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<strong>The</strong> Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) is a college athletic conference currently made up entirely of Historically <strong>Black</strong> Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). GCAC is affiliated with the NAIA’s Division I. Member institutions are located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. <strong>The</strong> GCAC was established in 1981, with the following charter institutions: Belhaven College, Dillard University, Louisiana College, Spring Hill College, Tougaloo College, William Carey University and Xavier University of Louisiana. <strong>The</strong> first sports were men and women’s basketball and men’s tennis, with other sports soon following. <strong>The</strong> University of Mobile was admitted in October, 1985, Southern University at New Orleans was granted admission in May, 1986, Loyola University was admitted in April, 1995, and Louisiana State University in Shreveport became a member in April, 2000. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced Dillard and Xavier (LA) to cancel all athletic competition for 2005-06 and Loyola and Southern-New Orleans were able only to compete partially. All schools returned to competition in 2006-07, although, in most cases, with a reduced number of sports. Louisiana College left the GCAC to join the American Southwest Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III in 2000. Belhaven also left in 2000, only to re-join in 2002; while Talladega College, who joined in 1999, left in 2002. In 2010, Belhaven, Loyola-New Orleans, Spring Hill, Mobile and William Carey left the GCAC to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC). In 2010, LSU-Shreveport left the conference to join the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). Edward Waters College and Fisk University joined to replace the departed schools in 2010. Philander Smith College also joined the GCAC in 2011. In January 2011, it was announced Talladega College would re-join the conference starting in the 2011-12 academic year. Talladega was a previous member of the GCAC from 1999-2002. Conference <strong>Sports</strong> Sport Men’s Women’s Basketball Y Y Cross Country Y Y Softball Y Tennis Y Y Track and Field Y Y Volleyball Y Spotlight On: Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Newest Conference in BSTM’s HBCU Report Conference Map Member Schools Men’s Women’s Institution Location Nickname Nickname Founded Type Dillard University New Orleans, LA Bleu Devils Lady Bleu Devils 1869 Private Edward Waters College Jacksonville, FL Tigers Lady Tigers 1866 Private Fisk University Nashville, TN Bulldogs Lady Bulldogs 1866 Private Philander Smith College Little Rock, AR Panthers Lady Panthers 1864 Private Southern University at N.O. New Orleans, LA <strong>Black</strong> Knights Lady Knights 1956 Public Talladega College Talladega, AL Tornadoes Lady Tornadoes 1867 Private Tougaloo College Tougaloo, MS Bulldogs Lady Bulldogs 1869 Private Xavier University of LA New Orleans, LA Gold Rush Gold Nuggets 1925 Private BSTM <strong>June</strong> <strong>2013</strong> 17
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