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Wikipedia

Sooner Athletic Conference

The Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Originally developed as a five-team conference of Oklahoma-based schools, the SAC now boasts 13 schools in a league that spans six states – Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana.

Sooner Athletic Conference
AssociationNAIA
Founded1978
CommissionerJohn Martin
Sports fielded
  • 18
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 9
No. of teams13
HeadquartersOklahoma City, OK
RegionSouth Central United States
Official websitesoonerathletic.org

As of August 2021, SAC member institutions have collected 109 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) team championships – the most among NAIA conferences – since the league formed in 1978.

The SAC crowns league champions in 18 intercollegiate sports – nine for women and nine for men. Women's sports are basketball, softball, golf, tennis, cross country, soccer, volleyball, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, and wrestling. Men's sports are football, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, cross country, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, soccer, and wrestling. The newest conference sport is women's wrestling, added for the 2019–20 season.

The conference is known for a rich basketball tradition. Member schools have won the men's NAIA tournament 12 times and women's NAIA tournament 16 times. SAC member schools also boast 14 NAIA national titles in men's golf, 13 in softball, 12 in women's indoor track and field, 10 in women's golf, 10 in men's cross country, 6 in men's tennis, 5 in women's outdoor track and field, 5 in men's indoor track and field, 4 in men's outdoor track and field, 2 in baseball, 2 in competitive cheer, and 1 in men's soccer for a total of 112.[1]

History

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Sooner Athletic Conference
 
 
150km
100miles
 
USAO
 
College of the Ozarks
 
UNT Dallas
 
Langston
 
Oklahoma Panhandle
 
Central Christian
 
Texas Wesleyan
 
SCU
 
Nelson
 
MACU
 
Wayland Baptist
 
Oklahoma City
 
John Brown
Location of SAC members:   current

Originally developed as a five-team conference of Oklahoma-based schools, the SAC now boasts 12 schools in a league that spans four states (Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Kansas). The league's newest addition is the University of North Texas Dallas, which entered the conference as an full member for 2021-22 and an associate member in 2020-21. The SAC added Central Christian College of Kansas and Oklahoma Panhandle State University to the fold for 2017-18, then dropped to 11 schools when St. Gregory's announced its closure in November 2017. The league added Langston University in 2018-19 as its first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) member, then dropped Bacone (Okla.) College after that same year.

Throughout the league's history, the SAC continues to be known as the conference "Where Champions Play". Various institutions have competed under the SAC banner over the years. Today only the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma remains from the original group that was formed when Bethany Nazarene (now Southern Nazarene), Oklahoma Baptist, Oklahoma Christian, and Phillips University withdrew from the Texoma Conference to form the SAC.

Membership has changed over the years with today's current members being admitted as follows: Oklahoma City (1986), Wayland Baptist (1994), John Brown (1995), Mid-America Christian (2007), Southwestern Assemblies of God (2013), Texas Wesleyan (2013), Southwestern Christian (2013), Bacone (2014), Central Christian (2017), Oklahoma Panhandle State (2017), and North Texas–Dallas (2020).

The league also includes associate members on a per-sport basis, with University of Houston–Victoria, University of the Southwest, and University of St. Thomas being part of the SAC in women's golf since 2017. Lyon College has been an associate member for women's wrestling since 2019.

Past members of the SAC include: Oklahoma Baptist, Oklahoma Christian, Southern Nazarene, Rogers State, Lubbock Christian, Northwestern Oklahoma State, Northwood, St. Gregory's and Bacone.

The league also includes associate members on a per-sport basis. Arizona Christian University, Lyon (Ark.) College, Ottawa University-Arizona and Texas College became SAC members for football in 2018-19 with Louisiana College joining for 2021–22.

Chronological timeline

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Member schools

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Current members

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The Sooner currently has 13 full members, all but four are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a]
Central Christian College of Kansas McPherson, Kansas 1884 Free Methodist 1,013 Tigers 2017
John Brown University Siloam Springs, Arkansas 1919 Interdenominational 2,708 Golden Eagles 1980;
1995[b]
Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 1897 Public
(HBCU) 		2,554 Lions 2018
Mid-America Christian University
(MACU) 		Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1953 Church of God 2,405 Evangels 2007
Nelson University[c] Waxahachie, Texas 1927 Assemblies of God 2,080 Lions 2013
University of North Texas at Dallas
(UNT Dallas) 		Dallas, Texas 2000 Public 4,100 Trailblazers 2020[d][2]
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1904 United Methodist 2,968 Stars 1986
Oklahoma Panhandle State University Goodwell, Oklahoma 1909 Public 1,207 Aggies 2017
College of the Ozarks[e] Point Lookout, Missouri 1906 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		1,508 Bobcats 2024
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
(USAO) 		Chickasha, Oklahoma 1908 Public 813 Drovers 1978;
2000[f]
Southwestern Christian University Bethany, Oklahoma 1946 Pentecostal 764 Eagles 2013
Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth, Texas 1890 United Methodist 2,373 Rams 2013
Wayland Baptist University Plainview, Texas 1908 Baptist 5,077 Pioneers 1994
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ John Brown left the SAC after the 1982–83 school year; before re-joining in the 1995–96 school year.
  3. ^ Formerly known as Southwestern Assemblies of God University prior to 2024.
  4. ^ North Texas–Dallas joined the SAC as an associate during the 2020–21 school year (in transition); before becoming a full member in the SAC for all sports in the 2021–22 school year.
  5. ^ This institution holds dual membership with the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).
  6. ^ USAO left the SAC after the 1993–94 school year; before re-joining in the 2000–01 school year.

Associate members

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The Sooner currently has eight associate members, all but one are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Sooner
sport 		Primary
conference
Arkansas Baptist College Little Rock, Arkansas 1884 Baptist 525 Buffaloes 2021m.wr.
2023fb. 		men's wrestling,
football 		Continental
University of Houston–Victoria Victoria, Texas 1973 Public
(UH System) 		4,407 Jaguars 2017 women's golf Red River (RRAC)
Jarvis Christian University[b] Hawkins, Texas 1912 Disciples of Christ 550 Bulldogs 2021 men's wrestling Red River (RRAC)
Louisiana Christian University[c] Pineville, Louisiana 1906 Baptist 1,200 Wildcats 2021[3] football Red River (RRAC)
North American University Stafford, Texas 2007 Private 821 Stallions 2023[d] football Red River (RRAC)
Ottawa University–Arizona Surprise, Arizona 2017 American Baptist 750 Spirit 2018 football Great Southwest (GSAC)
University of the Southwest Hobbs, New Mexico 1956 Nondenominational 550 Mustangs 2017 women's golf Red River (RRAC)
Texas College Tyler, Texas 1894 C.M.E. Church
(HBCU) 		972 Steers 2018 football Red River (RRAC)
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Formerly known as Jarvis Christian College until 2022.
  3. ^ Formerly known as Louisiana College until late 2021 (during the 2021–22 school year).
  4. ^ Did not count as an affiliate in conference play until 2024.

Former members

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The Sooner had ten former full members, all but two were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] Current
conference
Bacone College Muskogee, Oklahoma 1880 Tribal college[c] 900 Warriors 2015 2019 Continental
Lubbock Christian University Lubbock, Texas 1957 Churches
of Christ 		2,100 Chaparrals 1994 2013 Lone Star (LSC)[d]
Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva, Oklahoma 1897 Public 1,857 Rangers 2002 2012 Great American (GAC)[d]
Northwood University–Texas Cedar Hill, Texas 1966 Nonsectarian N/A Knights 2013 2014 Closed in 2014
Oklahoma Baptist University Shawnee, Oklahoma 1910 Baptist 2,097 Bison 1978 2015 Great American (GAC)[d]
Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1950 Churches
of Christ 		2,479 Eagles &
Lady Eagles 		1978 2012 Lone Star (LSC)[d]
Phillips University Enid, Oklahoma 1906 Disciples
of Christ 		N/A Haymakers 1978 1998 Closed in 1998
Rogers State University Claremore, Oklahoma 1909 Public 4,300 Hillcats 2007 2013 Mid-America (MIAA)[d]
St. Gregory's University Shawnee, Oklahoma 1875 Catholic
(Benedictines) 		N/A Cavaliers 1999 2018[e] Closed in 2017
Southern Nazarene University Bethany, Oklahoma 1899 Nazarene 2,110 Crimson
Storm 		1978 2012 Great American (GAC)[d]
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ Formerly affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) until 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  5. ^ Closed at the end of the fall 2017 semester (2017–18 school year).

Former associate members

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The Sooner had seven former associate members, all were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] Sooner
sport 		Current
conference
Arizona Christian University Glendale, Arizona 1960 Nondenominational 820 Firestorm 2018 2023 football Great Southwest (GSAC)
Cleary University Howell, Michigan 1883 Nonsectarian 600 Cougars 2019 2020 men's wrestling Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
Indiana Institute of Technology Fort Wayne, Indiana 1930 Nonsectarian 7,000 Warriors 2017
Lourdes University Sylvania, Ohio 1958 Catholic 1,500 Gray Wolves 2017
Lyon College Batesville, Arkansas 1872 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		700 Scots 2018fb.,
2019w.wr. 		2023fb.,
2023w.wr. 		football,
women's wrestling 		St. Louis (SLIAC)[c]
Rochester Christian University[d] Rochester Hills, Michigan 1959 Churches of Christ 1,100 Warriors 2018 2020 men's wrestling Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
University of St. Thomas Houston, Texas 1947 Catholic 1,626 Celts 2017 2019 women's golf Southern (SCAC)[c]
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ a b Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  4. ^ Formerly known as Rochester University until 2024 and Rochester College until 2019.

Membership timeline

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College of the OzarksNorth American UniversityJarvis Christian UniversityArkansas Baptist CollegeLouisiana Christian UniversityUniversity of North Texas of DallasCleary UniversityRochester Christian UniversityTexas CollegeOttawa University%23Arizona CampusLyon CollegeArizona Christian UniversityLangston UniversityUniversity of the SouthwestUniversity of St. Thomas (Texas)Lourdes UniversityIndiana Institute of TechnologyUniversity of Houston–VictoriaOklahoma Panhandle State UniversityCentral Christian College of KansasNAIA independent schoolsBacone CollegeTexas Wesleyan UniversitySouthwestern Christian UniversityNelson UniversitySouthwestern Assemblies of God UniversityNorthwood University%23Texas KnightsMid-America Intercollegiate Athletics AssociationHeartland ConferenceRogers State UniversityMid-America Christian UniversityGreat American ConferenceNorthwestern Oklahoma State UniversitySt. Gregory's UniversityWayland Baptist UniversityLone Star ConferenceHeartland ConferenceLubbock Christian UniversityOklahoma City UniversityArkansas Intercollegiate ConferenceNAIA independent schoolsJohn Brown UniversityRed River Athletic ConferenceOklahoma Intercollegiate ConferenceUniversity of Science and Arts of OklahomaGreat American ConferenceSouthern Nazarene UniversityPhilips UniversityLone Star ConferenceHeartland ConferenceOklahoma Christian UniversityGreat American ConferenceOklahoma Baptist University

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football-only)   Associate member (sport) 

References

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  1. ^ "Conference History".
  2. ^ "UNT Dallas newest Sooner Athletic Conference member". Midwest Sports Net. June 11, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  3. ^ "Louisiana College accepted into NAIA, joins RRAC and SAC". Crescent City Sports. October 5, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
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