The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I. The conference’s football teams are part of the second-tier Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA). The Big South, founded in 1983, is firmly rooted in the southeastern United States, with member institutions located in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Charter members included Armstrong State (now Armstrong Atlantic State), Augusta (now Augusta State), Campbell University, Charleston Baptist (now Charleston Southern), Coastal Carolina University, Radford, and Winthrop.

Former members include Armstrong State (1983-1987), Augusta (1983-1990), Campbell (1983-1994), Elon (1999-2003), Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) (1992-1998), North Carolina-Greensboro (1992-1997), and Towson State (now Towson University) (1992-1995). Departing members have joined the Atlantic Sun Conference (Campbell), Colonial Athletic Association (Towson), Northeast Conference (UMBC), Peach Belt Conference (Armstrong State and Augusta), and Southern Conference (Davidson, UNC-Greensboro, Elon).

The Big South Conference began sponsoring football in 2002, with Charleston Southern University, Gardner-Webb University, and Liberty University fielding teams; Coastal Carolina University and Virginia Military Institute joined the conference as football-playing members in 2003.

Current members 

Full members 

Institution

Location

Founded

 

 

 

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, South Carolina

1964

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, South Carolina

1954

High Point University

High Point, North Carolina

1924

Liberty University

Lynchburg, Virginia

1971

Presbyterian College

Clinton, South Carolina

1880

Radford University

Radford, Virginia

1910

University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina

1927

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, Virginia

1839

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, South Carolina

1886

Associate member 

    * Gardner-Webb University (2002) [associate member in football only]

Future members 

    * Presbyterian College will begin playing a conference schedule in 2008-2009.

    * Gardner-Webb University, already a football member, will join in the 2008-2009 academic year for all other sports.

    * State University of New York at Stony Brook, football only starting in 2008.

Departing member

    * Birmingham-Southern College announced plans in May, 2006 to transition to Division III and will leave the conference after the 2006-2007 academic year. In preparation for the transition, the school elected not to field a men’s basketball team for the 2006-2007 season.

Teams

    * Charleston Southern Buccaneers

    * Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

    * Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs

    * High Point Panthers

    * Liberty Flames

    * Presbyterian Blue Hose

    * Radford Highlanders

    * UNC-Asheville Bulldogs

    * VMI Keydets

    * Winthrop Eagles

Sports

The Big South Conference sponsors intercollegiate competition in men’s baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s football, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s softball, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball.

Interestingly, they are the only collegiate athletic conference to sponsor a quizbowl competition, starting this in 2006, and using questions from National Academic Quiz Tournaments. Liberty has won both years.Conference champions

Men’s basketball 

Season

Regular Season Champion

Tournament Champion

Tournament Final Location

 

 

 

 

1986

Charleston Southern (5-1)

Charleston Southern

Savannah Civic Center, Savannah, Georgia

1987

Charleston Southern (12-2)

Charleston Southern

Savannah Civic Center

1988

Coastal Carolina (9-3)

Winthrop

Winthrop Coliseum, Rock Hill, South Carolina

1989

Coastal Carolina (9-3)

UNC-Asheville

Winthrop Coliseum

1990

Coastal Carolina (11-1)

Coastal Carolina

Winthrop Coliseum

1991

Coastal Carolina (13-1)

Coastal Carolina

Civic Center of Anderson, Anderson, South Carolina

1992

Radford (12-2)

Campbell

Civic Center of Anderson

1993

Towson State (14-2)

Coastal Carolina

North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, South Carolina

1994

Towson State (15-3)

Liberty

North Charleston Coliseum

1995

UNC-Greensboro (14-2)

Charleston Southern

Vines Center, Lynchburg, Virginia

1996

UNC-Greensboro (11-3)

UNC-Greensboro

Vines Center

1997

UNC-Asheville (11-3)

Charleston Southern

Vines Center

1998

UNC-Asheville (11-1)

Radford

Vines Center

1999

Winthrop (9-1)

Winthrop

Asheville Civic Center, Asheville, North Carolina

2000

Radford (12-2)

Winthrop

Asheville Civic Center

2001

Radford (12-2)

Winthrop

Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke, Virginia

2002

Winthrop (10-4)

Winthrop

Roanoke Civic Center

2003

Winthrop (11-3)

UNC-Asheville

Vines Center

2004

Liberty (12-4)

Liberty

Vines Center

2005

Winthrop (15-1)

Winthrop

Winthrop Coliseum

2006

Winthrop (13-3)

Winthrop

Winthrop Coliseum

2007

Winthrop (14-0)

Winthrop

Winthrop Coliseum

 

Football

Season

Champion

Record

 

2002

Gardner-Webb

3-0

 

2003

Gardner-Webb

4-0

 

2004

Coastal Carolina

4-0 (10-1)

 

2005

Charleston Southern

3-1 (7-4)

 

Coastal Carolina

3-1 (9-2)

 

 

2006

Coastal Carolina

4-0 (9-3)

 

 

 

 

 

Quizbowl Tournament

 

 

 

Year

Champion

Record

Host School

2006

Liberty

8-0

VMI

2007

Liberty

6-1

Radford

 

Conference facilities

School

Football stadium

Capacity

Basketball arena

Capacity

Soccer stadium

Capacity

 

 

 

Charleston Southern

Buccaneer Field

4,000

CSU Field House

790

Buccaneer Field

4,000

 

 

 

Coastal Carolina

Brooks Stadium

6,408

Kimbel Arena

1,039

CCU Soccer Field

N/A

 

 

 

High Point

Non-Football School

N/A

Millis Center

2,565

Albion Millis Stadium

3,000

 

 

 

Liberty

Williams Stadium

12,000

Vines Center

9,000

Liberty Soccer Field

N/A

 

 

 

Presbyterian College

Bailey Memorial Stadium

4,500

Furman Pinson Arena

2,500

Martin Stadium

2,000

 

 

 

 

at Crocker Field

 

 

 

at Edens Field

 

 

 

 

Radford

Non-Football School

N/A

Dedmon Center

5,000

Cupp Stadium

5,000

 

 

 

UNC-Asheville

Non-Football School

N/A

Justice Center

1,100

Greenwood Field

N/A

 

 

 

VMI

Alumni Memorial Stadium

10,000

Cameron Hall

5,800

Patchin Field

1,000

 

 

 

Winthrop

Non-Football School

N/A

Winthrop Coliseum

6,100

Eagle Field

1,500

 

 

 

 


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