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Sun Belt Conference

U.S. college sports conference

Sun Belt Conference

U.S. college sports conference

FieldValue
nameSun Belt Conference
logoSun Belt Conference 2020 logo and name.svg
logo_size200
founded
associationNCAA
divisionDivision I
subdivisionFBS
teams14 (13 in 2026)
sports19
mens9
womens10
regionSouthern United States
headquartersNew Orleans, Louisiana
commissionerKeith Gill
since2019
TVESPN
website
color#0A2240;
font_color#FFFFFF
mapSun Belt states map updated 2022.png
Note

the college athletic conference

The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiate athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The 14 member institutions of the Sun Belt are distributed across the Southern United States.

History

1970s and 1980s

Original Sun Belt logo from 1976

The Sun Belt Conference was founded on August 4, 1976, with the University of New Orleans, the University of South Alabama, Georgia State University, Jacksonville University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University of South Florida. Over the next ten years the conference would add Western Kentucky University, Old Dominion University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Virginia Commonwealth University. New Orleans was forced out of the league in 1980 due to its small on-campus gymnasium that the conference did not deem suitable for conference competition (the conference rejected UNO's offer to play all conference home games at the Louisiana Superdome). New Orleans competed as an independent before joining the newly formed American South Conference in 1987.

1990s

After the 1990–91 basketball season, all members of the Sun Belt, except Western Kentucky, South Alabama, and Jacksonville, departed for other conferences. The Sun Belt, including incoming member the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, then merged with the American South Conference, made up of Arkansas State University, Louisiana Tech University, the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), the University of Texas–Pan American (now merged into the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley), New Orleans (re-joined), Lamar University, and the University of Central Florida. Although the American South was the larger conference, the merged league retained the Sun Belt name. In 1991, the league first began to explore the idea of sponsoring football.

Central Florida left the league following the 1991–92 academic year due to a dispute over television rights, among other reasons. Lamar, Texas–Pan American, and Jacksonville departed at the end of the 1997–98 academic year. Florida International University joined the Sun Belt in 1998, and the University of Denver was added in 1999. Louisiana Tech departed after the 2000–01 academic year.

2000s

The conference did not sponsor football until 2001, when the league added former Big West Conference members New Mexico State University and the University of North Texas and former Ohio Valley Conference member (an FBS Independent on football) Middle Tennessee State University as full members (all three of them joined a year earlier for all sports in the 2000–01 school year) and added FBS Independent University of Louisiana at Monroe and Big West member University of Idaho as football-only members. These new members gave the Sun Belt seven football playing members in their first season, as Arkansas State and Louisiana were already full members which sponsored football. Another Big West school, Utah State University, was added as a football-only member in 2003, then departed in 2005 with Idaho and New Mexico State for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

In 2004, Troy University became a football-only member before joining for all sports in the 2005–06 academic year. In 2005, Florida Atlantic became a football-only member before joining for all sports in the 2006–07 academic year. In 2006, Louisiana–Monroe joined the conference as an all-sports full member when the Warhawks left their former home, the Southland Conference.

Longtime Sun Belt member Western Kentucky joined the Sun Belt's football conference in 2009 after its board of regents voted to upgrade the school's football program to Division I FBS.

On November 11, 2009, New Orleans announced it was investigating a move from Division I to the NCAA's Division III. In order to maintain athletic scholarships, UNO instead opted for entry into Division II. On April 20, 2011, UNO officially received transition approval from the NCAA Division II Membership Committee. (UNO later decided to remain in Division I, and joined the Southland Conference, which has four other members in Louisiana, in 2013.)

2010s

Main article: 2010–2013 Sun Belt Conference realignment

The former Sun Belt Conference logo used until its rebranding in 2013

On April 9, 2012, Georgia State, one of the founding members of the Sun Belt Conference, announced that it would be returning to the conference as a full member in 2013. As part of the move, the football program began a transition from FCS to FBS in the 2012 season; it played a full Sun Belt schedule as a "transitional" FBS member in 2013, and became a full FBS member, with bowl eligibility, in 2014. On May 2, 2012, Texas State University announced it would leave the WAC after just one year and join the Sun Belt in July 2013 to begin play for the 2013–14 academic year. At the press conference to announce Texas State's addition, Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson also hinted that more changes could be on the way for the conference. On May 25, 2012, the conference announced that the University of Texas at Arlington (a non-football member) had accepted an invitation to join the conference and would become a full member by 2013.

On May 4, 2012, FIU and North Texas announced that they would be leaving the Sun Belt for Conference USA on July 1, 2013, as part of a Conference USA expansion effort involving four other schools. On November 29, 2012, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State announced that they would also leave the Sun Belt for Conference USA. The move for Florida Atlantic and MTSU was originally scheduled to take place in 2014; however, the two schools announced on January 28, 2013, that they would leave for Conference USA a year early, departing on July 1, 2013, with FIU and North Texas. Western Kentucky also accepted an invitation to join Conference USA on April 1, 2013, and departed from the Sun Belt on July 1, 2014.

The former Sun Belt Conference logo used from 2013 to 2020

These moves depleted the Sun Belt and made the need to expand their membership more urgent than ever, as the Sun Belt was left with ten full members and only eight members that sponsor football (the minimum number required for a conference to sponsor football at the FBS level) for the 2013 season. Appalachian State University accepted an invitation on March 27, 2013, to join the Sun Belt effective July 1, 2014. Georgia Southern University accepted a similar Sun Belt invitation at the same time as Appalachian State. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern both joined for all sports from the Southern Conference on July 1, 2014. Both schools had been very successful within the Football Championship Subdivision, combining to win nine national championships since 1985. They upgraded to the Football Bowl Subdivision, and were eligible for Sun Belt conference championships in 2014, but were not postseason-eligible in football until 2015.

The Sun Belt also granted football-only invites to Idaho and New Mexico State on March 28, 2013. Idaho and New Mexico State were both former Sun Belt members (Idaho for football only, New Mexico State for all sports) from 2001 to 2005. The large number of defections from the WAC forced that conference to drop football after the 2012 season. Idaho and New Mexico State were the only remaining WAC members that sponsored football, and competed as FBS independents for the 2013 season before competing in the Sun Belt in 2014. Idaho is located by far the farthest away from the other Sun Belt conference members, but it was rejected by the Mountain West Conference, leaving it with no other choice.

On September 1, 2015, Coastal Carolina University accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference. The university joined in all sports except for football starting July 1, 2016, with football joining in 2017.

The conference announced on March 1, 2016, that the affiliation agreement with Idaho and New Mexico State would not be extended past the 2017 season.

The conference announced that beginning in 2018, the conference (10 teams) would be divided into two divisions for football: East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy; West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The winner of each division will meet in the Sun Belt Championship game.

2020s

Main article: 2021–2026 NCAA conference realignment

| USA

Following the July 30, 2021 announcement of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Oklahoma both moving from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference, the world of college athletics faced the prospect of realignment once again. The Big 12 responded on September 10 by adding three schools from the American Athletic Conference (The American) and BYU, an FBS independent and otherwise a member of the non-football West Coast Conference, effective in 2023. The American in turn responded on October 21 by adding six schools from Conference USA (C-USA), with 2023 as the most likely entry date. Following this move, rumors began to circulate that the Sun Belt was planning to take on another three members (the University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM), Marshall University, and former Sun Belt member Old Dominion University) from C-USA, likely in response to that conference's remaining teams worried of the conference folding. These moves would help to establish the market areas for the Sun Belt and The American, which cover similar geographic footprints. The American would now have most of its members in metropolitan areas, while the Sun Belt would instead have its members in smaller college towns.

On October 22, The Action Network reported that Southern Miss had been accepted as a new Sun Belt member, with 2023 as the likely entry date. The report also stated that the Sun Belt would add three more members—the aforementioned Marshall and Old Dominion, plus James Madison University, a member of the FCS Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Southern Miss and Old Dominion were respectively announced as incoming members on October 26 and 27. At the time, both were to join no later than 2023. On October 29, the day after Marshall named its next president, both the Sun Belt and Marshall issued tweets announcing that school's entry; a formal announcement followed the next day and an introductory press conference was held on November 1. As for James Madison, its board met on October 29 to discuss a potential Sun Belt invitation, but its timeline was also affected by a Virginia state law that requires legislative approval for a four-year public school to move upward in athletic classification, including FCS to FBS. The legislative committee that must review the move did not meet until November 5, after the state's gubernatorial election. The committee unanimously approved JMU's move from FCS to FBS, and the Sun Belt move was officially announced on November 6. The original Action Network report also stated that the two full non-football SBC members, Little Rock and UT Arlington, would no longer be members of the conference after the 2022–23 school year.

Initial plans were for James Madison to compete as a de facto Sun Belt affiliate in sports other than football and men's soccer during the 2022–23 season. However, those plans would eventually change, with JMU and the SBC jointly announcing on February 2, 2022, that JMU would become a full SBC member, including football, in 2022–23.

By the end of January 2022, both non-football members would announce their departures for other conferences, effective that July. On December 8, 2021, the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees voted to accept an invitation for Little Rock to join the Ohio Valley Conference, and UT Arlington, which had been a Western Athletic Conference member in the 2012–13 school year, announced its return to that conference on January 21, 2022.

Shortly thereafter, Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss announced that they planned to leave C-USA for the Sun Belt in July 2022. They claimed to have notified C-USA of their plans in December 2021, apparently seeking to negotiate a 2022 exit. C-USA had indicated in late January 2022 that it expected the three schools to remain in that league through the 2022–23 school year. Marshall escalated the situation by filing suit against C-USA in its local court in an attempt to force a 2022 move. On March 29, Conference USA agreed to let Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss move to the Sun Belt starting July 1, 2022.

On April 6, with the entrance of three new men's soccer-sponsoring schools in James Madison, Marshall, and Old Dominion, the Sun Belt announced that men's soccer would be reinstated as a sponsored sport. The three aforementioned programs joined current Sun Belt members Coastal Carolina (previously affiliates with Conference USA) as well as Georgia State and Georgia Southern (previously affiliates with the Mid-American Conference). Additionally, it was announced that Kentucky, South Carolina, and West Virginia would join as men's soccer affiliate members beginning in fall 2022, giving the conference an inaugural soccer membership of 9. Kentucky and South Carolina were previously also affiliated with C-USA, while West Virginia was affiliated with the MAC. The SBC later announced it would add UCF as a men's soccer affiliate when that school joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023. In men's soccer, the conference is not a "mid-major" conference, but a "power" conference due to the quasi-alliance of the Big 12 and SEC schools, plus the presence of Marshall, which has played in two national championship games in the 2020s, winning one.

On June 6, the SBC presidents & chancellors approved adding two new women's sports, beach volleyball and swimming & diving, no later than the 2023–24 school year. They also announced that the conference would explore adding another women's sport, field hockey, at an undetermined future date.

On January 18, 2023, the SBC officially announced that its beach volleyball league would launch that spring, with the four full members sponsoring the sport joined by Charleston, Mercer, UNC Wilmington, and Stephen F. Austin as affiliate members.

On August 17, 2023, the SBC officially announced the return of women's swimming and diving as a sponsored sport. However, the SBC would only sponsor the sport for two seasons before dropping it after the 2024–25 season.

On June 30, 2025, Texas State accepted an offer to join the Pac-12 Conference by July 1, 2026, following the unanimous approval of the Texas State University System board of regents. On July 14, the SBC voted to replace Texas State with another regional member, Louisiana Tech of Conference USA, by as early as 2026. This addition would keep the installment of conference divisions intact, with Louisiana Tech replacing Texas State in the West Division.

Member schools

Current full members

Member departing for the Pac-12 Conference in 2026.

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmentEndowment
(millions)NicknameColorsEast DivisionAppalachian State UniversityCoastal Carolina UniversityGeorgia Southern UniversityGeorgia State UniversityJames Madison UniversityMarshall UniversityOld Dominion UniversityWest DivisionArkansas State UniversityTroy University
Boone, North Carolina18992014Public21,798$191Mountaineers
Conway, South Carolina1954201610,894$44.6Chanticleers
Statesboro, Georgia1906201426,106$98.4Eagles
Atlanta, Georgia1913201350,521$220Panthers
Harrisonburg, Virginia1908202221,496$123Dukes
Huntington, West Virginia1837202211,962$201nowrapThundering Herd
Norfolk, Virginia1930202224,286$312Monarchs
Jonesboro, Arkansas19091991Public14,109$122.6Red Wolves
Lafayette, Louisiana1898199119,188$232Ragin' Cajuns
Monroe, Louisiana193120069,060$37.3Warhawks
Mobile, Alabama1963197614,834$466Jaguars
Hattiesburg, Mississippi1910202214,606$131Golden Eagles
**Texas State University**San Marcos, Texas18992013Public44,630$1,602Bobcats
Troy, Alabama18872005Public17,494$164Trojans

;Notes:

Future members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoiningTypeEnrollmentEndowment
(millions)NicknameColorsCurrent
conference
**Louisiana Tech University**Ruston, Louisiana1894TBDPublic12,039$92.2Bulldogs & Lady TechstersCUSA

;Notes

Affiliate members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmentNicknameColorsSportPrimary
conference
Charleston, South Carolina17702022Public10,468CougarsBeach volleyballCAA
****Lexington, Kentucky1865202232,710WildcatsSoccer (m)SEC
Macon, Georgia18332022Private8,740BearsBeach volleyballSoCon
Columbia, South Carolina18012022Public35,364GamecocksSoccer (m)SEC
****Orlando, Florida1963202370,406KnightsBig 12
Wilmington, North Carolina1947202214,765SeahawksBeach volleyballCAA
**West Virginia University**Morgantown, West Virginia1867202226,269MountaineersSoccer (m)Big 12

Former full members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedLeftTypeNicknameColorsSubsequent
conferenceCurrent
conference
Birmingham, Alabama196919791991PublicBlazersGreat MidwestAmerican
Orlando, Florida196319911992KnightsASUNBig 12
Denver, Colorado186419992012PrivatePioneersWACSummit
**Florida Atlantic University**Boca Raton, Florida196120062013PublicOwlsCUSAAmerican
**Florida International University**Miami, Florida19651998PanthersCUSA
**Jacksonville University**Jacksonville, Florida193419761998PrivateDolphinsASUN
**Lamar University**Beaumont, Texas19231991PublicCardinalsSouthland
**University of Arkansas at Little Rock**Little Rock, Arkansas192719912022TrojansOVC
(UAC in 2026)
**Louisiana Tech University**Ruston, Louisiana189419912001Bulldogs & Lady TechstersWACCUSA
**Middle Tennessee State University**Murfreesboro, Tennessee191120002013Blue RaidersCUSA
**New Mexico State University**Las Cruces, New Mexico18882005AggiesWACCUSA
New Orleans, Louisiana195819761980Privateers*D-I Independent*Southland
19912010*D-I Independent*
Charlotte, North Carolina19461976199149ersMetroAmerican
Denton, Texas189020002013Mean GreenCUSAAmerican
Tampa, Florida195619761991BullsMetroAmerican
**University of Texas at Arlington**Arlington, Texas189520132022MavericksWAC
(UAC in 2026)
Edinburg, Texas192719911998Broncs*Independent*Southland
(as UTRGV Vaqueros)
**Virginia Commonwealth University**Richmond, Virginia183819791991RamsMetroAtlantic 10
**Western Kentucky University**Bowling Green, Kentucky190619822014Hilltoppers & Lady ToppersCUSA

;Notes:

Former affiliate members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedLeftTypeNicknameColorsSportConference
in former
Sun Belt sport
Conway, Arkansas190720192021PublicBearsSoccer (m)ASUN
**Hartwick College**Oneonta, New York179720142018PrivateHawksEmpire 8
**Howard University**Washington, D.C.18672021BisonNortheast
Moscow, Idaho188920012005PublicVandalsFootballBig Sky
20142018
**New Jersey Institute of Technology**Newark, New Jersey18812016HighlandersSoccer (m)America East
**New Mexico State University**Las Cruces, New Mexico18882018AggiesFootballCUSA
**Stephen F. Austin State University**Nacogdoches, Texas192320222024LadyjacksBeach volleyballSLC
**Utah State University**Logan, Utah188820032005AggiesFootballMountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026)
**Vanderbilt University**Nashville, Tennessee187319951997PrivateCommodoresSoccer (m)*none*

;Notes:

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1976 till:2032 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:50 top:5

Colors = id:line value:black id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # some sports, but not all id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two

PlotData = width:15 textcolor:darkblue shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1981 text:Georgia State (1976–1981) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1981 till:1983 bar:1 shift:(15) color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:2005 text:TAAC bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:CAA bar:1 color:Full from:2013 till:end text: (2013–present)

bar:2 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1998 text:Jacksonville (1976–1998) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:end text:TAAC

bar:3 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1980 text:New Orleans (1976–1980) bar:3 shift:(65) color:OtherC1 from:1980 till:1987 text:Independent bar:3 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:3 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2010 text: (1991–2010) bar:3 shift:(-25) color:OtherC1 from:2010 till:2012 text:Independent bar:3 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:end text:Southland

bar:4 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1991 text:North Carolina–Charlotte (1976–1991) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:Metro bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2005 text:CUSA bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:A-10 bar:4 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2023 text:CUSA bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:American

bar:5 color:FullxF from:1976 till:2012 text:South Alabama (1976–present) bar:5 color:Full from:2012 till:end

bar:6 color:FullxF from:1976 till:1991 text:South Florida (1976–1991) bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:Metro bar:6 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2005 text:CUSA bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:Big East bar:6 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:American

bar:7 color:FullxF from:1979 till:1991 text:Alabama–Birmingham (1979–1991) bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:GMC bar:7 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2023 text:CUSA bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:American

bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:8 color:FullxF from:1979 till:1991 text:VCU (1979–1991) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1995 text:Metro bar:8 color:OtherC2 from:1995 till:2012 text:CAA bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:end text:A-10

bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:1979 till:1982 text:CAA bar:9 color:FullxF from:1982 till:1991 text:Old Dominion (1982–1991) bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:2013 text:CAA bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2022 text:CUSA bar:9 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:(2022–present)

bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:OVC bar:10 color:FullxF from:1982 till:2009 text:Western Kentucky (1982–2014) bar:10 color:Full from:2009 till:2014 bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:end text:CUSA

bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Southland bar:11 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:11 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2001 text:Arkansas State (1991–present) bar:11 color:Full from:2001 till:end

bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1977 text:AIC bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:1977 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1979 till:1991 text:TAAC bar:12 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2022 text:Little Rock (1991–2022) bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:OVC

bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1984 till:1990 text:Independent bar:13 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1991 text:ASC bar:13 color:FullxF from:1991 till:1992 text:UCF (1991–1992) bar:13 shift:(120) color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:2005 text:TAAC/ASUN bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:2005 till:2013 text:CUSA bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:American bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:(2023–present)

bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Southland bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:14 color:FullxF from:1991 till:1998 text:Lamar (1991–1998) bar:14 shift:(-10) color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:1999 text:Indep. bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1999 till:2021 text:Southland bar:14 shift:(-8) color:OtherC1 from:2021 till:2022 text:WAC bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:end text:Southland

bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1987 text:Southland bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:15 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2001 text:Louisiana Tech (1991–2001) bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:2013 text:WAC bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2027 text:CUSA bar:15 color:Full from:2027 till:end text:(2027–future)

bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Southland bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:1987 text:Independent bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:16 color:FullxF from:1991 till:2001 text:Louisiana-Lafayette (1991–present) bar:16 color:Full from:2001 till:end

bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1978 text:Indep. bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1978 till:1980 text:TAAC bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1980 till:1987 text:Independent bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:ASC bar:17 color:FullxF from:1991 till:1998 text:Texas–Pan American (1991–1998) bar:17 shift:(50) color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:2009 text:Independent bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:2009 till:2013 text:GWC bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:WAC

bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1988 text:DII Independent bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1991 text:DI Indep. bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1998 text:TAAC bar:18 color:FullxF from:1998 till:2005 text:Florida International (1998–2013) bar:18 color:Full from:2005 till:2013 bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:CUSA

bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1980 text:DI Indep. bar:19 color:OtherC2 from:1980 till:1990 text:NAIA Indep. bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1990 till:1998 text:DII Indep. bar:19 shift:(-20) color:OtherC2 from:1998 till:1999 text:DI Indep. bar:19 color:FullxF from:1999 till:2012 text:Denver (1999–2012) bar:19 shift:(-5) color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC bar:19 shift:(10) color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:end text:Summit

bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:2000 text:OVC bar:20 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2001 text:Middle Tennessee State (2000–2013) bar:20 color:Full from:2001 till:2013 bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:CUSA

bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:MVC bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:2000 text:PCAA/Big West bar:21 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2001 text:New Mexico State (2000–2005) bar:21 color:Full from:2001 till:2005 bar:21 shift:(70) color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2014 text:WAC bar:21 color:AssocF from:2014 till:2018 text:(2014–2018) bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:2023 text:WAC bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:CUSA

bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Independent bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:1996 text:Southland bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:2000 text:Big West bar:22 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2001 text:North Texas (2000–2013) bar:22 color:Full from:2001 till:2013 bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:CUSA bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:American

bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1996 text:Big Sky bar:23 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:2001 text:Big West bar:23 color:AssocF from:2001 till:2005 text:Idaho (2001–2005) bar:23 shift:(25) color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2012 text:WAC bar:23 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2014 text:Indep. bar:23 color:AssocF from:2014 till:2018 text:(2014–2018) bar:23 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:end text:Big Sky

bar:24 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Independent bar:24 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:2001 text:Southland bar:24 color:AssocF from:2001 till:2006 text:Louisiana–Monroe (2001–present) bar:24 color:Full from:2006 till:end

bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1978 text:Indep. bar:25 color:OtherC2 from:1978 till:2003 text:PCAA/Big West bar:25 color:AssocF from:2003 till:2005 text:Utah State (2003–2005) bar:25 shift:(85) color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2013 text:WAC bar:25 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2026 text:MWC bar:25 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:Pac-12

bar:26 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1991 text:GSC bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1991 till:1993 text:Ind. bar:26 shift:(-5) color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:26 color:OtherC2 from:1994 till:1997 text:Mid-Continent bar:26 shift:(20) color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:2004 text:TAAC/ASUN bar:26 color:AssocF from:2004 till:2005 text:Troy (2004–present) bar:26 color:Full from:2005 till:end

bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:NAIA Independent bar:27 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:1993 text: DII Independent bar:27 color:AssocF from:2005 till:2006 text:Florida Atlantic (2005–2013) bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:2006 text:TAAC/ASUN bar:27 color:Full from:2006 till:2013 bar:27 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2023 text:CUSA bar:27 color:OtherC2 from:2023 till:end text:American

bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:LSC bar:28 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:1987 text:GSC bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:2012 text:Southland bar:28 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC bar:28 color:Full from:2013 till:2026 text:Texas State (2013–2026) bar:28 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:Pac-12

bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:2012 text:Southland bar:29 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC bar:29 color:FullxF from:2013 till:2022 text:UT Arlington (2013–2022) bar:29 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:2026 text:WAC bar:29 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:UAC

bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:2014 text:SoCon bar:30 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Appalachian State (2014–present)

bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1980 text:Independent bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1980 till:1992 text:TAAC bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:2014 text:SoCon bar:31 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Georgia Southern (2014–present)

bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1983 text:Independent bar:32 color:OtherC2 from:1983 till:2016 text:Big South bar:32 color:FullxF from:2016 till:2017 text:Coastal Carolina (2016–present) bar:32 color:Full from:2017 till:end

bar:37 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1979 text:Indep. bar:37 color:OtherC2 from:1979 till:2022 text:CAA bar:37 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:James Madison (2022–present)

bar:38 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1997 text:SoCon bar:38 color:OtherC2 from:1997 till:2005 text:MAC bar:38 color:OtherC1 from:2005 till:2022 text:CUSA bar:38 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Marshall (2022–present)

bar:39 color:OtherC1 from:1976 till:1982 text:Independent bar:39 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:1995 text:Metro bar:39 color:OtherC1 from:1995 till:2022 text:CUSA bar:39 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Southern Miss (2022–present)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1976

Commissioners

Vic Bubas was the Sun Belt Conference's first commissioner, successfully creating what was initially a premier mid-major basketball league.
  • Vic Bubas (1976–1990)
  • Jim Lessig (1990–1991)
  • Craig Thompson (1991–1998)
  • Wright Waters (1999–2012)
  • Karl Benson (2012–2019)
  • Keith Gill (2019–present)

In addition to the five Sun Belt commissioners, three future league leaders served on the Sun Belt staff prior to becoming conference commissioners, including Doug Elgin (Missouri Valley), John Iamarino (Northeast, Southern), and Tom Burnett (Southland).

On October 12, 2011, ESPN reported that Wright Waters would retire, effective July 1, 2012. On February 15, 2012, Karl Benson was hired as the new commissioner of the Sun Belt, after having been the commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference for 17 years. Waters would later move his departure date to March 15, allowing Benson to take over at that time.

Keith Gill was named the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference on March 18, 2019. He is the first African American to lead any FBS conference.

Sports

As of the current 2025–26 school year, the Sun Belt Conference sponsors championship competition in nine men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports. The most recent change to sports sponsorship was the reinstatement of women's swimming and diving in 2023–24.

When Marshall was formally introduced as an incoming Sun Belt member, SBC commissioner Keith Gill also announced that the conference would reinstate men's soccer once all new members joined. Men's soccer resumed play in 2022–23 with six full members joined by three associates; a fourth associate joined in 2023–24. Beach volleyball started play with eight members, evenly divided between full members and associates.

Southern Miss vs. LSU baseball in 2008
Georgia Southern vs. Georgia State men's basketball in 2020
Louisiana–Monroe vs. Army football in 2023
Sportwidth=60Men'sWomen's
Baseball
Basketball
Beach volleyball
Cross country
Football
Golf
Soccer
Softball
Tennis
Track and field indoor
Track and field outdoor
Volleyball

Men's sponsored sports by school

Member-by-member sponsorship of the nine men's SBC sports for the 2025–26 academic year.

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
countryFootballGolfSoccerTennisTrack
& field
IndoorTrack
& field
outdoorTotal
sports67866687868777Totals1414914146+4971097+4Future members7Affiliate members1111
Appalachian State
Arkansas State
Coastal Carolina
Georgia Southern
Georgia State
James Madison
Louisiana
Louisiana–Monroe
Marshall
Old Dominion
South Alabama
Southern Miss
Texas State
Troy
Louisiana Tech
Kentucky
South Carolina
UCF
West Virginia

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Sun Belt

SchoolSailingSwimming &
divingWrestling
Appalachian StateSoCon
Old DominionMAISAASUN

Women's sponsored sports by school

Member-by-member sponsorship of the 10 women's SBC sports for the 2025–26 academic year.

SchoolBasketballBeach
volleyballCross
countryGolfSoccerSoftballTennisTrack
& field
indoorTrack
& field
outdoorVolleyballTotal
sports98109109899591099Totals144+31313141213131314124+3Future members8Affiliate members111
Appalachian State
Arkansas State
Coastal Carolina
Georgia Southern
Georgia State
James Madison
Louisiana
Louisiana–Monroe
Marshall
Old Dominion
South Alabama
Southern Miss
Texas State
Troy
Louisiana Tech
Charleston
Mercer
UNCW

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Sun Belt

SchoolBowlingField
hockeyLacrosseRifleRowingSailingSwimming &
diving
Appalachian StateMAC
Arkansas StateCUSA
Coastal CarolinaASUN
Georgia SouthernSoConASUN
James MadisonMACAmericanAmerican
Louisiana TechCUSA
MarshallAmerican
Old DominionBig EastAmericanBig 12MAISAASUN

Championships

"RS" is regular season, "T" is tournament. Championships from the previous academic year are flagged with the calendar year in which the most recent season or tournament ended.

Current Sun Belt champions

;Fall 2025

SportSchool
Cross
CountryAppalachian State (men)
Appalachian State (women)
Football[James Madison](2025-james-madison-dukes-football-team) (East RS, [CG](2025-sun-belt-conference-football-championship-game))
[Troy](2025-troy-trojans-football-team) (West RS)
Soccer (M)Kentucky (RS)
UCF (T)
Soccer (W)Old Dominion (East RS)
ULM (West RS)
Texas State (T)
Volleyball (W)James Madison (East RS)
Arkansas State & South Alabama (West RS)
Arkansas State (T)

;Winter 2024–25

SportSchool
Basketball (M)[Arkansas State](2024-25-arkansas-state-red-wolves-men-s-basketball-team), [James Madison](2024-25-james-madison-dukes-men-s-basketball-team), [South Alabama](2024-25-south-alabama-jaguars-men-s-basketball-team), & [Troy](2024-25-troy-trojans-men-s-basketball-team) (RS)
[Troy](2024-25-troy-trojans-men-s-basketball-team) (T)
Basketball
(W)[James Madison](2024-25-james-madison-dukes-women-s-basketball-team) (RS)
[Arkansas State](2024-25-arkansas-state-red-wolves-women-s-basketball-team) (T)
Swimming
& Diving (W)James Madison
Track
& Field
IndoorLouisiana (men)
Texas State (women)

;Spring 2025

SportSchool
Baseball[Coastal Carolina](2025-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-baseball-team) (RS & T)
Beach
VolleyballCoastal Carolina (RS)
Georgia State (T)
GolfCoastal Carolina (men)
Southern Miss (women)
SoftballTexas State (RS)
Coastal Carolina (T)
Tennis (M)Old Dominion (RS & T)
Tennis (W)Old Dominion (RS & T)
Track
& Field
OutdoorTexas State (men)
Texas State (women)

Vic Bubas Cup

The Sun Belt also has an all-sports competition called the Vic Bubas Cup, which is awarded to the school with the best performance across every sport the Sun Belt Conference sponsors. South Alabama has won the most Bubas Cups, with 16.

NCAA champions

The only school to have won a national title while an SBC member is Old Dominion, which won one title in women's basketball and five in the non-SBC sport of field hockey during its first conference tenure from 1982 to 1991. Six other current members have won NCAA Division I team championships prior to joining the conference. Coastal Carolina won its only D-I national title on the day before it officially joined the SBC, while representing the Big South Conference.

SchoolNCAA
titlesSportYearsTotal29
Old DominionWomen's basketball[1985](1984-85-old-dominion-lady-monarchs-basketball-team)
Field hockey[1982](1982-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [1983](1983-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [1984](1984-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [1988](1988-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [1990](1990-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [1991](1991-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [1992](1992-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [1998](1998-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament) • [2000](2000-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament)
Georgia SouthernFootball (Division I-AA/FCS)[1985](1985-georgia-southern-eagles-football-team) • [1986](1986-georgia-southern-eagles-football-team) • [1989](1989-georgia-southern-eagles-football-team) • [1990](1990-georgia-southern-eagles-football-team) • [1999](1999-georgia-southern-eagles-football-team) • [2000](2000-georgia-southern-eagles-football-team)
James MadisonField hockey[1994](1994-ncaa-division-i-field-hockey-tournament)
Archery1995
Football (Division I-AA/FCS)[2004](2004-james-madison-dukes-football-team) • [2016](2016-james-madison-dukes-football-team)
Women's lacrosse[2018](2018-ncaa-division-i-women-s-lacrosse-tournament)
Appalachian StateFootball (Division I-AA/FCS)[2005](2005-appalachian-state-mountaineers-football-team) • [2006](2006-appalachian-state-mountaineers-football-team) • [2007](2007-appalachian-state-mountaineers-football-team)
MarshallFootball (Division I-AA/FCS)[1992](1992-marshall-thundering-herd-football-team) • [1996](1996-marshall-thundering-herd-football-team)
Men's soccer[2020](2020-marshall-thundering-herd-men-s-soccer-team)
Louisiana–MonroeFootball (Division I-AA/FCS)[1987](1987-northeast-louisiana-indians-football-team)
Coastal CarolinaBaseball[2016](2016-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-baseball-team)

See also: List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships, List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships, and NCAA Division I FBS Conferences

Football

For more information see Sun Belt Conference football. For the current season, see 2025 Sun Belt Conference football season.

West DivisionEast Division
Arkansas StateAppalachian State
LouisianaCoastal Carolina
Louisiana–MonroeGeorgia Southern
South AlabamaGeorgia State
Southern MissJames Madison
Texas StateMarshall
TroyOld Dominion

| USA

The Sun Belt first began sponsoring football in 2001. It originally consisted of seven football playing schools, three of which are still members of the conference. Up until 2009, the conference only had a contract with one bowl, the New Orleans Bowl. Following the Sun Belt's improved football success and geographical membership changes, other bowls began to sign contracts with the Sun Belt Conference. , the conference had seven bowl game tie-ins (Cure, Boca Raton, LendingTree, New Orleans, Myrtle Beach, Frisco, and Camellia)

Throughout the years, the conference has experienced flux in membership changes, similar to many other FBS conferences. The conference announced that beginning in 2018, the conference (10 teams after the departure of Idaho and New Mexico State) would be divided into two divisions for football: East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, and Troy; West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Texas State. The divisional alignments changed again with the 2022 expansion, with the new dividing line being the Alabama–Georgia border. The winner of each division will meet in the Sun Belt Championship game.

TeamFirst
seasonAll-Time
recordAll-Time
win %Bowl
appearancesBowl
recordAll-Time
Conference
titlesCurrent
Head Coach
Appalachian State[1928](1928-appalachian-normal-football-team)668–363–2887–122Shawn Clark
Arkansas State1911503–530–37125–714Butch Jones
Coastal Carolina[2003](2003-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-football-team)172–9652–39Tim Beck
Georgia Southern[1924](1924-georgia-normal-blue-tide-football-team)426–258–1073–411Clay Helton
Georgia State[2010](2010-georgia-state-panthers-football-team)64–11564–20Dell McGee
James Madison[1972](1972-madison-dukes-football-team)378–228-421–110Bob Chesney
Louisiana[1901](1901-southwestern-louisiana-industrial-football-team)582–568–34128–413Michael Desormeaux
Louisiana–Monroe1931330–471–810–15Bryant Vincent
Marshall[1895](1895-marshall-thundering-herd-football-team)638–574–472013–713Tony Gibson
Old Dominion[2009](2009-old-dominion-monarchs-football-team)97–86–031–20Ricky Rahne
Southern Miss[1912](1912-mississippi-normal-normalites-football-team)618–473–272512–138Charles Huff
South Alabama[2009](2009-south-alabama-jaguars-football-team)90–9852–30Kane Wommack
Texas State[1904](1904-southwest-texas-state-football-team)548–511–2533–012G. J. Kinne
Troy1909581–437–28106–421Gerard Parker

;Notes:

Sun Belt champions

Since the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS season, the Sun Belt Conference has held a football championship game.

SeasonChampionConference
record
[2001](2001-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Middle Tennessee](2001-middle-tennessee-blue-raiders-football-team)
[North Texas](2001-north-texas-mean-green-football-team)
[2002](2002-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[North Texas](2002-north-texas-mean-green-football-team)
[2003](2003-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[North Texas](2003-north-texas-mean-green-football-team)
[2004](2004-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[North Texas](2004-north-texas-mean-green-football-team)
[2005](2005-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Arkansas State](2005-arkansas-state-indians-football-team)
[Louisiana–Lafayette](2005-louisiana-lafayette-ragin-cajuns-football-team)
[Louisiana–Monroe](2005-louisiana-monroe-indians-football-team)
[2006](2006-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Middle Tennessee](2006-middle-tennessee-blue-raiders-football-team)
[Troy](2006-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2007](2007-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Florida Atlantic](2007-florida-atlantic-owls-football-team)
[Troy](2007-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2008](2008-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Troy](2008-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2009](2009-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Troy](2009-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2010](2010-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Florida International](2010-fiu-panthers-football-team)
[Troy](2010-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2011](2011-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Arkansas State](2011-arkansas-state-red-wolves-football-team)
[2012](2012-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Arkansas State](2012-arkansas-state-red-wolves-football-team)
[2013](2013-sun-belt-conference-football-season)*[Arkansas State](2013-arkansas-state-red-wolves-football-team)
[2014](2014-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Georgia Southern](2014-georgia-southern-eagles-football-team)
[2015](2015-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Arkansas State](2015-arkansas-state-red-wolves-football-team)
[2016](2016-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Appalachian State](2016-appalachian-state-mountaineers-football-team)
[Arkansas State](2016-arkansas-state-red-wolves-football-team)
[2017](2017-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Appalachian State](2017-appalachian-state-mountaineers-football-team)
[Troy](2017-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2018](2018-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Appalachian State](2018-appalachian-state-mountaineers-football-team)
[2019](2019-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Appalachian State](2019-appalachian-state-mountaineers-football-team)
[2020](2020-sun-belt-conference-football-season)*[Coastal Carolina](2020-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-football-team)
[Louisiana](2020-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-football-team)
[2021](2021-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Louisiana](2021-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-football-team)
[2022](2022-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Troy](2022-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2023](2023-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Troy](2023-troy-trojans-football-team)
[2024](2024-sun-belt-conference-football-season)[Marshall](2024-marshall-thundering-herd-football-team)

;Notes

  • Louisiana–Lafayette vacated 2013 shared Sun Belt Conference co-championship due to major NCAA violations.
  • The 2020 championship game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues; the divisional champions were declared league co-champions.

Bowl games

As of the 2024–25 NCAA football bowl games, the Sun Belt Conference had tie-ins with the following bowl games:

NameLocationOpposing
conference
[68 Ventures Bowl](68-ventures-bowl)Mobile, AlabamaMAC
Cure BowlOrlando, FloridaThe American
Myrtle Beach BowlConway, South CarolinaCUSA/MAC
New Orleans BowlNew Orleans, LouisianaCUSA
Salute to Veterans BowlMontgomery, AlabamaMAC

Football rivalries

Football rivalries involving Sun Belt teams include:

TeamsRivalry
NameTrophyMeetings
(last)RecordSeries
Leader
Appalachian StateGeorgia SouthernDeeper Than Hate40
(2024)22–17–1
Appalachian StateMarshallOld Mountain Feud27
(2024)16–11
Georgia StateGeorgia SouthernModern Day Hate11
(2024)6–5
James MadisonOld DominionRoyal RivalryCrown5
(2024)3–2
LouisianaLouisiana–MonroeBattle on the BayouWooden Boot60
(2024)33–26
South AlabamaTroyBattle for the BeltBelt13
(2024)9–4

;Notes:

Basketball

Men's basketball

This list goes through the 2021–22 season.

TeamFirst
seasonAll-time
recordAll-time
win %NCAA Tournament
appearancesNCAA Tournament
recordArenaHead coach
**Appalachian State**1919–201263–116230–3Holmes CenterDustin Kerns
**Arkansas State**1926–271183–118410–1First National Bank ArenaBryan Hodgson
**Coastal Carolina**1974–75711–68040–4HTC CenterJustin Gray
**Georgia Southern**1926–271289–101430–3Hill Convocation CenterBrian Burg
**Georgia State**1963–64668–95462–6Georgia State Convocation CenterJonas Hayes
**James Madison**1969–70787–71465–6Atlantic Union Bank CenterPreston Spradlin
**Louisiana**1911–121449–1124114–11CajundomeBob Marlin
**Louisiana–Monroe**1951–521014–93770–7Fant–Ewing ColiseumKeith Richard
**Marshall**1906–071539–1139–261–6Cam Henderson CenterCornelius Jackson
**Old Dominion**1950–511214–765123–12Chartway ArenaMike Jones
**South Alabama**1968–69857–68281–8Mitchell CenterRichie Riley
**Southern Miss**1912–131279–1112–130–3Reed Green ColiseumJay Ladner
**Texas State**1920–211357–118420–2Strahan ArenaTerrence Johnson
**Troy**1950–511086–93320–2Trojan ArenaScott Cross

Women's basketball

This list goes through the 2022–23 season.

TeamFirst
seasonAll-time
recordAll-time
win %NCAA Tournament
appearancesNCAA Tournament
recordArenaHead coach
**Appalachian State**1970–71689–72640–4Holmes CenterAlaura Sharp
**Arkansas State**1974–75770–60200–0First National Bank ArenaDestinee Rogers
**Coastal Carolina**1974–75572–73200–0HTC CenterKevin Pederson
**Georgia Southern**1973–74707–67920–2Hill Convocation CenterHanna Haden
**Georgia State**1975–76630–69230–3Georgia State Convocation CenterGene Hill
**James Madison**1920–211176–578–5128–12Atlantic Union Bank CenterSean O'Regan
**Louisiana**1982–83466–68410–1CajundomeGary Broadhead
**Louisiana–Monroe**1974–75632–68244–4Fant–Ewing ColiseumMissy Bilerback
**Marshall**1969–70715–73720–2Cam Henderson CenterJuli Fulks
**Old Dominion**1969–701121–4802534–24Chartway ArenaDeLisha Milton-Jones
**South Alabama**1974–75666–70110–1Mitchell CenterYolisha Jackson
**Southern Miss**1975–76780–58984–8Reed Green ColiseumJoye Lee-McNelis
**Texas State**1982–83565–57620–2Strahan ArenaZenarae Antoine
**Troy**1975–76670–67740–4Trojan ArenaChanda Rigby

Championships

Main article: Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament, Sun Belt Conference women's basketball tournament

Since the 2022–23 season, the Sun Belt Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments, held in early March, have involved all 14 of the conference's teams, and have been bracketed in a semi-stepladder format. The bottom four seeds play in the first round; seed 5 through 10 receive byes to the second round, and the top 4 seeds to the quarterfinals. All rounds are held in Pensacola, Florida at Pensacola Bay Center since 2022. Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I basketball tournament.

SeasonMen's
Regular Season
ChampionMen's
Tournament
ChampionWomen's
Regular Season
ChampionWomen's
Tournament
Champion
1977[North Carolina–Charlotte](1976-77-unc-charlotte-49ers-men-s-basketball-team)*No Regular Season**No Tournament*
1978North Carolina–CharlotteNew Orleans*No Regular Season**No Tournament*
1979South AlabamaJacksonville*No Regular Season**No Tournament*
1980South AlabamaVirginia Commonwealth*No Regular Season**No Tournament*
1981Virginia Commonwealth*No Regular Season**No Tournament*
1982Alabama–Birmingham*No Regular Season**No Tournament*
1983Virginia CommonwealthAlabama–BirminghamOld Dominion
1984Virginia CommonwealthAlabama–BirminghamOld Dominion
1985Virginia CommonwealthOld Dominion
1986Old DominionJacksonvilleWestern Kentucky
1987Western KentuckyAlabama–BirminghamOld Dominion
1988North Carolina–CharlotteOld DominionWestern Kentucky
1989South AlabamaOld DominionWestern Kentucky
1990Alabama–BirminghamSouth FloridaAlabama–BirminghamOld Dominion
1991South AlabamaAlabama–BirminghamWestern Kentucky
1992Southwestern LouisianaWestern Kentucky
1993New OrleansWestern KentuckyWestern Kentucky
1994Western KentuckySouthwestern LouisianaLouisiana Tech
1995Western KentuckyLouisiana TechWestern Kentucky
1996Arkansas–Little RockNew OrleansLouisiana Tech
1997South AlabamaLouisiana Tech
1998South AlabamaLouisiana Tech
1999Louisiana TechArkansas StateLouisiana Tech
2000Louisiana–LafayetteLouisiana Tech
2001Western KentuckyLouisiana Tech
2002Western KentuckyFlorida International
2003Western KentuckyWestern Kentucky
2004Louisiana–Lafayette *(vacated)*South AlabamaMiddle Tennessee State
2005DenverLouisiana–Lafayette *(vacated)*Western KentuckyMiddle Tennessee State
2006Western KentuckySouth AlabamaWestern KentuckyMiddle Tennessee
2007South AlabamaNorth TexasMiddle Tennessee
2008South AlabamaWestern KentuckyWestern Kentucky
2009Western KentuckyMiddle Tennessee
2010TroyNorth TexasArkansas–Little RockMiddle Tennessee
2011Florida Atlantic[Arkansas–Little Rock](2010-11-arkansas-little-rock-trojans-men-s-basketball-team)Middle Tennessee
Arkansas–Little RockArkansas–Little Rock
2012[Middle Tennessee](2011-12-middle-tennessee-blue-raiders-men-s-basketball-team)[Western Kentucky](2011-12-western-kentucky-hilltoppers-basketball-team)Middle TennesseeArkansas–Little Rock
2013[Middle Tennessee](2012-13-middle-tennessee-blue-raiders-men-s-basketball-team)[Western Kentucky](2012-13-wku-hilltoppers-basketball-team)Middle TennesseeArkansas–Little Rock
2014[Georgia State](2013-14-georgia-state-panthers-men-s-basketball-team)[Louisiana–Lafayette](2013-14-louisiana-lafayette-ragin-cajuns-men-s-basketball-team)Arkansas StateWestern Kentucky
2015[Georgia State](2014-15-georgia-state-panthers-men-s-basketball-team)Arkansas–Little Rock
2016[Little Rock](2015-16-little-rock-trojans-men-s-basketball-team)Arkansas State[Troy](2015-16-troy-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)
2017[UT Arlington](2016-17-texas-arlington-mavericks-men-s-basketball-team)[Troy](2016-17-troy-trojans-men-s-basketball-team)[Little Rock](2016-17-little-rock-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)[Troy](2016-17-troy-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)
2018[Louisiana](2017-18-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-men-s-basketball-team)[Georgia State](2017-18-georgia-state-panthers-men-s-basketball-team)[Little Rock](2017-18-little-rock-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)
2019[Georgia State](2018-19-georgia-state-panthers-men-s-basketball-team)[Little Rock](2018-19-little-rock-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)
[UT Arlington](2018-19-ut-arlington-mavericks-women-s-basketball-team)[Little Rock](2018-19-little-rock-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)
2020[Little Rock](2019-20-little-rock-trojans-men-s-basketball-team)*Tournament canceled*[Troy](2019-20-troy-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)*Tournament canceled*
2021[Texas State](2020-21-texas-state-bobcats-men-s-basketball-team)[Appalachian State](2020-21-appalachian-state-mountaineers-men-s-basketball-team)[Louisiana](2020-21-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-women-s-basketball-team)[Troy](2020-21-troy-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)
2022[Texas State](2021-22-texas-state-bobcats-men-s-basketball-team)[Georgia State](2021-22-georgia-state-panthers-men-s-basketball-team)[Troy](2021-22-troy-trojans-women-s-basketball-team)[UT Arlington](2021-22-ut-arlington-mavericks-women-s-basketball-team)
2023[Southern Miss](2022-23-southern-miss-golden-eagles-basketball-team)[Louisiana](2022-23-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-men-s-basketball-team)[James Madison](2022-23-james-madison-dukes-women-s-basketball-team)
[Southern Miss](2022-23-southern-miss-lady-eagles-basketball-team)
[Texas State](2022-23-texas-state-bobcats-women-s-basketball-team)[James Madison](2022-23-james-madison-dukes-women-s-basketball-team)
2024[Appalachian State](2023-24-appalachian-state-mountaineers-men-s-basketball-team)[James Madison](2023-24-james-madison-dukes-men-s-basketball-team)[Marshall](2023-24-marshall-thundering-herd-women-s-basketball-team)
2025[Troy](2024-25-troy-trojans-men-s-basketball-team)
[Arkansas State](2024-25-arkansas-state-red-wolves-men-s-basketball-team)
[South Alabama](2024-25-south-alabama-jaguars-men-s-basketball-team)
[James Madison](2024-25-james-madison-dukes-men-s-basketball-team)[Troy](2024-25-troy-trojans-men-s-basketball-team)[James Madison](2024-25-james-madison-dukes-women-s-basketball-team)[Arkansas State](2024-25-arkansas-state-red-wolves-women-s-basketball-team)

Baseball

Main article: Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament

The Sun Belt Conference has sponsored an annual baseball tournament to determine the conference winner since 1978. South Alabama has won the most championships, at 13.

  • Teams in bold represent current conference members.
SchoolTourney
titlesTitle Years
**South Alabama**1980 • 1981 • 1983 • 1984 • 1987 • 1992 • 1996 • 1997 • 2000 • 2001 • 2005 • 2017 • [2021](2021-south-alabama-jaguars-baseball-team)
**Louisiana**1998 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • [2022](2022-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-baseball-team)
**Coastal Carolina**[2018](2018-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-baseball-team) • [2019](2019-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-baseball-team) • [2025](2025-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-baseball-team)
New Orleans1978 • 1979 • 2007
South Florida1982 • 1986 • 1990
FIU1999 • 2010
Lamar1993 • 1995
nowrapMiddle Tennessee2003 • 2009
**Southern Miss**[2023](2023-southern-miss-golden-eagles-baseball-team) • 2024
nowrapWestern Kentucky2004 • 2008
**Arkansas State**1994
Florida Atlantic2013
Jacksonville1989
Little Rock2011
New Mexico State2002
**Old Dominion**1985
**Troy**2006
UAB1991
**ULM**2012
VCU1988

Facilities

File:Old Dominion Monarchs versus Louisiana Ragin Cajuns football game at SB Ballard Stadium 9-9-2023.jpeg|S.B. Ballard Stadium, on the campus of Old Dominion University. File:Trojan Arena Troy 9.jpg|Trojan Arena, on the campus of Troy University.

Troy Trojans}}"[](troy-trojans)Veterans Memorial StadiumTrojan ArenaRiddle–Pace FieldTroy Softball Complex

;Notes

Athletic department revenue by school

Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights and licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, concessions, and novelties.

Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.

The following table shows institutional reporting to the United States Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2023–24 academic year.

Institution2023–24 Total Revenue from Athletics2023–24 Total Expenses on Athletics
James Madison University$66,110,281$66,110,281
Old Dominion University$51,827,948$51,827,948
Texas State University$46,310,998$46,310,998
Marshall University$45,966,327$45,966,327
Coastal Carolina University$43,509,290$43,509,290
Appalachian State University$43,110,256$43,110,256
University of Louisiana at Lafayette$42,952,287$42,952,287
Georgia State University$39,204,432$39,204,432
Georgia Southern University$36,967,213$36,967,213
Troy University$36,937,664$36,937,664
University of South Alabama$30,591,632$30,591,632
Louisiana Tech University$30,305,928$30,305,928
Arkansas State University$28,162,528$28,162,528
University of Southern Mississippi$28,107,301$28,107,301
University of Louisiana at Monroe$20,253,458$20,253,458

Academics

Four of the Sun Belt's member schools, Georgia State, Louisiana, Old Dominion and Southern Miss are doctorate-granting universities with "very high research activity," the highest classification given by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Appalachian State is also currently ranked as one of the Top 10 regional schools in the South by the U.S. News & World Report.

UniversityAffiliationCarnegieEndowment*US News**Forbes*
Public (UNC)Research (High)$99,593,0006 (Regional: South)301
Public (ASU System)Research (High)$66,217,000317 (National)N/A
PublicMaster's (Larger)$39,432,00038 (Regional: South)N/A
Public (USG System)Research (High)$50,999,000331-440 (National)N/A
Public (USG System)Research (Very High)$155,303,000234 (National)367
PublicResearch (High)$116,700,000151 (National)139
Public (UL System)Research (Very High)$178,300,000331-440 (National)N/A
Public (UL System)Doctoral/Research$28,787,795331-440 (National)N/A
PublicResearch (High)$192,000,000299 (National)N/A
PublicResearch (Very High)$265,800,000299 (National)472
PublicResearch (High)$555,735,000331-440 (National)N/A
PublicResearch (Very High)$136,300,000331-440 (National)N/A
Public (TSU System)Research (Very High)$1,602,000,000257 (National)298
Public (TU System)Doctoral/Research$191,458,00044 (Regional: South)N/A

Notes

References

References

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