Southwestern Athletic Conference

collegiate athletic conference made up of historically black colleges and universities

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a college athletic conference based in Birmingham, Alabama. It is made up of historically black universities in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for most sports. In football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

The SWAC is one of two conferences (the other being the Ivy League) which do not take part in postseason play in the FCS football tournament. It is the only one of the two whose members offer a full range of scholarships for football.[1] The SWAC instead splits its schools into two divisions, and plays a conference championship game. Furthermore, one SWAC game, the Bayou Classic between Southern and Grambling State, is positioned on the schedule after the NCAA tournament has begun. In addition, Alabama State plays Division II rival Tuskegee annually on Thanksgiving Day (The Turkey Day Classic).

History change

In 1920, athletic officials from six Texas HBCUs – C.H. Fuller of Bishop College, Red Randolph and C.H. Patterson of Paul Quinn College, E.G. Evans, H.J. Evans and H.J. Starns of Prairie View A&M, D.C. Fuller of Texas College and G. Whitte Jordan of Wiley College – met in Houston, Texas, to discuss common interests. At this meeting, they agreed to form a new league, the SWAC.

Paul Quinn became the first of the original members to leave the league when it did so in 1929. When Langston University of Oklahoma was allowed into the conference two years later, it began the migration of state-supported institutions into the SWAC. Southern University entered the league in 1934. Arkansas AM&N entered in 1936 and Texas Southern University in 1954.

As the state-supported schools became bigger, it became difficult for the church-supported schools to pay for their sports teams. Soon the church-supported schools started to leave the conference. Bishop withdrew from the conference in 1956, Langston in 1957 and Huston-Tillotson (formerly Samuel Huston) in 1959. That happened one year after two more state-supported schools entered the league (Grambling College and Jackson State College). The enter-exit cycle continued in 1961 when Texas College withdrew, followed by the entrance of Alcorn A&M in 1962. Wiley left in 1968, the same year Mississippi Valley State College entered. Arkansas AM&N exited in 1970 and Alabama State University entered in 1982. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (formerly Arkansas AM&N) rejoined the SWAC on July 1, 1997, regaining full-member status one year later. Alabama A&M University became the conference’s tenth member when it became a full member in September, 1999 after a one year period as an affiliate SWAC member.[2]

Current championship competition offered by the SWAC includes competition for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field and tennis. Women’s competition is offered in the sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.[2]

Membership change

There are currently 10 members in the SWAC.

Institution Location (population) Founded Affiliation Enrollment Year Joined Nickname Endowment
East Division
Alabama A&M Huntsville, Alabama
(176,645)
1875 Public 6,000 1999 Bulldogs $119M
Alabama State Montgomery, Alabama
(204,086)
1867 Public 5,600 1982 Hornets $51.6M
Alcorn State Lorman, Mississippi 1871 Public 3,250 1962 Braves $4.4M
Mississippi Valley State Itta Bena, Mississippi
(2,208)
1950 Public 2,500 1968 Delta Devils $1.4M
Jackson State Jackson, Mississippi
(156,382)
1877 Public 8,351 1958 Tigers $54.3M
West Division
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Arkansas
(50,667)
1873 Public 3,232 1936-1970; 1998 Golden Lions $1.9M
Grambling State Grambling, Louisiana
(4,693)
1901 Public 4,988 1958 Tigers $1.9M
Southern Baton Rouge, Louisiana
(227,017)
1880 Public 8,900 1935 Jaguars $9.6M
Prairie View A&M Prairie View, Texas
(4,410)
1876 Public 8,345 1920 Panthers $34M
Texas Southern Houston, Texas
(2,242,193)
1947 Public 11,550 1954 Tigers $6M

Membership timeline change

Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityAlabama State UniversityMississippi Valley State UniversityAlcorn State UniversityJackson State UniversityGrambling State UniversityTexas Southern UniversityUniversity of Arkansas at Pine BluffSouthern UniversityLangston UniversityWiley CollegeTexas CollegeHuston–Tillotson UniversityPrairie View UniversityPaul Quinn CollegeBishop College

Former members change

Conference facilities change

School Football stadium Capacity Basketball arena Capacity
Alabama A&M Louis Crews Stadium 21,000 Elmore Gymnasium 6,000
Alabama State Cramton Bowl 21,800 ASU Acadome 8,000
Alcorn State Jack Spinks Stadium 22,500 Davey Whitney Complex 7,000
Arkansas Pine Bluff Lion Stadium 12,500 K. L. Johnson Complex 4,500
Grambling State Eddie Robinson Stadium 19,600 Health & Physical Educational Building
Memorial Gymnasium
7,500
2,200
Jackson State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 62,000 Williams Assembly Center 8,000
Mississippi Valley State Rice-Totten Field 10,000 Harrison HPER Complex 5,000
Prairie View A&M Blackshear Stadium 6,000 William Nicks Building 5,520
Southern Ace W. Mumford Stadium 29,000 F. G. Clark Center 7,500
Texas Southern BBVA Compass Stadium (primary)
Reliant Stadium (secondary)
22,000
68,000
Health and Physical Education Arena 8,100

SWAC Championships change

Football change

All games at were played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

Year Winner Runner Up Score
1999 Southern Jackson State 31-30
2000 Grambling Alabama A&M 14-6
2001 Grambling Alabama State 38-31
2002 Grambling Alabama A&M 31-19
2003 Southern Alabama State 20-9
2004 Alabama State Southern 40-35
2005 Grambling Alabama A&M 45-6
2006 Alabama A&M Arkansas Pine Bluff 22–13
2007 Jackson State Grambling 42–31
2008 Grambling Jackson State 41-9
2009 Prairie View A&M Alabama A&M 30-24

Men's basketball change

Year Regular Season Coach Tournament Coach
1956-1957 Texas Southern Ed Adams not held
1957-1958 Texas Southern Ed Adams not held
1958-1959 Grambling Fred Hobby not held
1959-1960 Grambling Fred Hobby not held
1960-1961 Prairie View A&M Leroy Moore, Jr. not held
1961-1962 Prairie View A&M Leroy Moore, Jr. not held
1962-1963 Grambling Fred Hobby not held
1963-1964 Grambling
Jackson State
Fred Hobby
Harrison Wilson
not held
1964-1965 Southern Richard Mack not held
1965-1966 Alcorn State
Grambling
E.E. Simmons
Fred Hobby
not held
1966-1967 Alcorn State
Arkansas AM&N
Grambling
E.E. Simmons
Hubert Clemens
Fred Hobby
not held
1967-1968 Alcorn State
Jackson State
Bob Hopkins
Paul Covington
not held
1968-1969 Alcorn State Bob Hopkins not held
1969-1970 Jackson State Paul Covington not held
1970-1971 Grambling Fred Hobby not held
1971-1972 Grambling Fred Hobby not held
1972-1973 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney not held
1973-1974 Jackson State Paul Covington not held
1974-1975 Jackson State Paul Covington not held
1975-1976 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney not held
1976-1977 Texas Southern Robert Moreland not held
1977-1978 Southern Carl Stewart Jackson State Paul Covington
1978-1979 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1979-1980 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1980-1981 Alcorn State
Southern
Davey L. Whitney
Carl Stewart
Southern Carl Stewart
1981-1982 Alcorn State
Jackson State
Davey L. Whitney
Paul Covington
Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1982-1983 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1983-1984 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1984-1985 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Southern Bob Hopkins
1985-1986 Alcorn State
Southern
Davey L. Whitney
Bob Hopkins
Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
1986-1987 Grambling Bob Hopkins Southern Ben Jobe
1987-1988 Southern Ben Jobe Southern Ben Jobe
1988-1989 Grambling
Southern
Texas Southern
Bob Hopkins
Ben Jobe
Robert Moreland
Southern Ben Jobe
1989-1990 Southern Ben Jobe Texas Southern Robert Moreland
1990-1991 Jackson State Andy Stoglin Jackson State Andy Stoglin
1991-1992 Texas Southern
Mississippi Valley State
Robert Moreland
Lafayette Stribling
Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
1992-1993 Jackson State Andy Stoglin Southern Ben Jobe
1993-1994 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Texas Southern Robert Moreland
1994-1995 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Texas Southern Robert Moreland
1995-1996 Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
Andy Stoglin
Lafayette Stribling
Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
1996-1997 Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling Jackson State Andy Stoglin
1997-1998 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Prairie View A&M Elwood Plummer
1998-1999 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1999-2000 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Jackson State Andy Stoglin
2000-2001 Alabama State Rob Spivery Alabama State Rob Spivery
2001-2002 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
2002-2003 Prairie View A&M Jerome Francis Texas Southern Ronnie Courtney
2003-2004 Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling Alabama State Rob Spivery
2004-2005 Alabama A&M L. Vann Pettaway Alabama A&M L. Vann Pettaway
2005-2006 Southern Rob Spivery Southern Rob Spivery
2006-2007 Mississippi Valley State James Green Jackson State Tevester Anderson
2007-2008 Alabama State Lewis Jackson Mississippi Valley State James Green
2008-2009 Alabama State Lewis Jackson Alabama State Lewis Jackson
2009-2010 Jackson State Tevester Anderson Arkansas-Pine Bluff George Ivory

Tournament performance by school change

School Championships Championship Years
Alcorn State
7
1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1999, 2002
Southern
7
1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2006
Jackson State
5
1978, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2007
Texas Southern
4
1990, 1994, 1995, 2003
Mississippi Valley State
4
1986, 1992, 1996, 2008
Alabama State
3
2001, 2004, 2009
Prairie View A&M
1
1998
Alabama A&M
1
2005
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
1
2010

Women's Basketball change

Year Regular Season Coach Tournament Coach
1981-1982 Jackson State Sadie Magee Jackson State Sadie Magee
1982-1983 Jackson State Sadie Magee Jackson State Sadie Magee
1983-1984 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Jackson State Sadie Magee
1984-1985 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Jackson State Sadie Magee
1985-1986 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
1986-1987 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris
1987-1988 Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1988-1989 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Alabama State Ron Mitchell
1989-1990 Jackson State Andrew Pennington
1990-1991 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
1991-1992 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
1992-1993 Alcorn State
Southern
Shirley Walker
Herman Hartman
Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris
1993-1994 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1994-1995 Alcorn State
Grambling
Jackson State
Shirley Walker
Patricia Bibbs
Andrew Pennington
Jackson State Andrew Pennington
1995-1996 Alcorn State
Jackson State
Shirley Walker
Andrew Pennington
Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1996-1997 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1997-1998 Grambling David Ponton Grambling David Ponton
1998-1999 Grambling David Ponton Grambling David Ponton
1999-2000 Grambling David Ponton Alcorn State Shirley Walker
2000-2001 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
2001-2002 Southern Sandra Pugh Southern Sandra Pugh
2002-2003 Alabama State
Jackson State
Freda Freeman-Jackson
Denise Taylor
Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson
2003-2004 Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson Southern Sandra Pugh
2004-2005 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
2005-2006 Jackson State
Southern
Denise Taylor
Sandy Pugh
Southern Sandra Pugh
2006-2007 Prairie View A&M
Jackson State
Cynthia Cooper
Denise Taylor
Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper
2007-2008 Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper Jackson State Denise Taylor
2008-2009 Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper
2009-2010 Southern Southern

Notes and references change

  1. The Ivy League does not award athletic scholarships at all. Northeast Conference members are limited to 30 football scholarships, less than half the FCS scholarship limit of 63. Pioneer League members may offer scholarships in other sports, but do not award football scholarships, and do not allow athletes receiving scholarships in other sports to play football.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2010-03-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Other websites change