The Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The 12 member universities that compete in 20 sports are located in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Basketball teams compete as a single division in the NAIA.
History The Southern States Athletic Conference was established as the Georgia–Alabama–Carolina Conference (GACC) on March 16, 1999. On June 27, 2004, the conference changed its name to the Southern States Athletic Conference.
Chronological timeline
1999 – On March 16, 1999, the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) was founded as the Georgia–Alabama–Carolina Conference (GACC). Charter members included Auburn University at Montgomery, Brenau University, Brewton–Parker College (now Brewton–Parker Christian University), Emmanuel College (now Emmanuel University), Faulkner University, Georgia Southwestern State University, North Georgia College & State University (now the University of North Georgia), Shorter College (now Shorter University), Southern Polytechnic State University and Southern Wesleyan University, beginning the 1999–2000 academic year. 2000 – Reinhardt College (now Reinhardt University) joined the GACC in the 2000–01 academic year. 2004: On June 27, 2004, the GACC was rebranded as the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) in the 2004–05 academic year. Berry College and Lee University joined the SSAC in the 2004–05 academic year. 2005: North Georgia left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) after the 2004–05 academic year. Columbia College of South Carolina joined the SSAC in the 2005–06 academic year. 2006 – Georgia Southwestern State left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Peach Belt (PBC) after the 2005–06 academic year. 2009 – Reinhardt left the SSAC to join the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) after the 2008–09 academic year. 2010: Berry left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks as an NCAA D-III Independent (which would later join the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) beginning the 2012–13 academic year) after the 2009–10 academic year. Belhaven University, Loyola University New Orleans, the University of Mobile, Spring Hill College, Truett–McConnell College (now Truett–McConnell University), and William Carey University joined the SSAC in the 2010–11 academic year. 2011 – Columbia (S.C.) left the SSAC to join the Appalachian (AAC) after the 2010–11 academic year. 2012: Shorter left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Gulf South Conference (GSC) after the 2011–12 academic year. The College of Coastal Georgia joined the SSAC in the 2012–13 academic year. 2013: Lee left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Gulf South (GSC) after the 2012–13 academic year. Bethel University of Tennessee, Blue Mountain College (now Blue Mountain Christian University), and Martin Methodist College (now the University of Tennessee Southern) joined the SSAC in the 2013–14 academic year. 2014: Three institutions left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and their respective new home primary conferences, all effective after the 2013–14 academic year: Emmanuel (Ga.) and Southern Wesleyan to the Conference Carolinas (CC) and Spring Hill to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Southern Poly announced that it would drop its athletic program and close once it is consolidated by Kennesaw State University at the end of the 2013–14 academic year. Dalton State College and Middle Georgia State University joined the SSAC in the 2014–15 academic year. 2015 – Belhaven left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the American Southwest Conference after the 2014–15 academic year. 2016 – Auburn–Montgomery left the SSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the Gulf South (GSC), beginning the 2017–18 school year) after the 2015–16 academic year. 2017: Two institutions left the SSAC to join their respective new home primary conferences, both effective after the 2016–17 academic year: Brenau to join the Appalachian (AAC) and Coastal Georgia to join the Sun Conference Point University joined the SSAC as an affiliate member for competitive cheer in the 2017–18 academic year. 2018 – Florida College and Stillman College joined the SSAC in the 2018–19 academic year. 2020: Bethel (Tenn.) and Martin Methodist left the SSAC to join the Mid-South Conference (MSC) after the 2019–20 academic year. Two institutions joined the SSAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), both effective in the 2020–21 academic year: Warner University for competitive cheer and Xavier University of Louisiana for competitive cheer and men's and women's tennis 2021: Florida College left the SSAC to become an NAIA Independent within the Continental Athletic Conference after the 2020–21 academic year. Two institutions left the SSAC as affiliate members (and/or removed other single sports from their affiliate memberships), both effective after the 2020–21 academic year: Warner University for competitive cheer and Xavier University of Louisiana for competitive cheer and men's and women's tennis Talladega College joined the SSAC in the 2021–22 academic year. Five institutions joined SSAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), all effective in the 2021–22 academic year: Dillard University, Florida National University, Rust College and Tougaloo College for men's and women's tennis and Fisk University for women's tennis 2022: Three institutions left the SSAC as affiliate members (and/or removed other single sports from their affiliate memberships), all effective after the 2021–22 academic year: Fisk for women's tennis and Rust and Tougaloo for men's and women's tennis Life University joined the SSAC in the 2022–23 academic year. Florida Memorial University joined the SSAC as an affiliate member for competitive cheer in the 2022–23 academic year. 2023: Talladega left the SSAC to join the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC, now the HBCU Athletic Conference) after the 2022–23 academic year. Florida National left the SSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis after the 2023 spring season (2022–23 academic year). Thomas University joined the SSAC (with the University of Tennessee Southern, formerly Martin Methodist, rejoining; plus Point upgrading for all sports) in the 2023–24 academic year. Keiser University joined the SSAC as an affiliate member for competitive cheer in the 2023–24 academic year. 2024: Stillman left the SSAC to join the HBCUAC after the 2023–24 academic year. Two institutions left the SSAC as affiliate members (and/or removed other single sports from their affiliate memberships), both effective after the 2023–24 academic year: Dillard for men's and women's tennis and Keiser for competitive cheer Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College joined the SSAC in the 2024–25 academic year. 2025 – Middle Georgia State left the SSAC to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) after the 2024–25 academic year. 2026 – Andrew College, Wesleyan College, and Xavier University of Louisiana all joined the SSAC, beginning the 2026–27 academic year. 2027: Loyola New Orleans will leave the SSAC to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Gulf South Conference (GSC) after the 2026–27 academic year. Georgia Southern University–East Georgia Campus and the United States Sports University (U.S.S.U.) will join the SSAC, beginning the 2027–28 academic year.
Member schools Current members The SSAC currently has 15 full members, all but three being private schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Basketball? Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Tifton, Georgia 1908 Public 3,768 Golden Stallions 2024 both Andrew College Cuthbert, Georgia 1854 UnitedMethodist 496 Fighting Tigers 2026 both Blue Mountain Christian University Blue Mountain, Mississippi 1873 Southern Baptist 971 Toppers 2013 both Brewton–Parker Christian University Mount Vernon, Georgia 1904 Southern Baptist 1,123 Barons 1999 both Dalton State College Dalton, Georgia 1963 Public 4,902 Roadrunners 2014 men's Faulkner University Montgomery, Alabama 1942 Churches of Christ 2,933 Eagles 1999 both Life University Marietta, Georgia 1974 Nonsectarian 2,711 Running Eagles 2022 both Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana 1904 Catholic 4,351 Wolf Pack 2010 both Mobile, Alabama 1961 Southern Baptist 1,911 Rams 2010 both Point University West Point, Georgia 1937 Christian 2,827 Skyhawks 2023 both Thomas University Thomasville, Georgia 1950 Nonsectarian 1,583 Night Hawks 2023 both University of Tennessee Southern Pulaski, Tennessee 1870 Public 978 FireHawks 2013;2023 both Wesleyan College Macon, Georgia 1839 UnitedMethodist 614 Wolves 2026 women's William Carey University Hattiesburg, Mississippi 1892 Southern Baptist 5,448 Crusaders 2010 both Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana 1925 Catholic 3,181 Gold Rush &Gold Nuggets 2026 both
Notes
Future members The SSAC will have two future members.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining Basketball? Currentconference Georgia Southern University–East Georgia Campus Swainsboro, Georgia 1973 Public 1,826 Golden Eagles 2027 both NAIA Independent United States Sports University Daphne, Alabama 1972 Nonsectarian 367 Eagles 2027 none NAIA Independent
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Affiliate members Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined SSACsport(s) Primaryconference Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens, Florida 1879 AmericanBaptist 1,365 Lions 2022 competitive cheer The Sun (TSC)
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Former members The SSAC had 21 former full members, all but six were private schools. School names and nicknames reflect those used in the final school year of SSAC membership: