Sun Conference

The Sun Conference (TSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Eight of the twelve full member institutions are located in Florida, with three in Georgia and one in South Carolina. The Sun Conference competes in the NAIA in all sponsored sports.

Sun Conference
TSC
Established1990
AssociationNAIA
Members12 (11 in 2021)
Sports fielded
  • 16
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 8
RegionSouthern United States
Region XIV of the NAIA
Former namesFlorida Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1990–1992)
Florida Sun Conference (1992–2008)
HeadquartersDaytona Beach, Florida
CommissionerDustin Wilke
Websitethesunconference.com
Locations

History

The conference was created in March 1990 as the Florida Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (FIAC), and renamed to the Florida Sun Conference in 1992. Charter members consisted of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Flagler College, Florida Memorial University, Nova University of Advanced Technology (now Nova Southeastern University), Palm Beach Atlantic University, Saint Thomas University, Webber International University and Warner Southern College (now Warner University).

The league later grew to nine members with the addition of Northwood University in 1994 (now Keiser University). Between 2002 and 2006, Nova Southeastern (2002), Palm Beach Atlantic (2003) and Flagler (2006) moved to NCAA Division II. But the league was able to recruit new members as Savannah College of Art and Design joined in 2004, followed by Edward Waters College in 2006. It adopted its current name in August 2008 to reflect its expansion to institutions outside of Florida.[1] With the addition of the University of South Carolina at Beaufort in 2007, Johnson & Wales University, Southeastern University and Ave Maria University in 2009, and Thomas University of Georgia in 2012, years, along with Edward Waters’ move to the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference after the 2009–10 season, the league membership stood at 12 schools as of the 2012–13 season.

In 2014, Point University and former member Edward Waters College joined the conference for football only. Starting with the 2016 season, all six football members moved to the Mid-South Conference for that sport.[2] Charter member Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University departed the conference on June 30, 2015 and joined the Sunshine State Conference (NCAA II). In 2017, the College of Coastal Georgia joined the Sun Conference,[3] with the conference again standing at a total of 12 members. In 2018, Sun conference member Keiser added football[4] but Edward Waters left Mid-South. In 2019, Saint Thomas also added football and Florida Memorial re-added the sport after more than 60 years,[5][6] bringing the number of members participating in football to 8.

On June 25, 2020, Johnson & Wales announced it would close down its North Miami campus at the end of the 2020-21 school year.[7]

Member schools

There are currently 12 full members.[8][3] Johnson & Wales–North Miami will leave in 2021.

Current members
Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Joined
Ave Maria University Ave Maria, Florida 2003 Private (Catholic) 1,200 Gyrenes 2009
College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick, Georgia 1961 Public 3,438 Mariners 2017
Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens, Florida 1879 Private (Baptist) 1,784 Lions 1990
Johnson & Wales University–North Miami North Miami, Florida 1992 Private (Nonsectarian) 2,000 Wildcats 2009
Keiser University West Palm Beach, Florida 1977 Private (Nonsectarian) 484 Seahawks 2015
St. Thomas University Miami Gardens, Florida 1961 Private (Catholic) 1,750 Bobcats 1990
Savannah College of Art and Design
(Savannah campus)		 Savannah, Georgia 1978 Private (nonprofit art school) 11,897 Bees 2004
University of South Carolina Beaufort Beaufort, South Carolina 1959 Public 1,386 Sand Sharks 2007
Southeastern University Lakeland, Florida 1935 Private (Assemblies of God) 3,850 Fire 2009
Thomas University Thomasville, Georgia 1950 Private (Nonsectarian) 1,100 Night Hawks 2012
Warner University Lake Wales, Florida 1968 Private (Church of God) 1,037 Royals 1990
Webber International University Babson Park, Florida 1927 Private (Nonsectarian) 616 Warriors 1990
  • NOTE– Keiser University's teams were the teams of Northwood University's Florida campus until Keiser University purchased it in 2015 and made the teams its own.

Former members
Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined Left Current
Conference
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach, Florida 1926 Private (Nonsectarian) Eagles 1990 2015 Sunshine State
(NCAA D-II)
Edward Waters College Jacksonville, Florida 1866 Private (A.M.E. Church) Tigers 2006 2010 Gulf Coast
Flagler College St. Augustine, Florida 1968 Private (Nonsectarian) Saints 1990 2006 Peach Belt
(NCAA D-II)
Northwood University West Palm Beach, Florida 1984 Private (Nonsectarian) Seahawks 1994 2015 Sold to
Keiser University
Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, Florida 1964 Private (Nonsectarian) Sharks 1990 2002 Sunshine State
(NCAA D-II)
Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach, Florida 1968 Private (Christian) Sailfish 1990 2003 Sunshine State
(NCAA D-II)

Former affiliate members

For the 2014 and 2015 football seasons, Edward Waters and Point joined the conference. All six members moved to the Mid-South Conference for the 2016 season. With the exception of Point, which participates in the Appalachian division, these teams plus Faulkner University now form the Sun Division of the Mid-South Conference.[9]

Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined Left Sport Primary
Conference
Edward Waters College Jacksonville, Florida 1866 Private (A.M.E. Church) Tigers 2014 2016 football Gulf Coast
Point University West Point, Georgia 1937 Private (Christian) Skyhawks 2014 2016 football Appalachian

Membership timeline

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football-only) 

Sports
Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballY
BasketballYY
Cross CountryYY
FootballY
GolfYY
SoccerYY
SoftballY
TennisYY
Track & Field OutdoorYY
VolleyballY

References
  1. "About the Sun Conference". Retrieved November 19, 2008.
  2. "Mid-South Conference Creates Largest College Football Conference". February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  3. "COASTAL GEORGIA SET TO OFFICIALLY BECOME SUN CONFERENCE MEMBER". June 29, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  4. Evenson, Johyn (October 11, 2016). "Keiser University Athletics adds football starting in 2018". Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  5. "St. Thomas to Launch Football in 2019; Joins MSC Sun Division". mid-southconference.org. August 29, 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  6. "This is why Florida Memorial is bringing back college football after a 61-year hiatus". Miami Herald. June 4, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  7. "Johnson & Wales, which trained many local chefs, is closing its North Miami campus". June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  8. "The Sun Conference". The Sun Conference. August 18, 2008. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
  9. Wilson, Michael (February 25, 2016). "Local teams officially join Mid-South football conference". The Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
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