Last Friday it was announced that Piedmont University and eight other institutions would move to join the Collegiate Conference of the South after the CSS was approved by the NCAA.

Dr. Kurt Patberg, the CCS Acting Commissioner said, “Nine member institutions of the USA South Athletic Conference (USAS) have officially formed and have been approved by the NCAA as a new Division III athletic conference, following a planned separation of USAS. This new conference, the “Collegiate Conference of the South” (CCS), will include Agnes Scott College, Belhaven University, Berea College, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College.”

The USA South is currently the nation’s largest NCAA Division III conference which includes nineteen member institutions. After years of discussion separating the conference into two was the best decision.

“I don’t think it’ll affect us much because it’s the west side of the conference, so we’ll play the same teams,” said senior and women’s soccer player, Kaylee King. “I think regardless of the conference split, Piedmont will still dominate on our side of the conference.”

The CCS plans to officially begin full-time operations in summer 2022. 14 championship sports begin to compete in fall 2022 which include men baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field, and for women are basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.