Mercer Bears - History and Conference Affiliations

History and Conference Affiliations

Mercer was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) from 1906–11 and from 1919–37; the university won the conference championship in basketball in 1922 and 1924. Without leaving the SIAA, which focused mostly on basketball and track, Mercer was a charter member of the Dixie Conference in 1930; the university played football in the new conference from 1930–42 and won the conference championship in 1932. Mercer suspended athletics in 1942 during World War II, but rejoined the Dixie Conference from 1948-54 in all sports (except football, Mercer did not revive the sport after the war). The university won the Dixie Conference tournament championship in basketball in 1951, 1952 and 1954; Mercer won the regular season championship in 1950, 1952 and 1953.

Mercer began competition in women's basketball in 1970; the team won the Southern Women's Athletic Conference championship in 1972. The university, competing in the Georgia Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, won the conference championship in 1974, 1976, 1979, 1980 (tournament and regular season) and 1982 (regular season). In 1985, Mercer advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four; the team was defeated (82-79) by Central Missouri State University. Mercer was a charter member of the New South Women's Athletic Conference in 1985-86 and won the conference championship in 1991; the conference merged with the Trans America Athletic Conference the same year.

Mercer became a charter member of the Trans America Athletic Conference (renamed the Atlantic Sun Conference) in 1978 and is the only charter member remaining with the conference. The men's basketball team won the conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament in 1981; the team was defeated (73-67) by the University of Arkansas. Mercer won the conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Division I tournament again in 1985; the team was defeated (65-58) by Georgia Tech.

Mercer discontinued football in 1942, but will reinstate the sport in 2013; the university will compete in the Pioneer Football League.

Mercer will join the Southern Conference on July 1, 2014; the university accepted an invitation on May 30, 2013, and will join along with East Tennessee State University and Virginia Military Institute. Mercer will shift from non-scholarship to scholarship football when it joins the conference.