Conference Carolinas Explained

Conference Carolinas
Founded:1930
Association:NCAA
Division:Division II
Teams:15 (16 in 2025)
Sports:25 (26 in 2025)
Mens:12 (13 in 2025)
Womens:14
Region:North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia
Formerly:North State Conference (1930–1961)
Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1961–1995)
Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference (1995–2007)
Headquarters:Greenville, South Carolina
Commissioner:Chris Colvin
Color:
  1. 002059;
Font Color:white
Map:CVACstates.PNG
Map Size:250

Conference Carolinas, formerly known as the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC) or the Carolinas Conference, is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) primarily at the Division II level. It is also considered as one of the seven Division I conferences for men's volleyball. Originally formed in 1930, the league reached its modern incarnation in 1994. Member institutions are located in the southeastern United States in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Conference Carolinas membership currently consists of 15 small colleges or universities, 13 private and two public.

History

Conference Carolinas dates to its inception on December 6, 1930. The conference was formed then as an athletic association "for the greater advantage of the small colleges in North Carolina". The official name given back then was the North State Intercollegiate Conference but known informally as the Old North State Conference. The birthplace was the Washington Duke Hotel in Durham, North Carolina, and the seven charter members were Appalachian, Atlantic Christian (now Barton College), Catawba, Guilford, Elon, High Point, and Lenoir–Rhyne.

The conference followed a policy of expansion for a period of time. Western Carolina became a member in 1933, East Carolina in 1947, Pfeiffer in 1960, Newberry in 1961, and Presbyterian in 1964, followed closely by Mars Hill.

With the acceptance of the first member from South Carolina in Newberry College, a name change became necessary. Thus on May 20, 1961 the official name of the conference was changed to the Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAC) but commonly known less formerly as the Carolinas Conference.

East Carolina resigned in 1962 to join the Southern Conference and Appalachian and Western Carolina followed. Football sponsorship in the Carolinas Conference was dropped in 1973 when Lenoir–Rhyne, Newberry, Presbyterian, and Mars Hill joined the South Atlantic Conference.

Pembroke State University, now the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, became a first-time member in 1976 followed by Wingate College in 1979, and Lenoir–Rhyne re-joined in 1984.

While Guilford College withdrew in 1988, St. Andrews and Mount Olive were added that same year.

The 1989–90 academic year started a new era as Catawba, Elon, Lenoir–Rhyne and Wingate all withdrew to compete in the first year that the South Atlantic Conference provided championships in all sports, not just football.

The Carolinas Conference then added Belmont Abbey in 1989, Coker College (now Coker University) in 1991, and Lees-McRae in 1993. Pembroke State left in 1992.

The 1993–94 academic year brought a change to the conference national affiliation. The conference began the process of transferring membership to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) after years as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) member. During the transition, it was a dual member of the NCAA's Division II and the NAIA's Division I.

The 1995–96 year brought dramatic change to the conference. First, full membership into NCAA Division II was acquired and NAIA affiliation dropped. Thus, this was the first official year of full competition and championship play for the conference in NCAA D-II status. Secondly, this was also the same year that Erskine, Longwood, and Queens were accepted as full members of the conference. With Longwood becoming the first Virginia member, another name change occurred and the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference (known more universally as the 'CVAC') was born.

Following the 1997 academic year High Point resigned to join the NCAA D-I ranks while in 1998 Limestone soon joined and were quickly followed by Anderson in 1999.

In 2003, Longwood University left the conference to explore possibilities in NCAA Division I. Then in 2005 the CVAC added Converse College (becoming Converse University in July 2021) as an affiliate member before becoming a full member starting in the 2007–08 season.

With the lone Virginia school in Longwood leaving, the league decided to go back to its roots and change its name to Conference Carolinas June 1, 2007.

On June 1, 2011, King College and North Greenville University became official members of the conference and opened the conference to its first Tennessee member in King.

In 2013–14, Emmanuel College (Georgia) and Southern Wesleyan University became official members of the conference and opened the conference to its first Georgia member in Emmanuel. Southern Wesleyan began official full NCAA D-II membership in 2016–17 while Emmanuel started in 2018–19.

After 57 years as a league member Pfeiffer University moved down to the NCAA D-III ranks on June 1, 2017.

Conference Carolinas and the South Atlantic Conference entered into a partnership in the 2018–19 school year by which the two leagues would operate as a single conference in field hockey and wrestling, with championships immediately conducted in both sports. The leagues agreed that CC would coordinate the wrestling championship, while the SAC would fill the same role for field hockey. Accordingly, all CC field hockey programs became de facto affiliates of the SAC, while SAC wrestling programs became de facto CC affiliates.[1] The CC–SAC alliance is officially branded as "South Atlantic Conference Carolinas".[2]

After the completion of the 2018–19 athletic year, former Commissioner Alan Patterson retired and was replaced by Chris Colvin. One of the first moves made by Colvin was to move the league headquarters to Greenville, South Carolina to be more centrally located to all member institutions.

The league now has 13 members, with the most recent changes taking place in 2021. Francis Marion University joined for the first time, and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke returned after an absence of nearly 30 years.[3] They were the first public schools to join CC since Longwood's 2003 departure. The most recent departure from CC was that of Limestone College (now Limestone University), which moved to the SAC in 2020.[4]

Many institutions have been members of the league during its rich history including Anderson, Appalachian, Barton (formerly Atlantic Christian), Belmont Abbey, Catawba, Coker, Converse, East Carolina, Erskine, Emmanuel, Francis Marion, Guilford, Elon, High Point, King, Lees-McRae, Lenoir–Rhyne, Limestone, Longwood, Mars Hill, Mount Olive, Newberry, North Greenville, Pfeiffer, Presbyterian, Queens, St. Andrews, UNC Pembroke (both as Pembroke State and under its current name), Western Carolina and Wingate.

Barton is the only remaining charter member followed in longevity by Mount Olive's joining in 1988.

For the 2020–21 school year, CC added acrobatics and tumbling, newly added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program in that same school year, as its newest sport. Initially, five full members and one associate were to start competition,[5] but two more associates were added before competition began.[6]

The arrival of Francis Marion and return of UNC Pembroke were not the only changes to the conference membership in 2021. Converse admitted men to its residential undergraduate program for the first time, and also added men's sports. Converse initially planned to field seven teams,[7] but did not field the initially announced men's volleyball team.[8] Also in 2021–22, current SAC member Lincoln Memorial University added men's wrestling;[2] Emory & Henry College, which sponsors that sport, started a transition from Division III to Division II, joining the SAC (although it did not start full SAC competition until 2022–23);[9] and Mars Hill University became an associate member in acrobatics & tumbling.[10] Emory & Henry and Lincoln Memorial became de facto CC affiliates as part of South Atlantic Conference Carolinas.

Also for the 2021–22 season, CC announced a partnership with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference to conduct joint men's and women's bowling championship events (even though men's bowling is not considered a varsity sport by the NCAA). Each conference organizes its regular season independently, but the postseason is called Conference Carolinas/Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Bowling Championships. CC also announced Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum as new affiliate members for bowling.[11] [12]

In December 2021, CC and the SAC jointly announced that they would extend their existing partnership to include two women's sports, triathlon and wrestling, with triathlon competition starting in 2022–23 and wrestling in 2023–24. At the same time, both conferences agreed that after the 2021–22 school year, the SAC would become the only one of the two conferences to sponsor field hockey. The joint men's wrestling league continued to operate through the 2022–23 season. Initial plans were for both conferences to establish their own men's wrestling leagues,[13] but this changed in 2023, when the two conferences agreed that only CC would sponsor men's wrestling from 2023–24.[14]

On June 24, 2022, CC added Wingate as an acrobatics and tumbling affiliate starting with that program's first season in 2023–24.[15]

On January 26, 2023, CC announced the addition of Shorter University as its 15th member for 2024–25 school year. The addition of Shorter gave the Conference Carolinas its sixth football sponsoring institution, and accordingly that same day, it was also announced that the Conference Carolinas would begin sponsoring football in 2025. Sponsoring members would include Shorter and North Greenville, whose programs played in the Gulf South Conference, Barton and Erskine, affiliates of the South Atlantic Conference, UNC Pembroke, affiliate of the Mountain East Conference, and Chowan, up until 2022 was an affiliate of the Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association. It was also announced that Chowan will begin affiliation with the Gulf South Conference for the 2023 and 2024 seasons and that Shorter will compete as a D-II football independent for the 2024 season, with Erskine switching affiliations from the SAC to the GSC that season only to take their place, in order to accommodate programs until league play can begin.[16] [17] On April 5th, 2024, Ferrum College was announced as the conference's 16th member, as well as its seventh football program for CC's inaugural football season.[18]

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The CC currently has 15 full members; all but two are private schools.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollment
(Fall 2022)[23]
NicknameJoinedColors
Barton CollegeWilson, North Carolina1902Disciples of Christ1,265Bulldogs1930
Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmont, North Carolina1876Catholic
1,501Crusaders1989
Chowan UniversityMurfreesboro, North Carolina1848Baptist886Hawks2019
Converse UniversitySpartanburg, South Carolina1889Nonsectarian1,284Valkyries2007
Emmanuel UniversityFranklin Springs, Georgia1919Pentecostal850Lions2014
Erskine CollegeDue West, South Carolina1839Reformed
Presbyterian
956Flying Fleet1995
Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, South Carolina1970Public4,045Patriots2021
King UniversityBristol, Tennessee1867Evangelical
Presbyterian
1,359Tornado2011
Lees–McRae CollegeBanner Elk, North Carolina1899Presbyterian855Bobcats1993
Mount Olive, North Carolina1951Free Will
Baptist
2,288Trojans1988
North Greenville UniversityTigerville, South Carolina1891Baptist2,125Trailblazers2011
Shorter UniversityRome, Georgia1873Baptist1,506Hawks2024
Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentral, South Carolina1908Wesleyan1,175Warriors2014
Pembroke, North Carolina1887Public 7,666Braves1976;
2021
Young Harris CollegeYoung Harris, Georgia1886United Methodist1,407Mountain Lions2023Purple and white
Notes:

Affiliate members

The CC currently has fourteen affiliate members, with all but three being private schools, and two being historically African-American institutions.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedColorsCC
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Allen UniversityColumbia, South Carolina1870Nonsectarian (HBCU)621Yellow Jackets2023–24SIAC
2024–25
Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, West Virginia1895Public (HBCU)1,358Big Blue2023–24CIAA
2024–25
Coker UniversityHartsville, South Carolina1908Nonsectarian1,087Cobras2018–19South Atlantic (SAC)
2020–21Acrobatics and tumbling
Emory & Henry UniversityEmory, Virginia1836Methodist1,372Wasps2022–23South Atlantic (SAC)
2024–25
Lander UniversityGreenwood, South Carolina1872Public3,825Bearcats2020–21Acrobatics and tumblingPeach Belt (PBC)
Limestone UniversityGaffney, South Carolina1845Christian1,840Saints2020–21Acrobatics and tumblingSouth Atlantic (SAC)
Lincoln Memorial UniversityHarrogate, Tennessee1897Nonsectarian5,118Railsplitters2021–22BowlingSouth Atlantic (SAC)
2024–25
Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill, North Carolina1856Baptist1,072Lions2021–22Acrobatics and tumblingSouth Atlantic (SAC)
Montevallo, Alabama1896Public2,625Falcons2023–24Gulf South
Newberry CollegeNewberry, South Carolina1856Lutheran ELCA1,242Wolves2018–19South Atlantic (SAC)
2024–25
Salem UniversitySalem, West Virginia1888Private for-profit870Tigers2019-20Independent
Tusculum UniversityTusculum, Tennessee1794Presbyterian1,494Pioneers2021–22BowlingSouth Atlantic (SAC)
Wingate UniversityWingate, North Carolina1896Baptist3,440Bulldogs2023–24Acrobatics and tumblingSouth Atlantic (SAC)
Notes:

Former members

A total of 19 schools are former CC members, with 15 of them being private schools. School names and nicknames reflect those in use during the final year each institution was a member.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Anderson UniversityAnderson, South Carolina1911Baptist4,008Trojans19982010South Atlantic (SAC)
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina1899Public (UNC)20,641Mountaineers19301968Sun Belt
Catawba CollegeSalisbury, North Carolina1851United Church of Christ1,207Indians19301989South Atlantic (SAC)
Coker CollegeHartsville, South Carolina1908Nonsectarian1,087Cobras19912013South Atlantic (SAC)
East Carolina CollegeGreenville, North Carolina1907Public (UNC)28,021Pirates19471962The American
Elon CollegeElon, North Carolina1889Nonsectarian7,127Phoenix19301989Coastal (CAA)
Guilford CollegeGreensboro, North Carolina1837Quakers1,198Quakers19301988Old Dominion (ODAC)
High Point UniversityHigh Point, North Carolina1924United Methodist5,860Panthers19301997Big South
Lenoir–Rhyne CollegeHickory, North Carolina1891Lutheran ELCA2,312Bears1930;
1984
1975;
1989
South Atlantic (SAC)
Limestone CollegeGaffney, South Carolina1845Christian1,840Saints19982020South Atlantic (SAC)
Longwood UniversityFarmville, Virginia1839Public4,612Lancers19952003Big South
Mars Hill CollegeMars Hill, North Carolina1856Baptist1,072Lions19721976South Atlantic (SAC)
Newberry CollegeNewberry, South Carolina1856Lutheran ELCA1,242Wolves19611972South Atlantic (SAC)
Pfeiffer UniversityMisenheimer, North Carolina1885United Methodist1,185Falcons19602017USA South
Presbyterian CollegeClinton, South Carolina1880Presbyterian
1,231Blue Hose19641972Big South
Queens University of CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina1857Presbyterian
2,063Royals19952013ASUN
Laurinburg, North Carolina1958Presbyterian887Knights19882012Appalachian (AAC)
Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, North Carolina1889Public (UNC)11,877Catamounts19331969Southern (SoCon)
Wingate CollegeWingate, North Carolina1896Baptist3,440Bulldogs19791989South Atlantic (SAC)
Notes:

Former affiliate members

The CC had one former affiliate member.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCC
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Queens University of CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina1857Presbyterian
2,063Royals2018–192021–22Field hockeyASUN
Wrestling
Notes:

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyyImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20Period = from:1930 till:2030TimeAxis = orientation:horizontalPlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:20 top:5

Colors = id:line value:black id:Full value:rgb(0.63,0.88,0.755) # all sports id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.88,0.63,0.63) # football-only

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

bar:1 color:Full from:1930 till:1968 text:Appalachian State (1930–1968)

bar:2 color:Full from:1930 till:1943 text:Barton (1930–present) bar:2 color:Full from:1945 till:end

bar:3 color:Full from:1930 till:1989 text:Catawba (1930–1989)

bar:4 color:Full from:1930 till:1942 text:Elon (1930–1989) bar:4 color:Full from:1944 till:1989

bar:5 color:Full from:1930 till:1988 text:Guilford (1930–1988)

bar:6 color:Full from:1930 till:1997 text:High Point (1930–1997)

bar:7 color:Full from:1930 till:1942 text:Lenoir–Rhyne (1930–1975) bar:7 color:Full from:1944 till:1975 bar:7 color:Full from:1984 till:1989 text:(1984–1989)

bar:8 color:Full from:1933 till:1969 text:Western Carolina (1933–1969)

bar:9 color:Full from:1947 till:1962 text:East Carolina (1947–1962)

bar:10 color:Full from:1961 till:2017 text:Pfeiffer (1961–2017)

bar:11 color:Full from:1961 till:1972 text:Newberry (1961–1972) bar:11 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:end

bar:12 color:Full from:1965 till:1972 text:Presbyterian (1965–1972)

bar:13 color:Full from:1972 till:1976 text:Mars Hill (1972–1976) bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text:

bar:14 color:Full from:1976 till:1992 text:Pembroke State (1976–1992) bar:14 color:Full from:2021 till:end shift:(-60) text:UNC Pembroke (2021–present)

bar:15 color:Full from:1979 till:1989 text:Wingate (1979–1989) bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:

bar:16 color:Full from:1988 till:end text:Mount Olive (1988–present)

bar:17 color:Full from:1988 till:2012 text:St. Andrews (1988–2012)

bar:18 color:Full from:1989 till:end text:Belmont Abbey (1989–present)

bar:19 color:Full from:1991 till:2013 text:Coker (1991–2013) bar:19 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:end

bar:20 color:Full from:1993 till:end text:Lees–McRae (1993–present)

bar:21 color:Full from:1995 till:end text:Erskine (1995–present)

bar:22 color:Full from:1995 till:2003 text:Longwood (1995–2003)

bar:23 color:Full from:1995 till:2013 text:Queens (NC) (1995–2013) bar:23 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:2022

bar:24 color:Full from:1998 till:2020 text:Limestone (1998–2020) bar:24 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end

bar:25 color:Full from:1998 till:2010 text:Anderson (1998–2010)

bar:26 color:AssocOS from:2005 till:2007 text:Converse (2005–present) bar:26 color:Full from:2007 till:end

bar:27 color:Full from:2011 till:end text:King (2011–present)

bar:28 color:Full from:2011 till:end text:North Greenville (2011–present)

bar:29 shift:(-45) color:Full from:2016 till:end text:Southern Wesleyan (2016–present)

bar:30 color:AssocOS from:2016 till:2019 text:Chowan (2016–present) bar:30 color:Full from:2019 till:end

bar:31 shift:(-45) color:Full from:2018 till:end text:Emmanuel (GA) (2018–present)

bar:32 shift:(-30) color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:Lander (2020–present)

bar:33 shift:(-75) color:Full from:2021 till:end text:Francis Marion (2021–present)

bar:34 shift:(-75) color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text:Emory & Henry (2021–present)

bar:35 shift:(-75) color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text:Lincoln Memorial (2021–present)

bar:36 shift:(-75) color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text:Tusculum (2021–present)

bar:37 shift:(-75) color:Full from:2023 till:end text:Young Harris (2023–present)

bar:38 shift:(-75) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Allen (2023–present)

bar:39 shift:(-75) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Bluefield State (2023–present)

bar:40 shift:(-75) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Montevallo (2023–present)

bar:41 shift:(-75) color:Full from:2024 till:end text:Shorter (2024–present)

bar:42 shift:(-75) color:Full from:2025 till:end text:Ferrum (2025–future)

bar:N color:yelloworange from:1930 till:1961 text:NSIAC bar:N color:blue from:1961 till:1995 text:CIAC bar:N color:yelloworange from:1995 till:2007 text:CVAC bar:N color:blue from:2007 till:end text:Conference Carolinas

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1930

Sports

When Barton became the sixth member to sponsor men's volleyball in 2011–12, Conference Carolinas became the fourth official scholarship-granting conference in NCAA men's volleyball. It also became the first all-sports conference (i.e., one that sponsors men's and women's basketball) ever to sponsor men's volleyball as a scholarship sport,[24] and is also the first men's volleyball conference to consist solely of Division II members. No D-I all-sports conference sponsored the sport until the Big West Conference launched a men's volleyball league in the 2018 season (2017–18 school year).

Conference Carolinas sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in the following sports:

A divisional format is used for women's volleyball.
width=50%
  • Barton
  • Belmont Abbey
  • Chowan
  • Francis Marion
  • Mount Olive
  • UNC–Pembroke
width=50%
  • Converse
  • Emmanuel (Ga.)
  • Erskine
  • King (Tenn.)
  • Lees–McRae
  • North Greenville
  • Southern Wesleyan

In men's wrestling and women's triathlon, Conference Carolinas and the South Atlantic Conference have operated as a single league known as South Atlantic Conference Carolinas (SACC), holding joint conference tournaments in each sport. SACC will start sponsoring women's wrestling in 2023–24. SACC also operated in field hockey until the two conferences agreed that only the SAC would sponsor that sport starting in 2022–23. As noted previously, the men's wrestling championship was operated by CC through 2022–23; initially, the SAC was to establish its own men's wrestling league, but the two conferences later agreed that only CC would sponsor that sport from 2023–24.

In bowling, Conferences Carolinas and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference made a partnership to make a men's and women's bowling championship (even though men's bowling is not considered a varsity sport by the NCAA). Each conference will organize its regular season independently but the postseason will be called Conference Carolinas/Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Bowling Championships.

Men's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
Country
GolfLacrosseSoccerSwimming
& Diving
TennisTrack
& Field
Indoor
Track
& Field
Outdoor
Volleyball WrestlingTotal
CC
Sports
Barton11
Belmont Abbey11
Chowan8
Converse6
Emmanuel12
Erskine8
Francis Marion7
King11
Lees–McRae9
Mount Olive11
North Greenville10
Shorter9
Southern Wesleyan7
UNC Pembroke6
Young Harris7
Totals12141410813511121185+8124
Future member
Ferrum10
Affiliate members
Allen1
Bluefield State1
Coker1
Emory & Henry1
Limestone1
Lincoln Memorial1
Montevallo1
Newberry1

Women's sponsored sports by school

SchoolAcrobatics
& Tumbling
BasketballBowlingCross
Country
GolfLacrosseSoccerSoftballSwimming
& Diving
TennisTrack
& Field
Indoor
Track
& Field
Outdoor
VolleyballWrestlingTotal
CC
Sports
Barton11
Belmont Abbey12
Chowan11
Converse12
Emmanuel13
Erskine11
Francis Marion8
King12
Lees–McRae10
Mount Olive11
North Greenville10
Shorter10
Southern Wesleyan9
UNC Pembroke9
Young Harris8
Totals5+5143+214121114147121212143+5147
Future member
Ferrum11
Affiliate members
Allen1
Bluefield State1
Coker1
Emory & Henry1
Lander1
Limestone1
Lincoln Memorial2
Mars Hill1
Newberry1
Tusculum1
Wingate1

Other sponsored sports by school

SchoolMenWomen
FootballGolfBeach
volleyball
EquestrianField
Hockey
Triathlon
BartonSAC
Belmont AbbeySACIND
ChowanGSC
ConverseINDSAC
EmmanuelSAC
ErskineGSCSAC
Francis MarionSouthland
FerrumCCTBATBA
KingIND
Mount Olive
North GreenvilleGSC
ShorterIND
UNC PembrokeMEC

In addition to the above:

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Conference Carolinas and The South Atlantic Conference Partner to Sponsor Field Hockey and Wrestling . South Atlantic Conference . January 25, 2018 . December 16, 2018 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180201104106/http://www.conferencecarolinas.com/sports/Misc./2017-18/FHWR . February 1, 2018 .
  2. Lincoln Memorial University to Add Field Hockey and Men's and Women's Wrestling . Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters . September 24, 2020 . September 28, 2020.
  3. Conference Carolinas Announces Addition of Francis Marion and UNC Pembroke. Conference Carolinas. April 18, 2020.
  4. Limestone College to Join South Atlantic Conference in 2020-21 . South Atlantic Conference . April 5, 2019 . April 26, 2019.
  5. Conference Carolinas to Sponsor Acrobatics and Tumbling in 2020-21 Athletic Year; Coker Joins as Affiliate Member in NCAA Emerging Sport . Conference Carolinas . January 25, 2020 . September 5, 2020.
  6. Conference Carolinas Welcomes Lander and Limestone as Associate Members in Acrobatics and Tumbling . Conference Carolinas . January 25, 2020 . September 5, 2020.
  7. Converse Announces Inaugural Men’s NCAA Division II Athletic Teams for 2021-2022 . Converse College . April 8, 2020 . September 5, 2020.
  8. Mount Olive Picked to Defend Conference Carolinas Men’s Volleyball Title . Conference Carolinas . December 17, 2021 . December 21, 2021.
  9. Emory & Henry College to Join South Atlantic Conference; Will Begin Competition in 2022-23 . South Atlantic Conference . November 17, 2020 . November 26, 2020.
  10. Conference Carolinas Announces Addition of Mars Hill as Associate Member in Acrobatics & Tumbling . Conference Carolinas . June 3, 2021 . June 8, 2021.
  11. Conference Carolinas Unveils Addition of Tusculum as Associate Member in Men's and Women's Bowling . Conference Carolinas . June 3, 2021 . January 25, 2022.
  12. Great Midwest Collaborates With Conference Carolinas For 2021-22 Bowling Championships . Great Midwest Athletic Conference . March 25, 2021 . January 25, 2022.
  13. Conference Carolinas Extends Collaboration With South Atlantic Conference Into Women’s Triathlon and Women’s Wrestling . Conference Carolinas . December 16, 2021 . July 3, 2022.
  14. Conference Carolinas Welcomes Eight Associate Members as Part of Sponsorship of Men’s Wrestling in 2023-24 . Conference Carolinas . February 7, 2023 . May 11, 2023.
  15. Conference Carolinas Welcomes Wingate As Associate Member in Acrobatics & Tumbling . Conference Carolinas . June 24, 2022 . June 24, 2022.
  16. Conference Carolinas Unveils Addition of Shorter University and Return of Football in 2025 . Conference Carolinas . January 26, 2023 . January 28, 2023.
  17. Gulf South Conference Adds Two Football Affiliate Members . Gulf South Conference . January 26, 2023 . January 28, 2023.
  18. Conference Carolinas Unveils Addition of 16th Member in Ferrum College . Conference Carolinas . April 5, 2024 . April 5, 2024.
  19. Web site: Conference Carolinas Narrative . Conference Carolinas . July 7, 2022.
  20. Conference Carolinas Announces 2022-23 Developmental Championship Slate . Conference Carolinas . October 13, 2022 . October 15, 2022.
  21. Web site: 2021–22 Conference Carolinas Championships . Conference Carolinas . October 15, 2022.
  22. Conference Carolinas Announces 2023-24 Developmental Championship Slate . Conference Carolinas . September 14, 2023 . October 20, 2023.
  23. Web site: College Navigator.
  24. Web site: The Little Conference That Could . Vinnie . Lopes . Volleyball Magazine . April 4, 2014 . August 28, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140903051806/http://volleyballmag.com/articles/43318-the-little-conference-that-could . September 3, 2014 . dead .