Berry, Seven Other Southeastern Colleges Form Southern Athletic Association
For Immediate Release: Aug. 19, 2011
For Information, contact: Jay Gardiner, SAA
Interim Commissioner
404.364.8414 or jgardiner@oglethorpe.edu
Editors: Please see attached photo and Southern Athletic Association logo. Go here to visit the landing page.
(ATLANTA) – The newest athletic conference in the NCAA now has a name – the Southern Athletic Association (SAA).
Berry College and seven other Division III southeastern colleges joined together in June to form the new athletic conference beginning with the 2012-13 season.
Spanning six states, the Southern Athletic Association includes Berry College and Oglethorpe University in Georgia, Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama, Centre College in Kentucky, Hendrix College in Arkansas, Millsaps College in Mississippi and Rhodes College and Sewanee: The University of the South in Tennessee.
Additionally, the new conference logo was designed by Berry student graphic designer Ellie Fox, of Rome, Ga. Her design was among several submitted by professional designers.
“Though she is only a sophomore, Ellie showed tremendous
creativity as a designer while demonstrating her ability to manage
large projects. Berry teaches students responsibility firsthand
– by giving real responsibilities,” said Berry
President Stephen Briggs.
The Southern Athletic Association is committed to fostering athletic competition and cooperation among academically selective, residential liberal arts colleges located in the southeastern region of the United States. The geographic focus will result in reduced travel time and fewer missed classes, while still allowing for a strong conference of like-minded institutions, all of which integrate competitive athletics into the whole of the student’s educational experience.
Jay Gardiner, athletics director at Oglethorpe, will serve as the Southern Athletic Association interim commissioner. Oglethorpe president Lawrence Schall will serve as convener of the conference’s Presidential Council during the 2011-12 academic year while Brian Chafin, athletics director at Centre, will serve as convener of the Athletics Director Council in 2011-12.
Berry College is an independent, coeducational college recognized nationally for the quality and value of its educational experience. Located on a magnificent campus encompassing more than 26,000 acres near Rome, Ga., Berry challenges its student body, consisting of more than 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, to embrace a firsthand education that unites strong academic programs with opportunities for meaningful work experience, spiritual and moral growth, and significant service to others.