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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 all 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 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).
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.
There are currently 10 members in the SWAC.
| Institution | Location (population) | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Year Joined | Nickname | Endowment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Division | |||||||
| Alabama A&M | Huntsville, Alabama (176,645) |
1875 | Public | 6,000 | 1999 | Bulldogs | $119M |
| Alabama State | Montgomery, Alabama (204,086) |
1875 | 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 |
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A&M | Louis Crews Stadium | 21,000 | Elmore Gymnasium | 6,000 |
| Alabama State | Cramton Bowl | 21,800 | ASU Acadome | 8,000 |
| Alcorn State | Jack Spinks Stadium | 22,500 | Davey Whitney Complex | 7,000 |
| Arkansas Pine Bluff | Lion Stadium | 12,500 | K. L. Johnson Complex | 4,500 |
| Grambling State | Eddie Robinson Stadium | 19,600 | Health & Physical Educational Building Memorial Gymnasium |
7,500 2,200 |
| Jackson State | Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium | 62,000 | Williams Assembly Center | 8,000 |
| Mississippi Valley State | Rice-Totten Field | 10,000 | Harrison HPER Complex | 5,000 |
| Prairie View A&M | Blackshear Stadium | 6,000 | William Nicks Building | 5,520 |
| Southern | Ace W. Mumford Stadium | 29,000 | F. G. Clark Center | 7,500 |
| Texas Southern | BBVA Compass Stadium (primary) Reliant Stadium (secondary) |
22,000 68,000 |
Health and Physical Education Arena | 8,100 |
All games at were played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
| Year | Winner | Runner Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Southern | Jackson State | 31-30 |
| 2000 | Grambling | Alabama A&M | 14-6 |
| 2001 | Grambling | Alabama State | 38-31 |
| 2002 | Grambling | Alabama A&M | 31-19 |
| 2003 | Southern | Alabama State | 20-9 |
| 2004 | Alabama State | Southern | 40-35 |
| 2005 | Grambling | Alabama A&M | 45-6 |
| 2006 | Alabama A&M | Arkansas Pine Bluff | 22–13 |
| 2007 | Jackson State | Grambling | 42–31 |
| 2008 | Grambling | Jackson State | 41-9 |
| 2009 | Prairie View A&M | Alabama A&M | 30-24 |
| Year | Regular Season | Coach | Tournament | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-1957 | Texas Southern | Ed Adams | not held | |
| 1957-1958 | Texas Southern | Ed Adams | not held | |
| 1958-1959 | Grambling | Fred Hobby | not held | |
| 1959-1960 | Grambling | Fred Hobby | not held | |
| 1960-1961 | Prairie View A&M | Leroy Moore, Jr. | not held | |
| 1961-1962 | Prairie View A&M | Leroy Moore, Jr. | not held | |
| 1962-1963 | Grambling | Fred Hobby | not held | |
| 1963-1964 | Grambling Jackson State |
Fred Hobby Harrison Wilson |
not held | |
| 1964-1965 | Southern | Richard Mack | not held | |
| 1965-1966 | Alcorn State Grambling |
E.E. Simmons Fred Hobby |
not held | |
| 1966-1967 | Alcorn State Arkansas AM&N Grambling |
E.E. Simmons Hubert Clemens Fred Hobby |
not held | |
| 1967-1968 | Alcorn State Jackson State |
Bob Hopkins Paul Covington |
not held | |
| 1968-1969 | Alcorn State | Bob Hopkins | not held | |
| 1969-1970 | Jackson State | Paul Covington | not held | |
| 1970-1971 | Grambling | Fred Hobby | not held | |
| 1971-1972 | Grambling | Fred Hobby | not held | |
| 1972-1973 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | not held | |
| 1973-1974 | Jackson State | Paul Covington | not held | |
| 1974-1975 | Jackson State | Paul Covington | not held | |
| 1975-1976 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | not held | |
| 1976-1977 | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland | not held | |
| 1977-1978 | Southern | Carl Stewart | Jackson State | Paul Covington |
| 1978-1979 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney |
| 1979-1980 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney |
| 1980-1981 | Alcorn State Southern |
Davey L. Whitney Carl Stewart |
Southern | Carl Stewart |
| 1981-1982 | Alcorn State Jackson State |
Davey L. Whitney Paul Covington |
Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney |
| 1982-1983 | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney |
| 1983-1984 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney |
| 1984-1985 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | Southern | Bob Hopkins |
| 1985-1986 | Alcorn State Southern |
Davey L. Whitney Bob Hopkins |
Mississippi Valley State | Lafayette Stribling |
| 1986-1987 | Grambling | Bob Hopkins | Southern | Ben Jobe |
| 1987-1988 | Southern | Ben Jobe | Southern | Ben Jobe |
| 1988-1989 | Grambling Southern Texas Southern |
Bob Hopkins Ben Jobe Robert Moreland |
Southern | Ben Jobe |
| 1989-1990 | Southern | Ben Jobe | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland |
| 1990-1991 | Jackson State | Andy Stoglin | Jackson State | Andy Stoglin |
| 1991-1992 | Texas Southern Mississippi Valley State |
Robert Moreland Lafayette Stribling |
Mississippi Valley State | Lafayette Stribling |
| 1992-1993 | Jackson State | Andy Stoglin | Southern | Ben Jobe |
| 1993-1994 | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland |
| 1994-1995 | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland |
| 1995-1996 | Jackson State Mississippi Valley State |
Andy Stoglin Lafayette Stribling |
Mississippi Valley State | Lafayette Stribling |
| 1996-1997 | Mississippi Valley State | Lafayette Stribling | Jackson State | Andy Stoglin |
| 1997-1998 | Texas Southern | Robert Moreland | Prairie View A&M | Elwood Plummer |
| 1998-1999 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney |
| 1999-2000 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | Jackson State | Andy Stoglin |
| 2000-2001 | Alabama State | Rob Spivery | Alabama State | Rob Spivery |
| 2001-2002 | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney | Alcorn State | Davey L. Whitney |
| 2002-2003 | Prairie View A&M | Jerome Francis | Texas Southern | Ronnie Courtney |
| 2003-2004 | Mississippi Valley State | Lafayette Stribling | Alabama State | Rob Spivery |
| 2004-2005 | Alabama A&M | L. Vann Pettaway | Alabama A&M | L. Vann Pettaway |
| 2005-2006 | Southern | Rob Spivery | Southern | Rob Spivery |
| 2006-2007 | Mississippi Valley State | James Green | Jackson State | Tevester Anderson |
| 2007-2008 | Alabama State | Lewis Jackson | Mississippi Valley State | James Green |
| 2008-2009 | Alabama State | Lewis Jackson | Alabama State | Lewis Jackson |
| 2009-2010 | Jackson State | Tevester Anderson | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | George Ivory |
| School | Championships | Championship Years |
|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State |
|
1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1999, 2002 |
| Southern |
|
1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2006 |
| Jackson State |
|
1978, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2007 |
| Texas Southern |
|
1990, 1994, 1995, 2003 |
| Mississippi Valley State |
|
1986, 1992, 1996, 2008 |
| Alabama State |
|
2001, 2004, 2009 |
| Prairie View A&M |
|
1998 |
| Alabama A&M |
|
2005 |
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
|
2010 |
| Year | Regular Season | Coach | Tournament | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-1982 | Jackson State | Sadie Magee | Jackson State | Sadie Magee |
| 1982-1983 | Jackson State | Sadie Magee | Jackson State | Sadie Magee |
| 1983-1984 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Jackson State | Sadie Magee |
| 1984-1985 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Jackson State | Sadie Magee |
| 1985-1986 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker |
| 1986-1987 | Grambling | Patricia Bibbs | Mississippi Valley State | Jessie Harris |
| 1987-1988 | Mississippi Valley State | Jessie Harris | Grambling | Patricia Bibbs |
| 1988-1989 | Grambling | Patricia Bibbs | Alabama State | Ron Mitchell |
| 1989-1990 | Jackson State | Andrew Pennington | ||
| 1990-1991 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker |
| 1991-1992 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker |
| 1992-1993 | Alcorn State Southern |
Shirley Walker Herman Hartman |
Mississippi Valley State | Jessie Harris |
| 1993-1994 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Grambling | Patricia Bibbs |
| 1994-1995 | Alcorn State Grambling Jackson State |
Shirley Walker Patricia Bibbs Andrew Pennington |
Jackson State | Andrew Pennington |
| 1995-1996 | Alcorn State Jackson State |
Shirley Walker Andrew Pennington |
Grambling | Patricia Bibbs |
| 1996-1997 | Grambling | Patricia Bibbs | Grambling | Patricia Bibbs |
| 1997-1998 | Grambling | David Ponton | Grambling | David Ponton |
| 1998-1999 | Grambling | David Ponton | Grambling | David Ponton |
| 1999-2000 | Grambling | David Ponton | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker |
| 2000-2001 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker |
| 2001-2002 | Southern | Sandra Pugh | Southern | Sandra Pugh |
| 2002-2003 | Alabama State Jackson State |
Freda Freeman-Jackson Denise Taylor |
Alabama State | Freda Freeman-Jackson |
| 2003-2004 | Alabama State | Freda Freeman-Jackson | Southern | Sandra Pugh |
| 2004-2005 | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker | Alcorn State | Shirley Walker |
| 2005-2006 | Jackson State Southern |
Denise Taylor Sandy Pugh |
Southern | Sandra Pugh |
| 2006-2007 | Prairie View A&M Jackson State |
Cynthia Cooper Denise Taylor |
Prairie View A&M | Cynthia Cooper |
| 2007-2008 | Prairie View A&M | Cynthia Cooper | Jackson State | Denise Taylor |
| 2008-2009 | Prairie View A&M | Cynthia Cooper | Prairie View A&M | Cynthia Cooper |
| 2009-2010 | Southern | Southern |
