Davidson College put the realignment wheels in motion again Tuesday May 7. With the private school’s move to the Atlantic 10 Conference starting in the 2014-2015 school year, the Southern Conference seems to be falling apart again.
Though conference commissioner John Iamarino made his best attempt to save the conference following the departure of Appalachian State University and Georgia Southern University in March, Davidson leaving points to Elon being the next piece to fall.
Prior to Davidson’s departure, the SoCon was comprised of nine schools – five private and four public. Now that Davidson is gone, the numbers are even at four-all.
With the options seemingly available for the conference to bring in, it might not make sense for Elon to stay affiliated with the Southern Conference. Elon Athletics Director Dave Blank and President Leo Lambert know that.
The idea of Elon joining the Colonial Athletic Association has been tossed around for a while now. The idea gained legs again after Appalachian State and Georgia Southern moved up to the Sun Belt Conference.
While Elon media relations said Blank and Elon coaches are "unavailable for interviews regarding conference realignment and such at this time," Dan Anderson, the vice president of University communications, confirmed Wednesday both Blank and Lambert had meetings in which both the change of conferences and the impact the move would have on Elon were discussed.
Blank met with athletes while the topic was raised during Lambert’s faculty meeting last week.
While Anderson said no conclusions have been reached, the idea is being thrown around Elon leadership and could become a reality in the near future.
“At this point, Elon is evaluating changes in the Southern Conference and considering what that might mean for Elon’s future,” Anderson said.