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SoCon Adds ETSU, Mercer and VMI

Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 3:40 pm
by The Cats
Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino Teleconference Audio: Click Here


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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – East Tennessee State University, Mercer University and the Virginia Military Institute have been extended invitations to join the Southern Conference beginning July 1, 2014, SoCon Commissioner John Iamarino announced from the league’s spring meetings Thursday.

ETSU and Mercer have accepted the invitations to join the conference next year, while VMI is expected to formally ratify joining the league Friday when its Board of Visitors meets.

ETSU and Mercer currently compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, while VMI is in the Big South Conference. ETSU and VMI are former SoCon members. VMI departed the league in 2003, while ETSU’s final season in the conference was 2004-05.

“The addition of these three institutions will solidify the Southern Conference and ensure our position as a vibrant league with a bright future,” Iamarino said. “We are delighted to invite three quality institutions, two of which are returning to a home they previously enjoyed for many years.

“Our membership is excited about rekindling old rivalries and establishing new ones. Most importantly, we've been able to grow while not extending our geographic footprint to an extreme extent.”

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Re: SoCon Adds ETSU, Mercer and VMI

Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 10:47 am
by Hoseinexile07
Good for all of them. Wish we were headed in that direction, too. PC's a great geographical fit (30 mins from Wofford, 45 mins from Furman, around 2.5 hours from WCU, 3 hours from El Cid, and 4 hours from Mercer) and we've been playing current SoCon members since we started football in 1913. No one asked me, though. All the best for the SoCon's evolution.

Re: SoCon Adds ETSU, Mercer and VMI

Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 5:12 am
by psychoCAT
Best of luck to PC and the Big South.