One of the NAIA’s toughest conferences will see expansion in 2013. The Sooner Athletic Conference is welcoming Northwood University, Southwestern Assemblies of God, Southwestern Christian University and Texas Wesleyan into the fold for the 2013-14 athletic year.
The SAC saw its membership fall from 12 to seven in the past year. Lubbock Christian, Northwestern Oklahoma, Oklahoma Christian, Rogers State and Southern Nazarene are all in the process of transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II. (LCU and RSU will still compete in the SAC for the 2012-13 season.)
However, SAC commissioner John Hudson stated that this league would replenish its membership.
The commissioner was quoted on the conference website today:
“These are exciting times in the conference. Expansion into the Metroplex area is great for the Sooner Athletic Conference and brings Northwood, Texas Wesleyan and Southwestern Assemblies into the NAIA’s premier league.
“We are excited to have Southwestern Christian enter the Sooner Athletic Conference and join what has long been the best group of schools athletically and academically in the NAIA. I think this move is mutually beneficial to all the institutions involved.”
Current Sooner Athletic Conference members include: John Brown University, Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma City University, St. Gregory’s University, University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma and Wayland Baptist University.
Source: www.soonerathletic.org