The Sun Conference

 

ABOUT THE SUN CONFERENCE

Now in its 36th year, The Sun Conference — a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1990 — is a leading member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Its ten full-member institutions across Florida and Georgia compete in 24 championship sports. Under the leadership of Commissioner Dustin Wilke, The Sun Conference continues to raise the standard in collegiate athletics, offering student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a high level while pursuing academic and personal excellence.

FULL MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

  • Ave Maria University (Ave Maria, Fla.)
  • College of Coastal Georgia (Brunswick, Ga.)
  • Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
  • Keiser University (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
  • New College of Florida (Sarasota, Fla.)
  • SCAD Savannah (Savannah, Ga.)
  • Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.)
  • St. Thomas University (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
  • Warner University (Lake Wales, Fla.)
  • Webber International University (Babson Park, Fla.)

CHAMPIONSHIP SPORTS

The Sun Conference sponsors championships in the following 24 NAIA sports:

Fall: Men's and Women's Cross Country,Football, Men's and Women's Soccer, Volleyball

Winter: Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving, Esports

Spring: Baseball, Beach Volleyball, Flag Football, Men's and Women's Golf, Women's Lacrosse, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis

AFFILIATE MEMBERS

In addition to its ten full members, The Sun Conference welcomes affiliate member institutions that compete in select championship sports:

  • Football: Thomas University (Ga.)
  • Men's & Women's Swimming: Life University (Ga.), Loyola University New Orleans (La.), Thomas University (Ga.), University of Tennessee Southern (Tenn.), William Carey University (Miss.)
  • Women's Lacrosse: Life University (Ga.)
  • Beach Volleyball: Brenau University (Ga.), Loyola University New Orleans (La.), Spartanburg Methodist College (S.C.), Truett McConnell University (Ga.), University of Mobile (Ala.), William Carey University (Miss.)
  • Esports: Loyola University New Orleans (La.), Texas A&M University–Texarkana (Texas)
  • Women's Flag Football: Thomas University (Ga.), Life University (Ga.), Reinhardt University (Ga.), Brewton-Parker Christian College (Ga.)

CONFERENCE HISTORY

The roots of The Sun Conference date back to March 1990, when the league was founded as the Florida Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (FIAC). The eight charter members — Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Flagler College, Florida Memorial University, Nova Southeastern University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Saint Thomas University, Warner University, and Webber International University — began competition in the 1990–91 academic year.

The conference was renamed the Florida Sun Conference in 1992 and grew to nine members with the addition of Northwood University (now Keiser University) in 1994. In August 2008, the league adopted its current name, The Sun Conference, to reflect expansion beyond Florida's borders.

Over the decades, the conference has evolved through periods of growth and transition. Member institutions have included the Savannah College of Art and Design (2004), Edward Waters University (2006–10), the University of South Carolina Beaufort (2008–22), Johnson & Wales University–North Miami (2009–20), Southeastern University (2009), Ave Maria University (2009), Thomas University (2012–23), the College of Coastal Georgia (2017), and most recently, New College of Florida (2024).

Today, The Sun Conference stands as one of the NAIA's premier conferences, committed to competitive excellence, academic achievement, and the development of student-athletes of high character.

CONFERENCE OFFICE

The Sun Conference
Tampa, Florida
Commissioner: Dustin Wilke