List of Sun Belt Conference champions

The Sun Belt Conference sponsors nine men's sports and 10 women's sports. This is a list of conference champions for each sport.

Members

All dates of membership reflect the calendar years of entry and departure. Since all past Sun Belt associate members participated only in fall sports, the year of departure is the calendar year after the final (planned) season of competition.

Full members

Affiliate members

Former full members

Former affiliate members

Vic Bubas Cup

The Vic Bubas Cup (formerly the Sun Belt Cup) is the Sun Belt's all-sports championship trophy, named after the Sun Belt's first commissioner Vic Bubas.[1] The reigning champion as of the 2023–24 season is South Alabama. South Alabama has also won the most Bubas Cups with 16.[2]

Scoring

  • For sports with regular season conference competition (baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball, and volleyball), cup points are awarded based on each teams' regular season finish (determined by winning percentage in conference games for all sports besides soccer. In soccer, standings are determined by points, with three points given for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss).[1]
  • For sports without regular season competition (cross country, golf, track and field, and tennis), points are awarded based on Sun Belt Tournament finish.[1]
  • The number of points for each sport is based on the number of schools in the conference which sponsor that sport. For example, the men's basketball regular season champion receives 12 points but the men's cross country champion only receives 9.[1]
  • For sports with both a regular season conference competition and a conference tournament, the conference tournament winner receives one additional point.[1]
  • For sports with divisions (baseball, basketball, football, and volleyball), points are awarded based on overall conference record regardless of divisional finish.[1]
  • If necessary, the tiebreaker is the number of conference titles each school won that season. If this is also tied then the teams involved are declared co-champions.

History

The early years of the competition were largely dominated by the South Florida Bulls, who won 8 of the first 10 Vic Bubas Cups. After USF left the conference following their 9th Cup win after the 1990 season, South Alabama took over as the dominant force in the conference, winning 8 of the next 10 competitions. Between 2001 and 2014, the only teams to win the Cup were Middle Tennessee (with 9) and Western Kentucky (with 5). Middle Tennessee left the conference after 2013 and Western Kentucky did the same the following year, which paved the way for South Alabama to retake control of the Cup for each of the next 4 seasons.

Trophy

The trophy itself has gone through four different designs. The first was a blue and white porcelain vase and all others have been a Waterford Crystal vase (each version becoming more elaborate than the version prior).[citation needed] The current design was introduced during the 2022–23 season.

Winners

Year Winner
1976–77 Jacksonville*
1977–78 South Florida*
1978–79 South Florida*
1979–80 South Florida*
1980–81 South Florida*
1981–82 South Florida*
1982–83 Old Dominion
1983–84 South Florida*
1984–85 South Florida*
1985–86 South Florida*
1986–87 Western Kentucky*
1987–88 South Alabama
1988–89 South Alabama
1989–90 South Florida*
1990–91 South Alabama
1991–92 South Alabama
1992–93 South Alabama
1993–94 South Alabama
1994–95 Arkansas State
1995–96 South Alabama
1996–97 South Alabama
1997–98 Arkansas State
1998–99 South Alabama
1999–2000 South Alabama
2000–01 Middle Tennessee*
2001–02 Western Kentucky*
2002–03 Western Kentucky*
2003–04 Middle Tennessee*
2004–05 Middle Tennessee*
2005–06 Western Kentucky*
2006–07 Middle Tennessee*
2007–08 Western Kentucky*
2008–09 Middle Tennessee*
2009–10 Middle Tennessee*
2010–11 Middle Tennessee*
2011–12 Middle Tennessee*
2012–13 Middle Tennessee*
2013–14 Western Kentucky*
2014–15 South Alabama
2015–16 South Alabama
2016–17 South Alabama
2017–18 South Alabama
2018–19 Texas State
2019–20 Arkansas State
2020–21 South Alabama
2021–22 Texas State
2022–23 South Alabama

[3][4]

Team Number of Bubas Cups
South Alabama 16
South Florida* 9
Middle Tennessee*
Western Kentucky* 6
Arkansas State 3
Texas State 2
Jacksonville* 1
Old Dominion

[3][4]

*– No longer members of the Sun Belt Conference. Old Dominion left the SBC in 1991 and returned in 2022.

Current champions

Sport Regular Season Champion Postseason Champion
Baseball Texas State (2022) Louisiana (2022)
Football Troy (2022)
Men's Basketball Southern Miss (2022–23) Louisiana (2022–23)
Men's Cross Country Arkansas State (2022)
Men's Golf Little Rock (2022)
Men's Soccer Kentucky (2022) Kentucky (2022)
Men's Indoor Track and Field Arkansas State (2023)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field South Alabama (2022)
Men's Tennis Georgia State (2022) Georgia State (2022)
Women's Basketball James Madison, Kennesaw State, Texas State (2022–23) James Madison (2022–23)
Beach Volleyball First championships in 2023
Women's Cross Country Kennesaw State (2022)
Women's Golf Georgia Southern (2022)
Women's Soccer Georgia Southern (2022) Old Dominion (2022)
Softball Louisiana (2022) Louisiana (2022)
Women's Tennis Georgia Southern, South Alabama, UT Arlington (2022) South Alabama (2022)
Women's Indoor Track and Field Arkansas State (2023)
Women's Outdoor Track and Field Arkansas State (2022)
Volleyball James Madison (2022) James Madison (2022)

Baseball

The Sun Belt Conference has sponsored an annual baseball tournament to determine the conference winner and automatic NCAA Division I Tournament host since 1978. South Alabama has won the most championships, at 13. The Sun Belt also has imposed several seasons under divisional structure (1981-1994; 2016-2021). In 2022, the structure reverted back to standard structure (1978-1980; 1995-2015; 2022-present).

Season Tournament Champion Regular Season Champion
1978 New Orleans South Alabama
1979 New Orleans
1980 South Alabama
1981 South Alabama (T & South Division) Alabama–Birmingham (North Division)
1982 South Florida (T & South Division)
1983 South Alabama (T & West Division) Old Dominion (East Division
1984 UNC Charlotte (East Division)
1985 Old Dominion (T & East Division) Western Kentucky (West Division)
1986 South Florida (T & West Division) Jacksonville (East Division)
1987 South Alabama (T & West Division) Old Dominion (East Division)
1988 Virginia Commonwealth (T & East Division) Western Kentucky (West Division)
1989 Jacksonville (T & East Division) South Florida (West Division)
1990 South Florida Jacksonville (East Division)
South Alabama (West Division)
1991 Alabama–Birmingham Jacksonville (East Division)
South Alabama (West Division)
1992 South Alabama (T & East Division) Louisiana Tech (West Division)
1993 Lamar (T & West Division) South Alabama (East Division)
1994 Arkansas State South Alabama (East Division)
Lamar (West Division)
1995 Lamar Jacksonville
1996 South Alabama
1997 South Alabama Southwestern Louisiana
1998 Southwestern Louisiana South Alabama
1999 Florida International
2000 South Alabama New Orleans
2001 South Alabama (T & Co-RS) Middle Tennessee (Co-RS)
2002 New Mexico State South Alabama
2003 Middle Tennessee
2004 Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee
2005 South Alabama Louisiana–Lafayette
2006 Troy
2007 New Orleans Louisiana–Lafayette
2008 Western Kentucky Louisiana–Monroe
2009 Middle Tennessee State
2010 Florida International Louisiana–Lafayette
Florida Atlantic
2011 Arkansas–Little Rock Troy
2012 Louisiana–Monroe Florida Atlantic
2013 Florida Atlantic Troy
South Alabama
2014 Louisiana–Lafayette
2015 Louisiana–Lafayette South Alabama
2016 Louisiana–Lafayette (T & Co-RS) South Alabama (Co-RS)
2017 South Alabama Coastal Carolina (East Division)
UT Arlington (West Division)
2018 Coastal Carolina (T & East Division) Louisiana (West Division)
2019 Coastal Carolina Georgia Southern (East Division)
Texas State (West Division)
2020 None
2021 South Alabama (T & East Division) Louisiana (West Division)
2022 Louisiana Texas State

Softball

The Sun Belt Conference has sponsored an annual softball tournament to determine the conference winner and automatic bid to the NCAA Division I softball tournament since 2000. Louisiana has won the most championships, at 17.

Season Tournament Champion Regular Season Champion
2000 Louisiana–Lafayette
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007 Florida Atlantic
2008 Louisiana–Lafayette
2009 Louisiana–Lafayette
2010 Louisiana–Lafayette
2011 Louisiana–Lafayette
2012 South Alabama Louisiana–Lafayette
2013 South Alabama Western Kentucky
2014 Louisiana–Lafayette
2015 South Alabama Louisiana–Lafayette
2016 Louisiana–Lafayette
2017 Louisiana–Lafayette
2018 Texas State
2019 Louisiana
2020 None
2021 Louisiana
2022 Louisiana

Basketball

Since 2020–21, the Sun Belt Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments, held in early March, has involved all conference members and is played entirely in Pensacola, Florida. First- and second-round games are played at Hartsell Arena on the campus of Pensacola State College and the Pensacola Bay Center, with semifinals and finals at the Bay Center.[5] Winners of the tournaments earn automatic bids to their respective NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament.

Season Men's
Regular Season
Champion
Men's
Tournament
Champion
Women's
Regular Season
Champion
Women's
Tournament
Champion
1977 North Carolina–Charlotte No Regular Season No Tournament
1978 North Carolina–Charlotte New Orleans No Regular Season No Tournament
1979 South Alabama Jacksonville No Regular Season No Tournament
1980 South Alabama Virginia Commonwealth No Regular Season No Tournament
1981 Virginia Commonwealth No Regular Season No Tournament
1982 Alabama–Birmingham No Regular Season No Tournament
1983 Virginia Commonwealth Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
1984 Virginia Commonwealth Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
1985 Virginia Commonwealth Old Dominion
1986 Old Dominion Jacksonville Western Kentucky
1987 Western Kentucky Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
1988 North Carolina–Charlotte Old Dominion Western Kentucky
1989 South Alabama Old Dominion Western Kentucky
1990 Alabama–Birmingham South Florida Alabama–Birmingham Old Dominion
1991 South Alabama Alabama–Birmingham Western Kentucky
1992 Southwestern Louisiana Western Kentucky
1993 New Orleans Western Kentucky Western Kentucky
1994 Western Kentucky Southwestern Louisiana Louisiana Tech
1995 Western Kentucky Louisiana Tech Western Kentucky
1996 Arkansas–Little Rock New Orleans Louisiana Tech
1997 South Alabama Louisiana Tech
1998 South Alabama Louisiana Tech
1999 Louisiana Tech Arkansas State Louisiana Tech
2000 Louisiana–Lafayette Louisiana Tech
2001 Western Kentucky Louisiana Tech
2002 Western Kentucky Florida International
2003 Western Kentucky Western Kentucky
2004 Louisiana–Lafayette (vacated) South Alabama Middle Tennessee State
2005 Denver Louisiana–Lafayette (vacated) Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee State
2006 Western Kentucky South Alabama Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee
2007 South Alabama North Texas Middle Tennessee
2008 South Alabama Western Kentucky Western Kentucky
2009 Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee
2010 Troy North Texas Arkansas–Little Rock Middle Tennessee
2011 Florida Atlantic Arkansas–Little Rock Middle Tennessee
Arkansas–Little Rock
Arkansas–Little Rock
2012 Middle Tennessee Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee Arkansas–Little Rock
2013 Middle Tennessee Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee Arkansas–Little Rock
2014 Georgia State Louisiana–Lafayette Arkansas State Western Kentucky
2015 Georgia State Arkansas–Little Rock
2016 Little Rock Arkansas State Troy
2017 UT Arlington Troy Little Rock Troy
2018 Louisiana Georgia State Little Rock
2019 Georgia State Little Rock
UT Arlington
Little Rock
2020 Little Rock Tournament canceled Troy Tournament canceled
2021 Texas State Appalachian State Louisiana Troy
2022 Texas State Georgia State Troy UT Arlington
2023 Southern Miss Louisiana James Madison
Southern Miss
Texas State
James Madison
2024 Appalachian State James Madison Marshall

Football

All 14 full Sun Belt members play football in the conference. Idaho and New Mexico State competed as single-sport members before being dropped from Sun Belt football after the 2017 season.

Champions

Football Summary
Current Members
School Last Sun Belt Title Number of Sun Belt Titles
Troy 2023 8
Arkansas State 2016 6
Appalachian State 2019 4
Louisiana 2021 3[a]
Coastal Carolina 2020 1
Georgia Southern 2014 1
UL-Monroe 2005 1
Georgia State Never 0
South Alabama Never 0
Texas State Never 0
Former Members
North Texas 2004 4
Middle Tennessee 2006 2
Florida Atlantic 2007 1
FIU 2010 1
Idaho Never 0
New Mexico State Never 0
Utah State Never 0
Western Kentucky Never 0
Year Champion(s)
2001 North Texas, Middle Tennessee
2002 North Texas
2003 North Texas
2004 North Texas
2005 Arkansas State, UL Monroe, UL Lafayette
2006 Troy, Middle Tennessee
2007 FAU, Troy
2008 Troy
2009 Troy
2010 Troy, FIU
2011 Arkansas State
2012 Arkansas State
2013 Arkansas State, UL Lafayette[b]
2014 Georgia Southern
2015 Arkansas State
2016 Appalachian State, Arkansas State
2017 Appalachian State, Troy
2018 Appalachian State
2019 Appalachian State
2020 Coastal Carolina & Louisiana[c]
2021 Louisiana
2022 Troy
2023 Troy
  1. ^ Does not include one title in 2013 vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
  2. ^ Louisiana's title was vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
  3. ^ Divisional champions Coastal Carolina and Louisiana were declared conference co-champions after the scheduled Sun Belt championship game was canceled due to COVID-19.

Golf

Champions

Year Men's Champion Women's Champion
1977 Jacksonville
1978 Jacksonville
1979 South Florida
1980 South Florida
1981 South Florida
1982 South Florida
1983 South Florida
1984 South Florida
1985 South Florida
1986 South Florida
1987 South Florida
1988 South Florida
1989 South Florida
1990 Virginia Commonwealth South Florida
1991 South Alabama
1992 South Alabama UCF
1993 Louisiana-Lafayette Lamar
1994 South Alabama Lamar
1995 South Alabama Lamar
1996 South Alabama Lamar
1997 Louisiana-Lafayette South Alabama
1998 South Alabama UALR
1999 South Alabama UALR
2000 UALR Arkansas State
2001 UALR New Mexico State
2002 South Alabama New Mexico State
2003 North Texas New Mexico State
2004 New Mexico State Denver
2005 South Alabama Denver
2006 Western Kentucky Denver
2007 Louisiana-Lafayette Denver
2008 Denver Denver
2009 Middle Tennessee Denver
2010 South Alabama Denver
2011 Denver Denver
2012 North Texas Denver

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "2020-21 Vic Bubas Cup Standings". sunbeltsports.org. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  2. ^ "South Alabama Earns Sun Belt Conference's 2022-23 Vic Bubas Cup". sunbeltsports.org. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  3. ^ a b "South Alabama Earns 15th Vic Bubas Cup". sunbeltsports.org. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  4. ^ a b "Sun Belt Conference record book" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Pensacola Selected to Host 2021-25 Basketball Championships" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Sun_Belt_Conference_champions&oldid=1213286052"