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Mid-South Conference creates largest college football conference 20 colleges and universities in the Mid South Football Conference after addition of 6 sun conference teams Click on headline for complete story with YouTube Video By Laura McDonald LEXINGTON, KY (Thu 25 Feb 2016) - The Mid-South Conference and The Sun Conference are merging to form the largest football conference in college sports. Conference officials announced Thursday that beginning with the 2017 season, the Mid-South Conference will include 20 teams which will compete in three divisions. The new, expanded football conference will allow three teams to earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series. "The expansion of the Mid-South Conference provides strength and stability to one of the best NAIA football conferences," said Willis Pooler, Lindsey Wilson College athletics director. "Commissioner Ward did an outstanding job creating a 3-division structure that allows our institutions to maintain their identity in our regions, while creating an opportunity for our student-athletes to have experiences that will potentially lead to new rivalries. Our football program will undoubtedly benefit from expanded recruiting possibilities as we play games and are seen by high school students in the south. Lindsey Wilson College is excited about the direction of the MSC." Others, including Dr. Michael Carter, president of Campbellsville University and chair of the Mid-South Conference board of directors, share in Pooler's excitement. "I could not be more excited about the expansion to create the largest football conference in the country. This opportunity to promote student athletes who are learning how to be Champions of Character and the importance of values based education is important to each school in the Mid-South Conference," shared Dr. Carter. The new conference will include the Mid-South Conference's 13 members: Bethel (TN), Bluefield (Va.), Campbellsville (KY), Cincinnati Christian (Ohio), Cumberland (TN), Cumberlands (KY), Faulkner (Ala.), Georgetown (KY), Kentucky Christian, Lindsey Wilson (KY), Pikeville (KY), Reinhardt (GA), and Union (KY). They will be joined by six teams from The Sun Conference: Ave Maria (FL), Edward Waters (FL), Point (GA), Southeastern (FL), Warner (FL) and Webber International (FL). St. Andrews (NC) is scheduled to begin football in 2017. "This merger strengthens our commitment to our football institutions and their student-athletes," said Mid-South Conference Commissioner Eric Ward. Ward said the expanded football conference will make it easier for schools to schedule football games, as well as bring together institutions with similar values. "While the driving force behind this venture is to alleviate the difficulty of scheduling, there are a number of other benefits that will be realized by expanding this football conference," Ward said. "This merger will also increase our football footprint with like-minded schools who share our mission to provide a competitive experience to all student-athletes." The Sun Conference Commissioner, Mark Pope, echoed Ward's sentiments in creating the new football conference. "Throughout our discussions, Eric and I realized that our respective member institutions were remarkably similar in values, character and strategic vision with regard to football," said Pope. "We were impressed with the Mid-South's focus on football as its core product." Pope continued, "I see this new merger as the beginning of a remarkable new chapter in college football. Given the tremendous interest in football in the Southeast, I expect that several other institutions will consider adding this sport, now that they know they will have a conference which guarantees a full schedule of games." Football coaches in the expanded MSC are equally as excited about the 2017 season. "We are already fortunate to be part of one of the top NAIA football conferences in the nation," said Lindsey Wilson football coach Chris Oliver, chair of the Mid-South Conference football coaches. "This merger will only strengthen and expand the reputation of MSC football." Founded in 1987, the Mid-South Conference split into East and West football divisions in 2005. The expanded football conference's divisions will be called the Appalachian, Bluegrass and Sun. Each division will have its own identity, producing a division champion that will earn an automatic bid into the NAIA Football Championship Series. When the new football arrangement takes place in 2017, teams will play each school within a division once and play four non-division games against other Mid-South Conference teams. The Mid-South Conference's new football divisions are: Bluegrass Division: Bethel (TN), Campbellsville (KY), Cincinnati Christian (Ohio), Cumberland (TN), Georgetown (KY), Kentucky Christian, Lindsey Wilson (KY). Appalachian Division: Bluefield (Va.), Cumberlands (KY), Point (GA), Pikeville (KY), Reinhardt (GA), St. Andrews (NC), Union (KY). Sun Division: Ave Maria (FL), Edward Waters (FL), Faulkner (Ala.), Southeastern (FL), Warner (FL), Webber International (FL) This story was posted on 2016-02-25 17:24:22
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LWC Men's Swimming No. 7 in final regular-season NAIA poll Big inning, clutch pitching helps LW Baseball to 7-6 win at Union LWC's Munoz is MSC Women's Tennis Player of the Week honors LWC's Tellez is Mid-South Men's Tennis Player of the Week LWC Baseball defeats Faulkner, falls short to AUM Billy Gregory hired as CU Men's Volleyball Coach Matt Walker named MSC W Division Wrestler of the Year CHS seniors Vaught and Hash join 500 Rebound Club LWC Men win Depauw Classic Track & Field 11-team event LWC Women's Track & Field takes third at Depauw View even more articles in topic Sports |
 
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