Conference Realignment: Elon Moving to the Colonial Athletic Association

The Southern Conference gained a member yesterday and loses a member today. Following in the footsteps of Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, Davidson, and Charleston the Elon Phoenix will announce that they will be joining the Colonial Athletic Association Thursday at 2PM

Elon joined the Southern Conference in 2003 after spending 1999 to 2003 in the Big South Conference. This move will put the CAA's full sports membership back to ten teams for the time being and raise their football membership to ten members.

Meanwhile the Southern Conference will drop to eight members but Mercer and East Tennessee State are expected to leave the Atlantic Sun for the SoCon.

Elon helps to solidify a more southern footprint for the CAA and brings in a more than solid academic reputation to the conference. On the court the Phoenix have never won a conference championship and have had only three winning seasons in the last eleven years. Head coach Matt Matheny did lead the team to a 21-12 mark this past season and a CIT birth.

Albany is also expected to join the CAA as a full member within the next week.