Sun Belt Conference

U.S. college sports conference

This article is about the college athletic conference. For the region of the southern United States, see Sun Belt.

Sun Belt Conference

Association| NCAA
Founded| 1976; 49 years ago (1976)
Commissioner| Keith Gill (since 2019)
Sports fielded|

* 19
* men's: 9
* women's: 10

Division| Division I
Subdivision| FBS
No. of teams| 14 (13 in 2026)
Headquarters| New Orleans, Louisiana
Region| Southern United States
Broadcaster(s)| ESPN
Official website| sunbeltsports.org
Locations

The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The 14 member institutions of the Sun Belt are distributed across the Southern United States.

## History

[edit]

### 1970s and 1980s

[edit]

Original Sun Belt logo from 1976

The Sun Belt Conference was founded on August 4, 1976, with the University of New Orleans, the University of South Alabama, Georgia State University, Jacksonville University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University of South Florida. Over the next ten years the conference would add Western Kentucky University, Old Dominion University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Virginia Commonwealth University. New Orleans was forced out of the league in 1980 due to its small on-campus gymnasium that the conference did not deem suitable for conference competition (the conference rejected UNO's offer to play all conference home games at the Louisiana Superdome). New Orleans competed as an independent before joining the newly formed American South Conference in 1987.

### 1990s

[edit]

After the 1990–91 basketball season, all members of the Sun Belt, except Western Kentucky, South Alabama, and Jacksonville, departed for other conferences. The Sun Belt, including incoming member the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, then merged with the American South Conference, made up of Arkansas State University, Louisiana Tech University, the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), the University of Texas–Pan American (now merged into the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), New Orleans (re-joined), Lamar University, and the University of Central Florida. Although the American South was the larger conference, the merged league retained the Sun Belt name. In 1991, the league first began to explore the idea of sponsoring football.[1]

Central Florida left the league following the 1991–92 academic year due to a dispute over television rights, among other reasons.[2][3] Lamar, Texas–Pan American, and Jacksonville departed at the end of the 1997–98 academic year. Florida International University joined the Sun Belt in 1998, and the University of Denver was added in 1999. Louisiana Tech departed after the 2000–01 academic year.

The Sun Belt Conference headquarters are currently housed at the Caesars Superdome.

### 2000s

[edit]

The conference did not sponsor football until 2001, when the league added former Big West Conference members New Mexico State University and the University of North Texas and former Ohio Valley Conference member (an FBS Independent on football) Middle Tennessee State University as full members (all three of them joined a year earlier for all sports in the 2000-01 school year) and added FBS Independent University of Louisiana at Monroe and Big West member University of Idaho as football-only members. These new members gave the Sun Belt seven football playing members in their first season, as Arkansas State and Louisiana were already full members which sponsored football. Another Big West school, Utah State University, was added as a football-only member in 2003, then departed in 2005 with Idaho and New Mexico State for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

In 2004, Troy University became a football-only member before joining for all sports in the 2005–06 academic year. In 2005, Florida Atlantic became a football-only member before joining for all sports in the 2006-07 academic year. In 2006, Louisiana–Monroe joined the conference as an all-sports full member when the Warhawks left their former home, the Southland Conference.

Longtime Sun Belt member Western Kentucky joined the Sun Belt's football conference in 2009 after its board of regents voted to upgrade the school's football program to Division I FBS.[4]

On November 11, 2009, New Orleans announced it was investigating a move from Division I to the NCAA's Division III. In order to maintain athletic scholarships, UNO instead opted for entry into Division II. On April 20, 2011, UNO officially received transition approval from the NCAA Division II Membership Committee.[5] (UNO later decided to remain in Division I, and joined the Southland Conference, which has four other members in Louisiana, in 2013.)

### 2010s

[edit]

Main article: 2010–2013 Sun Belt Conference realignment

See also: 2010–2013 Conference USA realignment and 2010–2013 Western Athletic Conference realignment

The former Sun Belt Conference logo used until its rebranding in 2013

On April 9, 2012, Georgia State, one of the founding members of the Sun Belt Conference, announced that it would be returning to the conference as a full member in 2013. As part of the move, the football program began a transition from FCS to FBS in the 2012 season; it played a full Sun Belt schedule as a "transitional" FBS member in 2013, and became a full FBS member, with bowl eligibility, in 2014.[6] On May 2, 2012, Texas State University announced it would leave the WAC after just one year and join the Sun Belt in July 2013 to begin play for the 2013–14 academic year. At the press conference to announce Texas State's addition, Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson also hinted that more changes could be on the way for the conference.[7] On May 25, 2012, the conference announced that the University of Texas at Arlington (a non-football member) had accepted an invitation to join the conference and would become a full member by 2013.[8]

On May 4, 2012, FIU and North Texas announced that they would be leaving the Sun Belt for Conference USA on July 1, 2013 as part of a Conference USA expansion effort involving four other schools.[9] On November 29, 2012, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State announced that they would also leave the Sun Belt for Conference USA.[10] The move for Florida Atlantic and MTSU was originally scheduled to take place in 2014; however, the two schools announced on January 28, 2013 that they would leave for Conference USA a year early, departing on July 1, 2013 with FIU and North Texas. Western Kentucky also accepted an invitation to join Conference USA on April 1, 2013, and departed from the Sun Belt on July 1, 2014.[11]

The former Sun Belt Conference logo used from 2013 to 2020

These moves depleted the Sun Belt and made the need to expand their membership more urgent than ever, as the Sun Belt was left with ten full members and only eight members that sponsor football (the minimum number required for a conference to sponsor football at the FBS level) for the 2013 season. Appalachian State University accepted an invitation on March 27, 2013 to join the Sun Belt effective July 1, 2014.[12] Georgia Southern University accepted a similar Sun Belt invitation at the same time as Appalachian State.[13] Appalachian State and Georgia Southern both joined for all sports from the Southern Conference on July 1, 2014. Both schools had been very successful within the Football Championship Subdivision, combining to win nine national championships since 1985. They upgraded to the Football Bowl Subdivision, and were eligible for Sun Belt conference championships in 2014, but were not postseason-eligible in football until 2015.

The Sun Belt also granted football-only invites to Idaho and New Mexico State on March 28, 2013.[14] Idaho and New Mexico State were both former Sun Belt members (Idaho for football only, New Mexico State for all sports) from 2001 to 2005. The large number of defections from the WAC forced that conference to drop football after the 2012 season. Idaho and New Mexico State were the only remaining WAC members that sponsored football, and competed as FBS independents for the 2013 season before competing in the Sun Belt in 2014. Idaho is located by far the farthest away from the other Sun Belt conference members, but it was rejected by the Mountain West Conference,[15] leaving it with no other choice.[16][17]

On September 1, 2015, Coastal Carolina University accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference. The university joined in all sports except for football starting July 1, 2016, with football joining in 2017.[18]

The conference announced on March 1, 2016, that the affiliation agreement with Idaho and New Mexico State would not be extended past the 2017 season.[19]

The conference announced that beginning in 2018, the conference (10 teams) would be divided into two divisions for football: East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy; West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The winner of each division will meet in the Sun Belt Championship game.[20]

### 2020s

[edit]

Main article: 2021–2026 NCAA conference realignment

App State

Coastal Carolina

Georgia Southern

Georgia State

James Madison

Marshall

Old Dominion

Arkansas State

Louisiana

ULM

Louisiana Tech

South Alabama

Southern Miss

Texas State

Troy

Kentucky

USC

WVU

UCF

CofC

Mercer

UNCW

class=notpageimage|

Sun Belt Member locations
– Departing Member,  – Full member,  – current associate member,  – future full member

Following the July 30, 2021 announcement of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Oklahoma both moving from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference,[21] the world of college athletics faced the prospect of realignment once again. The Big 12 responded on September 10 by adding three schools from the American Athletic Conference (The American) and BYU, an FBS independent and otherwise a member of the non-football West Coast Conference, effective in 2023.[22] The American in turn responded on October 21 by adding six schools from Conference USA (C-USA), with 2023 as the most likely entry date.[23][24] Following this move, rumors began to circulate that the Sun Belt was planning to take on another three members (the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM), Marshall University, and former Sun Belt member Old Dominion University) from C-USA, likely in response to that conference's remaining teams worried of the conference folding.[25] These moves would help to establish the market areas for the Sun Belt and The American, which cover similar geographic footprints. The American would now have most of its members in metropolitan areas, while the Sun Belt would instead have its members in smaller college towns.

On October 22, The Action Network reported that Southern Miss had been accepted as a new Sun Belt member, with 2023 as the likely entry date. The report also stated that the Sun Belt would add three more members—the aforementioned Marshall and Old Dominion, plus James Madison University, a member of the FCS Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).[26] Southern Miss[27] and Old Dominion[28] were respectively announced as incoming members on October 26 and 27. At the time, both were to join no later than 2023. On October 29, the day after Marshall named its next president,[29] both the Sun Belt and Marshall issued tweets announcing that school's entry; a formal announcement followed the next day[30] and an introductory press conference was held on November 1.[31] As for James Madison, its board met on October 29 to discuss a potential Sun Belt invitation, but its timeline was also affected by a Virginia state law that requires legislative approval for a four-year public school to move upward in athletic classification, including FCS to FBS. The legislative committee that must review the move did not meet until November 5, after the state's gubernatorial election.[32] The committee unanimously approved JMU's move from FCS to FBS, and the Sun Belt move was officially announced on November 6.[33][34] The original Action Network report also stated that the two full non-football SBC members, Little Rock and UT Arlington, would no longer be members of the conference after the 2022–23 school year.[26]

Initial plans were for James Madison to compete as a de facto Sun Belt affiliate in sports other than football and men's soccer during the 2022–23 season.[35] However, those plans would eventually change, with JMU and the SBC jointly announcing on February 2, 2022 that JMU would become a full SBC member, including football, in 2022–23.[36]

By the end of January 2022, both non-football members would announce their departures for other conferences, effective that July. On December 8, 2021, the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees voted to accept an invitation for Little Rock to join the Ohio Valley Conference,[37] and UT Arlington, which had been a Western Athletic Conference member in the 2012–13 school year, announced its return to that conference on January 21, 2022.[38]

Shortly thereafter, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss announced that they planned to leave C-USA for the Sun Belt in July 2022. They claimed to have notified C-USA of their plans in December 2021, apparently seeking to negotiate a 2022 exit. C-USA had indicated in late January 2022 that it expected the three schools to remain in that league through the 2022–23 school year.[39] Marshall escalated the situation by filing suit against C-USA in its local court in an attempt to force a 2022 move.[40] On March 29, Conference USA agreed to let Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss move to the Sun Belt starting July 1, 2022.[41]

On April 6, with the entrance of three new men's soccer-sponsoring schools in James Madison, Marshall, and Old Dominion, the Sun Belt announced that men's soccer would be reinstated as a sponsored sport. The three aforementioned programs joined current Sun Belt members Coastal Carolina (previously affiliates with Conference USA) as well as Georgia State and Georgia Southern (previously affiliates with the Mid-American Conference). Additionally, it was announced that Kentucky, South Carolina, and West Virginia would join as men's soccer affiliate members beginning in fall 2022, giving the conference an inaugural soccer membership of 9.[42] Kentucky and South Carolina were previously also affiliated with C-USA, while West Virginia was affiliated with the MAC. The SBC later announced it would add UCF as a men's soccer affiliate when that school joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023.[43] In men's soccer, the conference is not a "mid-major" conference, but a "power" conference due to the quasi-alliance of the Big 12 and SEC schools, plus the presence of Marshall, which has played in two national championship games in the 2020s, winning one.

On June 6, the SBC presidents & chancellors approved adding two new women's sports, beach volleyball and swimming & diving, no later than the 2023–24 school year. They also announced that the conference would explore adding another women's sport, field hockey, at an undetermined future date.[44]

On January 18, 2023, the SBC officially announced that its beach volleyball league would launch that spring, with the four full members sponsoring the sport joined by Charleston, Mercer, UNC Wilmington, and Stephen F. Austin as affiliate members.[45]

On August 17, 2023, the SBC officially announced the return of women's swimming and diving as a sponsored sport.[46] However, the SBC would only sponsor the sport for two seasons before dropping it after the 2024–25 season.[47]

On June 30, 2025, Texas State accepted an offer to join the Pac-12 Conference by July 1, 2026 following the unanimous approval of the Texas State University System board of regents.[48] On July 14, the SBC voted to replace Texas State with another regional member, Louisiana Tech of Conference USA, by as early as 2026.[49] This addition would keep the installment of conference divisions intact, with Louisiana Tech replacing Texas State in the West Division.

## Member schools

[edit]

### Current full members

[edit]

Member departing for the Pac-12 Conference in 2026.

Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment
(millions) | Nickname | Colors

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

East Division
Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | 1899  | 2014  | Public | 21,570  | $191[50] | Mountaineers |
Coastal Carolina University | Conway, South Carolina | 1954  | 2016  | 10,894[51] | $44.6[52] | Chanticleers |
Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, Georgia | 1906  | 2014  | 26,106[53] | $98.4[54] | Eagles |
Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia | 1913  | 2013[a] | 50,521[55] | $220[56] | Panthers |
James Madison University | Harrisonburg, Virginia | 1908  | 2022  | 21,496  | $123[57] | Dukes |
Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | 1837  | 2022  | 11,962[58] | $201[59] | Thundering Herd |
Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 1930  | 2022[b] | 24,286[60] | $312[61] | Monarchs |
West Division
Arkansas State University | Jonesboro, Arkansas | 1909  | 1991  | Public | 14,109[62] | $122.6  | Red Wolves |
University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, Louisiana | 1898  | 1991  | 19,188[63] | $232[64] | Ragin' Cajuns |
University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, Louisiana | 1931  | 2006[c] | 9,060[65] | $37.3[66] | Warhawks |
University of South Alabama | Mobile, Alabama | 1963  | 1976  | 14,834[67] | $466[68] | Jaguars |
University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | 1910  | 2022  | 14,606[69] | $131[70] | Golden Eagles |
Texas State University | San Marcos, Texas | 1899  | 2013  | Public | 40,678[71] | $393[72] | Bobcats |
Troy University | Troy, Alabama | 1887  | 2005[d] | Public | 17,494[73] | $164[74] | Trojans |

Notes

1. ^ Georgia State left after the 1980–81 school year, then rejoined effective the 2013–14 school year.
2. ^ Old Dominion left after the 1990–91 school year, then rejoined effective the 2022–23 school year.
3. ^ Louisiana–Monroe was an affiliate member in football from the 2001 to 2005 fall seasons (2001–02 to 2005–06 school years).
4. ^ Troy was an affiliate member in football during the 2004 fall season (2004–05 school year).

### Future members

[edit]

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joining  | Type  | Enrollment  | Endowment
(millions)  | Nickname  | Colors  | Current
conference

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | 1894  | TBD[a] | Public | 12,039[75] | $92.2[76] | Bulldogs & Lady Techsters |  | CUSA

Notes

1. ^ Louisiana Tech left after the 2000–01 school year and will rejoin no later than July 1, 2027.

### Affiliate members

[edit]

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joined  | Type  | Enrollment  | Nickname  | Colors  | Sport  | Primary
conference

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

College of Charleston | Charleston, South Carolina | 1770  | 2022[a] | Public  | 10,468  | Cougars |  | Beach volleyball  | CAA
University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | 1865  | 2022  | 32,710  | Wildcats |  | Soccer (m)  | SEC
Mercer University | Macon, Georgia | 1833  | 2022[a] | Private  | 8,740  | Bears |  | Beach volleyball  | SoCon
University of South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | 1801  | 2022  | Public  | 35,364  | Gamecocks |  | Soccer (m)  | SEC
University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida[b] | 1963  | 2023  | 70,406  | Knights |  | Big 12
University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington, North Carolina | 1947  | 2022[a] | 14,765  | Seahawks |  | Beach volleyball  | CAA
West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 1867  | 2022  | 26,269  | Mountaineers |  | Soccer (m)  | Big 12

1. ^ a b c The three beach volleyball associates (Charleston, Mercer, and UNCW) are listed as having joined in 2022, even though they were not announced as incoming affiliates until January 2023. The SBC's first beach volleyball season of 2023, which featured the four schools, was part of the 2022–23 school year.
2. ^ The main UCF campus has an Orlando mailing address but is in unincorporated Orange County.

### Former full members

[edit]

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joined  | Left  | Type  | Nickname  | Colors  | Subsequent
conference  | Current
conference

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, Alabama | 1969  | 1979  | 1991  | Public  | Blazers |  | Great Midwest | The American
University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida[a] | 1963  | 1991  | 1992  | Knights |  | ASUN | Big 12
University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | 1864  | 1999  | 2012  | Private  | Pioneers |  | WAC | Summit
Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton, Florida | 1961  | 2006[b] | 2013  | Public  | Owls |  | CUSA | The American
Florida International University | Miami, Florida[c] | 1965  | 1998  | Panthers |  | CUSA
Jacksonville University | Jacksonville, Florida | 1934  | 1976  | 1998  | Private  | Dolphins |  | ASUN
Lamar University | Beaumont, Texas | 1923  | 1991  | Public  | Cardinals |  | Southland
University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, Arkansas | 1927  | 1991  | 2022  | Trojans |  | OVC
Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | 1894  | 1991  | 2001  | Bulldogs & Lady Techsters |  | WAC | CUSA
Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 1911  | 2000  | 2013  | Blue Raiders |  | CUSA
New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico | 1888  | 2005[d] | Aggies |  | WAC | CUSA
University of New Orleans | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1958  | 1976  | 1980  | Privateers |  | D-I Independent | Southland
1991  | 2010  | D-I Independent
University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | 1946  | 1976  | 1991  | 49ers |  | Metro | The American
University of North Texas | Denton, Texas | 1890  | 2000  | 2013  | Mean Green |  | CUSA | The American
University of South Florida | Tampa, Florida | 1956  | 1976  | 1991  | Bulls |  | Metro | The American
University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, Texas | 1895  | 2013  | 2022  | Mavericks |  | WAC
(UAC in 2026)
University of Texas–Pan American[e] | Edinburg, Texas | 1927  | 1991  | 1998  | Broncs |  | Independent | Southland
(as UTRGV Vaqueros)
Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, Virginia | 1838  | 1979  | 1991  | Rams |  | Metro | Atlantic 10
Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, Kentucky | 1906  | 1982  | 2014  | Hilltoppers & Lady Toppers |  | CUSA

Notes

1. ^ The main UCF campus has an Orlando mailing address but is in unincorporated Orange County.
2. ^ Florida Atlantic was an affiliate member for football during the 2005 fall season (2005–06 school year).
3. ^ The main FIU campus has a Miami mailing address but is in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
4. ^ New Mexico State was a full member from 2000–01 to 2004–05 and an affiliate member for football from the 2014 to 2017 fall seasons (2014–15 to 2017–18 school years).
5. ^ Texas–Pan American was merged into UTRGV in 2015; the merged school inherited UTPA's athletic program, with the new nickname of Vaqueros, and membership in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

### Former affiliate members

[edit]

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joined  | Left  | Type  | Nickname  | Colors  | Sport  | Conference
in former
Sun Belt sport[a]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

University of Central Arkansas | Conway, Arkansas | 1907  | 2019  | 2021  | Public  | Bears[b] |  | Soccer (m)  | ASUN
Hartwick College | Oneonta, New York | 1797  | 2014  | 2018  | Private  | Hawks |  | Empire 8[c]
Howard University | Washington, D.C. | 1867  | 2021[d] | Bison |  | Northeast
University of Idaho | Moscow, Idaho | 1889  | 2001  | 2005  | Public  | Vandals |  | Football  | Big Sky
2014  | 2018
New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark, New Jersey | 1881  | 2016  | Highlanders |  | Soccer (m)  | America East
New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico | 1888  | 2018  | Aggies |  | Football  | CUSA
Stephen F. Austin State University | Nacogdoches, Texas | 1923  | 2022  | 2024  | Ladyjacks |  | Beach volleyball  | SLC
Utah State University | Logan, Utah | 1888  | 2003  | 2005  | Aggies |  | Football  | Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026)
Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1873  | 1995  | 1997  | Private  | Commodores |  | Soccer (m)  | none[e]

Notes

1. ^ In all cases except those of Howard and Vanderbilt, this matches the school's primary conference affiliation. Howard is a full member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, including FCS football. Vanderbilt has been a full member of the Southeastern Conference since that league's creation in 1932.
2. ^ Central Arkansas uses "Bears" only for men's teams, with women's teams known as "Sugar Bears". Men's soccer was the school's only Sun Belt sport.
3. ^ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
4. ^ Due to COVID-19 concerns, Howard chose not to play soccer in the 2020–21 school year, although the Sun Belt chose to hold a men's soccer season, with the four remaining men's soccer members playing a fall conference schedule and spring non-conference games to accommodate the NCAA's move of the Division I tournament from fall 2020 to spring 2021.
5. ^ Vanderbilt dropped men's soccer after the 2005 fall season (2005–06 school year). It has been a full member of the Southeastern Conference since 1932.

### Membership timeline

[edit]

Full members (all sports) Full members (non-football) Associate members (football-only) Associate members (other) Other Conference Other Conference

## Commissioners

[edit]

Vic Bubas was the Sun Belt Conference's first commissioner, successfully creating what was initially a premier mid-major basketball league.

* Vic Bubas (1976–1990)
* Jim Lessig (1990–1991)
* Craig Thompson (1991–1998)
* Wright Waters (1999–2012)
* Karl Benson (2012–2019)
* Keith Gill (2019–present)

In addition to the five Sun Belt commissioners, three future league leaders served on the Sun Belt staff prior to becoming conference commissioners, including Doug Elgin (Missouri Valley), John Iamarino (Northeast, Southern), and Tom Burnett (Southland).

On October 12, 2011, ESPN reported that Wright Waters would retire, effective July 1, 2012.[77] On February 15, 2012, Karl Benson was hired as the new commissioner of the Sun Belt, after having been the commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference for 17 years. Waters would later move his departure date to March 15, allowing Benson to take over at that time.[6]

Keith Gill was named the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference on March 18, 2019. He is the first African American to lead any FBS conference.[78][79]

## Sports

[edit]

As of the current 2025–26 school year, the Sun Belt Conference sponsors championship competition in nine men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[80] The most recent change to sports sponsorship was the reinstatement of women's swimming and diving in 2023–24.

When Marshall was formally introduced as an incoming Sun Belt member, SBC commissioner Keith Gill also announced that the conference would reinstate men's soccer once all new members joined. Men's soccer resumed play in 2022–23 with six full members joined by three associates; a fourth associate joined in 2023–24. Beach volleyball started play with eight members, evenly divided between full members and associates.

Southern Miss vs. LSU baseball in 2008 Georgia Southern vs. Georgia State men's basketball in 2020 Louisiana–Monroe vs. Army football in 2023 Teams in Sun Belt competition[a] Sport | Men's | Women's

|
|

Baseball | 14 | –
Basketball | 14 | 14
Beach volleyball | – | 8
Cross country | 9 | 13
Football | 14 | –
Golf | 14 | 13
Soccer | 10 | 14
Softball | – | 12
Tennis | 9 | 14
Track and field indoor | 7 | 13
Track and field outdoor | 10 | 13
Volleyball | – | 14

1. ^ Numbers of teams are as of the 2023–24 school year.

### Men's sponsored sports by school

[edit]

Member-by-member sponsorship of the nine men's SBC sports for the 2025–26 academic year.

School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross
country | Football | Golf | Soccer | Tennis | Track
& field
Indoor | Track
& field
outdoor | Total
sports

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes  | 6
Arkansas State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes  | 7
Coastal Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes  | 8
Georgia Southern | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No  | 6
Georgia State | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No  | 6
James Madison | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No  | 6
Louisiana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 8
Louisiana–Monroe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes  | 7
Marshall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes  | 8
Old Dominion | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No  | 6
South Alabama | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 8
Southern Miss | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 7
Texas State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes  | 7
Troy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes  | 7
Totals | 14 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 6+4 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 97+4
Future members
Louisiana Tech | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes  | 7
Affiliate members
Kentucky |  |  |  |  |  | Yes |  |  |  | 1
South Carolina |  |  |  |  |  | Yes |  |  |  | 1
UCF |  |  |  |  |  | Yes |  |  |  | 1
West Virginia |  |  |  |  |  | Yes |  |  |  | 1

#### Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Sun Belt

[edit]

School | Sailing[a] | Swimming &
diving | Wrestling

|
|
|

Appalachian State |  |  | SoCon
Old Dominion | MAISA | ASUN |

1. ^ Sailing is a coeducational sport not governed by the NCAA, but instead by the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association.

### Women's sponsored sports by school

[edit]

Member-by-member sponsorship of the 10 women's SBC sports for the 2025–26 academic year.

School | Basketball | Beach
volleyball | Cross
country | Golf | Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Track
& field
indoor | Track
& field
outdoor | Volleyball | Total
sports

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Arkansas State | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 8
Coastal Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 10
Georgia Southern | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Georgia State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 10
James Madison | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Louisiana | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 8
Louisiana–Monroe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Marshall | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Old Dominion | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes  | 5
South Alabama | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Southern Miss | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 10
Texas State | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Troy | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 9
Totals | 14 | 4+3 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 124+3
Future members
Louisiana Tech | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes  | 8
Affiliate members
Charleston |  | Yes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1
Mercer |  | Yes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1
UNCW |  | Yes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1

#### Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Sun Belt

[edit]

School | Bowling | Field
hockey | Lacrosse | Rifle | Rowing | Sailing[a] | Swimming &
diving

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State |  | MAC |  |  |  |  |
Arkansas State | CUSA |  |  |  |  |  |
Coastal Carolina |  |  | ASUN |  |  |  |
Georgia Southern |  |  |  | SoCon |  |  | ASUN
James Madison |  | MAC | American |  |  |  | American
Louisiana Tech | CUSA[b] |  |  |  |  |  |
Marshall |  |  |  |  |  |  | American
Old Dominion |  | Big East | American |  | Big 12 | MAISA | ASUN

1. ^ Sailing is a coeducational sport not governed by the NCAA, but instead by the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association.
2. ^ Louisiana Tech has not announced a future affiliation for its bowling program.

## Championships

[edit]

See also: List of Sun Belt Conference champions

"RS" is regular season, "T" is tournament. Championships from the previous academic year are flagged with the calendar year in which the most recent season or tournament ended.

### Current Sun Belt champions

[edit]

Fall 2024
| Sport  | School

|

Cross
Country  | Appalachian State (men)
Appalachian State (women)
Football  | Marshall (East RS & CG)
Louisiana (West RS)
Soccer (M)  | West Virginia (RS & T)
Soccer (W)  | James Madison (RS & T)
Volleyball (W)  | Appalachian State (East RS)
Arkansas State (West RS)
Texas State (T)

Winter 2024–25
| Sport  | School

|

Basketball (M)  | Arkansas State, James Madison, South Alabama, & Troy (RS)
Troy (T)
Basketball
(W)  | James Madison (RS)
Arkansas State (T)
Swimming
& Diving (W)  | James Madison
Track
& Field
Indoor  | Louisiana (men)
Texas State (women)

Spring 2025
| Sport  | School

|

Baseball  | Coastal Carolina (RS & T)
Beach
Volleyball  | Coastal Carolina (RS)
Georgia State (T)
Golf  | Coastal Carolina (men)
Southern Miss (women)
Softball  | Texas State (RS)
Coastal Carolina (T)
Tennis (M)  | Old Dominion (RS & T)
Tennis (W)  | Old Dominion (RS & T)
Track
& Field
Outdoor  | Texas State (men)
Texas State (women)

### NCAA champions

[edit]

The only school to have won a national title while an SBC member is Old Dominion, which won one title in women's basketball and five in the non-SBC sport of field hockey during its first conference tenure from 1982 to 1991. Six other current members have won NCAA Division I team championships prior to joining the conference. Coastal Carolina won its only D-I national title on the day before it officially joined the SBC, while representing the Big South Conference.

School  | NCAA
titles  | Sport  | Years

|
|
|

Old Dominion |

| Women's basketball  | 1985
Field hockey  | 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1988 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1998 • 2000
Georgia Southern |

| Football (Division I-AA/FCS)  | 1985 • 1986 • 1989 • 1990 • 1999 • 2000
James Madison |

| Field hockey  | 1994
Archery  | 1995
Football (Division I-AA/FCS)  | 2004 • 2016
Women's lacrosse  | 2018
Appalachian State |

| Football (Division I-AA/FCS)  | 2005 • 2006 • 2007
Marshall |

| Football (Division I-AA/FCS)  | 1992 • 1996
Men's soccer  | 2020
Louisiana–Monroe |

| Football (Division I-AA/FCS)  | 1987
Coastal Carolina |

| Baseball  | 2016
Total  | 29  |  |

See also: List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships, List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships, and NCAA Division I FBS Conferences

## Football

[edit]

For more information see Sun Belt Conference football. For the most recent season, see 2024 Sun Belt Conference football season.

West Division | East Division

|

Arkansas State | Appalachian State
Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Louisiana–Monroe | Georgia Southern
South Alabama | Georgia State
Southern Miss | James Madison
Texas State | Marshall
Troy | Old Dominion

APP

CCU

GASO

GAST

JMU

MAR

ODU

ASU

ULL

ULM

USA

USM

TXST

Troy

class=notpageimage|

Sun Belt Member locations
– Football member (East)
– Football member (West)

The Sun Belt first began sponsoring football in 2001. It originally consisted of seven football playing schools, three of which are still members of the conference. Up until 2009, the conference only had a contract with one bowl, the New Orleans Bowl. Following the Sun Belt's improved football success and geographical membership changes, other bowls began to sign contracts with the Sun Belt Conference. As of October 2021[update], the conference had seven bowl game tie-ins (Cure, Boca Raton, LendingTree, New Orleans, Myrtle Beach, Frisco, and Camellia)

Throughout the years, the conference has experienced flux in membership changes, similar to many other FBS conferences. The conference announced that beginning in 2018, the conference (10 teams after the departure of Idaho and New Mexico State)[81] would be divided into two divisions for football: East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy; West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The divisional alignments changed again with the 2022 expansion, with the new dividing line being the Alabama–Georgia border. The winner of each division will meet in the Sun Belt Championship game.[82]

Team  | First
season  | All-Time
record  | All-Time
win %  | Bowl
appearances  | Bowl
record  | All-Time
Conference
titles  | Current
Head Coach

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State | 1928 | 668–363–28  | .644  | 8  | 7–1  | 22  | Shawn Clark
Arkansas State | 1911  | 503–530–37  | .487  | 12  | 5–7  | 14  | Butch Jones
Coastal Carolina | 2003 | 172–96  | .642  | 5  | 2–3  | 9  | Tim Beck
Georgia Southern | 1924 | 426–258–10  | .621  | 7  | 3–4  | 11  | Clay Helton
Georgia State | 2010 | 64–115  | .358  | 6  | 4–2  | 0  | Dell McGee
James Madison | 1972 | 378–228-4  | .623  | 2  | 1–1  | 10  | Bob Chesney
Louisiana | 1901 | 582–568–34  | .506  | 12  | 8–4  | 13  | Michael Desormeaux
Louisiana–Monroe | 1931  | 330–471–8  | .413  | 1  | 0–1  | 5  | Bryant Vincent
Marshall | 1895 | 638–574–47  | .525  | 20  | 13–7  | 13  | Charles Huff
Old Dominion | 2009[a] | 97–86–0  | .530  | 3  | 1–2  | 0  | Ricky Rahne
Southern Miss | 1912 | 618–473–27  | .565  | 25  | 12–13  | 8  | Will Hall
South Alabama | 2009 | 90–98  | .479  | 5  | 2–3  | 0  | Kane Wommack
Texas State | 1904 | 541–501–25  | .519  | 2  | 2–0  | 12  | G. J. Kinne
Troy | 1909  | 581–437–28  | .569  | 10  | 6–4  | 21  | Gerard Parker

Notes

1. ^ The team played as a division of the College of William & Mary from 1930 to 1940, then folded. It was restarted in 2009; 16 years ago.

### Sun Belt champions

[edit]

Since the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS season, the Sun Belt Conference has held a football championship game.[83]

Season  | Champion  | Conference
record

|
|

2001 | Middle Tennessee
North Texas |

5–1

2002 | North Texas |

6–0

2003 | North Texas |

7–0

2004 | North Texas |

7–0

2005 | Arkansas State
Louisiana–Lafayette
Louisiana–Monroe |

5–2

2006 | Middle Tennessee
Troy |

6–1

2007 | Florida Atlantic
Troy |

6–1

2008 | Troy |

6–1

2009 | Troy |

8–0

2010 | Florida International
Troy |

6–2

2011 | Arkansas State |

8–0

2012 | Arkansas State |

7–1

2013*  | Arkansas State |

5–2

2014 | Georgia Southern |

8–0

2015 | Arkansas State |

8–0

2016 | Appalachian State
Arkansas State |

7–1

2017 | Appalachian State
Troy |

7–1

2018 | Appalachian State |

7–1

2019 | Appalachian State |

7–1

2020*  | Coastal Carolina
Louisiana |

8–0
7–1

2021 | Louisiana |

8–0

2022 | Troy |

7–1

2023 | Troy |

7–1

2024 | Marshall |

7–1

Notes

* Louisiana–Lafayette vacated 2013 shared Sun Belt Conference co-championship due to major NCAA violations.[84]
* The 2020 championship game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues; the divisional champions were declared league co-champions.

### Bowl games

[edit]

As of the 2024–25 NCAA football bowl games, the Sun Belt Conference had tie-ins with the following bowl games:[85]

Name  | Location  | Opposing
conference

|
|

68 Ventures Bowl | Mobile, Alabama | MAC
Cure Bowl | Orlando, Florida | The American
Myrtle Beach Bowl | Conway, South Carolina | CUSA/MAC
New Orleans Bowl | New Orleans, Louisiana | CUSA
Salute to Veterans Bowl | Montgomery, Alabama | MAC

### Football rivalries

[edit]

Football rivalries involving Sun Belt teams include:

Teams | Rivalry
Name | Trophy | Meetings
(last) | Record | Series
Leader

|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State | Georgia Southern | Deeper Than Hate | — | 40
(2024) | 22–17–1 | Appalachian State
Appalachian State | Marshall | Old Mountain Feud | — | 27
(2024) | 16–11 | Appalachian State
Georgia State | Georgia Southern | Modern Day Hate | — | 11
(2024) | 6–5 | Georgia State
James Madison | Old Dominion | Royal Rivalry | Crown | 5
(2024) | 3–2 | James Madison
Louisiana | Louisiana–Monroe | Battle on the Bayou | Wooden Boot | 60[a]
(2024) | 33–26 | Louisiana
South Alabama | Troy | Battle for the Belt | Belt | 13
(2024) | 9–4 | Troy

Notes

1. ^ In 2015, Louisiana–Lafayette vacated their win over Louisiana–Monroe in their 2011 football season due to alleged major NCAA violations.

## Basketball

[edit]

### Men's basketball

[edit]

For the most recent season, see 2024–25 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball season.

This list goes through the 2021–22 season.[86]

Team  | First
season  | All-time
record  | All-time
win %  | NCAA Tournament
appearances  | NCAA Tournament
record  | Arena  | Head coach

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State | 1919–20  | 1263–1162  | .521  | 3  | 0–3  | Holmes Center | Dustin Kerns
Arkansas State | 1926–27  | 1183–1184  | .500  | 1  | 0–1  | First National Bank Arena | Bryan Hodgson
Coastal Carolina | 1974–75  | 711–680  | .511  | 4  | 0–4  | HTC Center | Justin Gray
Georgia Southern | 1926–27  | 1289–1014  | .560  | 3  | 0–3  | Hill Convocation Center | Brian Burg
Georgia State | 1963–64  | 668–954  | .412  | 6  | 2–6  | Georgia State Convocation Center | Jonas Hayes
James Madison | 1969–70  | 787–714  | .524  | 6  | 5–6  | Atlantic Union Bank Center | Preston Spradlin
Louisiana | 1911–12  | 1449–1124  | .563  | 11  | 4–11  | Cajundome | Bob Marlin
Louisiana–Monroe | 1951–52  | 1014–937  | .520  | 7  | 0–7  | Fant–Ewing Coliseum | Keith Richard
Marshall | 1906–07  | 1539–1139–2  | .575  | 6  | 1–6  | Cam Henderson Center | Cornelius Jackson
Old Dominion | 1950–51  | 1214–765  | .613  | 12  | 3–12  | Chartway Arena | Mike Jones
South Alabama | 1968–69  | 857–682  | .557  | 8  | 1–8  | Mitchell Center | Richie Riley
Southern Miss | 1912–13  | 1279–1112–1  | .535  | 3  | 0–3  | Reed Green Coliseum | Jay Ladner
Texas State | 1920–21  | 1357–1184  | .534  | 2  | 0–2  | Strahan Arena | Terrence Johnson
Troy | 1950–51  | 1086–933  | .538  | 2  | 0–2  | Trojan Arena | Scott Cross

### Women's basketball

[edit]

This list goes through the 2022–23 season.[87]

Team  | First
season  | All-time
record  | All-time
win %  | NCAA Tournament
appearances  | NCAA Tournament
record  | Arena  | Head coach

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State | 1970–71  | 689–726  | .487  | 4  | 0–4  | Holmes Center | Alaura Sharp
Arkansas State | 1974–75  | 770–602  | .561  | 0  | 0–0  | First National Bank Arena | Destinee Rogers
Coastal Carolina | 1974–75  | 572–732  | .439  | 0  | 0–0  | HTC Center | Kevin Pederson
Georgia Southern | 1973–74  | 707–679  | .510  | 2  | 0–2  | Hill Convocation Center | Hanna Haden
Georgia State | 1975–76  | 630–692  | .477  | 3  | 0–3  | Georgia State Convocation Center | Gene Hill
James Madison | 1920–21  | 1176–578–5  | .670  | 12  | 8–12  | Atlantic Union Bank Center | Sean O'Regan
Louisiana | 1982–83  | 466–684  | .405  | 1  | 0–1  | Cajundome | Gary Broadhead
Louisiana–Monroe | 1974–75  | 632–682  | .481  | 4  | 4–4  | Fant–Ewing Coliseum | Missy Bilerback
Marshall | 1969–70  | 715–737  | .492  | 2  | 0–2  | Cam Henderson Center | Juli Fulks
Old Dominion | 1969–70  | 1121–480  | .700  | 25  | 34–24  | Chartway Arena | DeLisha Milton-Jones
South Alabama | 1974–75  | 666–701  | .487  | 1  | 0–1  | Mitchell Center | Yolisha Jackson
Southern Miss | 1975–76  | 780–589  | .570  | 8  | 4–8  | Reed Green Coliseum | Joye Lee-McNelis
Texas State | 1982–83  | 565–576  | .495  | 2  | 0–2  | Strahan Arena | Zenarae Antoine
Troy | 1975–76  | 670–677  | .497  | 4  | 0–4  | Trojan Arena | Chanda Rigby

### Championships

[edit]

Main articles: Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament and Sun Belt Conference women's basketball tournament

Since the 2022–23 season, the Sun Belt Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments, held in early March, have involved all 14 of the conference's teams, and have been bracketed in a semi-stepladder format. The bottom four seeds play in the first round; seed 5 through 10 receive byes to the second round, and the top 4 seeds to the quarterfinals. All rounds are held in Pensacola, Florida at Pensacola Bay Center since 2022.[88] Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I basketball tournament.

Season  | Men's
Regular Season
Champion  | Men's
Tournament
Champion  | Women's
Regular Season
Champion  | Women's
Tournament
Champion

|
|
|
|

1977  | North Carolina–Charlotte | No Regular Season | No Tournament
1978  | North Carolina–Charlotte | New Orleans | No Regular Season | No Tournament
1979  | South Alabama | Jacksonville | No Regular Season | No Tournament
1980  | South Alabama | Virginia Commonwealth | No Regular Season | No Tournament
1981  | Virginia Commonwealth | No Regular Season | No Tournament
1982  | Alabama–Birmingham | No Regular Season | No Tournament
1983  | Virginia Commonwealth | Alabama–Birmingham | Old Dominion
1984  | Virginia Commonwealth | Alabama–Birmingham | Old Dominion
1985  | Virginia Commonwealth | Old Dominion
1986  | Old Dominion | Jacksonville | Western Kentucky
1987  | Western Kentucky | Alabama–Birmingham | Old Dominion
1988  | North Carolina–Charlotte | Old Dominion | Western Kentucky
1989  | South Alabama | Old Dominion | Western Kentucky
1990  | Alabama–Birmingham | South Florida | Alabama–Birmingham | Old Dominion
1991  | South Alabama | Alabama–Birmingham | Western Kentucky
1992  | Southwestern Louisiana | Western Kentucky
1993  | New Orleans | Western Kentucky | Western Kentucky
1994  | Western Kentucky | Southwestern Louisiana | Louisiana Tech
1995  | Western Kentucky | Louisiana Tech | Western Kentucky
1996  | Arkansas–Little Rock | New Orleans | Louisiana Tech
1997  | South Alabama | Louisiana Tech
1998  | South Alabama | Louisiana Tech
1999  | Louisiana Tech | Arkansas State | Louisiana Tech
2000  | Louisiana–Lafayette | Louisiana Tech
2001  | Western Kentucky | Louisiana Tech
2002  | Western Kentucky | Florida International
2003  | Western Kentucky | Western Kentucky
2004  | Louisiana–Lafayette (vacated) | South Alabama | Middle Tennessee State
2005  | Denver | Louisiana–Lafayette (vacated) | Western Kentucky | Middle Tennessee State
2006  | Western Kentucky | South Alabama | Western Kentucky | Middle Tennessee
2007  | South Alabama | North Texas | Middle Tennessee
2008  | South Alabama | Western Kentucky | Western Kentucky
2009  | Western Kentucky | Middle Tennessee
2010  | Troy | North Texas | Arkansas–Little Rock | Middle Tennessee
2011  | Florida Atlantic | Arkansas–Little Rock | Middle Tennessee
Arkansas–Little Rock | Arkansas–Little Rock
2012  | Middle Tennessee | Western Kentucky | Middle Tennessee | Arkansas–Little Rock
2013  | Middle Tennessee | Western Kentucky | Middle Tennessee | Arkansas–Little Rock
2014  | Georgia State | Louisiana–Lafayette | Arkansas State | Western Kentucky
2015  | Georgia State | Arkansas–Little Rock
2016  | Little Rock | Arkansas State | Troy
2017  | UT Arlington | Troy | Little Rock | Troy
2018  | Louisiana | Georgia State | Little Rock
2019  | Georgia State | Little Rock
UT Arlington | Little Rock
2020  | Little Rock | Tournament canceled | Troy | Tournament canceled
2021  | Texas State | Appalachian State | Louisiana | Troy
2022  | Texas State | Georgia State | Troy | UT Arlington
2023  | Southern Miss | Louisiana | James Madison
Southern Miss
Texas State | James Madison
2024  | Appalachian State | James Madison | Marshall
2025  | Troy
Arkansas State
South Alabama
James Madison | Troy | James Madison | Arkansas State

## Baseball

[edit]

Main article: Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament

The Sun Belt Conference has sponsored an annual baseball tournament to determine the conference winner since 1978. South Alabama has won the most championships, at 13.

* Teams in bold represent current conference members.

School  | Tourney
titles  | Title Years

|
|

South Alabama |

| 1980 • 1981 • 1983 • 1984 • 1987 • 1992 • 1996 • 1997 • 2000 • 2001 • 2005 • 2017 • 2021
Louisiana |

| 1998 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2022
Coastal Carolina |

| 2018 • 2019 • 2025
New Orleans |

| 1978 • 1979 • 2007
South Florida |

| 1982 • 1986 • 1990
FIU |

| 1999 • 2010
Lamar |

| 1993 • 1995
Middle Tennessee |

| 2003 • 2009
Southern Miss |

| 2023 • 2024
Western Kentucky |

| 2004 • 2008
Arkansas State |

| 1994
Florida Atlantic |

| 2013
Jacksonville |

| 1989
Little Rock |

| 2011
New Mexico State |

| 2002
Old Dominion |

| 1985
Troy |

| 2006
UAB |

| 1991
ULM |

| 2012
VCU |

| 1988

## Facilities

[edit]

* S.B. Ballard Stadium, on the campus of Old Dominion University.

* Trojan Arena, on the campus of Troy University.

School  | Football stadium  | Capacity  | Basketball arena  | Capacity  | Baseball stadium  | Capacity  | Softball stadium  | Capacity

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State | Kidd Brewer Stadium | 30,000 | Holmes Center | 8,325 | Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium | 1,000 | Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium  | 1,000
Arkansas State | Centennial Bank Stadium | 30,406 | First National Bank Arena | 10,563 | Tomlinson Stadium–Kell Field | 1,200[89] | Non-softball school
Coastal Carolina | Brooks Stadium | 21,000 | HTC Center | 3,370 | Springs Brooks Stadium | 5,400[90] | St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field  | 500
Georgia Southern | Paulson Stadium | 25,000 | Hill Convocation Center | 5,500 | J. I. Clements Stadium | 3,000 | Eagle Field  | 400
Georgia State | Center Parc Stadium | 24,333 | GSU Convocation Center | 8,000[91] | GSU Baseball Complex | 1,092 | Robert E. Heck Softball Complex  | 500
James Madison | Bridgeforth Stadium | 24,877 | Atlantic Union Bank Center | 8,500 | Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park | 1,200 | Veterans Memorial Park  | 1,500
Louisiana | Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium | 41,426 | Cajundome[a] | 12,068 | M. L. Tigue Moore Field | 6,000 | Yvette Girouard Field | 2,790
Louisiana–Monroe | Malone Stadium | 27,617 | Fant–Ewing Coliseum | 7,085 | Lou St. Amant Field | 1,800 | Geo-Surfaces Field | 500
Louisiana Tech | Joe Aillet Stadium | 28,562 | Thomas Assembly Center | 8,098 | J. C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park | 2,000 | Dr. Billy Bundrick Field  | 1,000
Marshall | Joan C. Edwards Stadium | 30,475 | Cam Henderson Center | 9,048 | Jack Cook Field[92] | 3,500 | Dot Hicks Field | 1,000
Old Dominion | S.B. Ballard Stadium | 21,944 | Chartway Arena | 8,472 | Bud Metheny Ballpark | 2,500 | Non-softball school
South Alabama | Hancock Whitney Stadium | 25,450 | Mitchell Center | 10,041 | Eddie Stanky Field | 4,500 | Jaguar Field | 1,050
Southern Miss | M. M. Roberts Stadium | 36,000 | Reed Green Coliseum | 8,095 | Pete Taylor Park | 4,300 | Southern Miss Softball Complex  | 607
Texas State | UFCU Stadium | 30,008 | Strahan Arena | 10,000 | Bobcat Ballpark | 2,000 | Bobcat Softball Stadium | 1,000
Troy | Veterans Memorial Stadium | 30,470 | Trojan Arena | 6,000[93] | Riddle–Pace Field | 2,500 | Troy Softball Complex | 800

Notes

1. ^ Louisiana's women's basketball team primarily plays at the Cajundome but occasionally plays at Earl K. Long Gymnasium on the main campus.

## Athletic department revenue by school

[edit]

Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights and licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, concessions, and novelties.

Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.

The following table shows institutional reporting to the United States Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2023–24 academic year.[94]

Institution  | 2023–24 Total Revenue from Athletics  | 2023–24 Total Expenses on Athletics

|
|

James Madison University | $66,110,281  | $66,110,281
Old Dominion University | $51,827,948  | $51,827,948
Texas State University | $46,310,998  | $46,310,998
Marshall University | $45,966,327  | $45,966,327
Coastal Carolina University | $43,509,290  | $43,509,290
Appalachian State University | $43,110,256  | $43,110,256
University of Louisiana at Lafayette | $42,952,287  | $42,952,287
Georgia State University | $39,204,432  | $39,204,432
Georgia Southern University | $36,967,213  | $36,967,213
Troy University | $36,937,664  | $36,937,664
University of South Alabama | $30,591,632  | $30,591,632
Louisiana Tech University | $30,305,928  | $30,305,928
Arkansas State University | $28,162,528  | $28,162,528
University of Southern Mississippi | $28,107,301  | $28,107,301
University of Louisiana at Monroe | $20,253,458  | $20,253,458

## Academics

[edit]

Four of the Sun Belt's member schools, Georgia State, Louisiana, Old Dominion and Southern Miss are doctorate-granting universities with "very high research activity," the highest classification given by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.[95]

Appalachian State is also currently ranked as one of the Top 10 regional schools in the South by the U.S. News & World Report.

University  | Affiliation  | Carnegie[95] | Endowment[96] | US News[97] | Forbes[98]

|
|
|
|
|

Appalachian State University | Public (UNC)  | Research (High)  | $99,593,000[99] | 6 (Regional: South)  | 301
Arkansas State University | Public (ASU System)  | Research (High)  | $66,217,000[99] | 317 (National)  | N/A[d 1]
Coastal Carolina University | Public  | Master's (Larger)  | $39,432,000[99] | 38 (Regional: South)  | N/A[d 2]
Georgia Southern University | Public (USG System)  | Research (High)  | $50,999,000[99] | 331-440 (National)  | N/A[d 3]
Georgia State University | Public (USG System)  | Research (Very High)  | $155,303,000[99] | 234 (National)  | 367
James Madison University | Public  | Research (High)  | $116,700,000[100] | 151 (National)  | 139
University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Public (UL System)  | Research (Very High)  | $178,300,000[101] | 331-440 (National)  | N/A[d 4]
University of Louisiana at Monroe | Public (UL System)  | Doctoral/Research  | $28,787,795[102] | 331-440 (National)  | N/A[d 5]
Marshall University | Public  | Research (High)  | $192,000,000[100] | 299 (National)  | N/A[d 6]
Old Dominion University | Public  | Research (Very High)  | $265,800,000[100] | 299 (National)  | 472
University of South Alabama | Public  | Research (High)  | $555,735,000[99] | 331-440 (National)  | N/A[d 7]
University of Southern Mississippi | Public  | Research (Very High)  | $136,300,000[100] | 331-440 (National)  | N/A[d 8]
Texas State University | Public (TSU System)  | Research (High)  | $186,676,000[99] | 331-440 (National)  | 385
Troy University | Public (TU System)  | Doctoral/Research[103] | $191,458,000[104] | 44 (Regional: South)  | N/A[d 9]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Arkansas State is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
2. ^ Coastal Carolina is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
3. ^ Georgia Southern is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
4. ^ Louisiana-Lafayette is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
5. ^ Louisiana-Monroe is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
6. ^ Marshall is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
7. ^ South Alabama is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
8. ^ Southern Miss is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.
9. ^ Troy is not ranked in the 2022 Forbes America's Best Colleges rankings.

## References

[edit]

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Sun Belt Conference

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