SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino released the following statement regarding Southern Conference membership:

“Today’s announcements by the Sun Belt Conference are no surprise to us. To their credit, the principal administrators at Appalachian State and Georgia Southern and the Sun Belt commissioner have continually kept our office apprised of developments throughout the process.

“While we’re disappointed to be losing Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, the Southern Conference cannot provide the platform their football programs are seeking. We’ll wish them well when they depart.

“Our membership discussions with our presidents, chancellors and athletic directors will continue as they have for the past 18 months and figure to be more focused on specific options with this most recent development. There are quality institutions interested in speaking with us regarding conference membership, and our options remain solid.”

Commissioner John Iamarino Teleconference-mp3 audio