The Southern Conference named a C.A.R.E. Champion

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference is one of five conferences recognized by The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for its ongoing commitment to the C.A.R.E. Model, Connecting Athletics Revenues with the Educational Model of College Sports.

The SoCon is a C.A.R.E. Champion for the third consecutive year and will receive a $5,000 grant. The award signifies and supports the conference’s commitment to the C.A.R.E. Model principles. Those principles are:

1.      Transparency

2.      Independent Oversight

3.      Incentives for Core Values of Education, Gender Equity, and Opportunity

4.      Financial Responsibility for Education, Health, Safety, and Well-Being

"Being recognized as a C.A.R.E. Champion for a third consecutive year is a meaningful reflection of the values that guide the Southern Conference. As the financial landscape of college athletics continues to change, we believe it is critically important that our decisions remain grounded in our educational mission and in what is best for our student-athletes,” Interim Commissioner Geoff Cabe said. “We are proud to be part of a group of conferences demonstrating that financial responsibility, competitive excellence and well-being of our student-athletes can remain at the center of how we operate.”

The conferences that were acknowledged alongside the SoCon are The Metro Conference, America East, Patriot League and The Summit League.

About The Southern Conference

The Southern Conference, headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., includes 11 member institutions across six states: The Citadel, East Tennessee State University, Furman University, Mercer University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Samford University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Tennessee Tech University Virginia Military Institute, Western Carolina University, and Wofford College.

About the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics

The Knight Commission, founded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in 1989, is an independent leadership group dedicated to reforms that prioritize college athletes’ education, health, safety, and success and strengthen the integrity of college sports. The Commission has a legacy of influencing NCAA policies that helped propel record-high graduation rates of Division I athletes. The Commission's ongoing efforts focus on governance, equity, and financial reforms, as well as providing education on the changing landscape of college sports. For more, visit knightcommission.org.