|
| Southwestern athletics photo |
The Conference Shuffle has taken on a relatively frenetic pace in Texas in recent years and that carousel is moving once again as Southwestern announced that it is also returning to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The move follows a similar move by Millsaps, announced one week prior.
Both changes take effect starting with the 2027-28 academic year. Both schools are leaving the Southern Athletic Association, which will be down to seven schools in the fall of 2027, barring no further changes in affiliation.
Like Millsaps, Southwestern has previously been a member of the SCAC. Unlike Millsaps, however, Southwestern only recently left the SCAC. The Pirates were all-sports members of the SCAC up until the fall of 2025, when they left for the SAA.
"Southwestern University is thrilled to return to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, where our history and values are deeply rooted,” said Southwestern University president Laura Trombley. “As intercollegiate athletics continues to evolve, so does Southwestern. Through continued investments in the student-athlete experience, returning to the SCAC reflects who we are today and where we're headed. The conference's commitment to academic excellence, competitive success, and the holistic student-athlete experience makes it an ideal home for our students. We look forward to renewing longtime rivalries, building new relationships, and contributing to the continued strength of this outstanding conference."
The move splits up Southwestern and Trinity (Texas), longtime travel partners in the SCAC.
Southwestern currently sponsors 20 varsity sports, 18 of which match the SCAC’s sponsorship portfolio. The institution has just over 500 student-athletes competing in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s track and field and volleyball. The school also sponsors men’s and women’s lacrosse.
The conference gets an automatic bid in football this fall for the first time since 2011. Adding Millsaps and Southwestern will bring the total of football full members to seven, plus associate member Gallaudet, which has been invited to play in the SCAC's Week 11 conference championship series in 2026 and 2027.
If no further changes in affiliation or sports sponsorship are made, the SAA will still have six football members in 2027 and will continue to qualify for an automatic bid.
“As Chair of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, I am thrilled to welcome Southwestern University back to the SCAC,” said Centenary College president Christopher Holoman. “Southwestern has long been an important part of our conference's history, and we are excited to renew that relationship as we continue to advance our shared commitment to academic excellence, competitive success, and the student-athlete experience."
"We are overjoyed to welcome Southwestern back to the SCAC," said Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry. "This is a significant day for our conference. Southwestern helped shape our history, and its return reflects the strength of the relationships, shared values, and vision that have long defined this league. Our Presidents Council believes this decision positions both the conference and the institution for continued success."
Southwestern first joined the conference in 1994 and competed as a member until 2025, capturing 31 conference championships while establishing itself as one of the league's most successful and academically distinguished members.
"We are excited to be reuniting with the SCAC,” said Southwestern University athletic director Ken Ralph. “Our students, coaches, and alumni are happy to reestablish some of our traditional rivalries. We are thankful to Commissioner Hanberry and the SCAC Presidents for welcoming us back, and we are committed to doing all we can to add value to the league and provide our students with the best possible academic and athletic experiences."
With the additions of Southwestern and Millsaps in 2027, and barring no further changes, the SCAC will once again feature 12 core member institutions, restoring the conference to one of its largest memberships in history.