The American South Conference was an NCAA Division I athletic conference that existed from 1987–88 to 1990–91. The charter members were Arkansas State University, Lamar University, Louisiana Tech University, the University of New Orleans, the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and the University of Texas–Pan American (now merged into the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley). The University of Central Florida (UCF) became the only expansion school during the conference's final academic season before the conference merged with the Sun Belt Conference. The Sun Belt, which was losing all but three members, merged with the American South conference. The combined conference retained the name of the older Sun Belt Conference. Craig Thompson, the American South's first and only commissioner, became commissioner of the merged Sun Belt. After serving as Sun Belt commissioner for eight years, he became commissioner of the newly formed Mountain West Conference in 1998.
In its brief existence, the American South was home to the 1988 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Champion in Louisiana Tech, and also had two men's basketball teams earn NCAA at-large berths, Louisiana Tech in 1989 (defeated LaSalle in NCAA 1st Round) and New Orleans in 1991. Lamar's women's basketball team advanced to the NCAA round of eight in 1991 defeating Texas, LSU, and Arkansas before losing to tournament finalist Virginia.
Member schools Final members Institution Nickname Location Founded Affiliation Joined Left Subsequentconference(s) Currentconference Red Wolves Jonesboro, Arkansas 1909 Public 1987 1991 Sun Belt (SBC)(1991–present) Knights Orlando, Florida 1963 1990 1991 various Big 12(2023–present) Lamar University Cardinals Beaumont, Texas 1923 1987 1991 Sun Belt (SBC)(1991–98)Western (WAC)(2021–22) Southland (SLC)(1998–2021;2022–present) Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs &Lady Techsters Ruston, Louisiana 1894 1987 1991 Sun Belt (SBC)(1991–2001)Western (WAC)(2001–13) Conf. USA (C-USA)(2013–present) Privateers New Orleans, Louisiana 1958 1987 1991 Sun Belt (SBC)(1991–2010)D-I Independent(2010–13) Southland (SLC)(2013–present) Ragin' Cajuns Lafayette, Louisiana 1898 1987 1991 Sun Belt (SBC)(1991–present) Broncs Edinburg, Texas 1927 1987 1991 various Southland (SLC)(2024–present)
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Membership timeline
Champions
Men's basketball Regular season 1988 Louisiana Tech, New Orleans 1989 New Orleans 1990 Louisiana Tech, New Orleans 1991 Arkansas State, New Orleans
Conference tournament
1988 Louisiana Tech 1989 Louisiana Tech 1990 New Orleans 1991 Louisiana Tech
Women's basketball Regular season 1988 Louisiana Tech 1989 Louisiana Tech 1990 Louisiana Tech 1991 Lamar
Conference tournament 1988 Louisiana Tech 1989 Louisiana Tech 1990 Louisiana Tech 1991 Louisiana Tech
Baseball Regular season 1988 New Orleans 1989 Southwestern Louisiana 1990 Southwestern Louisiana 1991 Southwestern Louisiana
Conference tournament 1988 Southwestern Louisiana 1989 New Orleans 1990 Southwestern Louisiana 1991 Southwestern Louisiana
See also American South Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
References http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/BK07.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20110107153755/http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/AMSO/
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