Editing Atlantic Sun Conference (section)

==History==
{{Location map+  
| USA 
| width=600 
| caption=ASUN Conference Member locations<br/>[[File:Blue pog.svg|10px]] – Full member<br/>[[File:Orange pog.svg|10px]] – Affiliate member<br/>[[File:Yellow pog.svg|10px]] – Future affiliate member
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   {{Location map~ | USA | label=[[Queens University of Charlotte|Queens]] | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Queens University of Charlotte | lat=35.1886 | long=-80.8330 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label=[[Stetson University|Stetson]] | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Stetson University | lat=29.0349 | long=-81.3009 }}
  {{Location map~ | USA | label=[[University of West Georgia|West Georgia]] | position=left | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=University of West Georgia | lat=33.5753 | long=-85.1041 }}

<!-- Affiliate members -->
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   {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Coastal Carolina University|Coastal Carolina]]}} | position=right | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Coastal Carolina University | lat=33.7966 | long=-79.0134 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[University of Delaware|Delaware]]}} | position=right | mark=Yellow pog.svg | link=University of Delaware | lat= 39.6780 | long=-75.7506 }}
  {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Florida Atlantic University|Florida Atlantic]]}} | position=right | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Florida Atlantic University | lat=26.3737 | long=-80.1019 }}
  {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Gardner–Webb University|GWU]]}} | position=bottom | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Gardner–Webb University | lat=35.2475 | long=-81.6707 }}
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    {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Kennesaw State University|KSU]]}} | position=top | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Kennesaw State University | lat=34.0382 | long=-84.5827 }}
  {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Lindenwood University|Lindenwood]]}} | position=left | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Lindenwood University | lat=38.7868 | long=-90.5033 }}
  {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Liberty University|Liberty]]}} | position=top | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Liberty University | lat=37.3445 | long=-79.1811 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Mercer University|Mercer]]}} | position=bottom | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Mercer University | lat=32.8288 | long=-83.6498 }}
  {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[Old Dominion University|Old Dominion]]}} | position=right | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=Old Dominion University | lat=36.8853 | long=-76.3059 }}
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  {{Location map~ | USA | label={{small|[[University of Utah|Utah]]}} | position=right | mark=Orange pog.svg | link=University of Utah | lat=40.7649 | long=-111.8421}}
}}

=== Formation ===
The conference was first formed on September 19, 1978, as the '''Trans America Athletic Conference''', at the [[Dallas–Fort Worth Regional Airport]] Marina Hotel.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104860513/abilene-reporter-news/|work=Abilene Reporter-News|title=New conference Gets NCAA OK For Division I|page=19|date=November 1, 1978|access-date=July 3, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> Its charter members were [[Oklahoma City University]], Pan American University (later renamed [[University of Texas-Pan American]]), Northeast Louisiana University (now known as the [[University of Louisiana at Monroe]]), Houston Baptist University (now [[Houston Christian University]]), [[Hardin-Simmons University]], [[Centenary College of Louisiana]], [[Samford University]], and [[Mercer University]], all of whom were previously D-I independents. None of the eight charter members remain in the conference today.

Almost immediately after its formation, the conference experienced a shake-up in its membership. Oklahoma City departed to become a charter member of the Midwestern City Conference (known today as the [[Horizon League]]), while UTPA returned to D-I independent status—both had only played a single season in the infant league. The TAAC was quick to replace the outgoing members with [[Northwestern State University]] and the [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]], along with [[Georgia Southern University]] in 1980, but this instability would prove to be a trend through the coming years—over the next 20 years, the conference would accept 16 new members, with many of these leaving after only playing a handful of seasons. 1982 saw the departure of another charter member, Northeast Louisiana, to the [[Southland Conference]]. Additionally, it saw the arrival of [[Nicholls State University]], who originally planned to join the TAAC as a full member. However, due to an oversight by the NCAA, adding in a new program who had not competed in Division I for at least five years would result in the offending conference forfeiting their automatic bid to the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]]. To get around this, the TAAC announced that Nicholls State would compete as a provisional member, ineligible for the men's basketball tournament until it completed its D-I transition in 1985.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104861114/the-anniston-star/|work=The Anniston Star|title=Nicholls finally in conference|page=14|date=August 19, 1982|access-date=July 3, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> However, it, along with Northwestern State, left the conference in 1984 to join the [[Gulf Star Conference]] instead.

=== Expansion, contraction, and rebranding ===
The remainder of the 1980s saw mostly growth for the conference, adding [[Georgia State University]] in 1983, [[Stetson University]] in 1985, and the [[University of Texas at San Antonio]] in 1986. However, near the end of the decade, the conference was hit with 5 departures over 4 consecutive years, beginning with Houston Baptist transitioning to the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] in 1989. This was followed by Hardin-Simmons dropping to [[NCAA Division III]] in 1990, UTSA and Arkansas–Little Rock leaving for the Southland and [[Sun Belt Conference|Sun Belt]] conferences in 1991, respectively, and Georgia Southern leaving for the [[Southern Conference]] in 1992. In the midst of this, the conference began to relentlessly pursue expansion throughout the 1990s to offset these losses, adding [[Florida International University]] in 1990, [[Southeastern Louisiana University]] and the [[College of Charleston]] in 1991, the [[University of Central Florida]] in 1992, [[Florida Atlantic University]] in 1993, [[Campbell University]] in 1994, [[Jacksonville State University]] in 1995, [[Troy University|Troy State University]] in 1997, and [[Jacksonville University]] in 1998. Of these 9 schools, though, only 2 ended up staying with the conference for longer than 15 years.

The turn of the millennium saw another charter member in Centenary depart in 1999 for the Mid-Continent Conference (now the [[Summit League]]); the league was able to offset this with the addition of [[Belmont University]] in 2001. Around this same time, the conference sought to rebrand itself, changing its name from the Trans America Athletic Conference to the '''Atlantic Sun Conference'''. The newly rebranded A-Sun continued to expand into the 2000s, adding [[Gardner–Webb University]] in 2002, [[Lipscomb University]] in 2003, [[East Tennessee State University]], [[Kennesaw State University]], and the [[University of North Florida]] in 2005, and [[Florida Gulf Coast University]] & the [[University of South Carolina Upstate]] in 2007. It also lost its fair share of members as well—largely some of the aforementioned members that had been added during the '90s, such as FIU, Florida Atlantic, and Troy to the Sun Belt, Georgia State to the [[Colonial Athletic Association]], and UCF to [[Conference USA]], but it also saw the departure of Samford to the [[Ohio Valley Conference]], leaving Mercer as the only remaining charter member.

=== Present ===
The start of the 2010s gave the A-Sun a bit of a reprieve from conference realignment, losing only Campbell and Belmont in 2011 and 2012 to the Big South and OVC, respectively, and only adding recent D-I upgrader [[Northern Kentucky University]] in 2012. 2014 saw the departure of its final charter member, Mercer, to the Southern Conference in 2014; however, the Bears continued to compete in the ASUN as an affiliate for beach volleyball and added men's lacrosse to its ASUN membership in 2022. The ASUN continued to expand and contract slowly through the mid-2010s, losing only Northern Kentucky and East Tennessee State (along with Mercer), and only adding the [[New Jersey Institute of Technology]] in 2015.

This slow pace didn't stay for long, however. The second half of the decade saw the conference rebranding a second time, to simply the '''ASUN Conference'''<ref name="ASUN Conference"/> Two years later, the [[University of North Alabama]] arrived from the [[NCAA Division II|Division II]] [[Gulf South Conference]],<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://roarlions.com/news/2016/12/6/general-una-accepts-asun-invitation-to-move-to-division-i.aspx |title=UNA Accepts ASUN Division I Invitation |publisher=North Alabama Lions |date=December 6, 2016 |access-date=December 11, 2016}}</ref> and [[Liberty University]] left the Big South for the ASUN.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://asunsports.org/general/2017-18/releases/20180516hf2r4k |title=ASUN Conference Announces Liberty University as League Member for 2018–19 |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=May 17, 2018 |access-date=May 17, 2018 |archive-date=May 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520193050/http://asunsports.org/general/2017-18/releases/20180516hf2r4k |url-status=dead }}</ref> More recently, [[Bellarmine University]] joined from the Division II [[Great Lakes Valley Conference]]<ref name="BU 2020">{{cite press release |url=http://asunsports.org/general/2018-19/releases/20190617o5yrum |title=ASUN Conference Announces Addition of Bellarmine University |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=June 18, 2019 |access-date=June 18, 2019 |archive-date=June 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619175040/http://asunsports.org/general/2018-19/releases/20190617o5yrum |url-status=dead }}</ref> and NJIT left for the [[America East Conference]] in 2020–21.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.njithighlanders.com/news/2020/6/12/general-njit-to-join-america-east-conference-as-10th-member-institution.aspx |title=NJIT to Join America East Conference as 10th Member Institution – NJIT Highlanders |publisher=NJIT Highlanders |date=June 12, 2020 |access-date=June 13, 2020}}</ref> On July 1, 2024, the [[University of West Georgia]] joined from the Division II Gulf South Conference.<ref>[https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/10/09/west-georgia "Inside West Georgia’s move to Division I"] ''Sports Business Journal''. Retrieved 2024-08-02.</ref>

====Failed CCSA merger====
On January 22, 2020, it was announced that the [[Coastal Collegiate Sports Association]] and the ASUN would merge to create a new Division I multisport conference.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asunsports.org/general/2019-20/releases/20200122lh6utq |title=ASUN Announces Exploration of Expansion & Building New NCAA Division I Multisport Conference |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=January 22, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004093426/https://asunsports.org/general/2019-20/releases/20200122lh6utq |url-status=dead }}</ref> The timeline below was released with the announcement of this merger and expansion plan:

*June, 2023 – ASUN Conference expands to 20 members.
*Before July 1, 2023 – ASUN transfers rights to the ASUN name and marks to the CCSA.
*July 1, 2023 – ASUN 7 joins the CCSA. The CCSA adopts the ASUN name as a multisport conference. The 13 remaining members would adopt the name United Athletic Conference.

The ASUN had planned on expanding to 20 members and then splitting the conference similar to how the [[Big East Conference (1979-2013)|Original Big East Conference]] was split in 2013 into the [[American Athletic Conference]] and the [[Big East Conference|New Big East Conference]]. The new ASUN Conference governed by the CCSA would have made up of the ASUN 7 including all of the members that would have been in the ASUN Conference for at least 8 years to meet the requirements for a new multisport conference. The members would have included [[Florida Gulf Coast University]], [[Jacksonville University]], [[Kennesaw State University]], [[Lipscomb University]], [[New Jersey Institute of Technology]], [[University of North Florida]], and [[Stetson University]]. The United Athletic Conference (not to be confused with the [[United Athletic Conference]], the football merger between the [[Western Athletic Conference]] and the ASUN in 2023) governed by the original ASUN Conference would have included [[Bellarmine University]], [[Liberty University]], [[University of North Alabama]], and ten other undisclosed schools that would have joined through expansion.

On November 16, 2020, The ASUN Conference announced that, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] and the quickly changing landscape in conference realignment, the creation of a new multisport conference would not be possible at the time of the release or with the aforementioned timeline.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asunsports.org/general/2020-21/releases/20201115ri19kb |title=ASUN Statement on Conference Expansion |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=November 16, 2020 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116230103/https://asunsports.org/general/2020-21/releases/20201115ri19kb |url-status=dead }}</ref> This comes after the news that NJIT would be leaving the ASUN for the [[America East Conference]] in 2021, weakening the ASUN 7 and lowering the chances that a new conference would be created with only six members.

====Addition of football====
{{main|United Athletic Conference}}

Arguably its biggest move in recent years was the announcement that the conference would be adding the [[University of Central Arkansas]], [[Eastern Kentucky University]], and former member [[Jacksonville State University]], as incoming members on January 29, 2021, with the intent of sponsoring football in the [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|Football Championship Subdivision]] (FCS) in 2022.<ref name=2021exp>{{cite press release |url=https://asunsports.org/general/2020-21/releases/20210126nthmsg |title=ASUN Conference Announces Three New Institutions; Adds Football as 20th Sport |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=January 29, 2021 |access-date=January 29, 2021 |archive-date=January 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129160022/https://www.asunsports.org/general/2020-21/releases/20210126nthmsg |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, with these three schools joining in 2021, the league partnered with another conference beginning to sponsor football also in 2022, the [[Western Athletic Conference]] (WAC), to allow the three teams to join the WAC as football affiliates for 2021, branding it interchangeably as the "ASUN–WAC Challenge" and "WAC–ASUN Challenge"; the two leagues will receive a combined bid to the FCS playoffs.<ref name=ASUNWACFB>{{cite press release|url=https://asunsports.org/sports/fball/2020-21/releases/20210223bff9nn |title=ASUN, WAC Conferences Announce Football Partnership for 2021 |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=February 23, 2021 |access-date=February 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name=ASUNWACupdate>{{cite press release|url=https://asunsports.org/sports/fball/2020-21/releases/20210222nmh2xm |title=From the Commissioner's Desk: @ASUN_Football Update |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=February 23, 2021 |access-date=February 23, 2021}}</ref>

As soon as it was announced, however, the football league was thrown into jeopardy, as Jacksonville State announced it would be leaving once again in 2023 for [[Conference USA]] (C-USA), an FBS conference. Liberty was also invited to C-USA for 2023, but had already competed as an FBS independent for some time and was not included in the ASUN's new football league.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 5, 2021 |title=Conference USA to add Liberty, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, Sam Houston State beginning in 2023 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32560304 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=ESPN}}</ref> With the WAC also losing [[Sam Houston State University|Sam Houston]], another football-sponsoring school, to C-USA, the two conferences announced they would be renewing their alliance for the 2022 season.<ref name=WACASUNFB>{{cite press release|url=https://asunsports.org/sports/fball/2021-22/releases/20220518bz4t65 |title=ASUN and WAC Renew Football Alliance |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=May 18, 2022 |access-date=May 19, 2022}}</ref> On September 17, 2021, the ASUN announced [[Austin Peay State University]], a football-sponsoring school, as a new member for the 2022–23 season.<ref name=":0">{{cite press release |url=https://www.asunsports.org/general/2021-22/releases/20210916gkbm0v |title=ASUN Conference Welcomes Austin Peay State University as its Newest Member |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=September 17, 2021 |access-date=September 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115194740/https://asunsports.org/general/2021-22/releases/20210916gkbm0v |url-status=dead }}</ref> In May 2022, local media in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], also reported that [[Queens University of Charlotte]] would start a transition from the Division II [[South Atlantic Conference]] as a new ASUN member, also effective on July 1 of that year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/article261181172.html |title=Queens University of Charlotte accepts invitation to NCAA Division I conference |first=Jonathan |last=Limehouse |newspaper=The Charlotte Observer |date=May 7, 2022 |access-date=May 8, 2022}}</ref> The ASUN officially announced this move on May 10.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://asunsports.org/general/2021-22/releases/20220502gh522q |title=ASUN Conference Welcomes Queens University of Charlotte as Its Newest Member |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=May 10, 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510170813/https://asunsports.org/general/2021-22/releases/20220502gh522q |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The ASUN also expanded its associate membership in the 2020s. The conference started the decade with five associate members—Coastal Carolina in both beach volleyball and women's lacrosse, Mercer in beach volleyball only, and Akron, Kent State, and Howard in women's lacrosse. All of the women's lacrosse associates left by the 2021–22 school year. Akron and Kent State left after the 2020 season when their full-time home of the [[Mid-American Conference]] began sponsoring the sport. Coastal Carolina also left after the 2020 season for the SoCon. Howard moved several sports not sponsored by its full-time home of the [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]] to the [[Northeast Conference]], with women's lacrosse moving after the 2021 season. Coastal Carolina moved beach volleyball to C-USA after the 2020–21 school year.

However, the 2021–22 school year saw the arrival of eight new associates, as well as the return of former women's lacrosse associates Coastal Carolina and Delaware State for that sport. ASUN beach volleyball added Charleston, Stephen F. Austin, and UNC Wilmington. The largest change in associate membership involved the relaunch of ASUN men's lacrosse. Full member Bellarmine was joined by five new associates—Air Force, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Robert Morris, and Utah.

The ASUN lost five beach volleyball members for 2022–23. The conference's four associates in that sport left for the [[Sun Belt Conference]] (SBC), which added that sport. Charleston, Stephen F. Austin, and UNC Wilmington all left the ASUN after a single season and Mercer also moved beach volleyball to the SBC.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2023/1/17/general-sun-belt-conference-adds-beach-volleyball-for-2023.aspx|title=Sun Belt Conference Adds Beach Volleyball For 2023 |publisher=Sun Belt Conference |date=January 18, 2023 |access-date=January 19, 2023}}</ref> Also, departing full member Jacksonville State moved beach volleyball to its future home of C-USA a year before its all-sports move to that league.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2023/2/22/womens-beach-volleyball-bvb-2023-preseason-awards-announced.aspx |title=2023 Preseason Awards Announced |publisher=Conference USA |date=February 23, 2023 |access-date=March 12, 2023 |quote=The league serves up its second season with opening matches this weekend featuring  (16) FIU, (12) Florida Atlantic and UAB, along with new members Jacksonville State and (ARV) Tulane.}}</ref>

Also for 2022–23, Mercer moved men's lacrosse into the ASUN after the SoCon shut down its men's lacrosse league, and new D-I member Lindenwood became an associate in both men's and women's lacrosse.

On October 14, 2022, Conference USA and Kennesaw State jointly announced that KSU would start a transition to FBS after the 2022 football season<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://ksuowls.com/news/2022/10/14/general-kennesaw-state-to-join-conference-usa-in-2024-25.aspx |title=Kennesaw State to Join Conference USA in 2024–25 |publisher=Kennesaw State Owls |date=October 14, 2022 |access-date=October 14, 2022}}</ref> and join C-USA in 2024.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://conferenceusa.com/news/2022/10/14/general-c-usa-adds-kennesaw-state-owls-to-join-in-2024.aspx |title=C-USA Adds Kennesaw State, Owls to Join in 2024 |publisher=Conference USA |date=October 14, 2022 |access-date=October 14, 2022}}</ref>

ESPN reported on December 9, 2022, that the ASUN and WAC had agreed to form a new football-only conference that plans to start play in 2024. The initial membership would consist of Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, and North Alabama from the ASUN, and [[Abilene Christian Wildcats football|Abilene Christian]], [[Southern Utah Thunderbirds football|Southern Utah]], [[Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football|Stephen F. Austin]], [[Tarleton State Texans football|Tarleton]], and [[Utah Tech Trailblazers football|Utah Tech]] from the WAC. [[UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros|UTRGV]] would become the 10th member upon its planned addition of football in 2025. The new football conference also reportedly plans to move "from what is currently known as FCS football to what is currently known as FBS football at the earliest practicable date."<ref>{{cite news |last=Thamel |first=Pete |author-link=Pete Thamel |date=December 9, 2022 |title=Atlantic Sun, WAC teams pairing up to attempt move to FBS, sources say |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35216756 |access-date=December 9, 2022 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> On December 20, the two conferences confirmed the football merger, announcing that the new football league would start play in 2023 under the tentative name of ASUN–WAC Football Conference. This was followed in April 2023 by the new league rebranding itself as the [[United Athletic Conference]] (UAC). The UAC is playing a six-game schedule, and initially planned to start full round-robin conference play in 2024, although this is likely to change with two schools joining by 2025.{{efn|With FCS programs limited to 11 regular-season games in most seasons, as opposed to the 12-game limit in FBS, a round-robin conference schedule is problematic for any FCS conference with more than 9 members.}} Neither conference's announcement mentioned any plans to move to FBS.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://asunsports.org/sports/fball/2022-23/releases/20221220kpoghs |title=@ASUN_Football and WAC Release 2023 Schedule |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=December 20, 2022 |access-date=December 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=https://wacsports.com/sports/fball/2022-23/releases/2023fbconfschedule |title=ASUN And WAC Unveil 2023 Football Schedule |publisher=Western Athletic Conference |date=December 20, 2022 |access-date=December 22, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=https://asunsports.org/sports/fball/2022-23/releases/20230417066y7o |title=ASUN-WAC Football Partnership Formally Rebrands As The United Athletic Conference |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=April 17, 2023 |access-date=April 19, 2023}}</ref>

====Return of Atlantic Sun====
On September 1, 2023, it was announced that the ASUN would undergo another rebranding to reinstate the use of the name Atlantic Sun. The conference still uses "ASUN" as its official abbreviation.

==== Addition of swimming and diving ====
The ASUN added men's and women's swimming & diving for the 2023–24 season, taking most of its initial membership from the [[Coastal Collegiate Sports Association]], which had been founded as a partnership of several all-sports conferences, including the ASUN, as a home for that sport (the CCSA's scope would later expand to include beach volleyball). Two associate members came from the [[American Athletic Conference]], which dropped men's swimming as a sponsored sport after the 2022–23 season. The initial membership for that sport was:<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://asunsports.org/news/2023/8/15/mens-swimming-diving-swimming.aspx |title=ASUN Conference Adds Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving |publisher=Atlantic Sun Conference |date=August 28, 2023 |access-date=September 24, 2023}}</ref>
* Two full members, Bellarmine and Queens, compete in both the men's and women's leagues.
* Two other full members, Florida Gulf Coast and North Florida, sponsor only the women's sport.
* The two full men's members were joined by associate members Florida Atlantic, Gardner–Webb, Old Dominion, and SMU. SMU only competed in the 2023–24 season, after which it joined the [[Atlantic Coast Conference]], which sponsors the sport for both sexes.
* Gardner–Webb is also an associate in women's swimming & diving; it was joined in that status by former full ASUN member Liberty and UNC Asheville.