Battle of Backbone Mountain

The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is a collegiate athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for most sports; in football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly referred to as Division I-AA.

The SWAC is considered the premier HBCU conference and ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of alumni affiliated with professional sports teams, particularly in football.[1] On the gridiron, the conference has been the biggest draw on the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level of the NCAA, leading the nation in average home attendance every year except one since FCS has been in existence.[2][3] In 1994, the SWAC fell just 40,000 fans short of becoming the first non-Football Bowl Subdivision conference to attract one million fans to its home games.

History

Location of SWAC members
300km
200miles
Alabama A&M
Texas Southern
Southern
Prairie View A&M
Grambling
State
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
Alcorn State
Mississippi
Valley State
Jackson
State
Florida A&M
Bethune-Cookman
.
Alabama State
  
Map
Location of SWAC members: East Division, West Division

In 1920, athletic officials from six Texas HBCUs — C. H. Fuller of Bishop College, Red Randolph and C. H. Patterson of Paul Quinn College, E. G. Evans, H. J. Evans and H. J. Starns of Prairie View A&M, D. C. Fuller of Texas College and G. Whitte Jordan of Wiley University — met in Houston to discuss common interests. At this meeting, they agreed to form a new league, the SWAC.[citation needed]

Paul Quinn became the first of the original members to withdraw from the league in 1929. When Langston University of Oklahoma was admitted into the conference two years later, it began the migration of state-supported institutions into the SWAC. Southern University entered the ranks in 1934, followed by Arkansas AM&N (now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) in 1936 and Texas Southern University in 1954.[citation needed]

Rapid growth in enrollment of the state-supported schools made it difficult for the church-supported schools to finance their athletics programs and one by one they fell victim to the growing prowess of the state-supported colleges. Huston–Tillotson (formerly Samuel Huston) withdrew from the conference in 1954,[4] Bishop in 1956, and Langston in 1957—one year before the admittance of two more state-supported schools: Grambling College and Jackson State College. The enter-exit cycle continued in 1962 when Texas College withdrew,[5] followed by the admittance of Alcorn A&M (now Alcorn State University) that same year. Wiley left in 1968, the same year Mississippi Valley State College entered. Arkansas AM&N exited in 1970 and Alabama State University entered in 1982. Arkansas–Pine Bluff (formerly Arkansas AM&N) rejoined the SWAC on July 1, 1997, regaining full-member status one year later. Alabama A&M University became the conference's tenth member when it became a full member in September 1999 after a one-year period as an affiliate SWAC member.[6] Most of the former SWAC members that have left the conference are currently a part of the Red River Athletic Conference of the NAIA.

On 3 September 2020, the SWAC had announced that there would be a division realignment with the additions of Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University beginning with the 2021–22 academic year; which both would compete in the SWAC East, while Alcorn State would be moving to the SWAC West.[7]

Chronological timeline

Competitions

The SWAC is one of three FCS conferences – the others being the Ivy League and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – whose conference champion does not participate in the FCS playoffs, opting instead to play in the Celebration Bowl against the champion of the MEAC. However, SWAC teams can still be invited via an at-large invitation, as was the case in 2021 when SWAC member Florida A&M University was invited over SWAC conference football champion Jackson State, who was obligated via contract to play in the 2021 Celebration Bowl. The SWAC instead splits its schools into two divisions, and plays a conference championship game. Three of the SWAC's teams, Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic and Grambling and Southern in the Bayou Classic, play their last games of the regular season on Thanksgiving weekend, preventing the SWAC Championship from being decided until the first weekend of December, long after the tournament is underway.

Current championship competition offered by the SWAC includes competition for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field and tennis. Women's competition is offered in the sports of basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, indoor track, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.[6]

Member schools

Current full members

The SWAC currently has 12 full members, all but one are public schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors
East Division
Alabama A&M University Huntsville, Alabama 1875 Public 6,172 Bulldogs (men's)
Lady Bulldogs (women's)
1999    
Alabama State University Montgomery, Alabama 1867 Public 4,190 Hornets (men's)
Lady Hornets (women's)
1982    
Bethune–Cookman University Daytona Beach, Florida 1904 United
Methodist
2,901 Wildcats 2021    
Florida A&M University Tallahassee, Florida 1887 Public 9,626 Rattlers (men's)
Lady Rattlers (women's)
2021    
Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi 1877 Public 7,080 Tigers (men's)
Lady Tigers (women's)
1958      
Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena, Mississippi 1950 Public 2,147 Delta Devils (men's)
Devilettes (women's)
1968    
West Division
Alcorn State University Lorman, Mississippi 1871 Public 3,523 Braves (men's)
Lady Braves (women's)
1962    
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff, Arkansas 1873 Public 2,498 Golden Lions (men's)
Golden Lady Lions (women's)
1936;
1997[a]
   
Grambling State University Grambling, Louisiana 1901 Public 5,438 Tigers (men's)
Lady Tigers (women's)
1958      
Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, Texas 1876 Public 9,350 Panthers (men's)
Lady Panthers (women's)
1920    
Southern University Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1880 Public 7,140 Jaguars (men's)
Lady Jaguars (women's)
1935    
Texas Southern University Houston, Texas 1947 Public 7,524 Tigers (men's)
Lady Tigers (women's)
1954    
Notes
  1. ^ Arkansas–Pine Bluff left the SWAC after the 1969–70 school year as Arkansas AM&N; before re-joining in the 1997–98 school year as an affiliate, and to gain full member status the following season (1998–99).

Former members

The SWAC had six former full members, all but one were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Bishop College Marshall, Texas[a] 1881 Baptist HMS N/A Tigers 1920–21 1955–56 N/A[b]
Huston–Tillotson University[c] Austin, Texas 1881 Methodist,
Church of Christ
900 Rams 1920–21 1953–54[4] Red River (RRAC)
(NAIA)
Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 1897 Public 3,922 Lions 1931–32 1956–57 Sooner (SAC)
(NAIA)
Paul Quinn College Dallas, Texas 1872 A.M.E. Church 1,020 Tigers 1920–21 1928–29 Red River (RRAC)
(NAIA)
Texas College Tyler, Texas 1894 C.M.E. Church 600 Steers 1920–21 1961–62[5] Red River (RRAC)
(NAIA)
Wiley University[d] Marshall, Texas 1873 United Methodist 1,200 Wildcats 1920–21 1967–68 Gulf Coast (GCAC)
(NAIA)
Notes
  1. ^ Bishop was originally at Marshall, Texas, during its tenure with the SWAC until 1961, when the college was moved to Dallas, Texas, until the school's closing in 1988
  2. ^ Bishop was closed in 1988. Upon its closure, Paul Quinn College relocated from Waco to Dallas and re-established itself at the Bishop College campus.
  3. ^ Formerly known as Samuel Huston College until its merger with Tillotson College on October 24, 1952.
  4. ^ Formerly known as Wiley College from 1929 to November 3, 2023.

Divisional realignment

Alcorn State moved to the West Division with the additions of both Bethune–Cookman and Florida A&M in 2021.

East Division West Division
Alabama A&M Alcorn State
Alabama State Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Bethune–Cookman Grambling State
Florida A&M Prairie View A&M
Jackson State Southern
Mississippi Valley State Texas Southern

Membership timeline

Bethune–Cookman UniversityFlorida A&M UniversityAlabama A&M UniversityAlabama State UniversityMississippi Valley State UniversityAlcorn State UniversityJackson State UniversityGrambling State UniversityTexas Southern UniversityUniversity of Arkansas at Pine BluffUniversity of Arkansas at Pine BluffSouthern UniversityLangston UniversityWiley UniversityTexas CollegeHuston–Tillotson UniversityHuston–Tillotson UniversityPrairie View A&M UniversityPaul Quinn CollegeBishop College

Full members Full members (non-football)

Sports

The SWAC sponsors championship competitions in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports:[8]

Teams in Southwestern Athletic Conference competition
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball
12
-
Basketball
12
12
Bowling
-
9
Cross Country
10
12
Football
12
-
Golf
7
4
Soccer
-
10
Softball
-
12
Tennis
8
11
Track and Field (Indoor)
12
12
Track and Field (Outdoor)
12
12
Volleyball
-
12

Men's sponsored sports by school

School Baseball Basketball Cross
Country
Football Golf Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Total SWAC
Sports
Alabama A&M Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 7
Alabama State Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Alcorn State Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 7
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Bethune-Cookman Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Florida A&M Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes 6
Grambling State Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes 6
Jackson State Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 7
Mississippi Valley Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 7
Prairie View Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Southern Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes 6
Texas Southern Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 7
Totals 12 12 10 12 7 8 12 12 85

Women's sponsored sports by school

School Basketball Bowling Cross
Country
Golf Soccer Softball Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
Volleyball Total SWAC
Sports
Alabama A&M Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Alabama State Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10
Alcorn State Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Bethune-Cookman Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Florida A&M Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Grambling State Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Jackson State Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Mississippi Valley Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Prairie View Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10
Southern Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Texas Southern Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 9
Totals 12 9 12 4 10 12 11 12 12 12 106

Facilities

School Football stadium Capacity Basketball arena Capacity Baseball stadium Capacity
Alabama A&M Louis Crews Stadium 21,000 Alabama A&M Events Center 6,000 Bulldog Field 500
Alabama State Hornet Stadium 26,500 ASU Acadome 7,400 Wheeler–Watkins Baseball Complex 500
Alcorn State Spinks-Casem Stadium 22,500 Davey Whitney Complex 7,000 Foster Baseball Field at McGowan Stadium
Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lion Stadium 16,000 K. L. Johnson Complex 4,500 Torii Hunter Baseball/Softball Complex 1,000
Bethune–Cookman Daytona Stadium 10,000 Moore Gymnasium 3,000 Jackie Robinson Ballpark 4,200[9]
Florida A&M Bragg Memorial Stadium 19,633[10] Al Lawson Teaching Gym 9,639[11] Moore–Kittles Field 500[12]
Grambling State Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium 19,600 Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center 7,500 Wilbert Ellis Field at Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones Park 1,100
Jackson State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 60,492 Williams Assembly Center 8,000 Braddy Field 800
Mississippi Valley State Rice–Totten Stadium 10,000 Harrison HPER Complex 5,000 Magnolia Field 120
Prairie View A&M Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field 15,000 William Nicks Building 6,500 John W. Tankersley Field 512[13]
Southern Ace W. Mumford Stadium 29,000 F. G. Clark Center 7,500 Lee–Hines Field 1,500
Texas Southern Shell Energy Stadium 22,000 Health and Physical Education Arena 8,100 MacGregor Park

SWAC championships

A medal podium at the 2021 SWAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship

Football

Prior to splitting into divisions and using a postseason championship game to decide its overall champion, the SWAC determined its champions by winning-percentage against conference opponents in regular season play.

In 1933 Langston appeared to win the title outright with a 4–0 conference record after the regular season, while Wiley finished 4–1, and Prairie View A&M finished 3–1. Langston was invited to the Prairie View Bowl, which was won by Prairie View. The Panthers subsequently declared themselves SWAC champions even though their claim was based on a postseason game. The SWAC seems to acknowledge both schools' claims to the title in the conference's football media guide,[14] although some other sources[15] including Michael Hurd's Black College Football, 1892–1992: One Hundred Years of History, Education, and Pride (1993) also list Wiley as an additional co-champion, apparently since all three schools had 4–1 records against conference opponents if the postseason game is incorporated into the regular season conference standings.

Prairie View vacated[15] its 1941 championship.[16] No championship was awarded in 1943 due to World War II.[15] Grambling vacated its 1975 championship due to a violation of SWAC rules for scheduling opponents.

Games from 1999 to 2012 were played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The conference moved the game in 2013 to NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Starting in 2019, the game will officially be played at the first place team's home Since 2015, the winner of the SWAC plays the winner of the MEAC conference in an overall HBCU championship bowl game called the Celebration Bowl in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The MEAC gave up its automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs for this game.

Texas Southern vacated its 2010 championship due to violations of NCAA rules.[17]

The 2020–21 football season was played during Spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Year Champion Runner-up Score
1999 Southern Jackson State 31–30
2000 Grambling Alabama A&M 14–6
2001 Grambling Alabama State 38–31
2002 Grambling Alabama A&M 31–19
2003 Southern Alabama State 20–9
2004 Alabama State Southern 40–35
2005 Grambling Alabama A&M 45–6
2006 Alabama A&M Arkansas–Pine Bluff 22–13
2007 Jackson State Grambling 42–31
2008 Grambling Jackson State 41–9
2009 Prairie View A&M Alabama A&M 30-24
2010 Texas Southern (vacated) Alabama State 11–6
2011 Grambling Alabama A&M 16–15
2012 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Jackson State 24–21
2013 Southern Jackson State 34–27
2014 Alcorn State Southern 38–24
2015 Alcorn State Grambling 49–21[18]
2016 Grambling Alcorn State 27–20
2017 Grambling Alcorn State 40–32
2018 Alcorn State Southern 37–28
2019 Alcorn State Southern 39–24
2020 Alabama A&M Arkansas–Pine Bluff 40–33
2021 Jackson State Prairie View A&M 27–10
2022 Jackson State Southern 43–24
2023 Florida A&M Prairie View A&M 35–14

Since splitting into western and eastern divisions and using a postseason championship game to decide its overall champion, the SWAC determines its division champions by winning-percentage against conference opponents in regular season play. For the 1999 season only, inter-divisional conference games did not count in the conference standings. Each division's outright champion or top-seeded co-champion advances to the championship game.[14]

Texas Southern vacated its 2010 division championship due to violations of NCAA rules.[17]

Year Western Division champion(s) Eastern Division champion(s)
1999 Southern Jackson State
2000 Grambling Alabama A&M*
Alabama State
2001 Grambling Alabama State
2002 Grambling Alabama A&M
2003 Southern*
Grambling
Alabama State*
Alcorn State
2004 Southern Alabama State
2005 Grambling Alabama A&M
2006 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Alabama A&M
2007 Grambling Jackson State
2008 Grambling Jackson State
2009 Prairie View A&M Alabama A&M
2010 Texas Southern* (vacated)
Grambling
Alabama State*
Jackson State
2011 Grambling Alabama A&M*
Alabama State
Jackson State**
2012 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Jackson State*
Alabama State
2013 Southern Jackson State
2014 Southern Alcorn State
2015 Grambling Alcorn State
2016 Grambling Alcorn State
2017 Grambling Alcorn State
2018 Southern Alcorn State
2019 Southern Alcorn State
2020 Arkansas–Pine Bluff Alabama A&M
2021 Prairie View A&M Jackson State
2022 Southern*
Prairie View A&M
Jackson State
2023 Prairie View A&M Florida A&M

Note: an asterisk denotes the division's top-seeded co-champion and representative in the SWAC Championship Game; a double-asterisk denotes that the division's co-champion was ineligible for the SWAC Championship Game due to a violation of SWAC rules that were in effect from 2011 to 2014 concerning Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores.[19][20]

Starting with the 2021 season with the additions of both Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M, the football schedule is as follows:

  • Each school plays eight conference games (five divisional, three non-divisional) and rotates three teams from the opposite division every two years.
  • The best team in the SWAC gets to host the SWAC championship game.
  • The SWAC champion advances to the Celebration Bowl versus the MEAC champion. The loser ends its season.

Celebration Bowl results

Year MEAC team SWAC team Attendance Series
2015 North Carolina A&T Aggies 41 Alcorn State Braves 34 35,528 MEAC 1–0
2016 North Carolina Central Eagles 9 Grambling Tigers 10 31,096 Tied 1–1
2017 North Carolina A&T Aggies 21 Grambling Tigers 14 25,873 MEAC 2–1
2018 North Carolina A&T Aggies 24 Alcorn State Braves 22 31,672 MEAC 3–1
2019 North Carolina A&T Aggies 64 Alcorn State Braves 44 32,968 MEAC 4–1
2021 South Carolina State Bulldogs 31 Jackson State Tigers 10 48,653 MEAC 5–1
2022 North Carolina Central Eagles 41 Jackson State Tigers 34 (OT) 49,670 MEAC 6–1
2023 Howard Bison 26 Florida A&M Rattlers 30 41,108 MEAC 6-2

Men's basketball

The 1977–78 season was the SWAC's first as an NCAA Division I basketball conference.[21]

The semi-final and championship SWAC Basketball Tournament games are held at the Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.[22] As of the 2017 tournaments,[23] they feature an eight-team three-day layout with the quarterfinal rounds hosted on campus sites. This changes the previous 10-team, five-day tournament format. The higher seeded teams will host a combined eight games leaving two days for travel and practice rounds. The tournament concludes with the semi-finals and championship rounds inside Birmingham's Bill Harris Arena. Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I Tournaments. The championship games are nationally televised live annually on an ESPN network.

Year Regular season Coach Tournament Coach
1956–57 Texas Southern Ed Adams not held
1957–58 Texas Southern Ed Adams
1958–59 Grambling Fred Hobdy
1959–60 Grambling Fred Hobdy
1960–61 Prairie View A&M Leroy Moore Jr.
1961–62 Prairie View A&M Leroy Moore Jr.
1962–63 Grambling Fred Hobdy
1963–64 Grambling
Jackson
Fred Hobdy
Harrison Wilson
1964–65 Southern Richard Mack
1965–66 Alcorn A&M
Grambling
E. E. Simmons
Fred Hobby
1966–1967 Alcorn A&M
Arkansas AM&N
Grambling
E. E. Simmons
Hubert Clemens
Fred Hobby
1967–68 Alcorn A&M
Jackson State
Bob Hopkins
Paul Covington
1968–69 Alcorn A&M Bob Hopkins
1969–70 Jackson State Paul Covington
1970–71 Grambling Fred Hobdy
1971–72 Grambling Fred Hobdy
1972–73 Alcorn A&M Davey L. Whitney
1973–74 Jackson State Paul Covington
1974–75 Jackson State Paul Covington
1975–76 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1976–77 Texas Southern Robert Moreland
1977–78 Southern Carl Stewart Jackson State Paul Covington
1978–79 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1979–80 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1980–81 Alcorn State
Southern
Davey L. Whitney
Carl Stewart
Southern Carl Stewart
1981–82 Alcorn State
Jackson State
Davey L. Whitney
Paul Covington
Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1982–83 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1983–84 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1984–85 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Southern Bob Hopkins
1985–86 Alcorn State
Southern
Davey L. Whitney
Bob Hopkins
Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
1986–87 Grambling Bob Hopkins Southern Ben Jobe
1987–88 Southern Ben Jobe Southern Ben Jobe
1988–89 Grambling
Southern
Texas Southern
Bob Hopkins
Ben Jobe
Robert Moreland
Southern Ben Jobe
1989–90 Southern Ben Jobe Texas Southern Robert Moreland
1990–91 Jackson State Andy Stoglin Jackson State Andy Stoglin
1991–92 Texas Southern
Mississippi Valley State
Robert Moreland
Lafayette Stribling
Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
1992–93 Jackson State Andy Stoglin Southern Ben Jobe
1993–94 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Texas Southern Robert Moreland
1994–95 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Texas Southern Robert Moreland
1995–96 Jackson State
Mississippi Valley State
Andy Stoglin
Lafayette Stribling
Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling
1996–97 Mississippi Valley State Lafayette Stribling Jackson State Andy Stoglin
1997–98 Texas Southern Robert Moreland Prairie View A&M Elwood Plummer
1998–99 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
1999–00 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Jackson State Andy Stoglin
2000–01 Alabama State Rob Spivery Alabama State Rob Spivery
2001–02 Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney Alcorn State Davey L. Whitney
2002–03 Prairie View A&M Jerome Francis Texas Southern Ronnie Courtney
2003–04 Alabama State Rob Spivery Alabama State Rob Spivery
2004–05 Alabama A&M L. Vann Pettaway Alabama A&M L. Vann Pettaway
2005–06 Southern Rob Spivery Southern Rob Spivery
2006–07 Mississippi Valley State James Green Jackson State Tevester Anderson
2007–08 Alabama State Lewis Jackson Mississippi Valley State James Green
2008–09 Alabama State Lewis Jackson Alabama State Lewis Jackson
2009–10 Arkansas–Pine Bluff George Ivory Arkansas–Pine Bluff George Ivory
2010–11 Texas Southern Tony Harvey Alabama State Lewis Jackson
2011–12 Mississippi Valley State Sean Woods Mississippi Valley State Sean Woods
2012–13 Southern Roman Banks Southern Roman Banks
2013–14 Southern Roman Banks Texas Southern Mike Davis
2014–15 Texas Southern Mike Davis Texas Southern Mike Davis
2015–16 Texas Southern Mike Davis Southern Roman Banks
2016–17 Texas Southern Mike Davis Texas Southern Mike Davis
2017–18 Grambling Donte Jackson Texas Southern Mike Davis
2018–19 Prairie View A&M Byron Smith Prairie View A&M Byron Smith
2019–20 Prairie View A&M Byron Smith Canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2020–21 Prairie View A&M Byron Smith Texas Southern Johnny Jones
2021–22 Alcorn State Landon Bussie Texas Southern Johnny Jones
2022–23 Alcorn State
Grambling
Landon Bussie
Donte Jackson
Texas Southern Johnny Jones
2023–24 Grambling Donte Jackson Grambling Donte Jackson

Men's basketball tournament performance by school

School Championships Years
Texas Southern
11
1990, 1994, 1995, 2003, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
Southern
9
1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2006, 2013, 2016
Alcorn State
7
1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1999, 2002
Jackson State
5
1978, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2007
Mississippi Valley State
5
1986, 1992, 1996, 2008, 2012
Alabama State
4
2001, 2004 2009, 2011
Prairie View A&M
2
1998, 2019
Alabama A&M
1
2005
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
1
2010
Grambling
1
2024

Women's basketball

Year Regular season Coach Tournament Coach
1981–1982 Jackson State Sadie Magee Jackson State Sadie Magee
1982–1983 Jackson State Sadie Magee Jackson State Sadie Magee
1983–1984 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Jackson State Sadie Magee
1984–1985 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Jackson State Sadie Magee
1985–1986 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
1986–1987 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris
1987–1988 Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1988–1989 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Alabama State Ron Mitchell
1989–1990 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Jackson State Andrew Pennington
1990–1991 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
1991–1992 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
1992–1993 Alcorn State
Southern
Shirley Walker
Herman Hartman
Mississippi Valley State Jessie Harris
1993–1994 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1994–1995 Alcorn State
Grambling
Jackson State
Shirley Walker
Patricia Bibbs
Andrew Pennington
Jackson State Andrew Pennington
1995–1996 Alcorn State
Jackson State
Shirley Walker
Andrew Pennington
Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1996–1997 Grambling Patricia Bibbs Grambling Patricia Bibbs
1997–1998 Grambling David Ponton Grambling David Ponton
1998–1999 Grambling David Ponton Grambling David Ponton
1999–2000 Grambling David Ponton Alcorn State Shirley Walker
2000–2001 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
2001–2002 Southern Sandy Pugh Southern Sandy Pugh
2002–2003 Alabama State
Jackson State
Freda Freeman-Jackson
Denise Taylor
Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson
2003–2004 Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson Southern Sandy Pugh
2004–2005 Alcorn State Shirley Walker Alcorn State Shirley Walker
2005–2006 Jackson State
Southern
Denise Taylor
Sandy Pugh
Southern Sandy Pugh
2006–2007 Prairie View A&M
Jackson State
Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
Denise Taylor
Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
2007–2008 Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke Jackson State Denise Taylor
2008–2009 Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke Prairie View A&M Cynthia Cooper-Dyke
2009–2010 Southern Sandy Pugh Southern Sandy Pugh
2010–2011 Southern Sandy Pugh Prairie View A&M Toyelle Wilson
2011-2012 Mississippi Valley State Nate Kilbert Prairie View A&M Toyelle Wilson
2012-2013 Texas Southern Cynthia Cooper-Dyke Prairie View A&M Toyelle Wilson
2013-2014 Southern Sandy Pugh Prairie View A&M Dawn Brown
2014-2015 Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson
2015-2016 Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson Alabama State Freda Freeman-Jackson
2016-2017 Texas Southern Johnetta Hayes-Perry Texas Southern Johnetta Hayes-Perry
2017-2018 Southern Sandy Pugh Grambling Freddie Murray
2018-2019 Southern Carlos Funchess Southern Carlos Funchess
2019-2020 Southern Carlos Funchess N/A cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic
2020-2021 Jackson State Tomekia Reed Jackson State Tomekia Reed
2021-2022 Jackson State Tomekia Reed Jackson State Tomekia Reed
2022-2023 Jackson State Tomekia Reed Southern Carlos Funchess
2023-2024 Jackson State Tomekia Reed Jackson State Tomekia Reed

Baseball

This is a list of the last ten SWAC baseball champions; for the full history, see the list of Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball champions. In recent decades, the conference tournament has determined the overall champions; for specifics concerning the tournament in particular, see the Southwestern Athletic Conference baseball tournament.

Year Program
2013 Jackson State
2014 Jackson State
2015 Texas Southern
2016 Alabama State
2017 Texas Southern
2018 Texas Southern
2019 Southern
2021 Southern
2022 Alabama State
2023 Florida A&M

SWAC marching bands

Marching bands have a rich tradition being a centerpiece of pride and school spirit for each institution in the conference. Furthermore, the competitiveness, prestige, pageantry, and showmanship of SWAC marching bands significantly add to the unique identity and culture of the conference.

School Band Dance Auxiliary
Alabama A&M Marching Maroon and White Dancin' Divas
Alabama State Mighty Marching Hornets Sensational Stingettes
Alcorn State Sounds of Dynomite World Renowned Golden Girls
Arkansas-Pine Bluff Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South (M4) Golden Girls
Bethune-Cookman Marching Wildcats 14 Karat Gold Dancers
Florida A&M Marching 100 -----
Grambling State World Famed Marching Band Orchesis Dance Company
Jackson State Sonic Boom of the South Prancing J-Settes
Mississippi Valley State Mean Green Marching Machine Satin Dolls
Prairie View A&M Marching Storm Black Foxes
Southern Human Jukebox Fabulous Dancing Dolls
Texas Southern Ocean of Soul Motion of The Ocean

References

  1. ^ "Y-E-A promotes SWAC Championship at Texas Black Expo - SWAC - Southwestern Athletic Conference". SWAC. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  2. ^ Sports, HBCU (June 15, 2019). "SWAC earns FCS game attendance title for 2018".
  3. ^ HBCU Sports May 19, 2015 Football 2 Comments (May 19, 2015). "SWAC Ranks No.1 In FCS Football Attendance". HBCU Sports. Retrieved July 20, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b "H–T Plans To Resume Grid Sport". Austin American (p. 23). September 21, 1955.
  5. ^ a b "Grambling Grid Slate Announced". Shreveport Times (sec. D, p. 5). June 24, 1962.
  6. ^ a b [1] Archived July 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ SWAC Announces Division Realignment Starting 2021–22 - Southwestern Athletic Conference
  8. ^ "Southwestern Athletic Conference". SWAC. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  9. ^ "Radiology Associates Field". Daytona Tortugas. Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  10. ^ "Bragg Memorial Stadium". Florida A&M University. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  11. ^ "Al Lawson Center". Florida A&M University. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  12. ^ "Moore-Kittles Field". FAMUAthletics.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
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External links