FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[MCScots2013]

Have to say, I truly love the fact scaccommish is viewing the boards this afternoon.  Taking in all the Region 3 chaos that's been created over the last week.

[jekelish]

"The move splits up Southwestern and Trinity (Texas), longtime travel partners in the SCAC."

This is from the story on the d3football.com home page.  What's the chances Trinity follows?  Is a Trinity/Southwestern pairing a big deal to the schools?

I would classify it as pretty high if the SCAC wants them back.

I would think that hinges on the whole "if the SCAC wants them back" part. Don't be surprised if the answer to that is a resounding "No."

[Ron Boerger]

Pat Coleman interviews SCAC Commissioner Hanberry on recent events:  https://d3sports.com/notables/2026/07/chat-with-commish-scac

A lot of great topics covered, including questions that have been posted here about the Millsaps/Southwestern moves:
1:00 Getting the band back together
2:00 Were financial incentives given to Millsaps, Southwestern?
2:45 Is there a third school or announcement coming?
3:41 The varying size of the SCAC over its history
6:17 What schools are looking for in new conference affiliations
8:19 Geographic distribution of conference championship events
10:57 The fate of Gallaudet as an affiliate football member
13:05 Scheduling in football for a six-team conference
14:20 Southwestern didn't contact the SCAC until Millsaps returned
17:00 Is Trinity (Texas) going to return to the SCAC as well
19:55 Easier to re-admit a former member
23:21 The current trend of conferences getting larger
25:35 The "island" conferences in D-III postseason play
28:50 The role of NPI in making the brackets more equitable
30:22 Life for the SCAC behind the video streaming paywall
35:30 Kudos to Trinity University's streaming quality
36:15 Favorite eats in the SCAC

I won't spoil the conversation here other that to say it's quite educational and worth your time if you want to know where the league stands.

[TLU05SA]

Pat Coleman interviews SCAC Commissioner Hanberry on recent events:  https://d3sports.com/notables/2026/07/chat-with-commish-scac

A lot of great topics covered, including questions that have been posted here about the Millsaps/Southwestern moves:
1:00 Getting the band back together
2:00 Were financial incentives given to Millsaps, Southwestern?
2:45 Is there a third school or announcement coming?
3:41 The varying size of the SCAC over its history
6:17 What schools are looking for in new conference affiliations
8:19 Geographic distribution of conference championship events
10:57 The fate of Gallaudet as an affiliate football member
13:05 Scheduling in football for a six-team conference
14:20 Southwestern didn't contact the SCAC until Millsaps returned
17:00 Is Trinity (Texas) going to return to the SCAC as well
19:55 Easier to re-admit a former member
23:21 The current trend of conferences getting larger
25:35 The "island" conferences in D-III postseason play
28:50 The role of NPI in making the brackets more equitable
30:22 Life for the SCAC behind the video streaming paywall
35:30 Kudos to Trinity University's streaming quality
36:15 Favorite eats in the SCAC

I won't spoil the conversation here other that to say it's quite educational and worth your time if you want to know where the league stands.

Listened to the interview. What stood out to me was Commissioner Hanberry bringing up Hendrix's move to the SCAC and that was the early seeds of what happened in the past two weeks. If I recall correctly, Hendrix made its move shortly after Trinity and Southwestern announced their move to the SAA. I have read other posts on these boards that Hendrix was trying to avoid Trinity. I don't know if that is accurate but with the timing, you could certainly see why that is a compelling argument.

Obviously, with Southwestern's move yesterday, Southwestern had buyer's remorse. I have to think Trinity does too. I also recall posts saying Trinity's move to the SAA was motivated, at least in part, by one or more of the then newer members in the SCAC. In particular, McMurry. But with McMurry going back to the ASC, was Trinity's move to the SAA a little premature? 

I am probably wrong as Trinity's ambitions have always been and continue to be high but it seems the move to the SAA is not playing out how Trinity and Southwestern thought it would.

[Ron Boerger]

For Trinity is was definitely a "we feel more of a connection to the SAA schools than the SCAC".  Don't know that it was any one SCAC school - McMurry isn't the "weakest" academically - but there was a trend of the more recently schools being lower on that measurement to be sure.  If I had to guess the only schools they would consider academic peers would be Colorado College (actually higher on the pole) and Austin.

But now ... conference survival has to be at the top of the list.

[Patrick Coleman]

If I recall correctly, Hendrix made its move shortly after Trinity and Southwestern announced their move to the SAA. I have read other posts on these boards that Hendrix was trying to avoid Trinity.

The whole SAA was formed by trying to avoid Trinity, so it makes sense that at least one original SAA member might still feel that way.

Hendrix's move to the SCAC was announced more than a year after Trinity and Southwestern's move to the SAA was announced (although they took effect at the same time). Ironically, Hendrix would have had to approve Trinity and Southwestern joining the SAA, because that conference requires a unanimous vote on new members.

[Hawks88]

If I recall correctly, Hendrix made its move shortly after Trinity and Southwestern announced their move to the SAA. I have read other posts on these boards that Hendrix was trying to avoid Trinity.

The whole SAA was formed by trying to avoid Trinity, so it makes sense that at least one original SAA member might still feel that way.

Hendrix's move to the SCAC was announced more than a year after Trinity and Southwestern's move to the SAA was announced (although they took effect at the same time). Ironically, Hendrix would have had to approve Trinity and Southwestern joining the SAA, because that conference requires a unanimous vote on new members.

Actually, it was Austin that originally joined the SAA with Trinity. At that point Southwestern joined the ASC. Eventually Austin went to the ASC and Southwestern to the SAA a couple of years later. It's all very confusing to keep track of. 

[Ron Boerger]

Austin was only a football affiliate after the SCAC dropped the sport; they never fully joined the SAA (and from what I have been told have never had a desire to do so).

[TLU05SA]

But now ... conference survival has to be at the top of the list.

What would this look like? Trinity and the SAA trying to lure schools to the SAA? If so, who? Or is this Trinity moving elsewhere?