General | 11/4/2026 12:00:00 PM

Hello, Gulf South Nation:

Hope everyone is having a good fall! With championships right around the corner, I wanted to share a few updates from around the GSC.

As many of you know, two of our current members will be moving to different conferences beginning in 2027–28. Conference realignment in recent years has become a part of college athletics as institutions continue to evaluate various factors like institutional priorities and aspirations, travel demands, and what makes the most sense for their student-athletes and athletic programs. While we’re certainly sorry to see these institutions leave the GSC, we understand and respect their decisions and wish them both continued success.

At the same time, we’re excited to welcome two new full-time members next year in Spring Hill College, who has been a valued affiliate member for many years, and Loyola University New Orleans. We believe the GSC offers both institutions a good fit, meaningful opportunities for their student-athletes, and a chance to build strong relationships with our member schools. We’re glad to have them coming aboard and look forward to getting both fully integrated into the conference.

Change is part of college athletics, and while we’ll miss the institutions that are leaving, we’re excited about what lies ahead. We have a good group of schools, a strong foundation to build on, and plenty of work to do together. I’m confident we can keep moving the GSC forward and make this next chapter a good one for all our members.

At the NCAA level, two new Division II initiatives are worth highlighting—one focused on student-athlete eligibility and the other on championship selection. The first is an age-based eligibility model allowing student-athletes up to five years of eligibility, provided they meet all other requirements. Our compliance officers will help navigate the details, and I believe this is a positive step for our student-athletes.

The second is the NCAA Power Index (NPI), which Division II has adopted for championship selection in team sports. The NPI ranks teams based on results and opponent strength, with rankings updated throughout the season. The goal is to make championship selection more objective and consistent.

The excitement of fall championships is here and begins with cross country at The Hermitage in Nashville on November 6, hosted by Trevecca Nazarene. Soccer semifinals and finals follow at Huntsville’s Loretta P. Spencer Sports Complex (Nov. 5-8), with volleyball things out on November 12-14. Meanwhile, football is the home stretch while basketball season is just around the corner. With so much happening, it’s an exciting time to be part of the GSC!

On a personal note, my first two months with the GSC have been fantastic. I’ve really enjoyed getting out and meeting our student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, athletic department staffs, and presidents. Hearing their stories, learning about their challenges, and celebrating their successes has been a great part of getting started.

Every campus has something a little different to offer, and I’ve enjoyed seeing those things firsthand. Whether it’s standing in the center of Alabama at Main Hall on the University of Montevallo campus, visiting the beautiful Logos Library at Union University, joining the Trevecca Nazarene folks to watch a cross country race at The Hermitage, taking in the Sharp Pedestrian Mall and The Forum at Lee University, or getting an exciting look at UAH’s almost-finished track complex, each visit has been a great experience and I still have a few more trips to make.

Getting out on our campuses and spending time with our people has reinforced what I already believed: we have some special institutions in the GSC, and I’m excited about what we can accomplish together. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone even better and continuing the work of making our conference stronger.

To all our teams, best of luck as you finish the regular season and prepare for the GSC Championships. Thank you for the passion, commitment, and pride you bring representing your institutions and the Gulf South Conference.

Gulf South Conference — Where Students Compete, Graduate, and Impact


Bill Popp
Commissioner, Gulf South Conference