LSC Communications
The Lone Star Conference will begin its 90th season of competition tomorrow as the league kicks off its year-long celebration with the release of a new public service announcement (PSA).
The new announcement highlights the 90-year history of one of the oldest and most distinguished conferences in all of Division II, narrated by one of the greatest players in LSC and NFL history in former Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelina and NFL Hall of Famer Darrell Green.
Green, a two-sport all-American, was the LSC Football Outstanding Back of the Year in 1982 and was named the Outstanding Male Track Athlete of the Year in back-to-back outdoor track and field seasons in 1982 and 1983. His LSC and Division II 100-meter dash record of 10.08 seconds from 1983 stood for nearly 38 years until it was broken West Texas A&M’s Benjamin Azamati in March 2021.
The release of the PSA marks the beginning of the 90th anniversary celebration in the league that will include online features recognizing the achievements of student-athletes, coaches and administrators. In addition, the conference will highlight important days and games in LSC history, commemorate some of the 76 team national champions, commend top performances in conference history and feature several of the nearly 60 LSC Hall of Honor members.
Founded on April 25, 1931, the LSC has grown from a five-team conference of Texas-based schools to an 18-member league that spans four states (Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas). With 18 members, the LSC is the largest conference in NCAA Division II.
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 its 90th year, LSC member institutions have collected 76 NCAA team national championships since the league joined the Division II membership in 1982.
The LSC’s mission is to foster student participation and success among member institutions in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of each institution’s total educational program. The LSC pursues student-athlete development with the highest regard to the principles of academic excellence, graduation success, sportsmanship, ethical conduct, resourcefulness, community service, gender equity and diversity.
Throughout the league’s 90-year history, various institutions have competed under the LSC banner. Today, only Texas A&M-Commerce (then East Texas State) remains from the original group 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.
Since its founding, several institutions have made the LSC their home with the most recent members joining in 2019. Texas A&M-Kingsville (formerly Texas A&I) joined in 1954, and Angelo State in 1968. Conference membership remained within the Texas borders until 1984 when Eastern New Mexico received admittance. Since then, the LSC has included members from Arkansas and Oklahoma. Cameron (1988, 1996) was added near the outset of an expansion phase, while Texas Woman’s (1989) and previous member West Texas A&M (1986, 1993) joined the league soon after. Midwestern State entered early in 1995. In 2016, UT Permian Basin and Western New Mexico were added, with DBU, Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma Christian, St. Edward’s, St. Mary’s, Texas A&M International, UAFS and UT Tyler joining in 2019.
The LSC conducts conference championships in 18 sports (nine men and nine women). Men’s championships include football, soccer, cross country, basketball, baseball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, golf and tennis. Women’s titles are determined in volleyball, soccer, cross country, basketball, softball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, tennis and golf.