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Central Arkansas | Eastern Kentucky | Jacksonville State 

ATLANTA, Ga. – The ASUN Conference announced today the additions of the University of Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky University and Jacksonville State University into the league after a unanimous vote by the ASUN Presidents' Council. With the introduction of the three universities, FCS Scholarship Football becomes the 20th sport sponsored by the ASUN Conference.

"When a conference embarks on a mission to strengthen itself through expansion, it has to present a case for why membership with one conference would be more beneficial to the institution than membership in its current conference," ASUN Commissioner Ted Gumbart said. "The ASUN spent two years examining and defining its advantages and then presenting interested candidates with the option to join. Every institution will select the best option for conference affiliation from the available options. Each institution owes it to the student body, the athletic department and the university community as a whole to do what is best for the university. The ASUN works extremely hard to build options. To know that these three institutions have evaluated their options, and knowing each had multiple choices for conference affiliation and that they chose the ASUN is a great achievement. The ASUN Presidents' Council set this process in place years ago when the Council members challenged the conference to be a great destination, and that would attract new member interest. The plan has worked and we are thankful for the visionary leadership of our Council to prioritize the student-athlete experience and the institutional value of being a member of the ASUN."

The Bears, Colonels and Gamecocks all become members of the ASUN Conference starting with the 2021-22 season and increases the ASUN membership to 12 institutions. The ASUN becomes the 15th NCAA Division I Conference to sponsor FCS Football.

"The ASUN has operated with members in each NCAA Division I subdivision for many years," Gumbart continued. "Throughout our history, football status and affiliation has driven schools in and out of the ASUN. We participated in discussions about sponsoring football for decades. We know that football brings the greatest attention among fans and media members, and we recognize football as a driving force in conference affiliation. The ASUN expansion plan considered football a central point. We defined basketball as our primary sport, but we recognize that football dictates conference affiliation. We agreed that maintaining all of our current nine members was the primary motivation in any conference expansion. To provide a football home for Kennesaw State and North Alabama is a great step for the ASUN. Our Presidents' Council emphasized that we will not back off any of our conference emphasis on basketball, but that ongoing strength and sustainability required us to address football. With our partnership with the Big South, we can continue to grow, maintain AQ access for all our football members, and build the most valuable schedule possible for the ASUN Football members."

With the addition of Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State, the ASUN Conference expands its geographic footprint to seven states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia) and now features 12 of the top-80 media markets in the nation and seven of the top-50.

President Dr. Houston Davis (Central Arkansas University)
"The academic quality of the current and new ASUN member institutions aligns with our mission as a university that values academic vitality, integrity, and diversity. Our overall graduation rate stands at the second-highest in our state, and our student-athletes are 20 points higher than our overall population. The ASUN is known for academic success, as more than 70 percent of ASUN student-athletes earned a 3.0 or better GPA each of the past three years. This parallels the success of UCA's student-athletes who have a 3.2 overall cumulative GPA. Academics and high standards matter, and joining the ASUN will make us a stronger university."

President David McFaddin (Eastern Kentucky University)
"Joining the ASUN Conference provides Eastern Kentucky University the opportunity to share our story with a rapidly growing, more geographically diverse audience. It is an opportunity to expand our reach and make an impact in areas where we have not traditionally shared EKU's story. Eastern Kentucky University is known as the "School of Opportunity." Our membership with the ASUN is an opportunity to raise our athletic profile, enhance our alumni connections, expand our brand, and transform our student experience. And, it's an opportunity to join a conference that shares a bold and innovative vision for college athletics and student-athletes. It makes this an exciting day and a logical move for EKU."

ASUN Conference, Atlanta, Ga. - the only DI conference headquartered in the ATL, our footprint's primary media, sports, business, transportation and cultural hub
The ASUN, a Division I conference member of the NCAA, boasts a membership of institutions that share visionary leadership, bold ambition and creative innovation. As a nimble adaptive conference, unafraid to blaze a national pathway for better service to our student-athletes, teams, and institutions, the ASUN has a proud history of firsts, national academic and athletic achievements and a conference culture that walks the walk with its four ASUN Beams. Students First! Rise. Connect. Impact. #ASUNBuilt by Bellarmine (Louisville), FGCU (Fort Myers), Jacksonville (Fla.), Kennesaw State (Ga.), Liberty (Lynchburg, Va.), Lipscomb (Nashville), North Alabama (Florence), North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.), and Stetson (DeLand, Fla.).