The Southern States Conference (SSC) was an affiliate of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that included member institutions in the U.S. states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida. The league existed from 1938 to 1997.
History The league was established in December 1938 as the Alabama Intercollegiate Conference (AIC), comprising schools from just that state. The six charter members were: Jacksonville State Teachers College, Saint Bernard College, Troy State Teachers College, Snead Junior College, Livingston State Teachers College, and Marion Military Institute. The league ceased operations in 1942 because of World War II and because several member schools dropped their intercollegiate athletics programs. The AIC was reformed again in January 1948 after a five year lapse. In 1959 it was renamed the Alabama Collegiate Conference (ACC), and then in May 1972, the league was rebranded as Southern States Conference.
At the conclusion of the 1994–95 school year, two schools left the SSC, causing league membership to dip below the six required to have an NAIA championship in every sport except basketball. The SSC then existed in 1995–96 as a basketball-only conference. It returned to an all-sports conference for 1996–97 before dissolving.
Member schools Institution Location Founded Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Ref. Alabama Christian College /Faulkner University Montgomery, Alabama 1942 Eagles 1981 1997 Southern States (SSAC) Montevallo, Alabama 1896 Falcons 1960 1995 Gulf South (GSC) Huntsville, Alabama 1950 Chargers 1973 1993 Gulf South (GSC) Athens College Athens, Alabama 1822 Bears 1948 1997 N/A Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, Alabama 1967 Warhawks 1975 1997 Gulf South (GSC) Belhaven College Jackson, Mississippi 1883 Blazers 1974 1981 C.C. South (CCS) Birmingham–Southern College Birmingham, Alabama 1856 Panthers 1977 1996 N/A Columbus College Columbus, Georgia 1958 Cougars 1972 1973 Peach Belt (PBC) Eldridge Baptist Academy /Eldridge Junior College Eldridge, Alabama 1890 ? 1939 1940 N/A Florence, Alabama 1830 Lions 1949 1971 United (UAC) Huntingdon College Montgomery, Alabama 1854 Hawks 1960 1995 C.C. South (CCS) Jacksonville State Teachers College /Jacksonville State College /Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, Alabama 1883 Gamecocks 1938 1970 Conference USA (CUSA) Life College Marietta, Georgia 1974 Running Eagles 1996 1997 Southern States (SSAC) Livingston, Alabama 1835 Tigers 1938 1970 Gulf South (GSC) Marion Military Institute Marion, Alabama 1842 Tigers 1938 1956 Alabama (ACCC) Saint Bernard College /Southern Benedictine College Cullman, Alabama 1929 Saints 1938 1979 N/A Selma University Selma, Alabama 1878 Bulldogs 1997 N/A Snead State Junior College Boaz, Alabama 1898 Parsons 1938 1956 Alabama (ACCC) Southern Union Junior College Wadley, Alabama 1922 Bison 1940 1956 Alabama (ACCC) Spring Hill College Mobile, Alabama 1830 Badgers 1942 1981 Southern (SIAC) Talladega College Talladega, Alabama 1867 Tornadoes 1997 HBCU (HBCUAC) Thomas College Thomasville, Georgia 1950 Night Hawks 1996 1997 Southern States (SSAC) Troy State Teachers College /Troy State College /Troy State University Troy, Alabama 1887 Trojans 1938 1972 Sun Belt (SBC) William Carey College Hattiesburg, Mississippi 1892 Crusaders 1972 1981 Southern States (SSAC) Pensacola, Florida 1963 Argonauts 1975 1994 Atlantic Sun (ASUN)
Notes
Champions Football
1939 – Troy State 1940 – 1941 – Troy State 1942–1946 – None (WWII) 1947 – Jacksonville State 1948 – Jacksonville State 1949 – Livingston State, Troy State 1950 – 1951 –
1952 – 1953 – 1954 – 1955 – 1956 – 1957 – , Jacksonville State 1958 – 1959 – , Jacksonville State 1960 –
1961 – 1962 – , Jacksonville State 1963 – , Jacksonville State 1964 – Jacksonville State 1965 – Jacksonville State 1966 – Jacksonville State 1967 – Troy State 1968 – Troy State 1969 – Troy State
References