Long known as a leader in intercollegiate athletics, the Lone Star Conference (LSC) is an innovative athletics conference which aims to provide a superior competitive experience for member institutions and to allow for comprehensive development of student-athletes through academic services and life skills programming.  The LSC continues to build upon its proud history while developing into one of NCAA Division II's most successful conferences.

The league's mission is to foster student participation and success among member institutions in Division II intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of each institution's total educational program.  The LSC pursues student-athlete development with highest regard to the principles of academic excellence, sportsmanship, ethical conduct, resourcefulness, community service, gender equity, and diversity.

• LSC timeline from 1931 to 1996
  

• Lone Star Conference Championships History (PDF updated May 15, 2009)

The LSC - founded on April 25, 1931 - has grown from a five-team conference of Texas-based schools to a 15-member league that spans three states (Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico).  The conference will expand in July 2010 with the addition of the University of the Incarnate Word.  The league continues to assist its member institutions in the maintenance of intercollegiate athletic programs that are compatible with the highest standards of education and competitive sports.

Throughout the league's 78-year history, various institutions have competed under the LSC banner. Today, only Texas A&M University-Commerce (then East Texas State) remains from the original group that was formed in 1931 when North Texas State, Southwest Texas State, Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin withdrew from the old Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

The membership alignment has changed over the years, with current members having been added in each of the past five decades. Texas A&M-Kingsville (formerly Texas A&I) joined in 1954, followed by Angelo State in 1968 and Abilene Christian in 1973.
Conference membership remained within the Texas borders until 1984 when Eastern New Mexico was admitted. Since then, the LSC has grown to include members from Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Central Oklahoma (1987) and Cameron (1988, 1996) were the next additions in the LSC's expansion phase, while Texas Woman's (1989) and previous members West Texas A&M (1986, 1993) and Tarleton State (1968, 1994) joined the league soon after.

Midwestern State was admitted early in 1995, and the league grew again later that year with the acceptance of four more Oklahoma schools - East Central, Northeastern State, Southeastern Oklahoma and Southwestern Oklahoma - along with Harding and Ouachita Baptist from Arkansas.

That brought the league membership to 17, but Harding and OBU departed the conference after the 1999-2000 academic year to bring about the LSC's current look.

Other past members of the LSC include Trinity, Houston, Lamar, Howard Payne, Sul Ross State and McMurry.

Beginning with the 1997-98 academic year, the league was formed into two divisions - North and South - in football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball. Divisional champions are crowned according to results among division teams, with an overall league champion also being decided either by crossover games or a postseason championship tournament. For the third straight season, volleyball and baseball will play without divisions, utilizing a single conference standing to determine the regular-season champion and postseason seedings.

While the LSC has maintained a long-standing tradition of competitive athletic programs for its members, many teams and individuals have gone on to distinguish themselves on the national stage. Entering 2009-10, LSC member institutions had collected more than 100 team national championships, including 71 in NCAA Division II.

The LSC conducts conference championships in 16 sports (eight men and eight women). Men's championships include football, soccer, cross country, basketball, baseball, track and field, tennis and golf. Women's titles are determined in volleyball, soccer, cross country, basketball, softball, track and field, tennis and golf.

The conference office is located in Richardson, Texas, a northern suburb of Dallas. Stan Wagnon serves as Commissioner, with assistance from Jay Poerner (Compliance) and Melanie Robotham (Media Relations).

• Click here for interactive map of Lone Star Conference membership