Millsaps and Southwestern out, Scots in — Maryville embarks on a new era in the SAA
By Charlsie McElhaney | Sept. 15, 2026
After four seasons as a founding member of the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS), Maryville College is moving on. The Scots transitioned to the Southern Athletic Association (SAA), with football and women’s golf making the jump in 2025 and the other teams following in 2026.
The move comes after more than a decade in the USA South, so why help build the CCS, only to leave shortly after? For Athletic Director Andrew Wu, the answer is simple: reputation.
“From an academic perspective, athletic perspective, financial perspective, the institutions in the SAA are very solid and moving into the conference was a great opportunity,” Wu said.
He added that stability was another leading factor in the decision — a point he acknowledged has since become ironic.
“[It] is a little ironic right now, because when Southwestern and Millsaps announced they were leaving, suddenly it threw the conference into a little bit of instability,” Wu said.
With those two schools departing, the SAA is left with only one Texas team, Trinity, making travel a headache for staff and coaches.
“For most sports, we fly [the team] over, but they get to play Southwestern and Trinity in one trip. Now with the departures, we’re looking at a situation where we’re potentially traveling to Texas for fewer contests,” Wu said.
Millsaps announced its departure in June 2026, and Southwestern followed in July 2026, sparking extensive discussion among conference leadership, college presidents and athletic directors.
Conference realignment is nothing new. During Maryville’s four years in the CCS, the conference saw its membership change twice. Departures like these are hardly unusual; in fact, they are a frequent topic of discussion behind the scenes.
Maryville College President Dr. Bryan Coker attended an SAA meeting on Sept. 4 with fellow presidents to begin planning for the year ahead.
“Just as the CCS did following those departures, the SAA will seek other colleges and universities to be new members in the wake of Millsaps and Southwestern leaving,” Coker said. “Those discussions [about new members] are underway in the SAA now, but there’s no news to share yet.”
For now, Southwestern and Millsaps will still compete in the SAA this academic year, though the long-term plan remains up in the air.
Despite the lengthy process, Maryville College remains proud of its time in the Collegiate Conference of the South.
“It solved a problem in the South for us at the time and got us out of the massive USA South and kind of made a new home for us,” Wu said. “We had a great experience.”
No matter the conference, MC athletes will keep competing for the orange and garnet. With nearly every team’s season getting underway in the coming weeks, and in a new league, the support matters more than ever. For the Scots, the change brings new rivals, longer road trips and a fresh start on a bigger stage. As these discussions continue, go out and cheer on your Maryville College fighting Scots as they make their first marks in the SAA.