The TranSouth Athletic Conference (TSAC) was a college athletic conference for smaller colleges and universities located in the Southern United States. It was affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and competes in that organization's Region XI.
History On August 9, 2012 it was announced that Mid-Continent University had accepted an invitation to join the American Midwest Conference, starting with the 2013-14 season. Later, Bethel, Blue Mountain, and Martin Methodist were announced to be moving to the Southern States Athletic Conference starting with the 2013-14 season.
Chronological timeline 1996 – The TranSouth Athletic Conference (TSAC) was founded from mostly former members of the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC). Charter members included Bethel College (now Bethel University), David Lipscomb University (a.k.a. Lipscomb University), Freed–Hardeman University, Martin Methodist College (now the University of Tennessee Southern), Trevecca Nazarene University and Union University, alongside Berry College, Birmingham–Southern College, Blue Mountain College (now Blue Mountain Christian University), Lee College (now Lee University), and Williams Baptist College (now Williams Baptist University) beginning the 1996–97 academic year. 1997 – Lyon College joined the TSAC in the 1997–98 academic year. 1999 – Bethel (Tenn.) left the TSAC to join the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) after the 1998–99 academic year. 2001 – Three institutions left the TSAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Birmingham–Southern and Lipscomb to the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as NCAA D-II Independents, and Williams Baptist to the American Midwest Conference, all after the 2000–01 academic year. 2002 – Cumberland University of Tennessee joined the TSAC in the 2002–03 academic year. 2003 – Athens State University joined the TSAC in the 2003–04 academic year 2004 – Three institutions left the TSAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Berry and Lee to the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), and Athens State to discontinue athletics due to lack of sponsored sports, all effective after the 2003–04 academic year. 2005 – Crichton College (later Victory University) joined the TSAC in the 2005–06 academic year. 2006 – Lambuth University and Mid-Continent University joined the TSAC (with Bethel [Tenn.] re-joining) in the 2006–07 academic year. 2008 – Lambuth and Victory (formerly Crichton) left the TSAC to become NAIA Independents as charter members of the Association of Independent Institutions (AII; now the Continental Athletic Conference) after the 2007–08 academic year. At the same time, Lambuth began transition to the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent. 2012 – Four institutions left the TSAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Trevecca Nazarene to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) and Union (Tenn.) to the Gulf South Conference (GSC) (both into the NCAA Division II ranks), Lyon to the American Midwest, and Cumberland (Tenn.) to the Mid-South Conference, all after the 2011–12 academic year. 2012 – Life University joined the TSAC in the 2012–13 academic year. 2013 – The TSAC would cease operations as an athletic conference after the 2012–13 academic year; as many schools left to join their respective new home primary conferences beginning the 2013–14 academic year: Freed–Hardeman and Mid-Continent to the American Midwest, Bethel (Tenn.), Blue Mountain and Martin Methodist (now UT Southern) to the SSAC, and Life returning as an NAIA Independent (before joining the Mid-South during the 2014–15 academic year).
Member schools Final members On its final season, the TSAC had six member schools, which most were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference Currentconference Bethel University McKenzie, Tennessee 1842 CumberlandPresbyterian 2,975 Wildcats 1996;2006 2013 Southern States (SSAC)(2013–20) Mid-South (MSC)(2020–present) Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain, Mississippi 1873 Baptist 505 Toppers 1996 2013 Southern States (SSAC)(2013–present) Freed–Hardeman University Henderson, Tennessee 1869 Churchesof Christ 2,027 Lions 1996 2013 American Midwest(2013–20) Mid-South (MSC)(2020–present) Life University Marietta, Georgia 1974 Nonsectarian 3,100 Running Eagles 2012 2013 NAIA Independent(2013–14)Mid-South (MSC)(2014–22) Southern States (SSAC)(2022–present) Martin Methodist College Pulaski, Tennessee 1870 United Methodist 1,001 RedHawks 1996 2013 Southern States (SSAC)(2013–20)Mid-South (MSC)(2020–23) Southern States (SSAC)(2023–present) Mid-Continent University Mayfield, Kentucky 1949 Baptist 1,823 Cougars 2006 2013 American Midwest(2013–14) Closed in 2014
Notes
Former members The TSAC had 12 former full member schools, which most were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference(s) Currentconference Athens State University Athens, Alabama 1822 Public 3,200 Bears 2003 2004 Discontinued athletics Berry College Mount Berry, Georgia 1902 Nondenominational 1,937 Vikings 1996 2004 Southern States (SSAC)(2004–10)D-III Independent(2010–13) Southern (SAA)(2013–present) Birmingham–Southern College Birmingham, Alabama 1856 UnitedMethodist 1,400 Panthers 1996 2001 various Closed in 2024 Cumberland University Lebanon, Tennessee 1842 Nonsectarian 1,500 Bulldogs 2002 2012 Mid-South (MSC)(2012–present) Lambuth University Jackson, Tennessee 1843 UnitedMethodist 800 Eagles 2006 2008 NAIA Independent(2008–09)D-II Independent(2009–11) Closed in 2011 Lipscomb University Nashville, Tennessee 1891 Churchesof Christ 4,278 Bisons 1996 2001 D-I Independent(2001–03) Atlantic Sun (ASUN)(2003–present) Lee University Cleveland, Tennessee 1918 Churchof God 4,954 Flames 1996 2004 Southern States (SSAC)(2004–13) Gulf South (GSC)(2013–present) Lyon College Batesville, Arkansas 1872 Presbyterian 600 Scots 1997 2012 American Midwest(2012–2023) St. Louis (SLIAC)(2023–present) Trevecca Nazarene University Nashville, Tennessee 1901 Nazarene 2,345 Trojans 1996 2012 Great Midwest (G-MAC)(2012–2024) Gulf South (GSC)(2024–present) Union University Jackson, Tennessee 1823 Baptist 4,259 Bulldogs 1996 2012 Gulf South (GSC)(2012–present) Victory University Memphis, Tennessee 1941 Nondenominational 1,970 Eagles 2005 2008 various Closed in 2014 Williams Baptist University Walnut Ridge, Arkansas 1941 Baptist 700 Eagles 1996 2000 NAIA Independent(2000–01) American Midwest(2001–present)
Notes
Membership timeline
Sponsored sports Men's sponsored sports were baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis. Women's sports sponsored were basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.
References