Tennessee Tech will have a new home for athletics ahead of the start of NCAA competition in 2026.
The Golden Eagles will join the Southern Conference, the school announced on Aug. 13, following 76 years in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Advertisement
Tennessee Tech athletic programs will remain in the Ohio Valley Conference for the 2025-26 academic year.
MORE: Is FCS national championship game in Nashville to stay? Here’s what committee has to say
“This historic move changes the trajectory of our athletic aspirations and makes a statement to our campus and our community that Tech sports will be a part of a vibrant conference with new geographic rivalries,” Tennessee Tech Director of Athletics Casey Fox said in a release. “Our student-athletes and coaches will benefit from the reputation and competition the SoCon offers.”
Tennessee Tech joins Volunteer State rivals East Tennessee State and Chattanooga in the Southern Conference, along with Furman, Mercer, UNC Greensboro, Samford, The Citadel, Virginia Military Institute, Western Carolina and Wofford.
Advertisement
The move to the Southern Conference means trips to neighboring states including Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, which the school believes better aligns with its fan base.
“Geographically, the states with SoCon teams fit the footprint of our students and alumni, so our move makes sense in those terms,” Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham said.
Fourteen of the 15 sports offered by Tennessee Tech will compete in the Southern Conference, with beach volleyball remaining a non-conference sport.
Tennessee Tech exits the Ohio Valley Conference with 11 football championships, 19 women’s basketball regular-season championships and three NCAA titles, won by the men’s rifle team.
Advertisement
“College athletics is experiencing unprecedented change, and Tennessee Tech is committed to navigating those changes by putting our student-athletes and coaches in the best position to win and become successful leaders,” Oldham said. “Joining the SoCon shows that conference leaders recognized this commitment and the history of excellence here at Tech.”
Harrison Campbell covers high school sports for The Daily Herald and The Tennessean. Email him at hcampbell@gannett.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Tech joining NCAA’s Southern Conference, leaving Ohio Valley
