Southern Conference - History

History

The conference was formed on February 25, 1921 in Atlanta as fourteen member institutions split from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Southern Conference charter members were Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Washington & Lee. In 1922, six more universities - Florida, LSU, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tulane, and Vanderbilt joined the conference. Later additions included Sewanee (1923), Virginia Military Institute (1924), and Duke (1929).

The SoCon is particularly notable for having spawned two other major conferences. In 1932, the 13 schools located south and west of the Appalachians (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, University of the South, Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt) all departed the SoCon to form the Southeastern Conference (SEC). In 1953, seven schools (Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest) withdrew from the SoCon to form the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Other former members include the following:

• East Carolina (1964-65 to 1975-76)
• East Tennessee State (1978-79 to 2004-05)
• George Washington (1936-37 to 1969-70)
• Marshall (1976-77 to 1996-97)
• Richmond (1936-37 to 1975-76)
• VMI (1924-25 to 2002-03)
• Virginia Tech (1921-22 to 1964-65) - charter member
• Washington and Lee (1921-22 to 1957-58) - charter member
• West Virginia (1950-51 to 1967-68)
• William & Mary (1936-37 to 1976-77)