Great South Athletic Conference

Great South Athletic Conference was a collegiate athletic conference that operated from 1999 to 2016, comprising schools from the Southern United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The conference was affiliated with the NCAA Division III and featured teams from institutions such as Agnes Scott College, LaGrange College, and Millsaps College. During its existence, the conference competed against other NCAA Division III conferences, including the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The conference's member institutions also participated in NAIA and USCAA competitions.

● History

The Great South Athletic Conference was established in 1999, with the goal of providing a competitive athletic conference for small colleges and universities in the Southern United States. The conference's founding members included Agnes Scott College, LaGrange College, and Millsaps College, among others. Over the years, the conference underwent several changes, including the addition of new member institutions such as Piedmont College and Maryville College. The conference also experienced the departure of some member institutions, including Sewanee: The University of the South and Oglethorpe University, which joined the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Great South Athletic Conference was reorganized in 2016 as the USA South Athletic Conference, with some member institutions joining the new conference and others pursuing alternative affiliations, such as the Southern Athletic Association and the Colonial States Athletic Conference.

● Member Institutions

The Great South Athletic Conference had a diverse membership, featuring institutions from Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Some of the conference's member institutions included Agnes Scott College, LaGrange College, Millsaps College, Piedmont College, and Maryville College. Other member institutions included Covenant College, Faulkner University, and Judson College. The conference's member institutions were also affiliated with other athletic conferences, such as the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The conference's membership also included institutions that were part of the NAIA and the USCAA.

● Championships

The Great South Athletic Conference sponsored several championships in various sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, and cross-country running. The conference's championships were contested by its member institutions, with the winners earning the right to participate in the NCAA Division III tournaments. The conference's championships were also recognized by other athletic organizations, such as the NAIA and the USCAA. Some of the conference's notable championship winners included Agnes Scott College in basketball and LaGrange College in baseball. The conference's member institutions also competed in championships sponsored by other conferences, such as the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

● Sports Sponsored

The Great South Athletic Conference sponsored a variety of sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, cross-country running, baseball, and softball. The conference's member institutions also offered other sports, such as tennis, golf, and track and field. The conference's sports programs were designed to provide student-athletes with opportunities to compete at the NCAA Division III level, while also promoting academic excellence and personal growth. The conference's member institutions were also affiliated with other athletic conferences, such as the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, which sponsored additional sports and championships. Some of the conference's notable athletic programs included those at Millsaps College, Piedmont College, and Maryville College.

● Conference Facilities

The Great South Athletic Conference's member institutions featured a range of athletic facilities, including stadiums, arenas, and fields. Some of the conference's notable facilities included the Agnes Scott College's Woodruff Athletic Facility, LaGrange College's Caldwell Arena, and Millsaps College's Harper Davis Field. The conference's member institutions also utilized facilities from other institutions, such as the University of Georgia's Sanford Stadium and the Georgia Institute of Technology's Bobby Dodd Stadium. The conference's facilities were designed to provide student-athletes with high-quality venues for competition and training, while also hosting events and championships sponsored by the conference and other athletic organizations, such as the NCAA and the NAIA. The conference's facilities were also used for events and competitions sponsored by other conferences, including the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.