2016 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
Averett University Danville, Virginia 1859 Baptist 2,719 Cougars 1978 2022 Old Dominion (ODAC)
Berea College Berea, Kentucky 1855 Christian
(unaffiliated)
1,613 Mountaineers 2017 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
Chowan College[lower-alpha 1] Murfreesboro, North Carolina 1848 Baptist 1,260 Hawks 2000 2004 Carolinas (CC)[lower-alpha 2]
Christopher Newport University Newport News, Virginia 1960 Public 4,793 Captains 1972 2013 Coast to Coast (C2C)
College of Charleston Charleston, South Carolina 1770 Public 11,320 Cougars 1963 1970 Colonial (CAA)[lower-alpha 3]
Covenant College Lookout Mountain, Georgia 1955 Presbyterian
(PCA)
1,282 Scots &
Lady Scots
2013 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
Ferrum College Ferrum, Virginia 1913 United Methodist 1,100 Panthers 1988 2018 Old Dominion (ODAC)
Huntingdon College Montgomery, Alabama 1854 United Methodist 900 Hawks 2013 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
LaGrange College LaGrange, Georgia 1831 United Methodist 1,137 Panthers 2012 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
Lynchburg College[lower-alpha 4] Lynchburg, Virginia 1903 Disciples of Christ 2,500 Fighting Hornets 1963 1976 Old Dominion (ODAC)
Maryville College Maryville, Tennessee 1819 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
1,103 Scots 2012 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
Piedmont University Demorest, Georgia 1897 United Church of Christ &
Congregationalist
2,640 Lions 2012 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
Shenandoah University Winchester, Virginia 1875 United Methodist 1,767 Hornets 1992 2012 Old Dominion (ODAC)
St. Andrews Presbyterian University[lower-alpha 5] Laurinburg, North Carolina 1958 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
600 Knights 1963 1988 Appalachian (AAC)[lower-alpha 6]
University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, North Carolina 1961 Public 25,227 49ers 1963 1970 Conf. USA (C-USA)[lower-alpha 3]
(The American (AAC)[lower-alpha 3] in 2023)
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, North Carolina 1891 Public 18,502 Spartans 1968 1988 Southern (SoCon)[lower-alpha 3]
Virginia Wesleyan College[lower-alpha 7] Norfolk, Virginia 1961 United Methodist 1,446 Marlins 1970 1989 Old Dominion (ODAC)
Wesleyan College Macon, Georgia 1836 United Methodist 550 Wolves 2016 2022 C.C. of the South (CCS)
Notes
  1. Currently known as Chowan University since 2006.
  2. Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
  4. Currently known as the University of Lynchburg since 2018.
  5. Currently known as St. Andrews University since 2011.
  6. Currently an NAIA athletic conference.
  7. Currently known as Virginia Wesleyan University since 2017.

Membership timeline

Belhaven UniversitySouthern Virginia UniversityPfeiffer UniversityBrevard CollegeBerea CollegeWesleyan CollegeSalem CollegeHuntingdon CollegeCovenant CollegePiedmont CollegeMaryville CollegeLaGrange CollegeAgnes Scott CollegeMeredith CollegeMary Baldwin CollegeWilliam Peace UniversityChowan UniversityShenandoah UniversityFerrum CollegeAverett UniversityChristopher Newport UniversityVirginia Wesleyan CollegeUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro CollegeNorth Carolina Wesleyan CollegeSt. Andrews University (North Carolina)Methodist UniversityLynchburg CollegeUniversity of North Carolina at CharlotteCollege of Charleston

Sports

The conference sponsors championships in the following sports:

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
8
Basketball
8
10
Cross country
7
8
Football
9
Golf
5
7
Lacrosse
9
8
Soccer
8
10
Softball
9
Tennis
8
10
Track and field (outdoor)
7
8
Volleyball
10

Men's sponsored sports by school

Departing members are displayed in red.

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross countryFootballGolfLacrosseSoccerTennisTrack & field
(outdoor)
Total USA South sports
BrevardGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickRed XGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick8
GreensboroGreen tickGreen tickRed XGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickRed X7
Mary BaldwinGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickRed XRed XRed XGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick6
MethodistGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick9
North Carolina WesleyanGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickRed XGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick8
PfeifferGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickRed XGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick8
Southern VirginiaGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick9
William PeaceGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickRed XRed XGreen tickGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick7
Totals8875+456+388763+7
Affiliate Members
BelhavenGreen tick1
HuntingdonGreen tickGreen tick2
LaGrangeGreen tickGreen tick2
MaryvilleGreen tick1
PiedmontGreen tick1

Women's sponsored sports by school

Departing members are displayed in red.

SchoolBasketballCross countryGolfLacrosseSoccer SoftballTennisTrack & field
(outdoor)
VolleyballTotal USA South sports
BrevardGreen tickGreen tickRed X Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick 8
GreensboroGreen tickRed XRed X Red X Green tick Green tick Green tickRed X Green tick 5
Mary BaldwinGreen tickGreen tickRed X Red X Green tick Green tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick 7
Meredith Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tick 9
MethodistGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick 9
North Carolina WesleyanGreen tickGreen tickRed X Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick 8
PfeifferGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick Green tick Green tick Green tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick 9
Salem Green tick Red X Red X Red X Green tick Red X Green tick Red X Green tick 4
Southern VirginiaGreen tickGreen tickGreen tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick 9
William PeaceGreen tickGreen tickRed X Red X Green tick Green tick Green tickGreen tick Green tick 7
Totals1084+36+21091081075+5
Affiliate Members
HuntingdonGreen tickGreen tick2
MaryvilleGreen tick1
PiedmontGreen tickGreen tick2

Conference facilities

School Football Basketball
Stadium Capacity Arena Capacity
Belhaven Belhaven Bowl 1,200 Football-only school
Brevard Brevard Memorial Stadium 5,000 Boshamer Gymnasium 1,000
Greensboro Jamieson Stadium 10,000 Hanes Gymnasium 850
Huntingdon Charles Lee Field at Samford Stadium 2,500 Football-only school
LaGrange Callaway Stadium 5,000 Football-only school
Maryville Lloyd L. Thornton Stadium 3,000 Football-only school
Mary Baldwin Non-football school MBU Physical Activities Center
Meredith Non-football school Weatherspoon Gymnasium 500
Methodist Monarch Stadium 1,500 March F. Riddle Center 1,200
North Carolina Wesleyan Rocky Mount Athletic Stadium[13] 5,000 Everett Gymnasium 800
Pfeiffer Non-football school Merner Gymnasium 1,500
Salem Non-football school Spirit Center
Southern Virginia Knight Stadium 1,000 Knight Arena 525
William Peace Non-football school Hermann Center 1,000

References

  1. 1 2 2007 Football Media Guide (PDF), USA South Athletic Conference, archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2008, retrieved April 28, 2008
  2. "Dixie Conference Chooses New Name", Greensboro News Record, p. C1, February 3, 2003
  3. McCormack, Timmy (April 11, 2011). "Piedmont College Announces Plan To Join USA South Athletic Conference". Piedmont College Athletics. Archived from the original on August 24, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  4. "LaGrange College accepts invitation to join USA South Athletic Conference". LaGrange Panthers. April 21, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  5. "Agnes Scott, Salem and Wesleyan Set to Join USA South". May 6, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  6. "Brevard College Set to Join USA South" (Press release). USA South Athletic Conference. December 9, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  7. "Berea College and Pfeiffer University Set to Join USA South" (Press release). USA South Athletic Conference. May 4, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  8. "ODAC Membership Set to Expand with Inclusion of Ferrum College" (Press release). Old Dominion Athletic Conference. June 27, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
  9. "Southern Virginia Set to Join USA South" (Press release). Southern Virginia University Athletics. December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  10. "Averett University to Join the ODAC as a Full-Time Member". ODAC. March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  11. "Belhaven University Set to Join USA South". USA South Athletic Conference. November 22, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  12. "USA South Announces Conference Restructuring". USA South Athletic Conference. February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  13. "Bishops to Return to Rocky Mount Athletic Stadium". NC Wesleyan Battling Bishops. July 31, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
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