Big South
From NCAA Wiki
| Big South Conference | |
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| Established | 1983 |
| Classification | |
| National Titles | |
| Commissioner | Kyle B. Kallander |
| Members | 10 |
| Sports Fielded | 18 |
| States | North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Website | Big South Conference |
The Big South Conference was founded in 1983. The Big South members compete at the NCAA FCS level in football and at the Division I level in all other sports
The Big South Conference was formed on August 21, 1983, when Charleston Southern (then Baptist College) Athletic Director Howard Bagwell and Augusta President George Christenberry initially began recruiting members into the Big South. One month later, Dr. Edward M. Singleton was selected as the League's first Commissioner and continued to solicit new members. The League's seven charter members were Armstrong State, Augusta, Campbell, Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Radford and Winthrop. In 1989, George F. "Buddy" Sasser replaced the retiring Dr. Singleton as Commissioner. Under Sasser’s leadership, the Conference implemented its public relations and compliance programs, and introduced its first-ever men's basketball television package, featuring the Big South competing among some of the finest teams in the nation. Sasser was so integral to the growth and foundation of the League that in 2000, the Commissioner's Cup -- the annual award given to the institution with the most successful athletic year -- was renamed the George F. Sasser Cup.
In August 1996 Kyle B. Kallander replaced Sasser as the League’s third Commissioner, and in his 11 years at the helm of the Big South, Kallander has been instrumental in aggressively promoting the Conference to new levels. He developed the Big South Marketing Group, which has resulted in increased revenues and exposure for the Conference and its members. He also brought television coverage to Big South women's basketball, baseball and softball for the first time in Conference history and created the Big South Television Network in 2001 as a television syndicate for the League. Under Kallander's leadership, the Big South developed and initiated its first long-range strategic plan, re-affirming the League's vision as a distinctive athletic Conference committed to the quality of institutional life through athletic competition. In addition, Kallander has solidified membership with the addition of High Point in 1999, Virginia Military Institute in 2003 and future members Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian in 2008. Kallander’s long range vision has also included technological advancements, as the Conference introduced its first live event video streaming in 2005 and has since expanded its video offerings to all sports. Kallander has also successfully integrated the Conference’s profile with the member institutions’ general student body, notably through the development of the Big South Academic Consortium, which sponsors the annual Academic College Bowl among League members and the Big South Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Members
 Gardner-Webb |
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 Stony Brook |
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Big South Fight Songs
Charleston Southern
Coastal Carolina
Gardner-Webb
High Point
Liberty Fan the Flames!
Presbyterian College
Radford R.U. Fight Song
UNC Asheville
VMI VMI Spirit and The Tribute
Winthrop
| Big South Conference Charleston Southern • Coastal Carolina • Gardner-Webb • High Point • Liberty • Presbyterian • Radford • UNC Asheville • VMI • Winthrop |
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