Southwestern Athletic Conference

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.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. 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
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.

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.

Membership

There are currently 10 members in the SWAC.

 InstitutionLocation (population) Founded Affiliation Enrollment Year JoinedNicknameEndowment 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

Former members
Arkansas AM&N (1936 to 1970; returned as Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 1997)
Bishop College (1920 to 1956)
Langston University (1931 to 1957)
Paul Quinn College (1920 to 1929)
Samuel Huston College (later Huston-Tillotson College) (from 1920 to 1959)
Texas College (1920 to 1961)
Wiley College (1920 to 1968)

Conference facilities
SchoolFootball stadiumCapacityBasketball arenaCapacityAlabama A&MLouis Crews Stadium21,000Elmore Gymnasium6,000Alabama StateCramton Bowl21,800ASU Acadome8,000Alcorn StateJack Spinks Stadium22,500Davey Whitney Complex7,000Arkansas Pine BluffLion Stadium12,500K. L. Johnson Complex4,500Grambling StateEddie Robinson Stadium19,600Health & Physical Educational BuildingMemorial Gymnasium7,5002,200Jackson StateMississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium62,000Williams Assembly Center8,000Mississippi Valley StateRice-Totten Field10,000Harrison HPER Complex5,000Prairie View A&MBlackshear Stadium6,000William Nicks Building5,520SouthernAce W. Mumford Stadium29,000F. G. Clark Center7,500Texas SouthernBBVA Compass Stadium (primary)Reliant Stadium (secondary)22,00068,000Health and Physical Education Arena8,100

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

YearWinnerRunner UpScore1999SouthernJackson State31-302000GramblingAlabama A&M14-62001GramblingAlabama State38-312002GramblingAlabama A&M31-192003SouthernAlabama State20-92004Alabama StateSouthern40-352005GramblingAlabama A&M45-62006Alabama A&MArkansas Pine Bluff22–132007Jackson StateGrambling42–312008GramblingJackson State41-92009Prairie View A&MAlabama A&M30-24

Men's basketball

YearRegular SeasonCoachTournamentCoach1956-1957Texas Southern Ed Adamsnot held1957-1958Texas Southern Ed Adamsnot held1958-1959GramblingFred Hobbynot held1959-1960GramblingFred Hobbynot held1960-1961Prairie View A&MLeroy Moore, Jr.not held1961-1962Prairie View A&MLeroy Moore, Jr.not held 1962-1963GramblingFred Hobbynot held1963-1964GramblingJackson StateFred HobbyHarrison Wilsonnot held1964-1965SouthernRichard Macknot held1965-1966Alcorn StateGramblingE.E. SimmonsFred Hobbynot held1966-1967Alcorn StateArkansas AM&NGramblingE.E. SimmonsHubert ClemensFred Hobbynot held1967-1968Alcorn StateJackson StateBob HopkinsPaul Covingtonnot held1968-1969Alcorn StateBob Hopkinsnot held1969-1970Jackson StatePaul Covingtonnot held1970-1971GramblingFred Hobbynot held1971-1972GramblingFred Hobbynot held1972-1973Alcorn StateDavey L. Whitneynot held1973-1974Jackson StatePaul Covingtonnot held1974-1975Jackson StatePaul Covingtonnot held1975-1976Alcorn StateDavey L. Whitneynot held1976-1977Texas SouthernRobert Morelandnot held1977-1978SouthernCarl StewartJackson StatePaul Covington1978-1979Alcorn StateDavey L. WhitneyAlcorn StateDavey L. Whitney1979-1980Alcorn StateDavey L. WhitneyAlcorn StateDavey L. Whitney1980-1981Alcorn StateSouthernDavey L. WhitneyCarl StewartSouthernCarl Stewart1981-1982Alcorn StateJackson StateDavey L. WhitneyPaul CovingtonAlcorn StateDavey L. Whitney1982-1983Texas SouthernRobert MorelandAlcorn StateDavey L. Whitney1983-1984Alcorn StateDavey L. WhitneyAlcorn StateDavey L. Whitney1984-1985Alcorn StateDavey L. WhitneySouthernBob Hopkins1985-1986Alcorn StateSouthernDavey L. WhitneyBob HopkinsMississippi Valley StateLafayette Stribling1986-1987GramblingBob HopkinsSouthernBen Jobe1987-1988SouthernBen JobeSouthernBen Jobe1988-1989GramblingSouthernTexas SouthernBob HopkinsBen JobeRobert MorelandSouthernBen Jobe1989-1990SouthernBen JobeTexas SouthernRobert Moreland1990-1991Jackson StateAndy StoglinJackson StateAndy Stoglin1991-1992Texas SouthernMississippi Valley StateRobert MorelandLafayette StriblingMississippi Valley StateLafayette Stribling1992-1993Jackson StateAndy StoglinSouthernBen Jobe1993-1994Texas SouthernRobert MorelandTexas SouthernRobert Moreland1994-1995Texas SouthernRobert MorelandTexas SouthernRobert Moreland1995-1996Jackson StateMississippi Valley StateAndy StoglinLafayette StriblingMississippi Valley StateLafayette Stribling1996-1997Mississippi Valley StateLafayette StriblingJackson StateAndy Stoglin1997-1998Texas SouthernRobert MorelandPrairie View A&MElwood Plummer1998-1999Alcorn StateDavey L. WhitneyAlcorn StateDavey L. Whitney1999-2000Alcorn StateDavey L. WhitneyJackson StateAndy Stoglin2000-2001Alabama StateRob SpiveryAlabama StateRob Spivery2001-2002Alcorn StateDavey L. WhitneyAlcorn StateDavey L. Whitney2002-2003Prairie View A&MJerome FrancisTexas SouthernRonnie Courtney2003-2004Mississippi Valley StateLafayette StriblingAlabama StateRob Spivery2004-2005Alabama A&ML. Vann PettawayAlabama A&ML. Vann Pettaway2005-2006SouthernRob SpiverySouthernRob Spivery2006-2007Mississippi Valley StateJames GreenJackson StateTevester Anderson2007-2008Alabama StateLewis JacksonMississippi Valley StateJames Green2008-2009Alabama StateLewis JacksonAlabama StateLewis Jackson2009-2010Jackson StateTevester AndersonArkansas-Pine BluffGeorge Ivory

Tournament performance by school
 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
YearRegular SeasonCoachTournamentCoach1981-1982Jackson StateSadie MageeJackson StateSadie Magee1982-1983Jackson StateSadie MageeJackson StateSadie Magee1983-1984Alcorn StateShirley WalkerJackson StateSadie Magee1984-1985Alcorn StateShirley WalkerJackson StateSadie Magee1985-1986Alcorn StateShirley WalkerAlcorn StateShirley Walker1986-1987GramblingPatricia BibbsMississippi Valley StateJessie Harris1987-1988Mississippi Valley StateJessie HarrisGramblingPatricia Bibbs1988-1989GramblingPatricia BibbsAlabama StateRon Mitchell1989-1990Jackson StateAndrew Pennington1990-1991Alcorn StateShirley WalkerAlcorn StateShirley Walker1991-1992Alcorn StateShirley WalkerAlcorn StateShirley Walker1992-1993Alcorn StateSouthernShirley WalkerHerman HartmanMississippi Valley StateJessie Harris1993-1994Alcorn StateShirley WalkerGramblingPatricia Bibbs1994-1995Alcorn StateGramblingJackson StateShirley WalkerPatricia BibbsAndrew PenningtonJackson StateAndrew Pennington1995-1996Alcorn StateJackson StateShirley WalkerAndrew PenningtonGramblingPatricia Bibbs1996-1997GramblingPatricia BibbsGramblingPatricia Bibbs1997-1998GramblingDavid PontonGramblingDavid Ponton1998-1999GramblingDavid PontonGramblingDavid Ponton1999-2000GramblingDavid PontonAlcorn StateShirley Walker2000-2001Alcorn StateShirley WalkerAlcorn StateShirley Walker2001-2002SouthernSandra PughSouthernSandra Pugh2002-2003Alabama StateJackson StateFreda Freeman-JacksonDenise TaylorAlabama StateFreda Freeman-Jackson2003-2004Alabama StateFreda Freeman-JacksonSouthernSandra Pugh2004-2005Alcorn StateShirley WalkerAlcorn StateShirley Walker2005-2006Jackson StateSouthernDenise TaylorSandy PughSouthernSandra Pugh2006-2007Prairie View A&MJackson StateCynthia CooperDenise TaylorPrairie View A&MCynthia Cooper2007-2008Prairie View A&MCynthia CooperJackson StateDenise Taylor2008-2009Prairie View A&MCynthia CooperPrairie View A&MCynthia Cooper2009-2010Southern Southern

Notes and references

Other websites
Official website
Swac Fans 

Category:NCAA Division I athletics conferences
Category:1920 establishments in the United States