STATE OF THE CONFERENCES--PART 2

Our pre-season look at the state of each of the three conferences D-II South Sports covers continues with a look at the Peach Belt Conference.

PEACH BELT CONFERENCE--http://www.peachbelt.com

2006-07 MEMBERSHIP

Armstrong Atlantic State University (Ga.)

Augusta State University (Ga.)

Clayton State University (Ga.)

Columbus State University

Francis Marion University (S.C)--(1)

Georgia College & State University

Georgia Southwestern State University (2)

Lander University (S.C.)

North Georgia College & State University (3)

University of North Carolina-Pembroke

University of South Carolina-Aiken

University of South Carolina-Upstate (4)

KEY:

(1)--PBC member in all sports except women's soccer and men's golf. Both sports currently compete at the NCAA Division I level.

(2)--Beginning first season at the NCAA Division II level. Not eligible for NCAA post-season play.

(3)--Beginning second season at the NCAA Division II level. Not eligible for NCAA post-season play.

(4)--Final season in PBC and NCAA Division II. Will upgrade to NCAA Division I, and join the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2007-08.

Analysis: For 10 years, the Peach Belt Conference was probably one of the most stable NCAA Division II conferences in the nation. But the departures of Kennesaw State and North Florida to the NCAA Division I ranks at the end of the 2004-05 academic year changed that. Now the league must brace for more change, as USC Upstate plans to join its former PBC rivals in the Atlantic Sun Conference after the 2006-07 academic year.

But the upheaval may not end there. With its women's soccer and men's golf programs already competing at the D-I level, the rest of the sports at Francis Marion could soon follow suit. Also, with football set to return to the UNCP campus in 2007, the Braves may also find themselves seeking D-I status in the years to come. With Georgia Southwestern and North Georgia being ineligible for post-season play for at least three more years, it's only a matter of time before the quality of competition starts to suffer. Should these moves occur, sports such as volleyball and men's soccer could be hurt the most, as there would only be four current members playing volleyball (AASU, ASU, LU, USCA), and five with men's soccer (Clayton State, GSW, LU, North Georgia, USCA). If this happens, don't be surprised if the PBC expands west into Alabama to replace those departed schools.