Change is coming to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC).
For the 2025–2026 season, Trinity University and Southwestern University will participate as full members of the Southern Athletic Association, leaving their spots in the SCAC. McMurry University and Schreiner University will also leave the SCAC next season, joining the American Southwest Conference.
To replace the departing teams, Concordia University Texas and the University of the Ozarks joined in the 2024–2025 academic year, and Hendrix College and LeTourneau University joined this academic year. The SCAC will have 10 members for the 2026–2027 season.
“We don’t like to see any members leave, but what’s most important is that we’re part of a stable conference,” said CC Director of Athletics Leslie Irvine. “And certainly for us being the only [DIII] institution in Colorado, for us to have a home in the SCAC is such a positive thing and we are really proud members.”
Both schools, especially Trinity, have had much success in the conference since joining in the 1990s.
Last season alone, Trinity was the SCAC champions in volleyball, women’s swimming, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis and women’s track. They finished second in men’s swimming, men’s basketball and men’s and women’s cross country and won additional championships, such as baseball, in sports that Colorado College does not participate in.
“As we move on from Trinity and Southwestern, there will be new rivals that emerge,” said Irvine. “My guess is it will be some of the more competitive programs that we go toe to toe with.”