TranSouth Athletic Conference

TranSouth Athletic Conference
TranSouth Athletic Conference
TSAC
Established	1996
Dissolved	2013
Association	NAIA
Members	6
Sports fielded	13 men's: 6; women's: 7; ;
Region	Southeastern United States; Region XI of the NAIA
Commissioner	Charlie Smith
Website	transouth.org
Locations

The TranSouth Athletic Conference (TSAC) was a college athletic conference for smaller colleges and universities located in the Southern United States. It is affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and competes in that organization's Region XI.

HistoryEdit

On August 9, 2012 it was announced that Mid-Continent University had accepted an invitation to join the American Midwest Conference, starting with the 2013-14 season.^[1] Later, Bethel, Blue Mountain, and Martin Methodist were announced to be moving to the Southern States Athletic Conference starting with the 2013-14 season.^[2]

Chronological timelineEdit

1996 - The TranSouth Athletic Conference (TSAC) was founded from former members of the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC). Charter members included Bethel College (now Bethel University), Berry College, Birmingham–Southern College, Blue Mountain College, David Lipscomb University (a.k.a. Lipscomb University), Freed–Hardeman University, Lee College (now Lee University), Martin Methodist College (now the University of Tennessee Southern), Trevecca Nazarene University, Union University and Williams Baptist College, effective the 1996-97 academic year.

1997 - Lyon College joined the TSAC, effective the 1997-98 academic year.

1999 - Bethel (Tennessee) left the TSAC to join the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC), effective after the 1998-99 academic year.

2001 - Three institutions left the TSAC to find new conference homes (Birmingham–Southern and Lipscomb to the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and Williams Baptist to the American Midwest Conference), effective after the 2000-01 academic year.

2002 - Cumberland University of Tennessee joined the TSAC, effective the 2002-03 academic year.

2004 - Berry and Lee left the TSAC to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), effective after the 2003-04 academic year.

2005 - Crichton College (later Victory University) joined the TSAC, effective the 2005-06 academic year.

2006 - Lambuth University and Mid-Continent University joined the TSAC (with Bethel [Tennessee] re-joining), effective the 2006-07 academic year.

2009 - Two institutions left the TSAC to fine new conference homes: Lambuth to begin transition to the NCAA Division II ranks as an Independent, and Victory to suspend athletics (which would return beginning the 2010-11 academic year), effective after the 2008-09 academic year.

2012 - Four institutions left the TSAC to find new conference homes: Trevecca Nazarene to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) and Union (Tennessee) to the Gulf South Conference (GSC) (both into the NCAA Division II ranks), Lyon to the American Midwest, and Cumberland (Tennessee) to the Mid-South Conference, all effective after the 2011-12 academic year.

2012 - Life University joined the TSAC, effective the 2012-13 academic year.

2013 - The TSAC would cease operations as an athletic conference, effective after the 2012-13 academic year; as many schools left to find new conference homes, effective beginning the 2013-14 academic year: Freed–Hardeman and Mid-Continent to the American Midwest, Bethel (Tennessee), Blue Mountain and Martin Methodist (now UT Southern) to the SSAC, and Life returning as an NAIA Independent (before joining the Mid-South since the 2014-15 academic year).

Member schoolsEdit

Final membersEdit

On its final season, the TSAC had six member schools, which most were private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Left	Subsequent conference	Current conference
Bethel University	McKenzie, Tennessee	1842	Cumberland Presbyterian	2,975	Wildcats	1996–97, 2006–07^[a]	2012–13	Southern States (SSAC) (2013–14 to 2019–20)	Mid-South (2020–21 to present)
Blue Mountain College	Blue Mountain, Mississippi	1873	Mississippi Baptist	505	Toppers	1996–97		Southern States (SSAC) (2013–14 to present)
Freed–Hardeman University	Henderson, Tennessee	1869	Churches of Christ	2,027	Lions	1996–97		American Midwest (2013–14 to 2019–20)	Mid-South (2020–21 to present)
Life University	Marietta, Georgia	1974	–	3,100	Running Eagles	2012–13		NAIA Independent (2013–14)	Mid-South (2014–15 to 2021–22) Southern States (SSAC) (2022–23 to future)
Martin Methodist College^[b]	Pulaski, Tennessee	1870	Public^[c]	1,001	RedHawks^[d]	1996–97	2012–13	Southern States (SSAC) (2013–14 to 2019–20)	Mid-South (2020–21 to present)
Mid-Continent University	Mayfield, Kentucky	1949	Baptist	1,823	Cougars	2006–07	2012–13	American Midwest (2013–14)	N/A^[e]

Notes

^ Bethel left the TSAC after the 1998–99 season; before re-joining effective in the 2006–07 season.
^ Martin Methodist joined the University of Tennessee system in July 2021 to become the University of Tennessee Southern.
^ Martin Methodist (now UT Southern) was a private institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church until July 2021.
^ Martin Methodist is now competing as the UT Southern FireHawks.
^ Mid-Continent closed after the 2013–14 school year.

Former membersEdit

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Left	Subsequent conference	Current conference
Berry College	Mount Berry, Georgia	1902	Private	1,937	Vikings	1996–97	2003–04	Southern States (2004–05 to 2009–10) D-III Independent (2010–11 to 2012–13)	SAA (NCAA D-III) (2013–14 to present)
Birmingham–Southern College	Birmingham, Alabama	1856		1,400	Panthers	1996–97	2000–01	Big South (NCAA D-I) (2001–02 to 2005–06) D-I Independent (2006–07) SCAC (NCAA D-III) (2007–08 to 2012–13)	SAA (NCAA D-III) (2013–14 to present)
Cumberland University	Lebanon, Tennessee	1842		1,500	Bulldogs^[a]	2002–03	2011–12	Mid-South (2012–13 to present)
Lambuth University	Jackson, Tennessee	1843		800	Eagles	2006–07	2008–09	D-II Independent (2009–10 to 2010–11)	N/A^[b]
Lipscomb University	Nashville, Tennessee	1891		4,278	Bisons	1996–97	2000–01	D-I Independent (2001–02 to 2002–03)	Atlantic Sun (NCAA D-I) (2003–04 to present)
Lee University	Cleveland, Tennessee	1918		4,954	Flames	1996–07	2003–04	Southern States (2004–05 to 2012–13)	Gulf South (NCAA D-II) (2013–14 to present)
Lyon College	Batesville, Arkansas	1872		600	Scots	1997–98	2011–12	American Midwest (NCAA D-III in 2022–23)
Trevecca Nazarene University	Nashville, Tennessee	1901		2,345	Trojans	1996–97	2011–12	G-MAC (NCAA D-II) (2012–13 to present)
Union University	Jackson, Tennessee	1823		4,259	Bulldogs	1996–97	2011–12	Gulf South (NCAA D-II) (2012–13 to present)
Victory University^[c]	Memphis, Tennessee	1941		1,970	Eagles	2005–06	2008–09	N/A (2009–10) NCCAA/USCAA (2010–11 to 2013–14)	N/A^[d]
Williams Baptist College	Walnut Ridge, Arkansas	1941		700	Eagles	1996–97	2000–01	American Midwest (2001–02 to present)

Notes

^ Cumberland (Tennessee) changed its nickname from Bulldogs to Phoenix in 2016.
^ Lambuth closed after the 2010–11 school year.
^ Victory was formerly known as Crichton College during the school's tenure in the TSAC.
^ Victory closed after the 2013–14 school year.

Membership timelineEdit

ReferencesEdit

^ "Mid-Continent Accepts Invitation to American Midwest Conference". Mid-Continent University. August 9, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
^ "SSAC Announces Bethel, Blue Mountain, and Martin Methodist as Newest Members". Southern States Athletic Conference. November 15, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2012.

[3] Bethel left the TSAC after the 1998–99 season; before re-joining effective in the 2006–07 season.

[4] Martin Methodist joined the University of Tennessee system in July 2021 to become the University of Tennessee Southern.

[5] Martin Methodist (now UT Southern) was a private institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church until July 2021.

[6] Martin Methodist is now competing as the UT Southern FireHawks.

[7] Mid-Continent closed after the 2013–14 school year.

[8] Cumberland (Tennessee) changed its nickname from Bulldogs to Phoenix in 2016.

[9] Lambuth closed after the 2010–11 school year.

[10] Victory was formerly known as Crichton College during the school's tenure in the TSAC.

[11] Victory closed after the 2013–14 school year.

[1] "Mid-Continent Accepts Invitation to American Midwest Conference". Mid-Continent University. August 9, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2012.

[2] "SSAC Announces Bethel, Blue Mountain, and Martin Methodist as Newest Members". Southern States Athletic Conference. November 15, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2012.

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