Appalachian Athletic Conference

The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) is a college athletic conference that competes in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division II competition.[1] Members of the conference are located in the Southeastern United States in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.[1] The conference is the successor to the Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC), which began in the 1940s;[1] and later the Tennessee-Virginia Athletic Conference (TVAC) that operated during the 1980s and 1990s.[1] The Appalachian Athletic Conference was formed in 2001 with the additions of members from Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.[1] In 2019 the conference added Kentucky Christian University as a full member and Savannah College of Art and Design as an associate member in Men's and Women's lacrosse.[2]

For the North Carolina high school association formerly known as the "Appalachian Athletic Conference", see Western North Carolina Athletic Conference.
Appalachian Athletic Conference
AAC
Established2001
AssociationNAIA
DivisionDivision II
Members16
Sports fielded
  • 17
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 9
RegionSoutheastern United States
Region XII of the NAIA
HeadquartersAsheville, North Carolina
CommissionerCol. John Sullivan
Websiteaacsports.com
Locations

Bluefield College was a member of the AAC from 2001 until 2012 when it left to join the Mid-South Conference. On March 3, 2014, Bluefield College announced that it would return to the AAC effective Fall 2014.[3]

Member schools

Current members

The league currently has 16 full members. It is the largest conference in the NAIA.[2]

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Joined
Allen University Columbia, South Carolina 1870 Private (A.M.E. Church) 600 Yellow Jackets 2016
Bluefield College Bluefield, Virginia 1922 Private (Baptist General Association of Virginia) 793 Rams 2001;
2014
Brenau University Gainesville, Georgia 1878 Private (Nonsectarian) 3,500 Golden Tigers 2017
Bryan College Dayton, Tennessee 1930 Private (Christian) 1,044 Lions 2001
Columbia College Columbia, South Carolina 1854 Private (United Methodist) 1,200 Koalas 2011
Columbia International University Columbia, South Carolina 1923 Private (Christian) 1,250 Rams 2018
Kentucky Christian University Grayson, Kentucky 1919 Private (Christian churches and churches of Christ) 550 Knights 2019
Milligan College Johnson City, Tennessee 1866 Private (Christian churches and churches of Christ) 1,006 Buffaloes 2001
Montreat College Montreat, North Carolina 1916 Private (Presbyterian – PCUSA) 1,145 Cavaliers 2001
Point University West Point, Georgia 1937 Private (Christian churches and churches of Christ) 1,000 Skyhawks 2011
Reinhardt University Waleska, Georgia 1883 Private (United Methodist) 1,057 Eagles 2009
St. Andrews University Laurinburg, North Carolina 1958 Private (Presbyterian – PCUSA) 800 Knights 2012
Savannah College of Art and Design (Atlanta campus) Atlanta, Georgia 2005 Private (nonprofit art school) 2,000 Bees 2012
Tennessee Wesleyan University Athens, Tennessee 1857 Private (United Methodist) 1,103 Bulldogs 2001
Truett McConnell University Cleveland, Georgia 1946 Private (Georgia Baptist) 1,600 Bears 2013
Union College Barbourville, Kentucky 1879 Private (United Methodist) 1,368 Bulldogs 2001
  • Brenau University and Columbia College — women's institutions which do not field men's sports.

Affiliate members
Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Joined Sport Primary
Conference
Asbury University Wilmore, Kentucky 1890 Private (Christian) 1,300 Eagles 2015 lacrosse (M);
lacrosse (W)		 River States
Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, Georgia 1978 Private (nonprofit art school) 10,584 Bees 2019 lacrosse (M);

lacrosse (W)

 The Sun
University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, Kentucky 1887 Private (Christian) 1,743 Patriots 2015 lacrosse (M);
lacrosse (W)		 Mid-South
West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, West Virginia 1895 Public 2,252 Golden Bears 2016 swimming (M);
swimming (W)		 River States

Former members
Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined Left Current
Conference
Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, Kentucky 1925 Private (Christian) Eagles 2001 2005 River States
Brevard College Brevard, North Carolina 1853 Private (United Methodist) Tornados 2001 2006 USA South Athletic Conference
(NCAA D-III)
Covenant College Lookout Mountain, Georgia 1955 Private (Presbyterian – PCA) Scots 2001 2011 USA South Athletic Conference
(NCAA D-III)
King College Bristol, Tennessee 1867 Private (Presbyterian) Tornado 1990 2010 Carolinas
(NCAA D-II)
Virginia Intermont College Bristol, Virginia 1884 Private (Baptist) Cobras 2001 2014 Closed in 2014

Membership timeline

 Full member (non-football)   Associate member (sport) 

Conference sports

The Appalachian Athletic Conference currently fields 20 sports (10 men's and 10 women's):

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballY
BasketballYY
Cross CountryYY
GolfYY
LacrosseYY
SoccerYY
SoftballY
TennisYY
Track & Field OutdoorYY
Track & Field IndoorYY
VolleyballY
WrestlingY

References
  1. "NAIA Conference Profile: Appalachian Athletic Conference" (PDF). NAIA. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
  2. "AAC OFFICIALLY WELCOMES KCU TO LEAGUE, BECOMES LARGEST CONFERENCE IN NAIA". Appalachian Athletic Conference. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  3. "Bluefield College returns to Appalachian Athletic Conference". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
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