Stillman College Athletics Officially Joins HBCUAC

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Stillman College on Monday announced that it has officially joined the Historically Black Colleges & Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC), which follows the rebranding of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

As Patch previously reported, Stillman College joined the GCAC in October 2023 after spending the previous six seasons in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC).

During its time in the SSAC, Stillman College appeared in five men's basketball national tournaments, two men's cross country championships, one softball tournament and one men's track & field championship.

"Today is monumental, as Stillman returns to an HBCU conference and the NAIA's only HBCU conference," Stillman College Athletic Director and head baseball coach Terrance Whittle said. "We believe our athletics footprint, geographical location, institutional values, academic standards, and historical lineage align with the HBCUAC standards.

"Moving to the HBCUAC will provide our entire institution and the city of Tuscaloosa increased exposure through championship hosting opportunities, HBCU+ media rights agreements and will reignite past rivalries and create new rivalries," Whittle added. "We are excited to begin this new era and will continue to make our alumni and the city of Tuscaloosa proud as we build upon a tradition where winners thrive not only in competition but in the classroom and in the community."

The HBCUAC consists of 13 institutions: Stillman, Dillard, Fisk, Oakwood, Philander Smith, Rust, Southern New Orleans (SUNO), Talladega, Tougaloo, Virgin Islands, Voorhees, Wilberforce and Wiley.

"The HBCU Athletic Conference is dedicated to nurturing the whole student-athlete through strategic partnerships conference expansion, and sharing the rich heritage of our member schools we are moving in a direction that continues to show why we are the place Where Winners Thrive," HBCUAC Commissioner Kiki Baker Barnes said.

In the new conference, Stillman will compete in men's and women's cross country, women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball and men's and women's track & field.

Stillman says its men's and women's bowling programs will remain in the Southern States as an associate member.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com