SFA University
August 12, 2024 –– Homeschool K-12 students are invited to “EcoAdventures: A Homeschool Journey into Nature” from 1-3pm September 16 at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. Students in grades K-5 will experience nature-based activities that model the life stages of trees, the essential needs of animals, animal adaptations for survival, and methods of plant seed dispersal. Offerings for students in grades 6-12 include analyzing the gene pool of a threatened and endangered animal, conducting research on invasive species of East Texas, and designing an imaginary ecosystem restoration project. The event cost is $5 per student, with no charge for accompanying adults. Registration and payment are required in advance to attend the event. For more information, visit sfasu.edu/sfagardens/youthprograms or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
About Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
August 8, 2024 – Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture was awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to assist in the creation of a demonstration area for climate-smart agricultural practices.
The $417,493 grant will support the implementation of beneficial agricultural practices involving silvopasture, the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land, and biochar, a substance made from the burning of wood in an oxygen-limited environment. Applying biochar to silvopasture can benefit livestock production and the overall environment.
“Biochar will be used both in traditional pastures and silvopasture to improve soil health, structure, nutrient holding capacity, pH balance and carbon sequestration, and plays a significant role in ensuring the sustainability of agricultural practices,” said Jason Grogan, research associate in the College of Forestry and Agriculture. “In addition to the other many benefits, biochar also increases crop productivity and has the opportunity for carbon sequestration on agricultural lands.”
Silvopasture has the potential to increase carbon sequestration, reduce nutrient and sediment runoff, improve pollinator and wildlife habitats, and reduce heat stress to cattle from shade provided by flourishing trees.
Forestry and Agriculture students have worked with faculty members to gain hands-on experiences provided by the silvopasture demonstration area. Through laboratory and work-study activities, students have taken part in native grass planting, woody vegetation control and unmanned aerial vehicle use for tree survival and health monitoring.
SFA’s project is one of 53 projects that the USDA is supporting in an effort to improve the environment and agricultural production. In total, the USDA is investing $90 million in Conservation Innovation Grants.
“The awarded funds will be used to purchase equipment and materials and pay labor costs to implement numerous climate-smart agricultural practices that ultimately will result in improving the environmental footprint of the Todd Agricultural Research Center while also increasing productivity,” said Grogan.
The project will serve as a resource to inform local agricultural producers, SFA students and others about the advantages of biochar and native forage utilization.
For more information about forestry at SFA, visit sfasu.edu/atcofa.
An exhibition of works by the Woodworkers Club of East Texas is showing through Aug. 10 at The Cole Art Center at The Old Opera House, Stephen F. Austin State University's historic downtown gallery.
July 31, 2024 - An exhibition of works by the Woodworkers Club of East Texas will show through Aug. 10 in the Reavley Gallery of The Cole Art Center at The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.
Woodworkers Club of East Texas is an organization for people who have an interest in woodworking and desire to nurture, share and expand their knowledge, to provide their skills in support of public woodworking projects for the common good and to promote the practices of woodworking through public education, according to information at the club’s website. The group meets the first Saturday of each month in Stephen F. Austin State University's Forestry Laboratories.
The exhibition “Renewed and Reclaimed” was organized by Dr. David L Kulhavy, professor of forestry, geospatial science and environmental science in SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, and Dr. David A. Lewis, professor of art history in SFA’s School of Art; curated by Weelynd McMullan, lecturer and exhibition coordinator in the School of Art; with photography by Joshua Moore. A closing reception is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at The Cole Art Center, 329 E. Main St.
The exhibition is supported by the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture and the Micky Elliott College of Fine Arts and School of Art. Admission is free.
Cole Art Center hours are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.
Steven Chamblee, retired director of horticulture at the Longview Arboretum and Nature Center, is the August speaker for Stephen F. Austin State University’s Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series.
July 30, 2024 – Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7pm Thursday, August 8 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center.
Steven Chamblee, retired director of horticulture with the Longview Arboretum and Nature Center, will present “Am I Tired or Just Retired? Gardening as a Lifestyle and Not a Hobby.”
Chamblee is a horticulturist and public speaker with a great history of gardening and a unique perspective on life and people. Active in horticulture for more than 40 years, he uses humor and heart to bring hard science home and inspire gardeners across Texas.
Chamblee’s love for plants began when he would help his father transplant trees in the late 1970s. He soon formed Southern Lawn Care, a landscape maintenance company, and in 1986, he joined the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as a gardener.
Chamblee’s natural curiosity led him to enroll in Tarrant County College, where he earned his Associate of Applied Science in horticulture. Still working full time at the garden, Chamblee earned his Bachelor of Science in ornamental horticulture from Tarleton State University and a Master of Science in public horticulture administration from the University of Delaware.
After graduate school, he served as the native plant horticulturist for the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney before returning to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as the grounds manager. He has also served as chief horticulturist for Chandor Gardens in Weatherford and as the executive director of the Longview Arboretum.
The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.
Parking is available at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet Street.
For more information, call (936) 468-4129 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
About Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host Dr. Tina Marie (Waliczek) Cade, professor of horticulture at Texas State University, as guest speaker for the July Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series speaker.
July 10, 2024 - Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. July 11 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.
Dr. Tina Marie (Waliczek) Cade, professor of horticulture in the Department of Agriculture at Texas State University, will present “Plants and People — Gardens and Gardeners Making a Difference.”
Cade currently teaches 12 different courses in horticulture and advises multiple graduate students on research projects. Her research interests are diverse and focus on the area of people/plant interactions, including studies on active interactions of people with plants in community, home or school gardens, as well as passive interactions of people with plants in green spaces. Cade has been studying the benefits of these interactions for more than 20 years and has looked at variables such as crime and community gardens, self-esteem in children, overall quality of life of gardeners, and workplace job satisfaction in interior-scaped offices. She is also a registered horticultural therapist and a certified arborist.
Cade is the faculty manager of the award-winning Bobcat Blend university composting program, which processes all of the cafeteria food waste on campus. She also manages the on-campus floral shop and floral event sales program, Bobcat Bloom.
She recently finished editing the textbook, “Urban Horticulture,” which focuses on the benefits of people/plant interactions.
Cade earned a Bachelor of Science in horticultural therapy and Master of Science in horticulture from Kansas State University and her doctorate in horticulture from Texas A&M University.
The Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The Lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the lecture series fund are always appreciated.
Parking is available at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center or Raguet Elementary School, 2708 Raguet St.
For more information, email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.
Stephen F. Austin State University chief instructor pilot Jack Gainer with Josi Oujesky, a first-year aviation sciences major from Pearland. Oujesky was the first aviation sciences student to transition from the program’s previous Tecnam Sierra plane to the Tecnam P-Mentor. Not only is Oujesky the first SFA student to fly the P-Mentor, but she is the first student in the United States to train on Tecnam’s newest plane.
June 26, 2024 - Soaring into the future of aviation sciences, Stephen F. Austin State University has become the first institution in the United States to fly the Tecnam P-Mentor two-seat trainer airplane, equipping Lumberjacks with the most advanced training platform available in the country.
“Tecnam has been flying the airframe around the world for a couple of years now, and I was able to fly one out of Brazil to test it,” said Jack Gainer, chief instructor pilot for SFA’s aviation sciences program. “The P-Mentors that we received are even more advanced than that aircraft, and we are the first ones in the nation to have them. Not only are we the first to fly them in the United States, but they arrived in our SFA purple colors.”
Stephen F. Austin State University’s aviation sciences partner, HCH Aviation, became the first U.S. recipients of the state-of-the-art Tecnam P-Mentor two-seat trainer airplanes. Provided by Tecnam Aircrafts, an Italian aircraft manufacturer and the oldest in the world, the new airplanes will give SFA aviation students unique expertise in the most modern technology available.
Acquiring the Tecnam P-Mentors puts SFA’s flight program at the top of industry standards preparing graduates for what they will utilize out in the field.
“SFA graduates will have high-tech experience, and we’ll be the first ones to have it,” Gainer said. “Our students will be very notable when they begin searching for a career. They can say, ‘I was a Flying Jack,’ and the industry will know they are hiring graduates with experienced training.”
Offered through the James I. Perkins College of Education’s School of Human Sciences, SFA’s aviation sciences program exists through a partnership with HCH Aviation, a specialized aviation training school.
Tecnam Aircraft is an Italian aircraft manufacturer and the oldest manufacturer in the world. The Tecnam P-Mentor is a state-of-the-art training plane created for flight schools that is affordable to maintain and uses less fuel than other training airplanes.
“The delivery of the P-Mentor caps off our conversion of our fleet to an all-inclusive Tecnam Flight Program,” Kristen Conklin, HCH Aviation president and a 2009 SFA graduate, said in a Tecnam media release. “The innovation, low operational cost and aerodynamics of this platform are perfect for our students and our operations. This combined with the reliability of Tecnam Aircraft’s products made it a very easy decision to choose the P-Mentor.”
One SFA student, Josi Oujesky, a first-year aviation sciences major from Pearland, was the first student to transition from the program’s previous Tecnam Sierra plane to the P-Mentor.
“It just kind of hit me like, ‘Wow, you’re the first student in the United States to fly this plane,’” Gainer said, describing Oujesky’s experience with the plane. “Not just the first student at SFA, but the first in the United States to actually train in the P-Mentor.”
Gainer said Oujesky had a great experience with the P-Mentor and could immediately tell a difference from their previous planes.
“She said the P-Mentor felt very different and that the plane is more stable,” Gainer said. “It’s designed that way, with much more control and incredible aerodynamic technicalities. It’s just a really enjoyable airplane for students.”
The first four P-Mentors arrived at the beginning of June and an additional three will arrive before the fall semester. Two more planes are expected to arrive the following spring.
“One of the things that we’re really interested in, both SFA and HCH Aviation, is to keep a modern fleet,” Gainer said. “We want a new, clean fleet that is well maintained. In comparison to some of the other flight training universities that are still flying 1960s, ’70s or ’80s aircrafts, we will have quite a fleet.”
Additionally, all planes are available for aviation sciences students to practice in regardless of classification. SFA’s aviation sciences program starts students flying as soon as possible, and many Lumberjacks will be able to fly the P-Mentors as early as their first week in the program.
“Having students fly as soon as we can has always been one of our personal goals, because a lot of universities don’t have students fly at all for their first year,” Gainer said. “We vow to our students to have them airborne within their first two weeks, if not the first week.”
To learn more about SFA’s aviation sciences program and how to be on the cutting edge of the aviation industry, visit gosfa.com/3VuQ03C.
SFA’s First Friday Film Series will screen “Forrest Gump” at 7 p.m. Friday, July 5, 2024 at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House. Admission is free.
June 25, 2024 - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the Oscar-winning motion picture “Forrest Gump” at 7 p.m. Friday, July 5, 2024 at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House.
Celebrating the endearing film’s 30th anniversary, the Friday Films committee plans to have film-related trivia questions and themed prizes before and after the showing.
Based on the novel by Winston Groom and starring Tom Hanks in the title role, “Forrest Gump” tells the history of the United States during the 1950s to the '70s from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart. Gump, a gentle soul born in a small southern town, happens into one memorable experience after another.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film also stars Sally Field, Robin Wright Penn and Gary Sinise. “Forrest Gump” received six Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Visual Effects. The film is rated PG-13 for drug content, some sensuality and war violence.
The School of Art’s First Friday Film Series is sponsored in part by retired filmmaking Professor William Arscott. The Cole Art Center, SFA’s historic downtown gallery, is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.
Texas Artists Take Spotlight in Prestigious 29th Annual Show!
June 24, 2024 - Art lovers still have an opportunity to visit The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches through June 30, 2024 to view winning entries in the 29th Texas National Competition and Exhibition, an annual show of the School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Dave Clark was the first place winner in this year’s Texas National juried show for his piece “S.S. Kerouac.”
Dave Clark
Tomball artist Dave Clark was the first place winner in SFA’s 2024 juried show for “S.S. Kerouac,” a work of wood, resin, plastic, ceramic, gravel, twine and paint. A high school sculpture teacher in the Houston area, Clark is a graduate student in the School of Art at SFA earning a Master of Fine Arts with a major in sculpture and minor in painting. His recent exhibition “Unconventional Contraptions and Other Oddities” showed this past spring semester in the Teresa Jill Adams Art Gallery on the SFA campus.
Sara Kollig earned second place in the 2024 Texas National show for her oil on canvas work titled “REDFINGER.”
Sara Kollig
Second place went to Sara Kollig of Taos, New Mexico, for an oil on canvas piece titled “REDFINGER.”
Emily Legg earned third place in this year’s Texas National for the 3D print titled “Cortesia Glomerata.”
Emily Legg
Emily Legg, artist from College Station, earned third place for a 3D print TPU titled “Cortesia Glomerata.”
Honorable mentions went to San Antonio artist Nancy Wood for “Japanese Tea Garden Blue,” which is a computer-enhanced photo on aluminum panel; to Wichita Falls artist Steve Hilton for “Tea for 43,” a ceramic piece; and to West Des Moines, Iowa, artist Patrick Luber for “Punctum,” a piece created with wood, aluminum beverage cans, brass nails and blood test lances.
The School of Art’s annual juried competition and exhibition attracts entrants from across the United States, providing artists an opportunity to have their work juried by highly acclaimed curators, artists and critics.
This year’s juror was Peter S. Briggs, noted art historian, researcher and curator, who has curated more than 140 art exhibitions and published more than 95 articles, books and exhibition catalogs primarily on 20th and 21st century American art. He currently lives in Tucson, Arizona, and is writing a book about Terry Allen's graphic art. Briggs has received more than 30 research and program grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities; has been an Organization of American States (OAS) research fellow at the Museo del Hombre Panameño and the Museo Nacional of Costa Rica; and received fellowships and grants from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, American Alliance of Museums, Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Lila Wallace Reader's Digest Fund for Folk Culture and Tinker Foundation, among others.
Exhibitions and receptions at The Cole Art Center are free and open to the public. Sponsors are SFA Friends of the Visual Arts and William Arscott.
The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. Hours of operation are noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, call (936) 468-5500.
Zach Moore
May 31, 2024 - Stephen F. Austin State University music alumnus Zach Moore continues to earn accolades as a musician and composer, having recently had his work “Always Keep This Close” selected as an All-State Choir piece for the 2025 Texas Music Educators Association All-State Choir process. It’s just one of a series of Moore’s compositional accomplishments influenced by chance and choice, followed by an eventual decision to chase a dream.
Third place winner of both the Marvin Hamlisch Film Scoring Contest and The American Prize, Moore is a composer, conductor and speaker whose works have gained notable attention receiving performances at prestigious locations including Carnegie Hall, the Taipei National Concert Hall and at the Franklin D. Roosevelt 75th Anniversary Concert.
Moore graduated from SFA with a master’s degree in music composition in spring 2023, having studied two years with Dr. Stephen Lias. Prior, he had earned an undergraduate degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, and then taught high school choir for a number of years before “taking a leap of faith” and pursuing a degree in composition. He recently took his dream a step further, taking a job as an editor with Hal Leonard, the world’s largest sheet music publisher, where he oversees the editing, engraving, creation of demo recordings, copyright, printing, and online marketing for new works of music.
Moore describes the most intriguing part of "Always Keep This Close" and its success has been watching its journey over the last 10 years and thinking about where it began and the places it has been.
“I wrote this piece while completing my undergraduate degree at UW - Eau Claire, and like most undergraduate experiences, I lived in old student housing,” he said. “Life wasn't glamorous, and I completed most of my composing while sitting on our living room couch, which was well past its life expectancy. I now find it amazing that a piece that has been performed by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Turtle Creel Chorale, and will soon be performed by a TMEA All-State Choir, was once created while sitting on an old hand-me-down couch, in my PJs.
“The journey is what makes this performance so special to me,” he added. “It validates what I have always believed to be true – that greatness is anywhere someone is trying to find it. It doesn't matter if a piece was written in a state-of-the-art studio or an old rental house, if you are good at what you do, the world will make room for you. I am honored to have uncovered a piece such as this in my lifetime, and I have my friends, family, mentors and God to thank for that.”
Although Moore enjoyed teaching, he knew deep-down it was an excuse keeping him from pursuing his dream of composing. Constantly involved with extracurricular activities that go along with teaching music, composing began to “take a backseat” in his life.
“I began to wonder what opportunities I was missing as a result of putting off my composition business,” he said. “I also wondered if I would be able to live with that choice at the end of my life.”
His original plan was to continue to teach while he completed an online degree. SFA was one of the only schools to offer an online master’s in composition that wasn't specific to film scoring or commercial music. In addition, after listening to Lias’ compositions, he felt inspired and excited by the prospect of studying with the SFA composition professor. Also, issues associated with teaching during a pandemic caused him to question his career direction.
“That being said, I chose to leave my job in 2021 and move across the country with my wife to pursue my Masters in Music Composition at SFA,” Moore said. “My wife was supportive of this choice, and I was awarded an assistantship as part of my studies. Looking back, had things not panned out the way they did from the pandemic, I don't know if I would have ever truly taken a dive into my dream of composing. Had I stayed to teach and completed an online degree, perhaps I would have never truly left teaching. In many ways, it feels like God was forcing me in the direction I was always meant to go.”
Moore looked forward to his SFA experience with high expectations, but he said he never would have guessed that it would be as rich as it was.
“I had the chance to attend the NAMM convention in California, create a documentary, perform at TMEA, write a number of film scores, work in a recording studio, teach undergraduate courses, perform with the SFA A Cappella Choir, attend contemporary music concerts, and much more,” he said. “I am so grateful for the friends I made and the mentorship I received from Dr. Stephen Lias, James Adams and Dr. Michael Murphy.”
“We were delighted that Zach chose to come to SFA for his graduate work, and he was certainly an excellent fit for our program,” Lias said. “It was clear right away that Zach’s personal drive, unique artistic vision and entrepreneurial spirit would lead him to great things, and we are so proud to see his career continuing to expand in these impressive ways.”
In his new job, Moore is constantly communicating, creating and networking with a variety of musicians in the choral industry.
“Another thing I appreciate about my new position is that they encourage and celebrate my personal compositional career,” he said. “I have been an avid composer of choral music for the last 15, years and it feels good to be at a place that recognizes my compositional passion and encourages me to attend industry events to represent both Hal Leonard and myself. They see me as an asset to their company, but they also want to help catapult my compositional career.”
Moore is happy with where he is in life, and he encourages anyone who has a passion to pursue whatever it is that they love, “even if it feels impossible.”
“If you work at what you love, and are good at what you do, the world will make room for you. I feel fortunate to have found a spot that feels as if it was carved out just for me.”
May 29, 2024 — Stephen F. Austin State University’s Department of Athletics has accepted an invitation to join the Southland Conference as a full-time member effective July 1.
“We are in a dynamic, new era of college athletics,” said Michael McBroom, SFA’s director of athletics. “We need stability but also bold and strategic thinking to ensure a bright future for SFA. The SLC is a conference on the rise, with visionary leadership and a strategic plan that aligns with our own goals for our athletics program and the university. This affiliation puts us in an incredibly competitive and historic athletic community, aligns us with regional peers in Texas and Louisiana and allows us a greater opportunity to engage with our alumni, fans and prospective students across the entire region. This was an easy decision for us in that the SLC offered us an opportunity to boldly move forward with confidence and excitement.”
The acceptance into the SLC is a homecoming of sorts, reuniting SFA with the conference where they spent 34 seasons and amassed 111 conference championships. Women’s basketball and volleyball led the way with 18 conference titles, followed by soccer with 14, and women’s indoor and outdoor track with 10 titles each. Women’s cross-country has won eight titles; men’s basketball and men’s cross-country have won five; football, softball and men’s indoor track each have four; and men’s and women’s golf each have three conference titles.
Overall, SFA has earned 285 individual conference titles between men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s cross-country, and men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field.
"We are thrilled to announce SFA’s membership in the Southland Conference, which marks a significant step forward for our athletics program and our university as a whole,” said Dr. Neal Weaver, SFA president. “Joining the SLC not only provides our student-athletes with an enhanced collegiate experience and exposure but also aligns with our commitment to excellence in all areas. We look forward to fostering new and old rivalries, strengthening our community engagement, and showcasing the incredible talent and spirit of our student body.”
SFA's tenure in the SLC began in 1984 and saw the Jacks become one of the top athletic programs in the conference. SFA aims to continue its high standard for athletic competition and academic performance.
The Lumberjacks will compete in the SLC in football, baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross-country, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s golf, volleyball, soccer, softball, beach volleyball and tennis.
Bowling will continue to compete in Conference USA.
“It is a privilege to welcome a proven winner both athletically and academically in SFA to the Southland Conference,” said Chris Grant, SLC commissioner. “As we continue to see a trending evolution in college athletics, we are proud to continue our upward momentum and build upon our rich geographic footprint with an institution that shares like-minded priorities that put the student-athlete first. Historically and currently in its leadership, SFA has shown a commitment to success in its athletic department that strengthens our league and enhances the competitive spirit within our conference.”
SFA’s inclusion will bring the SLC's membership to 12 institutions, including seven Texas-based institutions and five in Louisiana. SLC institutions include Houston Christian University, University of the Incarnate Word, Lamar University, McNeese State University, The University of New Orleans, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, Texas A&M University-Commerce, and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will also join the SLC July 1.
SFA’s return to the Southland Conference will dramatically decrease the amount of travel for student-athletes. This initiative also will decrease the number of class days student-athletes will miss as well decrease travel expenses that will be reinvested in the student-athlete experience and provide a greater economic impact for Nacogdoches and East Texas.
Additionally, teams will be able to play all of their conference games in the Central time zone and be closer to home, which will allow for better rest and recovery for student-athletes.
The smaller conference footprint allows more opportunities for families, alumni and future student-athletes to attend SFA games at home and on the road. Competition in this footprint will help the university enhance its brand, image and marketability as it looks to grow enrollment and alumni engagement.
The SLC was founded in 1963. Current conference full-time members have an average tenure of 25 years, providing remarkable stability.
With an office based in Frisco, the Southland Conference is the reason the NCAA Division I FCS National Championship is contested in Texas, hosting the football title game in Frisco since 2010. The Southland Conference has already secured the championship game through 2025 and has made its impact on the NFL as well, with 11 alumni on NFL rosters in 2021 and seven in 2022. Two Southland alums were most recently selected in the 2024 NFL Draft in Jalyx Hunt of HCU by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round and Levi Drake Rodriguez of TAMU Commerce by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round.
SLC teams have won 18 games in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, including TAMU Corpus Christi last year. This season, the MSU entered March Madness as a 12-seed, the highest seed a SLC member has earned since 2015. The SLC has sent 16 players to the NBA, including SFA’s Kevon Harris, who currently plays for the Orlando Magic.
The SLC changed its basketball scheduling matrix this year, playing men's conference contests on Saturdays and Mondays and women's contests on Thursdays and Saturdays. Conference institutions will host men's and women's basketball doubleheaders on Saturdays.
The Monday games allow Southland Conference institutions and men's basketball student-athletes to receive increased exposure by competing on a day with fewer sporting events, leading to more games on ESPN linear networks and increased viewership on ESPN+. Additionally, with men’s and women’s teams not competing at the same time allows teams and fans to watch both games.
This increased exposure has led to SLC institutions to be featured on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays 18 times this season.
For more information, contact SFA Athletics at (936) 468-3501.
About Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more at sfasu.edu.
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