Upcoming Conference Changes

[Inkblot]

They'd have a better chance to compete in football for sure. I don't know lick about their other sports.

Their baseball team has been pretty good in recent years; they made the GSC final last year (but not the regional) and the regional in 2021. Everything else has been struggling – softball made the national semifinals in 2015, their first year of eligibility, but only won 6 games last year.

In that respect they might fit in pretty well with Conference Carolinas, which recently has been the worst conference in the Southeast Region in every sport except baseball, in which North Greenville won the national championship last year.

[athensblazer]

Good news for the GSC for the next two years!

Love the core six institutions in 2025, but hope that GSC leadership is looking to add two institutions comparable to the core six in 2025. Would be great to get Florida Tech back. Perhaps one of the Peach Belt Conference schools adds football, but I doubt it. Please not a sub 2,000 student independent university.

it is possible (not necessarily probable) that VSU consolidates with South Georgia State College within the next two years putting enrollment at around 13,000, and UWF folks seem to want to go to FCS - if the GSC loses either, or UWG, to FCS there is not going to be much left.

[canadarican]

This will be a much better fit for Shorter.

They'd have a better chance to compete in football for sure. I don't know lick about their other sports.

[UNALions]

This will be a much better fit for Shorter.

[Inkblot]

With the CIAA adding a West Virginia team, combined with their teams in Virginia and Maryland, I would believe the CIAA will be moved to SR1.

If the CIAA is in SR1 and CC in SR2, that would make 48 and 36.

[Eagle74]

Seems like the addition of a new football conference will force a regional realignment, since they don't like to have 5 conferences in one region.

I'll adjust my preferred model by adding CC to SR1 (not a great geographic fit, but makes the numbers work):
SR1... NE10 + PSAC + MEC + CC = 42
SR2... CIAA + SAC + SIAC + GSC = 42
SR3... GMAC + GLIAC + GLVC + NSIC = 40
SR4... MIAA + GAC + LSC + RMAC = 44

With the CIAA adding a West Virginia team, combined with their teams in Virginia and Maryland, I would believe the CIAA will be moved to SR1.

[Inkblot]

Seems like the addition of a new football conference will force a regional realignment, since they don't like to have 5 conferences in one region.

I'll adjust my preferred model by adding CC to SR1 (not a great geographic fit, but makes the numbers work):
SR1... NE10 + PSAC + MEC + CC = 42
SR2... CIAA + SAC + SIAC + GSC = 42
SR3... GMAC + GLIAC + GLVC + NSIC = 40
SR4... MIAA + GAC + LSC + RMAC = 44

[Eagle74]

Well, Conference Carolinas is the big winner with today's announcement. This has been in the works since 2019.

SR2 will have a new conference addition as will D2Football.com. I foresee a scheduling agreement with crossover of the Conference Carolinas football teams and the GSC teams, which should benefit both conferences. No more scheduling the same teams twice.
With this new addition, Conference Carolinas may change their name. I would suggest 'Southern East Conference'.

[UNALions]

Well, that's kinda confusing but I think I took it all in. Surely this will end with a scheduling alliance between the two conferences when both are down to six football schools in 2025 and beyond. It's the only way the GSC will survive as a football conference. I almost can't believe I'm typing that sentence.

From the GSC press release that Inkblot posted a link to:


Gulf South Conference Adds Two Football Affiliate Members

The Gulf South Conference partners with Chowan University and Erskine College as affiliate members for football. The forward-thinking collaboration led by the GSC provides a football home for both institutions in advance of plans by Conference Carolinas to sponsor football in 2025.
...
Both institutions will receive full access to conference championship and awards during their respective tenures, with affiliation to end following the 2024 season. In addition to becoming affiliate football-only members, the agreement may provide future non-conference dates to on-going GSC members following the conclusion of their affiliation.

Current football-only affiliate member North Greenville will extend their relationship with the GSC through the 2024 season. As part of Conference Carolinas' strategy to launch football, Shorter University has accepted an invitation to join the conference after next season. The institution will compete as an independent for the 2024 football season, with Shorter's other sports competing in Conference Carolinas. The GSC football schedule will feature nine teams for a total of eight games in both 2023 and 2024.

https://gscsports.org/news/2023/1/23...e-members.aspx

[Uindy18]

So, to recap:

2023

GSC (9)	SAC (12)	MEC (12)
Chowan	Barton	Alderson Broaddus
Delta State	Carson–Newman	Charleston (WV)
Mississippi College	Catawba	Concord
North Greenville	Emory and Henry	Frostburg State
Shorter	Erskine	Fairmont State
Valdosta State	Lenoir–Rhyne	Glenville State
West Alabama	Limestone	Notre Dame (OH)
West Florida	Mars Hill	UNC Pembroke
West Georgia	Newberry	West Liberty
	Tusculum	West Virginia State
	Virginia–Wise	West Virginia Wesleyan
	Wingate	Wheeling

2024

GSC (9)	SAC (12)	MEC (12)
Chowan	Anderson (SC)	Alderson Broaddus
Delta State	Barton	Charleston (WV)
Erskine	Carson–Newman	Concord
Mississippi College	Catawba	Frostburg State
North Greenville	Emory and Henry	Fairmont State
Valdosta State	Lenoir–Rhyne	Glenville State
West Alabama	Limestone	Notre Dame (OH)
West Florida	Mars Hill	UNC Pembroke
West Georgia	Newberry	West Liberty
	Tusculum	West Virginia State
IND	Virginia–Wise	West Virginia Wesleyan
Shorter	Wingate	Wheeling

2025

GSC (6)	SAC (11)	MEC (11)	CC (6)
Delta State	Anderson (SC)	Alderson Broaddus	Barton
Mississippi College	Carson–Newman	Charleston (WV)	Chowan
Valdosta State	Catawba	Concord	Erskine
West Alabama	Emory and Henry	Frostburg State	North Greenville
West Florida	Lenoir–Rhyne	Fairmont State	Shorter
West Georgia	Limestone	Glenville State	UNC Pembroke
	Mars Hill	Notre Dame (OH)
	Newberry	West Liberty
	Tusculum	West Virginia State
	Virginia–Wise	West Virginia Wesleyan
	Wingate	Wheeling

Why is Shorter an Independent for 2024? Is that some sort of provisional period for the move from one conference to another?

[Inkblot]

Per the 2024 schedule, "Erskine would be required to return all games from the 2024 season within three years".

[vsuman]

It doesn't look good for 2025 unless we partner with CC for football only.

[Inkblot]

So, to recap:

2023

GSC (9)	SAC (12)	MEC (12)
Chowan	Barton	Alderson Broaddus
Delta State	Carson–Newman	Charleston (WV)
Mississippi College	Catawba	Concord
North Greenville	Emory and Henry	Frostburg State
Shorter	Erskine	Fairmont State
Valdosta State	Lenoir–Rhyne	Glenville State
West Alabama	Limestone	Notre Dame (OH)
West Florida	Mars Hill	UNC Pembroke
West Georgia	Newberry	West Liberty
	Tusculum	West Virginia State
	Virginia–Wise	West Virginia Wesleyan
	Wingate	Wheeling

2024

GSC (9)	SAC (12)	MEC (12)
Chowan	Anderson (SC)	Alderson Broaddus
Delta State	Barton	Charleston (WV)
Erskine	Carson–Newman	Concord
Mississippi College	Catawba	Frostburg State
North Greenville	Emory and Henry	Fairmont State
Valdosta State	Lenoir–Rhyne	Glenville State
West Alabama	Limestone	Notre Dame (OH)
West Florida	Mars Hill	UNC Pembroke
West Georgia	Newberry	West Liberty
	Tusculum	West Virginia State
IND	Virginia–Wise	West Virginia Wesleyan
Shorter	Wingate	Wheeling

2025

GSC (6)	SAC (11)	MEC (11)	CC (6)
Delta State	Anderson (SC)	Alderson Broaddus	Barton
Mississippi College	Carson–Newman	Charleston (WV)	Chowan
Valdosta State	Catawba	Concord	Erskine
West Alabama	Emory and Henry	Frostburg State	North Greenville
West Florida	Lenoir–Rhyne	Fairmont State	Shorter
West Georgia	Limestone	Glenville State	UNC Pembroke
	Mars Hill	Notre Dame (OH)
	Newberry	West Liberty
	Tusculum	West Virginia State
	Virginia–Wise	West Virginia Wesleyan
	Wingate	Wheeling

[canadarican]

Then in 2025 the SAC will be at 11 football schools, unless they add from somewhere else. Possibly somewhere in Virginia again.

Those GSC schools are going to LOVE having an extra bye week...I mean playing Erskine.

[Inkblot]

Here's the rest of the explanation: https://gscsports.org/news/2023/1/23...e-members.aspx

Chowan will be a GSC affiliate for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and Erskine will be just for 2024. That implies Barton will remain in the SAC that season to keep it at 12.