Staff Report

Troy State moving to Division I-A in football won’t be the only change the university

for the 2001-2002 season. The Atlantic Sun has taken the place of the Trans America Athletic Conference and the change in name and logo, approved by the Conference Presidents Council on June 14, represents the focal point of an overall branding and identity program for the Atlantic Sun.

"We are excited aobut the change," Troy State Athletics Director Johnny Williams said. "We believe the Atlantic Sun Conference more appropriately reflects our conference geographically and that it will be a change our fans can embrace and relate to. It is positive step forward for our conference."

The identity program’s main goal is to make a lasting connection between the visual image and the accomplishments of th emember schools and their student-athletes. The Atlantic Sun stands alone as far as athletic achievement in NCAA Championship competition as it is the only IA/IAA conference in the country to have postseason wins in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball over the past four seasons. During that period, the A-Sun has also put competitors into the National Championship round in men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s cross country, women’s cross country and women’s track & field.

"Our conference has evolved dramatically over the past ten years and we felt the timing was appropriate for this change," said Commissioner Bill Bibb. Bibb was a founder of the Conference in 1978 while he was Athletic Director and Basketball Coach at Mercer University. "The logo is bright and exciting and I think that reflects the overall message we intend to spread about the schools and student-athletes in the Atlantic Sun."

Academically the Atlantic Sun shines exceedingly bright with a remakeable 45% of all student-athletes earning All-Academic Honors (3.0 or better) in the past four years. The Conference

boasts some of the finest institutions in the southeast, including prestigious private schools and flourishing public schools. The location of the members is also exciting. In the states where the A-Sun has members it covers seven of the top ten media markets.

The Atlantic Sun worked with Phoenix Design Works (New York, NY) on the name and logo project. With plans for continued marketing and branding emphasis, the future is nothing but bright for the Atlantic Sun. For more on the history, achievement and members of the Atlnatic Sun, visit us at www.atlanticsun.org on the worldwide web.

The Atlantic Sun membership includes Belmont (Nashville, Tenn.), Campbell (Buies Creek, N.C.), University of Central Florida (Orlando, Fla.), Florida Atlantic (Boca Raton, Fla.), Georgia State (Atlanta, Ga.), Jacksonville State (Jacksonville, Ala.), Jacksonville (Jacksonville, Fla.), Mercer (Macon, Ga.), Samford (Birmingham, Ala.), Stetson (DeLand, Fla.) and Troy State (Troy, Ala.). Gardner-Webb (Boiling Springs, N.C.) will join the Conference for the 2002-2003 season.