Spring Hill College (SHC) has accepted an invitation to join the Gulf South Conference (GSC) in the sports of men's soccer, women's soccer and women's golf. The teams will immediately compete as full conference members during the 2014 regular season, but will be ineligible to compete in conference postseason tournaments for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

"This is a great affiliation for our soccer and women's golf programs," said SHC Athletics Director Jim Hall. "We are thrilled to be joining such a well-recognized and highly competitive conference in the GSC. It was important for us to secure a conference home for these programs and ensure that they will each have access to post-season automatic qualification once we are a full NCAA Division II member. We are looking forward to a great relationship with the GSC institutions for many years to come."

The GSC has competed in men's and women's soccer since 1996. Its teams have appeared in six NCAA Division II National Championship Finals with Christian Brothers University and the University of West Florida winning Women's National Championships in 2002 and 2012, respectively.

SHC has competed in men's soccer since 1992 and women's soccer since 1993.

Former GSC member Troy State won National Championships in women's golf in 1984, 1986 and 1989.

The addition of Spring Hill gives the GSC 13 members in women's soccer, 10 members in men's soccer and eight members in women's golf.

"The Gulf South Conference is excited to welcome Spring Hill College in these three sports," said GSC Commissioner Matt Wilson. "Providing the opportunity for student-athletes to compete, graduate and impact are goals of the GSC. Partnering with a great institution like SHC is right in line with what we are trying to do. I give a lot of credit to President Gregory Lucey and Jim Hall. They have done a terrific job preparing Spring Hill for the transition and this is another important step for them."

Spring Hill is currently in the second year of its transition to NCAA Division II membership and competes in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in its other varsity programs.

The Gulf South Conference is a charter member of NCAA Division II dating back to its creation in the summer of 1970. The league is currently composed of 10 full-time members, two affiliate members and two future members. Lee University is on schedule to gain official membership in 2015-16, followed by Mississippi College in 2016-17.