Collegiate athletic conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC ) is a
college athletic conference affiliated with the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the
Division II level. Formed in 1913, it consists mostly of
historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), with all but one member located in the
Southern United States .
The SIAC has led all NCAA Division II conferences in football attendance.
[1]
History
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
300km 200miles
Clark Atlanta
Central State
Spring Hill
Savannah State
Albany State
Allen
LeMoyne–Owen
Benedict
Kentucky State
Fort Valley State
Edward Waters
Lane
Miles
Tuskegee
Morehouse
Location of SIAC members:
current, east division
current, west division
Only three charter members are still part of the conference—
Clark Atlanta University (formerly Clark College),
Tuskegee University , and
Morehouse (which briefly left before returning). Before 2014, all members had been southern HBCUs, but four of the SIAC's five newest members include its only non-HBCU,
Spring Hill College (joined in 2014), and its only member outside the South,
Central State University of
Ohio (joined in 2015). Their last three recent members were former member schools in their first stints:
Savannah State University returned to the SIAC in 2019 after a 19-year absence,
Allen University returned to the SIAC in 2020 after a 51-year absence, and
Edward Waters University returned to the SIAC in 2021 after a nearly 86-year absence. The U.S. Army's
24th Infantry Division teams competed as members of the SIAC from 1930 until 1935.[
citation needed ]
On March 31, 2021,
Paine College left the SIAC and the NCAA and joined the
NCCAA .
[2]
Chronological timeline
1913 – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) was founded as the Southeastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SEIAC). Charter members involved
Lincoln Junior College (now Alabama State University),
Atlanta University ,
Clark College ,
Fisk University ,
Jackson College (now Jackson State University),
Morris Brown College ,
Morehouse College ,
Talladega College , and
Tuskegee University beginning the 1913–14 academic year.
1914 – Jackson State left the SIAC after spending just one season after the 1913–14 academic year.
1920 –
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University),
Knoxville College , and
Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State Normal College (Tennessee A&I; now Tennessee State University) joined the SIAC in the 1920–21 academic year.
1927 –
Miles Memorial College (now Miles College) joined the SIAC in the 1927–28 academic year.
1929 – Atlanta University left the SIAC after the 1928–29 academic year.
1929 – The SEIAC has been rebranded as the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in the 1929–30 academic year.
1929 –
Lane College joined the SIAC in the 1929–30 academic year.
1930 – Tennessee State left the SIAC after the 1929–30 academic year.
1930 –
Edward Waters College (now Edward Waters University) joined the SIAC in the 1930–31 academic year.
1932 –
Benedict College and
LeMoyne College (now LeMoyne–Owen College) joined the SIAC in the 1932–33 academic year.
1935 – Edward Waters left the SIAC after the 1934–35 academic year.
1935 – The
Normal Industrial Agricultural and Mechanical College of South Carolina (now South Carolina State University) and
Xavier University of Louisiana joined the SIAC in the 1935–36 academic year.
1941 – Talladega left the SIAC after the 1940–41 academic year.
1941 –
Fort Valley State College (now Fort Valley State University) joined the SIAC in the 1941–42 academic year.
1947 –
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University) and
Allen University joined the SIAC in the 1947–48 academic year.
1950 –
Bethune–Cookman College (now Bethune–Cookman University) joined the SIAC in the 1950–51 academic year.
1960 – Xavier (La.) left the SIAC after the 1959–60 academic year.
1969 – Allen left the SIAC after the 1968–69 academic year.
1969 –
Albany State College (now Albany State University) and
Savannah State College (now Savannah State University) joined the SIAC in the 1969–70 academic year.
1971 – South Carolina State left the SIAC after the 1970–71 academic year.
1976 – Alabama State left the SIAC after the 1975–76 academic year.
1978 –
Rust College and
Stillman College joined the SIAC in the 1978–79 academic year.
1979 – Bethune–Cookman and Florida A&M left the SIAC to join the MEAC after the 1978–79 academic year.
1983 – Fisk left the SIAC after the 1982–83 academic year.
1985 –
Paine College joined the SIAC in the 1985–86 academic year.
1988 – Rust left the SIAC after the 1987–88 academic year.
1990 – Knoxville left the SIAC after the 1989–90 academic year.
1997 –
Kentucky State University joined the SIAC in the 1997–98 academic year.
1998 – Alabama A&M left the SIAC to join
Division I ranks of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) after the 1997–98 academic year.
1999 – Stillman left the SIAC to join the
NCAA Division III ranks and the
Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) after the 1998–99 academic year.
2000 – Morris Brown and Savannah State left the SIAC to become
NCAA D-II Independents after the 1999–2000 academic year.
2002 – Stillman re-joined the SIAC in the 2002–03 academic year.
2008 –
Claflin University joined the SIAC in the 2008–09 academic year.
2013 –
Central State University joined the SIAC as an associate member for football in the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year).
2014 –
Spring Hill College joined the SIAC in the 2014–15 academic year.
2015 – Central State had upgraded to join the SIAC for all sports in the 2015–16 academic year.
2016 – Stillman left the SIAC for a second time to join the
Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) ranks after the 2015–16 academic year.
2018 – Claflin left the SIAC to join the
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) after the 2017–18 academic year.
2019 – Savannah State re-joined the SIAC as a provisional member in the 2019–20 academic year.
2020 – Allen re-joined the SIAC as a provisional member in the 2020–21 academic year (later full member status in 2022–23).
2021 – Paine left the SIAC and the NCAA to join as an Independent within the
National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA) after the 2020–21 academic year.
2021 – Edward Waters re-joined the SIAC as a provisional member in the 2021–22 academic year (later full member status in 2022–23).
Member schools
Current members
The SIAC currently has 15 full members; all but five are
private schools. Reclassifying members listed in yellow.
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Nickname
Joined
Colors
Albany State University
Albany, Georgia
1903
Public
6,358
Golden Rams
1969
Allen University
Columbia, South Carolina
1870
AME Church
657
Yellow Jackets
1947; 2020
[a]
Benedict College
Columbia, South Carolina
1870
Baptist
1,840
Tigers
1932
Central State University
Wilberforce, Ohio
1887
Public
5,434
Marauders & Lady Marauders
2015
[b]
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia
1865
United Methodist
4,000
Panthers
1913
Edward Waters University
Jacksonville, Florida
1866
AME Church
2,871
Tigers
1930; 2021
[c]
Fort Valley State University
Fort Valley, Georgia
1895
Public
2,609
Wildcats
1941
Kentucky State University
Frankfort, Kentucky
1886
Public
1,726
Thorobreds & Thorobrettes
1997
Lane College
Jackson, Tennessee
1882
CME Church
1,010
Dragons
1929
LeMoyne–Owen College
Memphis, Tennessee
1862
United Church of Christ
613
Magicians
1932
Miles College
Fairfield, Alabama
1898
CME Church
1,520
Golden Bears
1927
Morehouse College
[d]
Atlanta, Georgia
1867
Nonsectarian
2,567
Maroon Tigers
1913
Savannah State University
Savannah, Georgia
1890
Public
3,385
Tigers
1969; 2019
[e]
Spring Hill College
Mobile, Alabama
1830
Catholic
1,045
Badgers
2014
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama
1881
Nonsectarian
2,570
Golden Tigers
1913
Notes
^ Allen left the SIAC after the 1968–69 school year; but re-joined in the 2020–21 school year.
^ Central State competed in the SIAC as an affiliate member for football from the 2013 to 2014 fall seasons (2013–14 to 2014–15 school years).
^ Edward Waters left the SIAC after the 1934–35 school year; but re-joined in the 2021–22 school year.
^ This institution is a men's college, therefore it does not field women's sports.
^ Savannah State left the SIAC after the 1999–2000 school year; but re-joined in the 2019–20 school year.
Former members
The SIAC has 17 former full members, all but six were
private schools:
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Nickname
Joined
Left
Current conference
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University
Normal, Alabama
1875
Public
6,172
Bulldogs & Lady Bulldogs
1947
1998
Southwestern (SWAC)
[a]
Alabama State University
Montgomery, Alabama
1867
Public
4,190
Hornets
1913
1976
Southwestern (SWAC)
[a]
Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia
1865
AMA
N/A
Panthers
1913
1929
N/A
[b]
Bethune–Cookman University
Daytona Beach, Florida
1904
Nonsectarian
2,901
Wildcats
1950
1979
Southwestern (SWAC)
[a]
Claflin University
Orangeburg, South Carolina
1869
United Methodist
1,978
Panthers
2008
2018
Central (CIAA)
Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee
1866
United Church of Christ
910
Bulldogs
1913
1983
Gulf Coast (GCAC)
[c]
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, Florida
1887
Public
9,626
Rattlers
1920
1979
Southwestern (SWAC)
[a]
Jackson State University
Jackson, Mississippi
1877
Public
7,080
Tigers
1913
1914
Southwestern (SWAC)
[a]
Knoxville College
Knoxville, Tennessee
1875
Presbyterian
11
Bulldogs
1920
1990
N/A
[d]
Morris Brown College
Atlanta, Georgia
1881
AME Church
42
Wolverines
1913
2000
N/A
[e]
Paine College
Augusta, Georgia
1882
UMC & CME Church
453
Lions
1985
2021
NCCAA Independent
Rust College
Holly Springs, Mississippi
1866
United Methodist
900
Bearcats
1978
1988
Gulf Coast (GCAC)
[c]
South Carolina State University
Orangeburg, South Carolina
1896
Public
2,479
Bulldogs
1935
1971
Mid-Eastern (MEAC)
[a]
Stillman College
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
1874
Presbyterian
1,000
Tigers
1978 2002
1999 2016
[f]
Southern States (SSAC)
[c]
Talladega College
Talladega, Alabama
1867
United Church of Christ
600
Tornadoes
1913
1941
Gulf Coast (GCAC)
[c]
Tennessee State University
Nashville, Tennessee
1912
Public
8,775
Tigers
1920
1930
Ohio Valley (OVC)
[a]
Xavier University of Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
1925
Catholic
3,200
Gold Rush & Gold Nuggets
1935
1960
Red River (RRAC)
[c]
Notes
^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g Currently an
NCAA Division I athletic conference.
^
Atlanta University and
Clark College merged in 1988 to become Clark Atlanta University.
^
a
b
c
d
e Currently an
NAIA athletic conference.
^ Knoxville dropped its athletics program after the 1996–97 school year.
^ Morris Brown dropped its athletics program after the 2002–03 school year.
^ Stillman withdrew from the SIAC from 1999–2000 to 2001–02.
Membership timeline
Full member (all sports)
Full member (non-football)
Associate member (football-only)
Associate member (sport)
Conference facilities
Old SIAC logo
School
Football
Basketball
Stadium
Capacity
Arena
Capacity
Albany State
Albany State University Coliseum
11,000
HPER Gym Complex
4,000
Allen
Various
Varies
John Hurst Adams Gym
N/A
Benedict
Charlie W. Johnson Stadium
11,000
Benjamin E. Mays Arena
3,500
Central State
McPherson Stadium
7,000
Beacom/Lewis Gymnasium
N/A
Clark Atlanta
Panther Stadium
6,000
L. S. Epps Gym
1,800
Edward Waters
Nathaniel Glover Community Field & Stadium
N/A
John Hurst Adams-Jimmy R. Jenkins Community Sports & Music Complex
1,950
Fort Valley State
Wildcat Stadium
10,000
Health and Physical Education Complex (FVSU)
5,100
Kentucky State
Alumni Field
5,000
William Exum HPER Center
2,750
Lane
Rothrock Stadium
3,500
J.F. Lane Center
2,500
LeMoyne–Owen
non-football school
Bruce Hall
1,000
Miles
Alumni Stadium
8,500
Knox-Windham Gym
2,000
Morehouse
B. T. Harvey Stadium
9,850
Forbes Arena
6,000
Savannah State
Ted Wright Stadium
8,500
Tiger Arena
5,000
Spring Hill
non-football school
Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center
2,000
Tuskegee
Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium
10,000
James Center Arena
5,000
Conference sports
The SIAC currently sponsors 14 sports, eight for men and six for women. Men's volleyball became the 14th SIAC sport in the 2020–21 school year; play was intended to start in January 2021
[3] but was delayed to 2022 due to
COVID-19 issues.
A divisional format is used for baseball, men's and women's basketball, softball, and women's volleyball.
East
Albany State
Allen
Benedict
Clark Atlanta
Edward Waters
Fort Valley State
Morehouse
Savannah State
West
Central State
Kentucky State
Lane
LeMoyne–Owen
Miles
Spring Hill
Tuskegee
School
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Golf
Tennis
Track & Field Outdoor
Volleyball
[a]
Total SIAC Sports
Albany State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Allen
Y
Y
Y
Y
4
Benedict
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
8
Central State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
5
Clark Atlanta
Y
Y
Y
Y
4
Edward Waters
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Fort Valley State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Kentucky State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
7
Lane
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
LeMoyne–Owen
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
[b]
5
Miles
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
5
Morehouse
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
8
Savannah State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Spring Hill
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Tuskegee
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Totals
12
15
15
13
8
7
12
6
89
^ De facto Division I sport. The NCAA sponsors a
combined national championship for Divisions I and II.
^ LeMoyne–Owen will add men's volleyball in the 2025 season (2024–25 school year).
School
Basketball
Cross Country
Softball
Tennis
Track & Field Outdoor
Volleyball
Total SIAC Sports
Albany State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Allen
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
5
Benedict
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Central State
Y
Y
Y
Y
4
Clark Atlanta
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Edward Waters
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
5
Fort Valley State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Kentucky State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
5
Lane
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
LeMoyne–Owen
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
5
Miles
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
5
Savannah State
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Spring Hill
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Tuskegee
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6
Totals
14
14
13
9
13
14
77
School
Men
Women
Soccer
Track & Field Indoor
Wrestling
Beach Volleyball
[a]
Golf
Soccer
Track & Field Indoor
Wrestling
Albany State
PBC
Allen
CC
IND
SACC
[b]
Benedict
IND
IND
Central State
PBC
PBC
Edward Waters
IND
IND
IND
IND
Kentucky State
IND
IND
Savannah State
IND
Spring Hill
GSC
IND
GSC
GSC
Championships
Commissioner's All-Sports
Year
School
2012-2013
Albany State (W) Morehouse (M)
2013-2014
Albany State (W) Morehouse (M)
2014-2015
Benedict (W) Benedict (M)
2015-2016
Benedict (W) Benedict (M)
2016-2017
Benedict (W) Albany State (M)
2017-2018
Albany State (W) Albany State (M)
2018-2019
Spring Hill College (W) Albany State and Miles (M)
Men's sports
Last three years of champions.
Year
Football
Cross Country
Basketball (Tournament)
Baseball
Tennis
Track & Field Outdoor
Golf
Volleyball
2020–21
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
2021–22
Albany State
Benedict
Savannah State
Spring Hill
Benedict
Benedict
Spring Hill
Central State (Inaugural season)
2022–23
Benedict
Morehouse
Miles
Spring Hill
Spring Hill
Benedict
Spring Hill
Edward Waters
Golf returned as a conference sport in 2008. The first SIAC Intercollegiate Golf Championship was held at Tuskegee in 1938. The SIAC stopped Golf as a sport due to World War II but restarted in 1947 as an official conference sport until 1980 when golf was discontinued.
Women's sports
Last three years of champions.
Year
Volleyball
Cross Country
Basketball (
Tournament )
Softball
Tennis
Track & Field Outdoor
2020–21
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
Canceled due to COVID
2021–22
Spring Hill
Spring Hill
Benedict
Tuskegee
Benedict
Benedict
2022–23
Spring Hill
Benedict
Tuskegee
Edward Waters
Benedict
Benedict
See also
References
External links
Atlantic Central East Midwest South South Central Southeast West Division II
Super Region 1 Super Region 2 Super Region 3 Super Region 4 Division II NCAA
Public institutions Private institutions Defunct institutions Consortia