Gulf South Conference The Gulf South Conference ( GSC ) is an NCAA Division II college athletic conference which operates in the southeastern United States . History . Originally known as the Mid - South Conference , the Gulf South Conference was formed by six universities in the summer of 1970 : Delta State , Florence State ( now North Alabama ) , Jacksonville State , Livingston ( now West Alabama ) , Tennessee – Martin and Troy State ( now Troy ) . Scheduling problems for the 1970 – 71 academic year limited the league to football , won by Jacksonville State . In 1971 , the league changed its name to the Gulf South Conference ; added Southeastern Louisiana ( SELA ) and Nicholls State ( increasing the membership to eight ) ; opened an office in Hammond , Louisiana ; and began championships in all men ’ s sports . The following year , Mississippi College and Northwestern Louisiana ( NWLA , now Northwestern State ) were admitted . NWLA withdrew to go Division I two years later , followed by SELA and Nicholls State in 1979 . The conference continued with seven teams until 1981 , when the presidents admitted Valdosta State . West Georgia joined in 1983 . Eight years of stability ended in 1991 when Tennessee – Martin and Troy State went Division I , briefly dropping the GSC back to seven members , before the beginning of an expansion resulting in ten new members : Lincoln Memorial ( 1992 – 93 ) ; Alabama – Huntsville , Henderson State , Central Arkansas , and Mississippi University for Women ( MUW ) ( 1993 – 94 ) ; West Florida ( 1994 – 95 ) ; and Arkansas - Monticello , Arkansas Tech , Montevallo , and Southern Arkansas ( 1995 – 96 ) . Jacksonville State went Division I at the end of 1992 – 93 . Mississippi College dropped to Division III at the end of 1995 – 96 and was replaced by Christian Brothers to keep the Conference at 16 schools . In July 2000 , the GSC welcomed Harding University and Ouachita Baptist University , making it the largest NCAA conference at any level with 18 schools . The Conference membership decreased to 17 when MUW dropped its athletics program at the end of the 2002 – 03 season . 2006 – 07 was another season of change for the GSC . Central Arkansas moved to Division I , leaving the West Division with eight schools while Lincoln Memorial left for the South Atlantic Conference due to travel and location issues , leaving the East Division with seven schools . Montevallo announced on June 27 , 2008 that they will be leaving for the Peach Belt Conference following the 2008 – 09 season due to issues between the University ' s President and the Commissioner . Former Commissioner Jim McCullough moved the GSC office to its present Birmingham , Alabama , location . The current Commissioner , Nate Salant , has been in office since October 1992 . 2010s realignment . Beginning with the 2011 – 12 academic year , current GSC members University of Arkansas at Monticello , Arkansas Tech University , Harding University , Henderson State University , Ouachita Baptist University and Southern Arkansas University left the GSC to form the Great American Conference . The University of New Orleans , which was transitioning from Division I to Division II , was accepted into the conference in June 2011 , but the school announced intentions to stay Division I in March 2012 . In July 2011 , Shorter University and Union University ( Jackson , Tenn . ) were accepted into the NCAA and will begin the multi - year transition process from the NAIA to NCAA . Both universities will begin GSC competition in the 2012 – 13 academic year but will not be eligible for NCAA national tournaments until the 2014 – 15 academic year . In August 2011 , the GSC added the Florida Institute of Technology as an associate member for football beginning in the 2013 season . On October 11 , 2012 , Mississippi College announced that it would petition the NCAA to leave Division III and return to the conference . Member schools . Former members . - New Orleans was a provisional member in the GSC , which was transitioning from Division I to Division II , competing in volleyball , baseball , men ’ s & women ’ s cross country , men ’ s & women ’ s golf , and men ’ s & women ’ s tennis . However , the school announced intentions to stay Division I as of March 2012 . Sponsored sports . GSC members feature comprehensive athletic programs that compete for 14 official conference championships : football , men ’ s and women ’ s cross country , men ’ s and women ’ s soccer , women ’ s volleyball , men ’ s and women ’ s basketball , baseball , softball , men ’ s and women ’ s tennis and men ’ s and women ’ s golf . The GSC is perhaps best known for being the premier conference in NCAA Division II football . The three - year run put together by North Alabama in the mid - 1990s is one of the most amazing feats in college football history . North Alabama went 41 - 1 during that span with the only loss being a 3 point loss to that season ’ s NCAA Division I - AA champion Youngstown State .