Lander Basketball 1 - Lander University

Peach Belt Conference
Now entering its 22nd year of existence in 2011-12, the Peach
Belt Conference has become one of the elite Division II conferences
in the nation. Since its inception in 1990-91, the Peach
Belt has developed a consistent history of excellence which
continues to this day with 30 national championships and 25
national finalists.
Starting with only two championships in
1991, in men’s and women’s basketball, the
conference has expanded to 13 championship
sports with the addition of women’s golf in the
fall of 2009.
The conference traces its roots back to November
of 1988 when 11 schools first met in
David Brunk
Greenville, S.C., to form a Division II conference.
Following a second meeting on Dec. 3,
1989, five of those 11 schools, plus two others, formed the Peach
Belt and began play in fall 1990.
The Peach Belt was less than a year old before capturing a
national championship. The Columbus State golf team took the
honor by winning the 1992 national crown, the first of three golf
championships the Cougars own. One year later, the Lander
men's tennis team began their record-breaking run of eight
straight national titles, the first PBC dynasty. Since then, USCA
men's golf has won three straight national titles from 2004-06
while AASU women's tennis has captured five titles overall.
The 2008-09 season was among the PBC’s most memorable.
The Armstrong Atlantic men’s and women’s tennis teams both
won their respective national
championships – for the
second year in a row; a feat
only done once before in
college tennis. In addition,
the Augusta State men’s
basketball team became the
first conference program to
make back-to-back trips to
the NCAA Elite Eight, Armstrong
Atlantic became the
first PBC volleyball team
ever to advance to the Elite
Eight and the North Georgia
softball team was ranked
No. 1 in the nation and
reached the World Series.
The seven charter members
of the conference were
Armstrong Atlantic State
University, Columbus State
University, Francis Marion
University, Georgia College
& State University, Lander
University, USC Aiken and
USC Upstate. The name
Peach Belt Athletic Conference
was adopted in January
of 1990 and modified to
PBC Quick Facts
Address: 503 Blackburn Dr.,
Martinez, Ga. 30907
Founded: Dec. 3, 1989
Phone Number: 706-860-8499
Fax Number: 706-650-8113
Website: www.peachbeltconference.org
Commissioner: David Brunk
Media Relations: Ken Gerlinger
Compliance: Diana Kling
Operations: Carl Segura
Peach Belt Conference in May of 2000.
Augusta State joined the conference in 1991 and UNC Pembroke
became the ninth member on July 1, 1992. They were
followed by Kennesaw State University on July 1, 1994, Clayton
State University on July 1, 1995 and the University of North
Florida on July 1, 1997. Kennesaw State and North Florida
departed for the Division I ranks in 2005, USC Upstate did the
same in 2007, and the conference welcomed in North Georgia
College & State University in 2005 and Georgia Southwestern
State University in 2006.
In 2009-10, the Peach Belt grew once again with the addition
of the University of Montevallo and Flagler College, giving the
PBC 13 members, the most the league has ever had. The addition
of the two schools returedns
the PBC to the state of
Florida and expanded the
league into Alabama for the
first time.
David Brunk was named
the second PBC commissioner
in May of 2007.
Brunk replaced Marvin
Vanover, who was the first
PBC commissioner from
1991 to 2007.
Dr. Linda Bleicken,
president of Armstrong
Atlantic State University, is
the currently the Peach Belt
Conference president.
The conference currently
holds championships in 13
sports, six for men and seven
for women. They are men’s
and women’s cross country,
men’s and women’s soccer,
volleyball, men’s and
women’s basketball, men’s
and women’s tennis, baseball,
softball and men’s and
women’s golf.
28 Lander Basketball