SPARTANBURG, S.C. (courtesy smcsc.edu) — Continuing the transition to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Spartanburg Methodist College (SMC) will become a full member of the Appalachia Athletic Conference (AAC) beginning with the 2025-26 season.
“We are excited to join the Appalachian Athletic Conference as we begin our journey into NAIA. It will bring an abundance of opportunities for our college, our student-athletes, and our fans,” said Megan Aiello, SMC’s Athletic Director. “This move represents a transition to a conference that will help raise the profile of SMC and the Upstate.”
The AAC Council of Presidents voted unanimously to approve SMC’s membership during its annual meeting in June.
“The AAC is thrilled with the addition of Spartanburg Methodist College and knows they will bring a level of commitment to athletics and student experiences that matches the current membership of the AAC,” said Commissioner Bill Popp. “They certainly are a great fit for the AAC.”
SMC is transitioning to the NAIA for four-year athletics starting this fall and will play in the Continental Athletic Conference, a collection of the independent schools in the NAIA, for the 2024-25 season.
“As we move to four-year athletics, we are honored to join the AAC and start competing against the incredible teams and colleges in the conference,” said SMC President Scott Cochran.
Prior to moving to the NAIA this fall, SMC was a Division I member of Region 10 of the National Junior College Athletic Association. The College won numerous regional, divisions, and national titles and was a fixture at many of the NJCAA Division I national tournaments.
Spartanburg Methodist College sponsors 14 varsity sports, with 13 competing in the AAC. The Pioneers will compete in the following AAC championship sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s indoor track & field, women’s indoor track & field, men’s outdoor track & field, women’s outdoor track & field, and women’s volleyball. SMC also competes in beach volleyball as the Pioneers will compete in the Sun Conference.
The AAC evolved from the Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC), an NAIA conference organized in the 1940s and dissolved in the early 1980s when institutions in the eastern part of the state seceded to form the Tennessee Virginia Athletic Conference (TVAC). The Conference name changed to the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) in 2001 with the addition of Bluefield College, Montreat College, Alice Lloyd College, and Union College (now Union Commonwealth University).
Today, the AAC is the largest conference in the NAIA with 16 full members in six southeastern states – Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The conference will have 14 affiliate members for the 2023-24 season spreading the league’s footprint to three additional states – Alabama, Florida, and West Virginia.
In 2024-25, the full members will be Bluefield University, Brenau University, Bryan College, Columbia College, Columbia International University, Johnson University, Kentucky Christian University, Milligan University, Montreat College, University of Pikeville, Point University, Reinhardt University, SCAD Atlanta, St. Andrews University, Tennessee Wesleyan University, Truett McConnell University, and Union Commonwealth University. The affiliate members will be Brewton-Parker College, Carolina University, Georgetown College, Keiser University, Life University, Point University, SCAD Savannah, Southeastern University, St. Thomas University, Talladega University, University of the Cumberlands, Warner University, Webber International University, and West Virginia Institute of Technology.
When Spartanburg Methodist College joins for the 2025-26 season, the AAC will grow to 17 full members.
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