The Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Members of the conference are located in the Southeastern United States in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
History
The conference is the successor to the Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC), which began in the 1940s; and later the Tennessee-Virginia Athletic Conference (TVAC) that operated during the 1980s and 1990s. The Appalachian Athletic Conference was formed in 2000 with the additions of members from Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
Recent changes Bluefield College was a member of the AAC from 2000 until 2012 when it left to join the Mid-South Conference. On March 3, 2014, Bluefield announced that it would return to the AAC in fall 2014.
In 2019 the conference added Kentucky Christian University as a full member and Savannah College of Art and Design as an associate member in men's and women's lacrosse.
Chronological timeline 2000 – In 2000, the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) was founded from the remnants of the Tennessee-Virginia Athletic Conference (TVAC). Charter members included Alice Lloyd College, Bluefield College (now Bluefield University), King College (now King University), Milligan College (now Milligan University), Montreat College, Tennessee Wesleyan College (now Tennessee Wesleyan University), Virginia Intermont College and the University of Virginia–Wise (UVA Wise); as well as the additions of Bryan College, Brevard College, and Covenant College, beginning the 2000–01 academic year. 2002 – Union College (now Union Commonwealth University) joined the AAC in the 2002–03 academic year. 2005 – Alice Lloyd left the AAC to rejoin the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now the River States Conference) after the 2004–05 academic year. 2006 – Brevard left the AAC and the NAIA to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an NCAA D-II Independent (to later join the South Atlantic Conference (SAC), beginning the 2008–09 school year) after the 2005–06 academic year. 2009: Two institutions left the AAC to join their respective new home primary conferences, both effective after the 2008–09 academic year: Covenant to join the NCAA Division III ranks as an NCAA D-III Independent (to later join the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC), beginning the 2010–11 school year) King (Tenn.) to become an NAIA Independent (to later join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent during the 2010–11 school year; and then subsequently join the Conference Carolinas (CC), beginning 2011–12) Reinhardt College (now Reinhardt University) joined the AAC in the 2009–10 academic year. 2010 – UVa Wise left the AAC to join the Mid-South Conference (MSC) after the 2009–10 academic year. 2011 – Columbia College and Atlanta Christian College (now Point University) joined the AAC in the 2011–12 academic year. 2012: Bluefield left the AAC to join the Mid-South after the 2011–12 academic year. St. Andrews University (formerly St. Andrews Presbyterian College) and the Savannah College of Art and Design at Atlanta joined the AAC in the 2012–13 academic year. 2013 – Truett McConnell University joined the AAC in the 2013–14 academic year. 2014: Virginia Intermont left the AAC when the school ceased operations after the 2013–14 academic year. Bluefield rejoined the AAC in the 2014–15 academic year. 2015 – Asbury University and the University of the Cumberlands joined the AAC as affiliate members for men's and women's lacrosse in the 2016 spring season (2015–16 academic year). 2016: West Virginia University Institute of Technology (West Virginia Tech or WVU Tech) joined the AAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's swimming in the 2016–17 academic year. Allen University joined the AAC in the 2016–17 academic year. 2017: Brenau University joined the AAC in the 2017–18 academic year. Two institutions joined the AAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), both effective in the 2017–18 academic year: Georgetown College for women's lacrosse and West Virginia Tech for men's wrestling 2018: Cumberlands (Ky.) and Georgetown (Ky.) left the AAC as affiliate members for women's lacrosse to compete in their primary home conference in the Mid-South (where they began sponsoring that sport) after the 2018 spring season (2017–18 academic year). Columbia International University joined the AAC in the 2018–19 academic year. 2019: Asbury left the AAC as an affiliate member for men's lacrosse as the school announced to discontinue the sport during mid-season within the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year). Kentucky Christian University joined the AAC in the 2019–20 academic year. Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah joined the AAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's lacrosse in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). 2020: Allen left the AAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and to rejoin the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) after the 2019–20 academic year. Webber International University joined the AAC as an affiliate member for men's lacrosse in the 2021 spring season (2020–21 academic year). 2021: Asbury left the AAC as an affiliate member for women's lacrosse, men's and women's swimming after the 2020–21 academic year. The Tennessee campus of Johnson University joined the AAC in the 2021–22 academic year. Keiser University joined the AAC as an affiliate member for men's lacrosse in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year). 2022: Eight institutions joined the AAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), all effective in the 2022–23 academic year: Brewton-Parker College, Keiser, St. Thomas University and Southeastern University for men's wrestling Georgetown (Ky.) returned for women's lacrosse Life University for men's volleyball and men's wrestling and Warner University and Webber International for men's volleyball The AAC began to sponsor football, with core members Bluefield, Kentucky Christian, Point, Reinhardt, St. Andrews (N.C.), and Union (Ky.) in the 2022 fall season (2022–23 academic year). 2023: Point left the AAC to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) after the 2023–24 academic year; while their football team still remains in the AAC as an affiliate member. The University of Pikeville joined the AAC in the 2023–24 academic year. 2025: Kentucky Christian left the AAC to join the River States Conference (RSC) after the 2024–25 academic year; while their football team still remains in the AAC as an affiliate member. St. Andrews left the AAC as the school announced its closure after the 2024–25 academic year. Spartanburg Methodist College joined the AAC as a full member the 2025–26 academic year. The University of Rio Grande joined the AAC as an affiliate member for football in the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year). 2026: The AAC confirmed SCAD Atlanta's departure from the conference after the 2025–26 academic year. 2027: Carolina University will join the AAC as a full member starting in the 2027 fall season. Andrew College and Faulkner University will join the AAC as affiliate members for football in the 2027 fall season (2027–28 academic year).
Member schools Current members The AAC currently has 14 full members, all private schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Basketball? Bluefield University Bluefield, Virginia 1922 Baptist 959 Rams 2000;2014 both Brenau University Gainesville, Georgia 1878 Nonsectarian 2,436 Golden Tigers 2017 women's Bryan College Dayton, Tennessee 1930 Nondenominational 1,701 Lions 2000 both Columbia College Columbia, South Carolina 1854 United Methodist 1,725 Koalas 2011 both Columbia International University Columbia, South Carolina 1923 Christian 2,914 Rams 2018 both Johnson University Kimberlin Heights andKnoxville, Tennessee 1893 Christian 978 Royals 2021 both Milligan University Elizabethton, Tennessee 1866 RestorationMovement 1,240 Buffaloes 2000 both Montreat College Montreat, North Carolina 1916 Presbyterian 962 Cavaliers 2000 both Pikeville, Kentucky 1889 Presbyterian 2,547 Bears 2023 both Reinhardt University Waleska, Georgia 1883 United Methodist 1,233 Eagles 2009 both Spartanburg, South Carolina 1911 United Methodist 1,119 Pioneers 2025 both Tennessee Wesleyan University Athens, Tennessee 1857 United Methodist 1,198 Bulldogs 2000 both Truett McConnell University Cleveland, Georgia 1946 Baptist 2,615 Bears 2013 both Union Commonwealth University Barbourville, Kentucky 1879 United Methodist 1,324 Bulldogs andLady Bulldogs 2002 both
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Future member The AAC will have one future full member for the 2027–28 school year: Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining Currentconference Carolina University Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1945 Nondenominational 893 Bruins 2027 Continental (CAC)
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Affiliate members The AAC currently has 15 affiliate members. Thirteen are fully private, one is public, and one operates public and private schools within a single entity.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined AACsport(s) Primaryconference Brewton–Parker CollegeAAC Welcome 5 New Affiliates, Adds Men's Volleyball as Championship Sport for 2022-23 - Appalachian Athletic Conference AthleticsAAC Adds 4 Affiliates for Men's Volleyball - Appalachian Athletic Conference Mount Vernon, Georgia 1904 Baptist 1,338 Barons 2022 Southern States (SSAC) 2024 Carolina UniversityMen's Volleyball Joins Appalachian Athletic Conference - Carolina University Athletics Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1945 Nondenominational 880 Bruins 2024 Continental Georgetown College Georgetown, Kentucky 1829 Baptist 1,345 Tigers 2017;2022 Mid-South (MSC) Keiser University West Palm Beach, Florida 1977 Nonsectarian 20,888 Seahawks 2021 The Sun 2022 Kentucky Christian University Grayson, Kentucky 1919 Christian 550 Knights 2025 Football River States (RSC) Life University Marietta, Georgia 1974 Nonsectarian 2,714 Running Eagles 2022 Southern States (SSAC) Point University West Point, Georgia 1937 Christian 2,260 Skyhawks 2023 Football Southern States (SSAC) Rio Grande, Ohio 1876 Hybrid 2,258 RedStorm 2025 Football River States (RSC) Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, Georgia 1978 Non-profit art school 18,550 Bees 2019 The Sun Miami Gardens, Florida 1961 Catholic 7,652 Bobcats 2022 The Sun 2024 Southeastern UniversityFire Wrestling to Move to Appalachian Athletic Conference - Southeastern University Athletics Lakeland, Florida 1935 Assemblies of God 11,510 Fire 2022 The Sun Talladega College Talladega, Alabama 1867 United Church of Christ 760 Tornadoes 2024 HBCU (HBCUAC) Williamsburg, Kentucky 1887 Nondenominational 22,120 Patriots 2015 Mid-South (MSC) Warner University Lake Wales, Florida 1968 Church of God 900 Royals 2022 The Sun Webber International University Babson Park, Florida 1927 Nonsectarian 878 Warriors 2020 The Sun 2022 West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, West Virginia 1895 Public 1,278 Golden Bears 2016 River States (RSC) 2017
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Future affiliate members The AAC will have two future affiliate members, both private schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining AACsport(s) Primaryconference Andrew College Cuthbert, Georgia 1854 UnitedMethodist 496 Fighting Tigers 2027 Football Southern States (SSAC) Faulkner University Montgomery, Alabama 1942 Churches of Christ 2,933 Eagles 2027 Football Southern States (SSAC)
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Former members The AAC had eight former full members, all but one were private schools: