The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference announced today that both Concordia University Texas and University of the Ozarks have accepted an invitation to join the conference.
"We are thrilled to welcome Concordia University Texas and University of the Ozarks to the league," said Colorado College president Song Richardson, who currently serves as the chair of the SCAC Board of Directors. "We are focused on the strength and growth of the conference, and this is an exciting moment as we continue to provide outstanding athletic experiences to our students on campus."
Currently members of the American Southwest Conference, both Concordia University Texas and University of the Ozarks will join the SCAC at the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year, becoming the ninth and tenth members of the league once membership stabilizes leading into the 2025-26 academic year. McMurry University was previously announced as a future core conference member, also beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.
"We are overjoyed that Concordia University Texas and University of the Ozarks have agreed to become part of the SCAC family," said commissioner Dwayne Hanberry. "Our membership is very familiar with both institutions and believe the two will seamlessly fit into the culture of our conference – a culture whose primary commitment is to broad-based athletic programs, gender equity, and the campus integration of student-athletes."
Concordia University Texas, a private institution founded in 1926 and located in Austin, has around 2,500 students. Utilizing the athletic nickname Tornados, Concordia fields teams across 15 sports – all SCAC-sponsored sports – including baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track & field and volleyball.
"It is truly an exciting time for Concordia University Texas athletics as we anticipate joining the SCAC in the fall of 2024," noted Concordia University President Dr. Donald Christian. "In addition to being able to regularly compete against schools in regions we have not yet had the opportunity, we will be joining a collective of schools who recruit and support student athletes at the highest level. I have always been impressed with the schools who make up the SCAC; it is a pleasure to join them in their pursuit of academic and athletic excellence."
"Concordia is honored to accept an invitation to join the SCAC," said Concordia University Texas Athletics Director Ronda Seagraves. "We feel that we will be a good fit with the current membership and look forward to competing alongside the other SCAC schools. The SCAC's approach to championships with predetermined sites and scheduling models designed to reduce missed class time means that our students will benefit greatly."
University of the Ozarks, which is located in Clarksville, Ark., is a private institution with around 900 students representing 25 countries, and traces its roots back to 1834, making it the oldest university in Arkansas and one of the oldest institutions of higher education west of the Mississippi River. Its athletic teams use the nickname Eagles and sponsor 20 sports, including 14 that are SCAC-sponsored sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's track & field. Ozarks has been an affiliate member of the conference in swimming and diving since 2017.
"We are grateful for the invitation to join the SCAC," said University of Ozarks President Richard Dunsworth, J.D. "This invitation is exciting to our University and athletic program, and it demonstrates confidence in the future of our institution and Eagles athletics. One of the main attractions for us is that all the SCAC member institutions are private, independent colleges, which aligns us with schools who have similar philosophies, including fellow Presbyterian institutions Austin College and Schreiner University. This will lead to a better experience for our student-athletes. To remain among institutions that live by the standard of academics first is an NCAA Division III principle that we hold in high regard."
"We're excited about the opportunity to join the SCAC and to renew some old rivalries with several former ASC members," said University of Ozarks athletic director Jimmy Clark. "The SCAC gives us a stable NCAA Division III conference whose member colleges fit us better in regards to enrollment size and facilities. Our coaches and student-athletes are excited about competing against new D-III
programs and traveling to new areas."
