The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for most sports; in football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly referred to as Division I-AA.

The SWAC is considered the premier HBCU conference and ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of alumni affiliated with professional sports teams, particularly in football. On the gridiron, the conference has been the biggest draw on the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level of the NCAA, leading the nation in average home attendance every year except one since FCS has been in existence. In 1994, the SWAC fell just 40,000 fans short of becoming the first non-Football Bowl Subdivision conference to attract one million fans to its home games.

History

In 1920, athletic officials from six Texas HBCUs—C. H. Fuller of Bishop College, Red Randolph and C. H. Patterson of Paul Quinn College, E. G. Evans, H. J. Evans and H. J. Starns of Prairie View A&M, D. C. Fuller of Texas College and G. Whitte Jordan of Wiley College, now Wiley University—met in Houston to discuss common interests. At this meeting, they agreed to form a new league, the SWAC.

Paul Quinn became the first of the original members to withdraw from the league in 1929. When Langston University of Oklahoma was admitted into the conference two years later, it began the migration of state-supported institutions into the SWAC. Southern University entered the ranks in 1934, followed by Arkansas AM&N (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) in 1936 and Texas Southern University in 1954.

Rapid growth in enrollment of the state-supported schools made it difficult for the church-supported schools to finance their athletics programs and one by one they fell victim to the growing prowess of the state-supported colleges. Huston–Tillotson (formerly Samuel Huston) withdrew from the conference in 1954, Bishop in 1956, and Langston in 1957—one year before the admittance of two more state-supported schools: Grambling College and Jackson State College. The enter-exit cycle continued in 1962 when Texas College withdrew, followed by the admittance of Alcorn A&M (now Alcorn State University) that same year. Wiley left in 1968, the same year Mississippi Valley State College entered. Arkansas AM&N exited in 1970 and Alabama State University entered in 1982. Arkansas–Pine Bluff (formerly Arkansas AM&N) rejoined the SWAC on July 1, 1997, regaining full-member status one year later. Alabama A&M University became the conference's tenth member when it became a full member in September 1999 after a one-year period as an affiliate SWAC member. Most of the former SWAC members that have left the conference are currently a part of the HBCU Athletic Conference of the NAIA.

On 3 September 2020, the SWAC had announced that there would be a division realignment with the additions of Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University beginning with the 2021–22 academic year; which both would compete in the SWAC East, while Alcorn State would be moving to the SWAC West.SWAC Announces Division Realignment Starting 2021–22 - Southwestern Athletic Conference

Chronological timeline 1920 — The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) was founded. Charter members included Bishop College, Paul Quinn College, Prairie View State Normal & Industrial College (now Prairie View A&M University), Samuel Huston College (now part of Huston–Tillotson University), Texas College and Wiley University, beginning the 1920–21 academic year. 1929 – Paul Quinn left the SWAC after the 1928–29 academic year. 1932 – Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University (now Langston University) joined the SWAC in the 1932–33 academic year. 1935 – Southern University joined the SWAC in the 1935–36 academic year. 1936 – Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal College (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) joined the SWAC in the 1936–37 academic year. 1954: Huston–Tillotson left the SWAC after the 1953–54 academic year. Texas Southern University joined the SWAC in the 1954–55 academic year. 1956 – Bishop left the SWAC after the 1955–56 academic year. 1957 – Langston left the SWAC after the 1956–57 academic year. 1958 – Grambling College (now Grambling State University) and Jackson College for Negro Teachers (now Jackson State University) joined the SWAC in the 1958–59 academic year. 1962 – Texas College left the SWAC after the 1961–62 academic year. 1962 – Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Alcorn State University) joined the SWAC in the 1962–63 academic year. 1968 – Wiley left the SWAC after the 1967–68 academic year. 1968 – Mississippi Valley State College (now Mississippi Valley State University) joined the SWAC in the 1968–69 academic year. 1970 – Arkansas–Pine Bluff (UAPB) left the SWAC after the 1969–70 academic year. 1973 – Andrew "Wiggie" Brown became the first full-time Commissioner; SWAC headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana at the 1 Shell Square building; in the 1973–74 academic year. 1982 – Alabama State University joined the SWAC in the 1982–83 academic year. 1997 – Arkansas–Pine Bluff (UAPB) rejoined the SWAC as an affiliate member in the 1997–98 academic year. 1998 – Arkansas–Pine Bluff (UAPB) upgrades to be a full member of the SWAC in the 1998–99 academic year. 1999 – Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (Alabama A&M) joined the SWAC in the 1999–2000 academic year. 2021 – Bethune–Cookman University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (Florida A&M) joined the SWAC in the 2021–22 academic year.

Competitions The SWAC is one of two FCS conferences – the others being the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – whose conference champion does not participate in the FCS playoffs, opting instead to play in the Celebration Bowl against the champion of the MEAC. However, SWAC teams can still be invited via an at-large invitation, as was the case in 2021 when SWAC member Florida A&M University was invited over SWAC conference football champion Jackson State, who was obligated via contract to play in the 2021 Celebration Bowl. The SWAC instead splits its schools into two divisions, and plays a conference championship game. Three of the SWAC's teams, Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic and Grambling and Southern in the Bayou Classic, play their last games of the regular season on Thanksgiving weekend, preventing the SWAC Championship from being decided until the first weekend of December, long after the tournament is underway.

Current championship competition offered by the SWAC includes competition for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field and tennis. Women's competition is offered in the sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

Member schools

Current full members The SWAC currently has 12 full members, all but one are public schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors Alabama A&M University Huntsville, Alabama 1875 Public 6,172 Bulldogs &Lady Bulldogs 1999 Alabama State University Montgomery, Alabama 1867 Public 4,190 Hornets &Lady Hornets 1982 Alcorn State University Lorman, Mississippi 1871 Public 3,523 Braves &Lady Braves 1962 Pine Bluff, Arkansas 1873 Public 2,498 Golden Lions &Golden Lady Lions 1936 1997 Bethune–Cookman University Daytona Beach, Florida 1904 UnitedMethodist 2,901 Wildcats 2021 Florida A&M University Tallahassee, Florida 1887 Public 9,626 Rattlers &Lady Rattlers 2021 Grambling State University Grambling, Louisiana 1901 Public 5,438 Tigers &Lady Tigers 1958 Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi 1877 Public 7,080 Tigers &Lady Tigers 1958 Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena, Mississippi 1950 Public 2,147 Delta Devils &Devilettes 1968 Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, Texas 1876 Public 9,893 Panthers &Lady Panthers 1920 Southern University Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1880 Public 7,140 Jaguars &Lady Jaguars 1935 Texas Southern University Houston, Texas 1947 Public 7,524 Tigers &Lady Tigers 1954

Notes

Former members The SWAC had six former full members, all but one were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Bishop College Marshall, Texas 1881 Baptist HMS N/A Tigers 1920 1956 N/A Huston–Tillotson University Austin, Texas 1881 Methodist,Church of Christ 900 Rams 1920 1954 HBCU (HBCUAC) Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 1897 Public 3,922 Lions 1931 1957 Sooner (SAC) Paul Quinn College Dallas, Texas 1872 A.M.E. Church 1,020 Tigers 1920 1929 HBCU (HBCUAC) Texas College Tyler, Texas 1894 C.M.E. Church 600 Steers 1920 1962 Red River (RRAC) Wiley University Marshall, Texas 1873 United Methodist 1,200 Wildcats 1920 1968 HBCU (HBCUAC)

Notes

Divisional realignment Alcorn State moved to the West Division with the additions of both Bethune–Cookman and Florida A&M in 2021.

+ East Division West Division Alabama A&M Alcorn State Alabama State Arkansas–Pine Bluff Bethune–Cookman Grambling State Florida A&M Prairie View A&M Jackson State Southern Mississippi Valley State Texas Southern

Membership timeline

Sports The SWAC sponsors championship competitions in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports:

+ Teams in Southwestern Athletic Conference competitionSportMen'sWomen'sBaseballBasketballBowlingCross countryFootballGolfSoccerSoftballTennisTrack and Field (Indoor)Track and Field (Outdoor)Volleyball

Men's sponsored sports by school School Baseball Basketball CrossCountry Football Golf Tennis Track & Field(Indoor) Track & Field(Outdoor) Total SWACSports Alabama A&M 8 Alabama State 8 Alcorn State 7 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 7 Bethune-Cookman 6 Florida A&M 6 Grambling State 6 Jackson State 8 Mississippi Valley 7 Prairie View 7 Southern 8 Texas Southern 7Totals 12 12 11 12 8 6 12 12 85

Women's sponsored sports by school School Basketball Bowling CrossCountry Golf Soccer Softball Tennis Track & Field(Indoor) Track & Field(Outdoor) Volleyball Total SWACSports Alabama A&M 9 Alabama State 10 Alcorn State 8 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 8 Bethune-Cookman 9 Florida A&M 8 Grambling State 9 Jackson State 9 Mississippi Valley 7 Prairie View 9 Southern 9 Texas Southern 9Totals 12 9 12 4 9 12 10 12 12 12 106

Facilities

Louis Crews Stadium21,000Alabama A&M Events Center6,000Bulldog Field500 Hornet Stadium26,500ASU Acadome7,400Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex500 Spinks-Casem Stadium22,500Davey Whitney Complex7,000Foster Baseball Field at McGowan Stadium Golden Lion Stadium16,000K. L. Johnson Complex4,500Torii Hunter Baseball/Softball Complex1,000 Daytona Stadium 10,000 Moore Gymnasium 3,000 Jackie Robinson Ballpark 4,200 Bragg Memorial Stadium 25,500 Al Lawson Teaching Gym 9,639 Moore-Kittles Field 500 Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium19,600Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center7,500Wilbert Ellis Field at Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones Park1,100 Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium60,492Williams Assembly Center8,000Braddy Field800 Rice-Totten Stadium10,000Harrison HPER Complex5,000Magnolia Field120 Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field15,000William Nicks Building4,000John W. Tankersley Field512 Ace W. Mumford Stadium29,000F. G. Clark Center7,500Lee-Hines Field1,500 Shell Energy Stadium 22,000Health and Physical Education Arena8,100MacGregor Park

SWAC championships

Football Prior to splitting into divisions and using a postseason championship game to decide its overall champion, the SWAC determined its champions by winning-percentage against conference opponents in regular season play.