Now entering its 20th year of existence in 2009-10, the Peach
Belt Conference has become one of the elite Division II conferences
in the nation. Since its inception in 1990-91, the Peach Belt has
developed a consistent history of excellence which continues to
this day with 28 national championships and 25 national finalist
Starting with only two championships in 1991, in men’s and
women’s basketball, the conference has expanded to 13
championship sports with the addition of women’s golf in the
fall of 2009.
The conference traces its roots back to November of 1988 when 11
schools first met in Greenville, S.C. to form a Division II
conference. Following a second meeting on Dec. 3, 1989, five of
those 11 schools, plus two others, formed the Peach Belt and begin
play in fall 1990.
The Peach Belt was less than a year old before capturing a
national championship. The Columbus State golf team took the honor
by winning the 1992 national crown, the first of three golf
championships the Cougars own. One year later, the Lander men's
tennis team began their record-breaking run of eight straight
national titles, the first PBC dynasty. Since then, USCA men's golf
has won three straight national titles from 2004-06 while AASU
women's tennis has captured four titles overall.
The 2008-09 season was among the conference’s most
memorable. The Armstrong Atlantic State men’s and
women’s tennis teams both won their respective national
championships – for the second year in a row; a feat only
done once before in college tennis. In addition, the Augusta State
men’s basketball team became the first conference program to
make back-to-back trips to the NCAA Elite Eight, Armstrong Atlantic
became the first PBC volleyball team ever to advance to the Elite
Eight and the North Georgia softball team was ranked #1 in the
nation and reached the World Series.
The seven charter members of the conference were Armstrong
Atlantic State University, Columbus State University, Francis
Marion University, Georgia College & State University, Lander
University, USC Aiken and USC Upstate. The name Peach Belt Athletic
Conference was adopted in January of 1990 and modified to Peach
Belt Conference in May of 2000.
Augusta State joined the conference in 1991 and UNC Pembroke
became the ninth member on July 1, 1992. They were followed by
Kennesaw State University on July 1, 1994, Clayton State University
on July 1, 1995 and the University of North Florida on July 1,
1997. Kennesaw State and North Florida departed for the Division I
ranks in 2005, USC Upstate did the same in 2007, and the conference
welcomed in North Georgia College & State University in 2005
and Georgia Southwestern State University in 2006.
For 2009-10, the Peach Belt has grown once again with the
addition of the University of Montevallo and Flagler College,
giving the PBC 13 members, the most the league has ever had. The
addition of the two schools returns the PBC to the state of Florida
and expands the league into Alabama for the first time.
David Brunk was named the second PBC commissioner in May of
2007. Brunk replaced Marvin Vanover, who was the first PBC
commissioner from 1991 to 2007. Brunk is charged with continuing
the strong growth of the conference as its second era begins.
Dr. David Potter, president of North Georgia College & State
University, returns as the president of the Peach Belt in 2009-10.
The conference currently holds championships in 13 sports, six
for men and seven for women. They are men’s and women’s
cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball,
men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and
women’s tennis, baseball, softball and men’s and
women’s golf.