 | |
| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1976; 49 years ago (1976) |
| Commissioner | Keith Gill (since 2019) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | FBS |
| No. of teams | 14 (13 in 2026) |
| Headquarters | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Region | Southern United States |
| Broadcaster | ESPN |
| Official website | sunbeltsports.org |
| Locations | |
 | |
TheSun Belt Conference (SBC) is a collegiateathletic conference that has been affiliated with theNCAA'sDivision I since 1976. Originally a non-football conference, the Sun Belt began sponsoring football in 2001. Itsfootball teams participate in the Division IFootball Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The 14 member institutions of the Sun Belt are distributed across theSouthern United States.
The Sun Belt Conference was founded on August 4, 1976, with theUniversity of New Orleans, theUniversity of South Alabama,Georgia State University,Jacksonville University, theUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte, and theUniversity of South Florida. Over the next ten years the conference would addWestern Kentucky University,Old Dominion University, theUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham, andVirginia Commonwealth University. New Orleans was forced out of the league in 1980 due to itssmall 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 theLouisiana Superdome). New Orleans competed as an independent before joining the newly formedAmerican South Conference in 1987.
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 theUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock, then merged with theAmerican South Conference, made up ofArkansas State University,Louisiana Tech University, the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now theUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette), theUniversity of Texas–Pan American (now merged into theUniversity of Texas Rio Grande Valley), New Orleans (re-joined),Lamar University, and theUniversity 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.[1]
Central Florida left the league following the 1991–92 academic year due to a dispute over television rights, among other reasons.[2][3] 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 theUniversity of Denver was added in 1999. Louisiana Tech departed after the 2000–01 academic year.
The conference did not sponsor football until 2001, when the league added formerBig West Conference membersNew Mexico State University and theUniversity of North Texas and formerOhio 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 IndependentUniversity of Louisiana at Monroe and Big West memberUniversity 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 in2005 with Idaho and New Mexico State for theWestern 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, theSouthland Conference.
Longtime Sun Belt memberWestern Kentucky joined the Sun Belt's football conference in 2009 after its board of regents voted to upgrade the school's football program toDivision IFBS.[4]
On November 11, 2009, New Orleans announced it was investigating a move fromDivision I to theNCAA'sDivision III. In order to maintain athletic scholarships, UNO instead opted for entry intoDivision II. On April 20, 2011, UNO officially received transition approval from the NCAA Division II Membership Committee.[5] (UNO later decided to remain in Division I, and joined theSouthland Conference, which has four other members in Louisiana, 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, thefootball 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.[6] On May 2, 2012,Texas State University announced it would leave theWAC 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 CommissionerKarl Benson also hinted that more changes could be on the way for the conference.[7] On May 25, 2012, the conference announced that theUniversity of Texas at Arlington (a non-football member) had accepted an invitation to join the conference and would become a full member by 2013.[8]
On May 4, 2012, FIU and North Texas announced that they would be leaving the Sun Belt forConference USA on July 1, 2013, as part of a Conference USA expansion effort involving four other schools.[9] On November 29, 2012, Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State announced that they would also leave the Sun Belt for Conference USA.[10] 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 forConference 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.[11]
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.[12]Georgia Southern University accepted a similar Sun Belt invitation at the same time as Appalachian State.[13] Appalachian State and Georgia Southern both joined for all sports from theSouthern 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 toIdaho andNew Mexico State on March 28, 2013.[14] 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 theWAC 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 theMountain West Conference,[15] leaving it with no other choice.[16][17]
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.[18]
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.[19]
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, andTroy; West:Arkansas State,Louisiana,Louisiana–Monroe,South Alabama, andTexas State. The winner of each division will meet in theSun Belt Championship game.[20]
– Departing Member,
– Full member,
– current associate member,
– future full memberFollowing the July 30, 2021 announcement of theUniversity of Texas at Austin and theUniversity of Oklahoma both moving from theBig 12 Conference to theSoutheastern Conference,[21] the world of college athletics faced the prospect of realignment once again. The Big 12 responded on September 10 by adding three schools from theAmerican Athletic Conference (The American) andBYU, anFBS independent and otherwise a member of the non-footballWest Coast Conference, effective in 2023.[22] The American in turn responded on October 21 by adding six schools fromConference USA (C-USA), with 2023 as the most likely entry date.[23][24] Following this move, rumors began to circulate that the Sun Belt was planning to take on another three members (theUniversity of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM),Marshall University, and former Sun Belt memberOld Dominion University) from C-USA, likely in response to that conference's remaining teams worried of the conference folding.[25] 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 smallercollege 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, plusJames Madison University, a member of theFCSColonial Athletic Association (CAA).[26] Southern Miss[27] and Old Dominion[28] 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,[29] both the Sun Belt and Marshall issued tweets announcing that school's entry; a formal announcement followed the next day[30] and an introductory press conference was held on November 1.[31] 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 requireslegislative 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 thestate's gubernatorial election.[32] The committee unanimously approved JMU's move from FCS to FBS, and the Sun Belt move was officially announced on November 6.[33][34] 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.[26]
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.[35] 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.[36]
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 theOhio Valley Conference,[37] and UT Arlington, which had been aWestern Athletic Conference member in the2012–13 school year, announced its return to that conference on January 21, 2022.[38]
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.[39] Marshall escalated the situation by filing suit against C-USA in itslocal court in an attempt to force a 2022 move.[40] On March 29, Conference USA agreed to let Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss move to the Sun Belt starting July 1, 2022.[41]
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 theMid-American Conference). Additionally, it was announced thatKentucky,South Carolina, andWest Virginia would join as men's soccer affiliate members beginning in fall 2022, giving the conference an inaugural soccer membership of 9.[42] 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 addUCF as a men's soccer affiliate when that school joined theBig 12 Conference in 2023.[43] 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 ofMarshall, 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.[44]
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 byCharleston,Mercer,UNC Wilmington, andStephen F. Austin as affiliate members.[45]
On August 17, 2023, the SBC officially announced the return of women's swimming and diving as a sponsored sport.[46] However, the SBC would only sponsor the sport for two seasons before dropping it after the 2024–25 season.[47]
On June 30, 2025,Texas State accepted an offer to join thePac-12 Conference by July 1, 2026, following the unanimous approval of theTexas State University System board of regents.[48] On July 14, the SBC voted to replace Texas State with another regional member,Louisiana Tech of Conference USA, by as early as 2026.[49] This addition would keep the installment of conference divisions intact, with Louisiana Tech replacing Texas State in the West Division.
Member departing for thePac-12 Conference in 2026.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joining | Type | Enrollment | Endowment (millions) | Nickname | Colors | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, Louisiana | 1894 | TBD[a] | Public | 12,039[75] | $92.2[76] | Bulldogs & Lady Techsters | CUSA |
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | Sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Charleston | Charleston, South Carolina | 1770 | 2022[a] | Public | 10,468 | Cougars | Beach volleyball | CAA | |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | 1865 | 2022 | 32,710 | Wildcats | Soccer (m) | SEC | ||
| Mercer University | Macon, Georgia | 1833 | 2022[a] | Private | 8,740 | Bears | Beach volleyball | SoCon | |
| University of South Carolina | Columbia, South Carolina | 1801 | 2022 | Public | 35,364 | Gamecocks | Soccer (m) | SEC | |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida[b] | 1963 | 2023 | 70,406 | Knights | Big 12 | |||
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington, North Carolina | 1947 | 2022[a] | 14,765 | Seahawks | Beach volleyball | CAA | ||
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 1867 | 2022 | 26,269 | Mountaineers | Soccer (m) | Big 12 |
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Type | Nickname | Colors | Sport | Conference in former Sun Belt sport[a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Arkansas | Conway, Arkansas | 1907 | 2019 | 2021 | Public | Bears[b] | Soccer (m) | ASUN | |
| Hartwick College | Oneonta, New York | 1797 | 2014 | 2018 | Private | Hawks | Empire 8[c] | ||
| Howard University | Washington, D.C. | 1867 | 2021[d] | Bison | Northeast | ||||
| University of Idaho | Moscow, Idaho | 1889 | 2001 | 2005 | Public | Vandals | Football | Big Sky | |
| 2014 | 2018 | ||||||||
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | Newark, New Jersey | 1881 | 2016 | Highlanders | Soccer (m) | America East | |||
| New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico | 1888 | 2018 | Aggies | Football | CUSA | |||
| Stephen F. Austin State University | Nacogdoches, Texas | 1923 | 2022 | 2024 | Ladyjacks | Beach volleyball | SLC | ||
| Utah State University | Logan, Utah | 1888 | 2003 | 2005 | Aggies | Football | Mountain West (Pac-12 in 2026) | ||
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1873 | 1995 | 1997 | Private | Commodores | Soccer (m) | none[e] |
Full members (all sports) Full members (non-football) Associate members (football-only) Associate members (other) Other ConferenceOther Conference
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.[77] On February 15, 2012, Karl Benson was hired as the new commissioner of the Sun Belt, after having been the commissioner of theWestern Athletic Conference for 17 years. Waters would later move his departure date to March 15, allowing Benson to take over at that time.[6]
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.[78][79]
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.[80] 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.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 14 | – |
| Basketball | 14 | 14 |
| Beach volleyball | – | 8 |
| Cross country | 9 | 13 |
| Football | 14 | – |
| Golf | 14 | 13 |
| Soccer | 10 | 14 |
| Softball | – | 12 |
| Tennis | 9 | 14 |
| Track and field indoor | 7 | 13 |
| Track and field outdoor | 10 | 13 |
| Volleyball | – | 14 |
Member-by-member sponsorship of the nine men's SBC sports for the 2025–26 academic year.
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross country | Football | Golf | Soccer | Tennis | Track & field Indoor | Track & field outdoor | Total sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | 6 |
| Arkansas State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Coastal Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 8 |
| Georgia Southern | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| Georgia State | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| James Madison | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Marshall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Old Dominion | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| South Alabama | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Southern Miss | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Texas State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Troy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | 7 |
| Totals | 14 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 6+4 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 97+4 |
| Future members | ||||||||||
| Louisiana Tech | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Affiliate members | ||||||||||
| Kentucky | Yes | 1 | ||||||||
| South Carolina | Yes | 1 | ||||||||
| UCF | Yes | 1 | ||||||||
| West Virginia | Yes | 1 | ||||||||
| School | Sailing[a] | Swimming & diving | Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | SoCon | ||
| Old Dominion | MAISA | ASUN |
Member-by-member sponsorship of the 10 women's SBC sports for the 2025–26 academic year.
| School | Basketball | Beach volleyball | Cross country | Golf | Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Track & field indoor | Track & field outdoor | Volleyball | Total sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Arkansas State | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Coastal Carolina | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Georgia Southern | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Georgia State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| James Madison | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Louisiana | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Marshall | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Old Dominion | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | 5 |
| South Alabama | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Southern Miss | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Texas State | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Troy | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Totals | 14 | 4+3 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 124+3 |
| Future members | |||||||||||
| Louisiana Tech | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Affiliate members | |||||||||||
| Charleston | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Mercer | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| UNCW | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| School | Bowling | Field hockey | Lacrosse | Rifle | Rowing | Sailing[a] | Swimming & diving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | MAC | ||||||
| Arkansas State | CUSA | ||||||
| Coastal Carolina | ASUN | ||||||
| Georgia Southern | SoCon | ASUN | |||||
| James Madison | MAC | American | American | ||||
| Louisiana Tech | CUSA[b] | ||||||
| Marshall | American | ||||||
| Old Dominion | Big East | American | Big 12 | MAISA | ASUN |
"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.
|
|
|
The Sun Belt also has an all-sports competition called theVic Bubas Cup, which is awarded to the school with the best performance across every sport the Sun Belt Conference sponsors.[81] South Alabama has won the most Bubas Cups, with 16.
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.
| School | NCAA titles | Sport | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion | 10 | Women's basketball | 1985 |
| Field hockey | 1982 •1983 •1984 •1988 •1990 •1991 •1992 •1998 •2000 | ||
| Georgia Southern | 6 | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 1985 •1986 •1989 •1990 •1999 •2000 |
| James Madison | 5 | Field hockey | 1994 |
| Archery | 1995 | ||
| Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 2004 •2016 | ||
| Women's lacrosse | 2018 | ||
| Appalachian State | 3 | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 2005 •2006 •2007 |
| Marshall | 3 | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 1992 •1996 |
| Men's soccer | 2020 | ||
| Louisiana–Monroe | 1 | Football (Division I-AA/FCS) | 1987 |
| Coastal Carolina | 1 | Baseball | 2016 |
| Total | 29 |
See also:List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships,List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships, andNCAA Division I FBS Conferences
For more information seeSun Belt Conference football. For the current season, see2025 Sun Belt Conference football season.
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, theNew 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. As of October 2021[update], the conference had sevenbowl game tie-ins (Cure,Boca Raton,LendingTree,New Orleans,Myrtle Beach,Frisco, andCamellia)
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 ofIdaho andNew Mexico State)[82] would be divided into two divisions for football: East:Appalachian State,Coastal Carolina,Georgia Southern,Georgia State, andTroy; West:Arkansas State,Louisiana,Louisiana–Monroe,South Alabama, andTexas 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.[83]
| Team | First season | All-Time record | All-Time win % | Bowl appearances | Bowl record | All-Time Conference titles | Current Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | 1928 | 668–363–28 | .644 | 8 | 7–1 | 22 | Shawn Clark |
| Arkansas State | 1911 | 503–530–37 | .487 | 12 | 5–7 | 14 | Butch Jones |
| Coastal Carolina | 2003 | 172–96 | .642 | 5 | 2–3 | 9 | Tim Beck |
| Georgia Southern | 1924 | 426–258–10 | .621 | 7 | 3–4 | 11 | Clay Helton |
| Georgia State | 2010 | 64–115 | .358 | 6 | 4–2 | 0 | Dell McGee |
| James Madison | 1972 | 378–228-4 | .623 | 2 | 1–1 | 10 | Bob Chesney |
| Louisiana | 1901 | 582–568–34 | .506 | 12 | 8–4 | 13 | Michael Desormeaux |
| Louisiana–Monroe | 1931 | 330–471–8 | .413 | 1 | 0–1 | 5 | Bryant Vincent |
| Marshall | 1895 | 638–574–47 | .525 | 20 | 13–7 | 13 | Tony Gibson |
| Old Dominion | 2009[a] | 97–86–0 | .530 | 3 | 1–2 | 0 | Ricky Rahne |
| Southern Miss | 1912 | 618–473–27 | .565 | 25 | 12–13 | 8 | Charles Huff |
| South Alabama | 2009 | 90–98 | .479 | 5 | 2–3 | 0 | Kane Wommack |
| Texas State | 1904 | 541–501–25 | .519 | 2 | 2–0 | 12 | G. J. Kinne |
| Troy | 1909 | 581–437–28 | .569 | 10 | 6–4 | 21 | Gerard Parker |
Since the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS season, the Sun Belt Conference has held a football championship game.[84]
As of the2024–25 NCAA football bowl games, the Sun Belt Conference had tie-ins with the following bowl games:[86]
Football rivalries involving Sun Belt teams include:
| Teams | Rivalry Name | Trophy | Meetings (last) | Record | Series Leader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | Georgia Southern | Deeper Than Hate | — | 40 (2024) | 22–17–1 | Appalachian State |
| Appalachian State | Marshall | Old Mountain Feud | — | 27 (2024) | 16–11 | Appalachian State |
| Georgia State | Georgia Southern | Modern Day Hate | — | 11 (2024) | 6–5 | Georgia State |
| James Madison | Old Dominion | Royal Rivalry | Crown | 5 (2024) | 3–2 | James Madison |
| Louisiana | Louisiana–Monroe | Battle on the Bayou | Wooden Boot | 60[a] (2024) | 33–26 | Louisiana |
| South Alabama | Troy | Battle for the Belt | Belt | 13 (2024) | 9–4 | Troy |
This list goes through the 2021–22 season.[87]
This list goes through the 2022–23 season.[88]
| Team | First season | All-time record | All-time win % | NCAA Tournament appearances | NCAA Tournament record | Arena | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | 1970–71 | 689–726 | .487 | 4 | 0–4 | Holmes Center | Alaura Sharp |
| Arkansas State | 1974–75 | 770–602 | .561 | 0 | 0–0 | First National Bank Arena | Destinee Rogers |
| Coastal Carolina | 1974–75 | 572–732 | .439 | 0 | 0–0 | HTC Center | Kevin Pederson |
| Georgia Southern | 1973–74 | 707–679 | .510 | 2 | 0–2 | Hill Convocation Center | Hanna Haden |
| Georgia State | 1975–76 | 630–692 | .477 | 3 | 0–3 | Georgia State Convocation Center | Gene Hill |
| James Madison | 1920–21 | 1176–578–5 | .670 | 12 | 8–12 | Atlantic Union Bank Center | Sean O'Regan |
| Louisiana | 1982–83 | 466–684 | .405 | 1 | 0–1 | Cajundome | Gary Broadhead |
| Louisiana–Monroe | 1974–75 | 632–682 | .481 | 4 | 4–4 | Fant–Ewing Coliseum | Missy Bilerback |
| Marshall | 1969–70 | 715–737 | .492 | 2 | 0–2 | Cam Henderson Center | Juli Fulks |
| Old Dominion | 1969–70 | 1121–480 | .700 | 25 | 34–24 | Chartway Arena | DeLisha Milton-Jones |
| South Alabama | 1974–75 | 666–701 | .487 | 1 | 0–1 | Mitchell Center | Yolisha Jackson |
| Southern Miss | 1975–76 | 780–589 | .570 | 8 | 4–8 | Reed Green Coliseum | Joye Lee-McNelis |
| Texas State | 1982–83 | 565–576 | .495 | 2 | 0–2 | Strahan Arena | Zenarae Antoine |
| Troy | 1975–76 | 670–677 | .497 | 4 | 0–4 | Trojan Arena | Chanda Rigby |
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 inPensacola, Florida atPensacola Bay Center since 2022.[89] Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I basketball 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.
| School | Tourney titles | Title Years |
|---|---|---|
| South Alabama | 13 | 1980 • 1981 • 1983 • 1984 • 1987 • 1992 • 1996 • 1997 • 2000 • 2001 • 2005 • 2017 •2021 |
| Louisiana | 5 | 1998 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 •2022 |
| Coastal Carolina | 3 | 2018 •2019 •2025 |
| New Orleans | 3 | 1978 • 1979 • 2007 |
| South Florida | 3 | 1982 • 1986 • 1990 |
| FIU | 2 | 1999 • 2010 |
| Lamar | 2 | 1993 • 1995 |
| Middle Tennessee | 2 | 2003 • 2009 |
| Southern Miss | 2 | 2023 • 2024 |
| Western Kentucky | 2 | 2004 • 2008 |
| Arkansas State | 1 | 1994 |
| Florida Atlantic | 1 | 2013 |
| Jacksonville | 1 | 1989 |
| Little Rock | 1 | 2011 |
| New Mexico State | 1 | 2002 |
| Old Dominion | 1 | 1985 |
| Troy | 1 | 2006 |
| UAB | 1 | 1991 |
| ULM | 1 | 2012 |
| VCU | 1 | 1988 |
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 theUnited States Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2023–24 academic year.[95]
| Institution | 2023–24 Total Revenue from Athletics | 2023–24 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 |
Four of the Sun Belt's member schools,Georgia State,Louisiana,Old Dominion andSouthern Miss are doctorate-granting universities with "very high research activity," the highest classification given by theCarnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.[96]
Appalachian State is also currently ranked as one of the Top 10 regional schools in the South by theU.S. News & World Report.
| University | Affiliation | Carnegie[96] | Endowment[97] | US News[98] | Forbes[99] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Public (UNC) | Research (High) | $99,593,000[100] | 6 (Regional: South) | 301 |
| Arkansas State University | Public (ASU System) | Research (High) | $66,217,000[100] | 317 (National) | N/A[d 1] |
| Coastal Carolina University | Public | Master's (Larger) | $39,432,000[100] | 38 (Regional: South) | N/A[d 2] |
| Georgia Southern University | Public (USG System) | Research (High) | $50,999,000[100] | 331-440 (National) | N/A[d 3] |
| Georgia State University | Public (USG System) | Research (Very High) | $155,303,000[100] | 234 (National) | 367 |
| James Madison University | Public | Research (High) | $116,700,000[101] | 151 (National) | 139 |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Public (UL System) | Research (Very High) | $178,300,000[102] | 331-440 (National) | N/A[d 4] |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | Public (UL System) | Doctoral/Research | $28,787,795[103] | 331-440 (National) | N/A[d 5] |
| Marshall University | Public | Research (High) | $192,000,000[101] | 299 (National) | N/A[d 6] |
| Old Dominion University | Public | Research (Very High) | $265,800,000[101] | 299 (National) | 472 |
| University of South Alabama | Public | Research (High) | $555,735,000[100] | 331-440 (National) | N/A[d 7] |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Public | Research (Very High) | $136,300,000[101] | 331-440 (National) | N/A[d 8] |
| Texas State University | Public (TSU System) | Research (High) | $186,676,000[100] | 331-440 (National) | 385 |
| Troy University | Public (TU System) | Doctoral/Research[104] | $191,458,000[105] | 44 (Regional: South) | N/A[d 9] |
Sources said JMU's other sports would begin competition in the Sun Belt during the 2022-23 school year and it is expected the Dukes will be eligible for conference championships in their debut seasons.
Arena: GSU Sports Arena (3,854)
Trojan Arena, a 6,000-seat multi-purpose facility, opened in the fall of 2012.
| Full members |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| Future members | ||
| Associate members | ||
| Championships and awards | ||
| ||
