VALDOSTA —
Rumors began swirling on Monday that the Arkansas schools in the Gulf South Conference are planning to leave the GSC.
The GSC is a Division II conference that consists of 14 institutions, including Valdosta State.
In a statement, the GSC admitted that its six Arkansas schools are looking at options outside the conference.
“We are aware that our Arkansas-member institutions are looking at other conference options,” the statement said. “There are very good relationships between our athletic directors, senior woman administrators and CEOs, so we are hoping that ongoing discussions will resolve their concerns.”
When reached for comment about the Arkansas schools’ possible exodus, Valdosta State athletic director Herb Reinhard said in a statement, “I am aware of the rumors regarding the Arkansas institutions and their future with the GSC. In my knowledge there has been no formal action taken by the Arkansas schools. The GSC president’s and athletic director’s summer meetings are scheduled for next week, and I am sure this rumored possibility will be a topic of discussion. Any statement prior to that conference meeting would be premature.”
Currently, the GSC is made of up 14 schools. Six of the GSC schools — Arkansas-Monticello, Arkansas Tech, Harding, Henderson State, Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas — reside in Arkansas. There has been speculation over the past few years that the Arkansas schools might leave the GSC to avoid traveling to a place like Valdosta, which is over 500 miles away.
If the Arkansas schools were to leave, the GSC would be down to eight schools — Alabama-Huntsville, Christian Brothers, Delta State, North Alabama, Valdosta State, West Alabama, West Florida and West Georgia. Of those eight, only five play football — Delta State, North Alabama, Valdosta State, West Alabama and West Georgia.
Valdosta State, which had trouble finding enough football games to play in 2009, would be forced to find even more non-conference games if it stayed in the GSC.
Teams like Albany State and Fort Valley State no longer play football against Valdosta State, citing the Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference’s desire to play an extra conference game instead of a non-conference game.
In 2009, VSU was forced to play NAIA Edward Waters just to find a 10th game, a requirement to qualify for the playoffs. This season, VSU begins a home-and-home series against Wingate from the South Atlantic Conference. The Blazers also have renewed a home-and-home contract with Newberry of the South Atlantic Conference.
However, without its annual four-five games against GSC schools from Arkansas (VSU has played at least four games a year against GSC Arkansas schools since 1996), the Blazers would have to find even more non-conference games which would be an extremely daunting task.
With the exception of football, soccer, cross country and golf, the GSC is split into East and West. All six Arkansas schools, along with Delta State (Cleveland, Miss.) and Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tenn.) are in the West.
In most sports, the only times teams from the East and West meet outside of a neutral-site conference tournament or South Region play is during crossovers. The GSC softball crossover is held in Decatur, Ala., and just this last season basketball started a crossover that was played on various campus sites.
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June 14, 2010
