NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference will revitalize one of its first sponsored sports as it was announced Tuesday that the conference will reintroduce men’s soccer this upcoming fall.
Full-time members Appalachian State, Georgia Southern, and Georgia State will play alongside affiliate members Hartwick, Howard, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology in a single round robin schedule.
“The reintroduction of men’s soccer to the Sun Belt Conference means that we will be able to provide valuable opportunities for student-athletes and deliver them a first-class championship experience,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson. “Our new affiliate members provide us with a full field of competitive teams and we welcome them to the Sun Belt Conference.”
The Sun Belt will conduct a championship at one of the six institutions with the winner earning an automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship. The championship format will see the top two teams from the regular season earning a bye into the tournament semifinals. A date and site for the championship will be announced in May.
“We are looking forward to having an automatic qualifier in the sport to represent us in the NCAA postseason,” said Benson. “And we are optimistic at the possibility of sending multiple teams to the tournament field each year.”
The Sun Belt previously sponsored men’s soccer from 1976 to 1995. In fact, the first ever Sun Belt Championship in any sport was the 1976 men’s soccer championship.
With the addition of men’s soccer, the Sun Belt will now sponsor 18 sports. On the men’s side the conference now competes in basketball, baseball, cross country, the highest level of NCAA football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, soccer, and tennis. For women’s sports, the Sun Belt offers basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, tennis, and volleyball.
Come July 1, 2014 the Sun Belt membership will consist of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (non-football), Arkansas State University, Georgia State University, Georgia Southern University, the University of Idaho (football only), the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, New Mexico State University (football only), the University of South Alabama, the University of Texas at Arlington (non-football), Texas State University, and Troy University. Hartwick College, Howard University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology will compete as affiliate members in men’s soccer.
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Head Coach Matt Nelson, Appalachian State University
“This announcement means a lot to our program and our student-athletes. It is exciting to be starting an entirely new conference next year. It will bring us new competition and new challenges and that in itself will add a level of excitement around the program. On behalf of our team, I would like to thank the Sun Belt Conference, (Appalachian State director of athletics) Charlie Cobb, (Appalachian State) Chancellor (Dr. Kenneth) Peacock as well as the other athletic directors and Sun Belt administrators that pushed this through so that we could get our conference started in the fall of 2014.”
Head Coach Kevin Kennedy, Georgia Southern University
"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to compete in the Sun Belt Conference in 2014 and beyond. I believe this is going to be a very competitive conference and I know that our student-athletes are looking forward to the challenge of this upcoming season. I would like to applaud the efforts and hard work of Tom Kleinlein and Dr. Brooks Keel. Their leadership and vision in helping to create this league in such a very short time has been nothing less than extraordinary. I would also be remiss if I didn't thank Commissioner Karl Benson for all of the time and energy that they have put into this endeavor. I believe this is a real success story for college soccer and I'm proud that Georgia Southern is going to be a part of this league."
Head Coach Brett Surrency, Georgia State University
“We are thankful to the Sun Belt Conference, Commissioner Karl Benson and everyone who made this possible as men's soccer will be a great addition to the Sun Belt Conference. Now we look forward to representing the league in a positive light both on and off the field. It is exciting for us to have the opportunity to compete for an NCAA automatic bid through the conference tournament, and we relish the chance to develop strong, healthy rivalries with the other men's soccer members in coming years.”
Head Coach John Scott, Hartwick College
“We are absolutely delighted to be joining the Sun Belt Conference and we’re very excited to start preparing for this new challenge. To be part of a brand new conference brings immediate and renewed focus ahead of the 2014 season. We’ve played against Appalachian State and NJIT in recent years and we will be doing our homework to learn as much as we can about all of our new opponents in what should be a fairly even playing field. Conference play provides a road to the NCAA Tournament and after reaching our former conference’s playoffs this past season, we will be determined to reach that stage again with the Sun Belt.”
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Louis B. "Skip" Perkins, Jr., Howard University
"Howard University is extremely proud to be a member of the Sun Belt Conference in the sport of men’s soccer. This gives our soccer program the opportunity to compete in a conference tournament and ultimately a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. We look forward to the challenge and are excited about being a part of the Sun Belt Conference."
Head Coach Didier Orellana, New Jersey Institute of Technology
“It's an exciting day for the NJIT Men's Soccer program and Highlander family. It's always special to be a part of history and have an opportunity to compete for post season play against highly reputable soccer programs and be a part of the highly respected Sun Belt Conference. These developments are not only advantageous for men's soccer, but will surely elevate NJIT's national exposure.”