NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on May 29th, 2024, that it has accepted an invitation to join the Southland Conference as a full-time member beginning July 1st, 2024.
“We are in a dynamic, new era of college athletics,” said Michael McBroom, SFA Director of Athletics. “We need stability, but also bold and strategic thinking to ensure a bright future for SFA. The SLC is a conference on the rise, with visionary leadership and a strategic plan that aligns with our own goals for our athletics program and the university. This affiliation puts in an incredibly competitive and historic athletic community, aligns us with regional peers in Texas and Louisiana and allows us a greater opportunity to engage with our alumni, fans and prospective students across the entire region. This was an easy decision for us in that the SLC offered us an opportunity to boldly move forward with confidence and excitement.”
"We are thrilled to announce SFA’s membership in the Southland Conference, which marks a significant step forward for our athletics program and our university as a whole,” said Dr. Neal Weaver, SFA University President. “Joining the SLC not only provides our student-athletes with enhanced collegiate experience and exposure but also aligns with our commitment to excellence in all areas. We look forward to fostering new and old rivalries, strengthening our community engagement, and showcasing the incredible talent and spirit of our student body.”
The acceptance into the SLC is a homecoming of sorts, reuniting SFA with the Southland where they spent 34 seasons and amassed 111 conference titles. Women’s basketball and volleyball led the way with 18 conference titles followed by soccer with 14, and women’s indoor and outdoor track each recorded 10 titles. Women’s cross country have won eight titles, men’s basketball and men’s cross country have won five, football, softball and men’s indoor track each have four, and men’s and women’s golf each have three conference titles. Overall, SFA has earned 285 individual conference titles between men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s and women’s indoor/outdoor track and field.
SFA's tenure in the Southland began in 1984 and saw the 'Jacks rise to become one of the top athletic programs in the league. SFA has aims to continue its high standard for athletic competition and academic performance in the return to the Southland.
The Lumberjacks will compete in the Southland Conference in football, baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor/outdoor track & field, men’s and women’s golf, women’s volleyball, women’s soccer, softball, beach volleyball and women’s tennis.
Bowling will continue to compete in Conference USA.
The move brings the Southland Conference's membership to 12 institutions, including Houston Christian, Incarnate Word, Lamar, McNeese, New Orleans, Nicholls, Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana, Texas A&M-Commerce, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
SFA will be one of seven Texas-based institutions in the Southland Conference, with the other five in nearby Louisiana.
“It is a privilege to welcome a proven winner both athletically and academically in Stephen F. Austin to the Southland Conference,” Southland Conference Commissioner Chris Grant exclaimed. “As we continue to see a trending evolution in college athletics, we are proud to continue our upward momentum and build upon our rich geographic footprint with an institution that shares like-minded priorities that put the student-athlete first. Historically and currently in its leadership,SFA has shown a commitment to success in its athletic department that strengthens our league and enhances the competitive spirit within our conference.”
SFA’s return to the Southland Conference will dramatically decrease the amount of travel for student-athletes. This will also decrease the number of days student-athletes are missing class days as well as travel expenses which will be reinvested in the student-athlete experience and greater economic impact for Nacogdoches and East Texas. With all the Southland schools located in Texas and Louisiana, teams will be able to play all of their conference games in the central time zone and be closer to home which will allow for better rest and recovery for student-athletes.
The smaller footprint allows more opportunities for families, alumni and future student-athletes to attend SFA games at home and on the road.Competition in this footprint will help the university enhance its brand, image and marketability as it looks to grow enrollment and alumni engagement.
The Southland Conference was founded in 1963 with institutions including Lamar, which has spent a total of 49 years in the conference. In total, the 10 current full-time members have an average tenure of 25 years, providing remarkable stability.
With an office based in Frisco, the Southland Conference is the reason the NCAA Division I FCS National Championship is contested in Texas, hosting the football title game in Frisco since 2010. The Southland Conference has already secured the championship game through 2025. The Southland Conference has made its impact on the NFL as well, with 11 alumni on NFL rosters in 2021 and seven in 2022. Two Southland alums were most recently selected in the 2024 NFL Draft in Jalyx Hunt of HCU by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round and Levi Drake Rodriguez of Texas A&M-Commerce by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round.
Southland Conference teams have won 18 games in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, including Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last year. This season, the McNeese Cowboys entered March Madness as a 12-seed, the highest seed a Southland member has earned since 2015. The Southland Conference has sent 16 players to the NBA, including SFA Men’s Basketball legendKevon Harris, who is currently with the Orlando Magic.
The Southland Conference changed its basketball scheduling matrix this year, playing men's conference contests on Saturday and Mondays and women's contests on Thursdays and Saturdays. Conference institutions host men's and women's basketball doubleheaders on Saturdays.
The Monday games allow Southland Conference institutions and men's basketball student-athletes to receive increased exposure by competing on a day with fewer other sporting events, leading to more games on ESPN linear networks and increased viewership on ESPN+.
Men's and women's basketball games receive increased exposure by not having to compete at the same time as the institution's other basketball team. This is both a benefit for both the teams and for fans, who no longer have to choose which game to watch but can instead watch both.
This innovative scheduling arrangement, along with exciting play on the court, has led to Southland Conference institutions being featured on Sportscenter's Top 10 plays 18 times this season.
