GAFFNEY, S.C. – With a new name and a new conference home, Limestone University officially joined the South Atlantic Conference as a full member in 20 championship sports on Wednesday, July 1. The Saints become the 13^th member institution and will begin their SAC schedule during the 2020-21 season.
 
Limestone, who has been an associate member of the SAC in football since 2017, brings the number of South Carolina colleges and universities in the South Atlantic Conference to four. The Saints join Anderson University, Newberry College, and Coker University as the four South Carolina schools.
 
In addition to the four South Carolina institutions, the SAC is also made up of five schools in North Carolina – Catawba College, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Mars Hill University, Queens University of Charlotte, and Wingate University – and three schools in Tennessee – Carson-Newman University, Lincoln Memorial University, and Tusculum University. The SAC added its first school from Virginia last year as The University of Virginia's College at Wise joined as the league's 12^th member in 2019-20.
 
"We are so very excited to join a conference that has such a solid regional and national reputation," said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Cerino. "We believe this partnership with the SAC will open up so many doors for our student-athletes and coaches to compete for NCAA Championships. The combination of the SAC geographic footprint and the institutional focus of the member schools offers the opportunity to enhance the student-athlete experience here at Limestone University."
 
The SAC, which is based out of Rock Hill, S.C., is known as a very competitive league and is a constant fixture at NCAA championship events. The league, which started as a football-only conference in 1975 and was famously known as the SAC-8, is entering its 44^th year of athletic tradition and excellence.
 
Limestone brings a strong pedigree to the SAC brand with 11 national championships and 118 NCAA appearances across multiple sports. The Saints recently won five Conference Carolinas Joby Hawn Cup Championships, tying Elon for the second most Cup Championships in league history, and has laid claim to 73 regular season championships and 46 tournament title – most of those coming over the last decade.
 
Academically, Limestone University Athletics is proud to have five NCAA Elite 89/90 Award winners from three different athletic programs while over 130 athletes have been named to various Scholar/Academic All-America Teams. Over the past 10 years, the Saints have well over 620 academic all-conference selections and a total of 27 Conference Carolinas Scholar Athletes of the Year recipients.
 
"We are very happy to welcome Limestone as a full member of the SAC," said SAC commissioner Patrick Britz. "We have enjoyed our partnership with the Saints as associate members in football the past several years, and the addition of Limestone to full membership enhances the long-term strength and stability of our conference while also raising the academic and athletic profile of our entire conference."
 
Limestone University will begin competing for South Atlantic Conference championships starting this fall in football, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, and men's and women's cross country while field hockey will continue to compete in the jointly sponsored South Atlantic Conference Carolinas.