MIAMI, Fla.– The Sun Conference announced on Wednesday the return of football to the conference beginning in the fall of 2022.
"Today is a great day for The Sun Conference," said SUN Commissioner Dustin Wilke. "Football is a passion for many in the southeast and we are ready to fully embrace it in our conference and watch it continue to grow. We have strong established programs that are excited to be able to represent The Sun and we look forward to competing with the best conferences in the NAIA."
The Sun Conference has seven schools (Ave Maria, Florida Memorial, Keiser, Southeastern, St. Thomas, Warner, and Webber International) which will compete under the SUN flag this upcoming fall. Southeastern has spent the last five seasons under the Mid-South Conference competing in the Sun Division.
"It's time for football in the Sun Conference to excel on our own," said Southeastern University Director of Athletics
Drew Watson. "The conference features some of the best student-athletes and coaches in the country. As we continue to develop and add teams, we will become a force to be reckoned with on the national scene for years to come."
Southeastern has been a full member of The Sun Conference since 2009 and competes in the league in 16 other sports.
"I'm very happy to see some great Florida rivalries continue to grow in recruiting and on the field of play," said Southeastern Head Coach
Cesar Rivas-Sandoval. "Each year this conference grows in strength, and we will continue to push each other to get better, and I have no doubt that the teams from our conference will continue to represent Florida football in a big way on the national level."
The Sun Conference sponsored football from 2014-2016. With Southeastern winning two of the three conference titles in 2015 and 2016.
With the addition of football, the Sun Conference will increase the numbers of sponsored sports to 20 during the 2022-23 season (Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Flag Football, Men's and Women's Golf, Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field and Women's Volleyball).
"In addition, I think it's awesome to provide our in-state talent an opportunity to not only stay home in Florida to play football while getting a great education, but they can now do it while playing in their own backyard in front of friends and family in some very competitive matchups," said Rivas.
