Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
AssociationNAIA
Founded1981
CommissionerKiki Baker-Barnes
Sports fielded
  • 8
    • men's: 4
    • women's: 4
No. of teams10 (13 in 2024)
RegionSoutheastern United States, Texas, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Official websitegcaconf.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) is a college athletic conference made up entirely of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that's affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas as well as the U.S. territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

History

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (Continental U.S.)
🌍
Location of GCAC members: full member
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (U.S. Virgin Islands)
🌍
Location of GCAC members: future member

The GCAC was established in 1981, with the following charter institutions: Belhaven University, Dillard University, Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian University), Spring Hill College, Tougaloo College, William Carey University, and Xavier University of Louisiana. The first sports were men and women's basketball and men's tennis, with other sports soon following.[1]

The University of Mobile was admitted in October 1985, Southern University at New Orleans was granted admission in May 1986, Loyola University was admitted in April 1995, and Louisiana State University in Shreveport became a member in April 2000. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced Dillard and Xavier (Louisiana) to cancel all athletic competition for the 2005–06 season and Loyola and Southern–New Orleans were able only to compete partially. All schools returned to competition in 2006–07, although in most cases with a reduced number of sports.

Louisiana College left the GCAC to join the American Southwest Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III in 2000. Belhaven also left in 2000, only to re-join in 2002; while Talladega College, which joined in 1999, left in 2002. In 2010, Belhaven, Loyola–New Orleans, Spring Hill, Mobile, and William Carey left the GCAC to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC).[2] In 2010 LSU–Shreveport left the conference to join the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). Edward Waters College and Fisk University joined to replace the departed schools in 2010. Philander Smith College also joined the GCAC in 2011. Talladega College re-joined the conference starting in the 2011–12 academic year. Talladega had been a member of the GCAC from 1999–2000 to 2001–02.[3]

On April 17, 2018, it was announced that Rust College had joined the GCAC in the 2018–19 season.[4]

In 2019, Steve Martin resigned from the conference after 5 years to become commissioner of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges[5]

In 2019, Southern University at New Orleans suspended its sports program.[6]

On September 14, 2020, it was also announced that Xavier (La.) would leave the GCAC for the RRAC[7] and on December 18, Talladega was accepted by the SSAC as a new member.[8] Both departures became effective after the 2020–21 season concluded, coinciding with Fisk's return to the GCAC as published on March 16, 2021.[9] On July 19, it was reported that Edward Waters would leave the GCAC to join NCAA Division II for the first time in its history and re-join the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference the 2021–22 season.[10]

In October 2021, Southern at New Orleans began to offer sports again after adding a student fee to fund them.[11] On January 20, 2022, the GCAC extended its membership to Oakwood University and Wiley College, the conference's first Texas member, in addition to the returning Southern at New Orleans. Oakwood and Wiley joined the conference later in July.[12] On November 3, the GCAC invited the University of the Virgin Islands to become its member in 2023–24, becoming the first four-year institution in a U.S. territory to join an athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA or NCAA in more than a century.[13]

Chronological timeline

  • 1981 - The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) was founded. Charter members included Belhaven College (now Belhaven University), Dillard University, Louisiana College (now Louisiana Christian University), Spring Hill College, Tougaloo College, William Carey College (William Carey University) and Xavier University of Louisiana beginning the 1981-82 academic year.
  • 1985 - Mobile College (now the University of Mobile) joined the GCAC in the 1985-86 academic year.
  • 1986 - Southern University at New Orleans joined the GCAC in the 1986-87 academic year.
  • 1995 - Loyola University (now Loyola University New Orleans) joined the GCAC in the 1995-96 academic year.
  • 1999 - Talladega College joined the GCAC in the 1999-2000 academic year.
  • 2000 - Two institutions left the GCAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Belhaven to become an NAIA Independent, and Louisiana College to join the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the American Southwest Conference, both effective after the 1999-2000 academic year.
  • 2000 - Louisiana State University at Shreveport (a.k.a. Louisiana State–Shreveport or LSU–Shreveport) joined the GCAC in the 2000-01 academic year.
  • 2002 - Talladega left the GCAC to become an NAIA Independent after the 2001-02 academic year.
  • 2002 - Belhaven re-joined the GCAC in the 2002-03 academic year.
  • 2005 - Dillard and Xavier (La.) cancelled all athletic competition while Loyola (La.) and Southern–New Orleans competed in partial competition due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina during the 2005-06 academic year.
  • 2010 - Six institutions left the GCAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Loyola (La.), Mobile, Spring Hill and William Carey (with Belhaven for a second time) to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), and Louisiana State–Shreveport (or LSU–Shreveport) to join the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC), all effective after the 2009-10 academic year.
  • 2010 - Edward Waters College (now Edward Waters University) and Fisk University joined the GCAC in the 2010-11 academic year.
  • 2011 - Philander Smith College joined the GCAC (with Talladega re-joining) in the 2011-12 academic year.
  • 2013 - Voorhees College (now Voorhees University) joined the GCAC in the 2013-14 academic year.
  • 2014 - Fisk left the GCAC to become an NAIA Independent after the 2013-14 academic year.
  • 2015 - Voorhees left the GCAC to become an NAIA Independent after the 2014-15 academic year.
  • 2018 - Rust College joined the GCAC in the 2018-19 academic year.
  • 2019 - Southern–New Orleans left the GCAC due to suspending its athletic program until further notice after the 2018-19 academic year.
  • 2021 - Three institutions left the GCAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Talladega for a second time to join the SSAC, Xavier (La.) to join the RRAC, and Edward Waters to join the NCAA Division II ranks and re-joining the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), all effective after the 2020-21 academic year; although Edward Waters would remain in the GCAC to compete in conference tournaments for all sponsored sports during the provisional transition until the end of the 2021-22 academic year.
  • 2021 - Fisk re-joined the GCAC in the 2021-22 academic year.
  • 2022 - Southern–New Orleans announced that it would reinstate its athletics program and rejoin the GCAC, along with new members Oakwood University and Wiley College beginning the 2022-23 academic year.
  • 2023 – The University of the Virgin Islands joined the GCAC in the 2023-24 academic year; thus making the first from a U.S. territory to join an NAIA or NCAA conference in the 21st century. Talladega also re-joined the GCAC.
  • 2024 – Stillman College and Wilberforce University will join the GCAC (with Voorhees re-joining) beginning the 2024-25 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The GCAC currently has ten full members; all but two are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[lower-alpha 1]
Dillard University New Orleans, Louisiana 1869 United Methodist &
United Church of Christ		 900 Bleu Devils &
Lady Bleu Devils		 1981
Fisk University Nashville, Tennessee 1866 United Church of Christ 910 Bulldogs 2010;
2021[lower-alpha 2]
Oakwood University Huntsville, Alabama 1896 Seventh-day Adventist 1,400 Ambassadors 2022
Philander Smith College Little Rock, Arkansas 1864 United Methodist 700 Panthers 2011
Rust College Holly Springs, Mississippi 1866 United Methodist 900 Bearcats 2018
Southern University at New Orleans
(SUNO)		 New Orleans, Louisiana 1956 Public 2,715 Knights &
Lady Knights		 1986;
2022[lower-alpha 3]
Talladega College Talladega, Alabama 1867 United Church of Christ 1337 Tornadoes 1999;
2011;
2023[lower-alpha 4]
Tougaloo College Tougaloo, Mississippi 1869 United Church of Christ &
Disciples of Christ		 900 Bulldogs 1981
University of the Virgin Islands Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands 1962 Public 2,392 Buccaneers 2023
Wiley College Marshall, Texas 1873 United Methodist 1,250 Wildcats 2022
Notes
  1. ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ↑ Fisk left the GCAC after the 2013–14 school year; before rejoining in the 2021–22 school year.
  3. ↑ Southern–New Orleans (SUNO) suspended its athletic program after the 2018–19 school year; and rejoined the GCAC in the 2022–23 school year.
  4. ↑ Tallaedga left the GCAC after the 2001–02 school year; then rejoined from 2011–12 to 2020–21; before rejoining in the 2023–24 school year.

Future members

The GCAC will have three future full members, all will be private schools:[14][15][16]

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining[lower-alpha 1] Primary
conference
Stillman College Tuscaloosa, Alabama 1876 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)		 1,000 Tigers 2024 Southern States (SSAC)
Voorhees University Denmark, South Carolina 1897 Episcopal 600 Tigers 2024[lower-alpha 2] Continental
Wilberforce University Wilberforce, Ohio 1856 A.M.E. Church 900 Bulldogs 2024 Continental
Notes
  1. ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ↑ Voorhees was a full member of the GCAC from 2013–14 to 2014–15.

Former members

The GCAC had 10 former full members, all but two were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Afiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[lower-alpha 1] Left[lower-alpha 2] Subsequent
conference(s)		 Current
conference
Belhaven University[lower-alpha 3] Jackson, Mississippi 1883 Evangelical
Presbyterian		 3,245 Blazers 1981;
2002		 2000;
2010		 various[lower-alpha 5] C.C. of the South (CCS)[lower-alpha 4]
(2022–present)
Edward Waters College[lower-alpha 6] Jacksonville, Florida 1866 A.M.E. Church 966 Tigers 2010 2021[lower-alpha 7] Southern (SIAC)[lower-alpha 8]
(2021–present)
Louisiana College[lower-alpha 9] Pineville, Louisiana 1906 Baptist 1,200 Wildcats 1981 2000 American Southwest[lower-alpha 4]
(2000–21)		 Red River (RRAC)
(2021–present)
Louisiana State University at Shreveport Shreveport, Louisiana 1967 Public 4,200 Pilots 2000[lower-alpha 10] 2010 Red River (RRAC)
(2010–present)
Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana 1904 Catholic
(Jesuit)		 4,858 Wolf Pack 1995 2010 Southern States (SSAC)
(2010–present)
University of Mobile Mobile, Alabama 1961 Baptist 1,577 Rams 1985 2010 Southern States (SSAC)
(2010–present)
Spring Hill College Mobile, Alabama 1830 Catholic
(Jesuit)		 1,439 Badgers 1981 2010 Southern States (SSAC)
(2010–14)		 Southern (SIAC)[lower-alpha 8]
(2014–present)
Voorhees College[lower-alpha 11] Denmark, South Carolina 1897 Episcopal 600 Tigers 2013 2015 Continental
(2015–present)
William Carey University Hattiesburg, Mississippi 1906 Baptist 3,250 Crusaders 1981 2010 Southern States (SSAC)
(2010–present)
Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana 1925 Catholic
(S.B.S.)		 3,200 Gold Rush &
Gold Nuggets		 1981 2021 Red River (RRAC)
(2021–present)
Notes
  1. ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ↑ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ↑ Formerly known as Belhaven College until 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  5. ↑ Belhaven had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NAIA Independent from 2000–01 to 2001–02; the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) from 2010–11 to 2014–15; and the American Southwest Conference[lower-alpha 4] from 2015–16 to 2021–22.
  6. ↑ Currently known as Edward Waters University since 2021.
  7. ↑ Edward Waters remained in the GCAC to compete in conference tournaments for all sponsored sports during the provisional transition until after the 2021–22 school year.
  8. 1 2 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  9. ↑ Currently known as Louisiana Christian University since November 2021.
  10. ↑ The LSU–Shreveport men's and women's basketball teams joined the GCAC three years after becoming a full member for other sports (2003–04).
  11. ↑ Currently known as Voorhees University since 2022.

Membership timeline

Wilberforce UniversityStillman CollegeUniversity of the Virgin IslandsWiley CollegeOakwood UniversityRust CollegeNAIA independent schoolsVoorhees UniversityPhilander Smith CollegeNAIA independent schoolsFisk UniversitySouthern Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceEdward Waters UniversityRed River Athletic ConferenceLouisiana State University ShreveportSouthern States Athletic ConferenceNAIA independent schoolsTalladega CollegeSouthern States Athletic ConferenceLoyola University New OrleansSouthern University at New OrleansSouthern States Athletic ConferenceUniversity of MobileRed River Athletic ConferenceXavier University of LouisianaSouthern States Athletic ConferenceWilliam Carey UniversityTougaloo CollegeSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceSouthern States Athletic ConferenceSpring Hill CollegeRed River Athletic ConferenceAmerican Southwest ConferenceLouisiana Christian UniversityDillard UniversityCollegiate Conference of the SouthAmerican Southwest ConferenceSouthern States Athletic ConferenceNAIA independent schoolsBelhaven University

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

Conference sports

Old logo
Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballGreen tick
BasketballGreen tickGreen tick
Cross CountryGreen tickGreen tick
Track & Field OutdoorGreen tickGreen tick
VolleyballGreen tick

Conference champions

Baseball

YearRegular season championTournament champion
2015Edward Waters CollegeTalladega College
2014Talladega CollegeTalladega College
2013N/AN/A
2012N/AN/A
2011N/AN/A
2010Belhaven CollegeLouisiana State University Shreveport
2009William Carey UniversityBelhaven College
2008University of Mobilecancelled
2007Belhaven CollegeLouisiana State University Shreveport
2006Belhaven CollegeLouisiana State University Shreveport
2005Louisiana State University ShreveportWilliam Carey University
2004William Carey UniversityBelhaven College
2003William Carey Universitynone
2002Loyola University New Orleansnone
2001Spring Hill Collegenone
2000Spring Hill Collegenone
1999University of Mobilenone
1998University of Mobilenone
1997Spring Hill Collegenone
1996William Carey Universitynone
1995William Carey Universitynone
1994Belhaven Collegenone
1993William Carey Universitynone
1992William Carey Universitynone
1991William Carey Universitynone
1990William Carey Universitynone
1989William Carey Universitynone
1988William Carey Universitynone
1987Louisiana Collegenone
1986William Carey Universitynone
1985Spring Hill Collegenone
1984William Carey Universitynone
1983William Carey University
Spring Hill College		none
1982William Carey Universitynone

References

  1. ↑ "Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Directory 1981–1982" (PDF). p. 2.
  2. ↑ "SSAC To Expand And Restructure Conference In 2010-11". TheChattanoogan.com. September 29, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Talladega College join the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference". Talladega College Tornadoes. January 9, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Great 8: GCAC Welcomes Rust College As Newest Member". Victory Sports Network. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  5. ↑ "GCAC's Steve Martin named commissioner of Mississippi Junior College system". Crescent City Sports. March 11, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  6. ↑ "SUNO to suspend athletic programs months after it was placed on probation over financial problems". nola.com. December 19, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Xavier University of Louisiana to become RRAC's 13th member institution in 2021-22". Red River Athletic Conference. September 14, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Talladega College to join NAIA's Southern States Conference in 2021-22". Talladega College Tornadoes. December 18, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  9. ↑ "GCAC To Welcome Fisk University Back To Conference In Fall 2021". Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Edward Waters University Returns as SIAC Member Institution". Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. July 19, 2021.
  11. ↑ Canicosa, JC (October 22, 2021). "At a cost to their students, SUNO's athletics program will return next year". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  12. ↑ "GCAC Extends Membership To Oakwood University, Wiley College, Southern University at New Orleans". January 20, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  13. ↑ "UVI Joins NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference". University of the Virgin Islands. November 3, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  14. ↑ Wilberforce University Slated to Join Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in 2024 - Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC)
  15. ↑ Voorhees University Making Move to Gulf Coast Athletic Conference in 2024 - Voorhees University
  16. ↑ Stillman College to become 13th member of Gulf Coast Athletic Conference - Stillman College
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