Logo for the Collegiate Conference of the South.
The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) is an athletic conference which competes in the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Member schools are located in Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
CCS was formed in February 2022, with play starting in the 2022–23 school year, by an amicable split of the USA South Athletic Conference, which before the split was the largest conference in any NCAA division with 19 members. The split, agreed to by the conference presidents, created two more geographically compact leagues, although CCS remains one of the more geographically sprawling D-III conferences.[1] Of the 19 pre-split members, eight left to form CCS, 10 remained in the USA South, and one left for a third conference. Belhaven, which had previously been announced as a 2022 USA South entry, also joined CCS.
Unlike its parent conference, CCS does not sponsor football. Under terms of the separation agreement, all football-playing CCS members continue to play that sport in the USA South.
Current members[]
CCS started with nine members, all private and faith-based schools; Berea is the only one that is not linked to one or more specific Christian denominations. Two of the charter members, Agnes Scott and Wesleyan, are women's colleges.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes Scott College | Decatur, Georgia | 1889 | Presbyterian (PCUSA) | 914 | Scotties |
| Belhaven University | Jackson, Mississippi | 1883 | Presbyterian (PCUSA) | 3,245 | Blazers |
| Berea College | Berea, Kentucky | 1855 | Christian (unaffiliated) | 1,613 | Mountaineers |
| Covenant College | Lookout Mountain, Georgia | 1955 | Presbyterian (PCA) | 1,282 | Scots & Lady Scots |
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, Alabama | 1854 | United Methodist | 900 | Hawks |
| LaGrange College | LaGrange, Georgia | 1831 | United Methodist | 1,137 | Panthers |
| Maryville College | Maryville, Tennessee | 1819 | Presbyterian (PCUSA) | 1,103 | Scots |
| Piedmont University | Demorest, Georgia | 1897 | United Church of Christ & Congregationalist |
2,640 | Lions |
| Wesleyan College | Macon, Georgia | 1836 | United Methodist | 550 | Wolves |
References[]
- ↑ "USA South Announces Conference Restructuring". USA South Athletic Conference. February 18, 2022. https://www.usasouth.net/general/2021-22/releases/20220215h90h97.