Academic excellence and a leadership role in NCAA's Division II make the Gulf South Conference (GSC) something special. The GSC is a charter Division II member that prides itself as one of the first conferences to be created and administered by its CEOs.
We take pride in our 50-plus National Team Championships in 13 sports, one individual men's cross country champion, five men's golf individual champions, and one track and field champion, as well as more than 160 regional titles, especially because there is no sacrifice on the academic side, where GSC student-athletes graduate at a much higher rate than the general student body.
The GSC sponsors 19 sports, including 18 championship events. Official sponsored sports include 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 tennis, men's and women's track and field, and volleyball. Prior to the 2020-21 academic year, the conference officially added women's lacrosse after three seasons as an emerging sport.
| GSC Commissioner History |
| Stan Galloway, 1971-79 |
| Jim McCullough, 1979-82 |
| Hayden Riley, 1982-84 |
| Ralph McFillen, 1984-87 |
| G.E. "Sonny" Moran, 1987-92 |
| Nathan N. Salant, 1992-2014 |
| M. Matthew Wilson, 2014-Present |
In the summer of 1970, six college presidents met to discuss athletics, and when the meeting concluded, a new league emerged—the Mid-South Conference. Delta State College, Florence State University (now the University of North Alabama), Jacksonville State University, Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama), the University of Tennessee at Martin, and Troy State University (now Troy University) were the charter members. The league officially began competition in the fall of 1970, with scheduling challenges limiting participation to football during the 1970–71 academic year.
Prior to its second season, the league experienced significant internal changes. It was renamed the Gulf South Conference, opened its league office in Hammond, La., and began sponsoring championships in nine men's sports.
By its third year, the conference expanded to 10 members with the addition of Southeastern Louisiana University and Nicholls State University in 1971, followed by Mississippi College and Northwestern State University of Louisiana (now Northwestern State) in 1972. Membership declined two years later when Northwestern State transitioned to Division I, with Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls State following in 1979.
The conference continued with seven teams until 1981, when Valdosta State was admitted. In 1983, the league returned to Georgia with the addition of West Georgia. The GSC maintained nine members until 1991, when charter members Tennessee-Martin and Troy State departed for Division I. An aggressive expansion period followed, resulting in the addition of 10 new members over a four-year span beginning with Lincoln Memorial in 1992. In 1993, the GSC added the University of Alabama at Huntsville, Henderson State University, University of Central Arkansas, and Mississippi University for Women. The University of West Florida joined in 1994, followed by the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas Tech University, University of Montevallo, and the Southern Arkansas University in 1995.
During that period, Jacksonville State left for Division I following the 1992–93 season. Mississippi College transitioned to Division III after the 1995–96 season but was replaced by Christian Brothers University, keeping conference membership at 16. In July 2000, the GSC welcomed Harding University and Ouachita Baptist University, becoming the largest NCAA-playing conference at any level with 18 schools.
Mississippi-Women discontinued its athletics program after the 2002–03 season, reducing membership to 17. Following the 2006–07 season, Central Arkansas reclassified to Division I, and Lincoln Memorial moved to the South Atlantic Conference. Montevallo's departure to the Peach Belt Conference reduced league membership to 14 during the 2009–10 academic year. North Alabama completed its final season in the GSC in 2017–18 before joining the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and Division I ranks.
After the 2010–11 season, the GSC moved away from divisional play when its six Arkansas members departed, reducing conference membership to eight.
The league implemented a five-year expansion plan in 2012, resulting in four new members—Shorter University (2014-15), Union University (2014-15), Lee University (2015-16), and Auburn University at Montgomery (2019-20)—along with the return of Mississippi College (2016-17) and Montevallo (2017-18).
The conference also adopted affiliate memberships to strengthen its sponsored sports, adding the University of North Greenville (football), Spring Hill College (men's and women's soccer and women's golf), Young Harris College (women's lacrosse), Lander University (women's lacrosse), and Flagler College (women's lacrosse). In January 2023, unveiled limited-term football affiliate partnerships with Chowan University (2023-24) and Erskine College (2024).
In the summer of 1970, six college presidents met to discuss athletics and when the meeting ended, a new league emerged—the Mid-South Conference. Delta State, Florence State (now North Alabama), Jacksonville State, Livingston (now West Alabama), Tennessee-Martin (UTM) and Troy State (TSU) were the charter members, but scheduling problems for the 1970-71 academic year limited the conference to only football. Southeast Louisiana (SELA) and Nicholls State (NSU) joined in 1971 and the league opened an office in Hammond, La., changed its name to the Gulf South Conference, and began championships in nine men's sports. Mississippi College (MC) and Northwestern Louisiana (NWLA, now Northwestern State) joined in 1972 and two years later, NWLA left for Division I, followed by SELA and NSU in 1979.
The conference continued with seven teams until 1981, when the CEOs admitted Valdosta State and West Georgia (1983). In 1991, UTM and TSU went Division I, briefly dropping the GSC back to seven members, but an aggressive expansion resulted in 10 new members: Lincoln Memorial (1992-93); Alabama Huntsville, Henderson State, Central Arkansas and Mississippi University for Women (MUW, 1993-94); West Florida (1994-95); and Arkansas-Monticello, Arkansas Tech, Montevallo and Southern Arkansas (1995-96). Jacksonville State moved to Division I at the end of 1992-93. MC dropped to Division III at the end of 1995-96, and was replaced by Christian Brothers to keep the conference at 16 schools. In July 2000, the GSC welcomed Harding University and Ouachita Baptist University, making it the largest NCAA-playing conference at any level with 18 schools. MUW dropped its athletics program at the end of the 2002-03 season, decreasing the membership to 17. Central Arkansas reclassified to Division I and Lincoln Memorial moved to the South Atlantic Conference following the 2006-07 year. Montevallo's departure for the Peach Belt Conference dropped the number to 14 in 2009-10. North Alabama completed its final year with the GSC in 2017-18, as the Lions accepted an invitation to go Division I and join the Atlantic Sun Conference.
The GSC moved away from divisional play after the 2010-11 season after its six Arkansas members broke away, dropping the membership to eight. The league implemented a five-year expansion plan in 2012 resulting in the addition of new members Shorter University (2014-15), Union University (2014-15), Lee University (2015-16) and Auburn University at Montgomery (2019-20) along with the return of Mississippi College (2016-17) and Montevallo (2017-18).
The conference also adopted affiliate memberships to boost its ranks, resulting in sport-specific members, Flagler (women's lacrosse), North Greenville (football), Spring Hill College (men's and women's soccer and women's golf), and Young Harris (women's lacrosse). Eventually, Young Harris ended its women's lacrosse affiliation at the end 2023 season as it became a full member of Conference Carolina. North Greenville announced its intention to end football affiliate status with the GSC following the 2024 season. In January 2023, the GSC unveiled limited-term football affiliate partnerships with Chowan (2023-24) and Erskine (2024).
The 2023-24 academic year was the final season of GSC competition for Shorter and West Georgia, ending a five-year period of consistent full-time membership, as Shorter departed for Conference Carolinas, while West Georgia reclassified to Division I. Trevecca Nazarene University then joined the GSC as a full member ahead of the 2024–25 academic year. In spring 2026, Virginia State University made history as the league's first Historically Black College and University member when it began competition as an affiliate member in women's lacrosse.
Updated October 2025