Texas Conference

The Texas Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States that existed from 1926 to 1956. During its existence, a total of 11 different colleges in Texas, and one from New Mexico, were members.

Texas Conference
Established1926
Dissolved1956
Members
  • 5 (foundation, 1926)
  • 9 (maximum, 1930s)
  • 3 (dissolution, 1956)
RegionTexas, New Mexico

History

The conference was created by a split within the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) between members who wanted to allow freshmen and transfers to play and schools that did not. This fault line also separated the teachers colleges that had joined over the years and the church-sponsored schools that had been founders. In May 1925, Austin College, Howard Payne University, Simmons University (now Hardin–Simmons University), Southwestern University, and Trinity University voted to leave the TIAA, but agreed to play out the fall 1925 football season within the TIAA. Play within the Texas Conference began with the 1926 basketball season. The five founding schools of the conference were all church-supported and agreed to ally themselves "along denominational lines."[1]

At the end of 1926, St. Edward's University joined the conference.[2] In 1932, Trinity University left to join other former members of the TIAA in the Lone Star Conference,[1] while Abilene Christian, Daniel Baker College, and McMurry College joined the Texas Conference at the end of the year.[3][4] Trinity returned at the end of 1933, giving the conference a high of nine teams.[5] Hardin–Simmons left the conference in December 1935, reducing the conference to eight teams.[6] In May 1937, Texas Wesleyan University was admitted to the conference, restoring total membership to nine.[7] St. Edward's left the conference in December 1939, when it discontinued intercollegiate athletics.[8]

Due to World War II, Daniel Baker did not field a football team in the fall of 1942,[9] then in February 1943 ended its basketball season early.[10] The conference suspended athletics in the spring of 1943, although Southwestern continued to field a football team, winning the 1944 Sun Bowl and 1945 Sun Bowl, after the college football seasons of 1943 and 1944, respectively.[11] The Texas Conference reorganized in December 1945; at that time, Trinity University again departed and Daniel Baker did not return, leaving the conference with six teams: Abilene Christian, Austin, Howard Payne, McMurry, Southwestern, and Texas Wesleyan.[12] At the end of 1946, Hardin–Simmons rejoined the conference.[13] In 1947, Texas Wesleyan discontinued football, requiring it to quit the conference.[14] In December 1948, Hardin–Simmons left in order to join the Lone Star Conference;[15] they were effectively replaced by Texas A&I (now Texas A&M University–Kingsville), who joined the conference in February 1949,[16] again giving the conference six teams.

In the early 1950s, the conference began to have trouble holding together. Southwestern discontinued its football program after the 1950 season, causing them to be dropped from the conference in 1951.[17] Later, Eastern New Mexico University became the only school from outside of Texas to join the conference, with participation to start in the 1954 track season. But before they could start, in December 1953, the conference was cut from six members to three. Abilene Christian announced it would leave to become an independent, Texas A&I left to join the Lone Star Conference, and Austin College, because of an eligibility feud with other members, also left to become an independent.[18][19] With three remaining members—Eastern New Mexico, Howard Payne, and McMurry—the conference disbanded in May 1956.[20]

Members
Key
Member at formation
Member at dissolution
Institution Location Founded Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Abilene Christian CollegeAbilene, Texas1906Wildcats19331953Southland (D-I)
Austin CollegeSherman, Texas1849Kangaroos19261953SCAC (D-III)
Daniel Baker CollegeBrownwood, Texas1888Hillbillies19331943
Eastern New Mexico UniversityPortales, New Mexico1927Greyhounds19541956LSC (D-II)
Hardin–Simmons UniversityAbilene, Texas1891Cowboys19261935ASC (D-III)
19471948
Howard Payne UniversityBrownwood, Texas1889Yellow Jackets19261956ASC (D-III)
McMurry CollegeAbilene, Texas1923Indians19331956ASC (D-III)
St. Edward's UniversityAustin, Texas1877Tigers / Crusaders[21]19271939LSC (D-II)
Southwestern UniversityGeorgetown, Texas1840Pirates19261951SCAC (D-III)
Texas A&I UniversityKingsville, Texas1925Javelinas19491953LSC (D-II)
Texas Wesleyan UniversityFort Worth, Texas1890Rams19371947SAC (NAIA)
Trinity UniversitySan Antonio, Texas1869Tigers19261932SCAC (D-III)
19341945

Daniel Baker was consolidated with Howard Payne in 1952.

Membership timeline
Eastern New Mexico UniversityTexas A%26M University–KingsvilleTexas Wesleyan UniversityDaniel Baker CollegeSt. Edward's UniversityTrinity University (Texas)Southwestern UniversityHoward Payne UniversityHardin–Simmons UniversityAustin College

Football champions
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See also

References
  1. Rogers, James Lloyd (2002). The Story of North Texas: From Texas Normal College, 1890, to the University of North Texas System, 2001. University of North Texas Press. pp. 197–200. ISBN 1574411284.
  2. "St. Edwards Admitted To Texas Conference Thursday". Austin American-Statesman. December 10, 1926. p. 11. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  3. "Texas Circuit Admits McMurry, ACC". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. May 15, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  4. "S. W. Conference Does Not Act To Admit New Members". The Eagle. Bryan, Texas. December 12, 1932. p. 3. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "Admit Trinity to Texas Conference". El Paso Times. AP. December 10, 1933. p. 19. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  6. "Hardin-Simmons Out Of Loop". Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. Tyler, Texas. December 15, 1933. p. 12. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  7. "Admit Texas Wesleyan Into Texas Conference". Waxahachie Daily Light. Waxahachie, Texas. May 14, 1937. p. 5. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  8. "Saint Abdication Seems Definite". Austin American-Statesman. December 11, 1939. p. 11. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  9. "Daniel Baker To Give Up Football Until War Ended". The Marshall News Messenger. Marshall, Texas. AP. August 26, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  10. "Daniel Baker Drops Cage Team". The Vernon Daily Record. Vernon, Texas. AP. February 9, 1943. p. 6. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  11. "Sun Bowl Media Guide". sunbowl.org. 2018. p. 18. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via adobe.com.
  12. "Trinity Not In New Texas Loop". Austin American-Statesman. AP. December 9, 1945. p. 22. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  13. "Hardin College Enters Texas Conference". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Lubbock, Texas. AP. December 15, 1946. p. 10. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  14. "Wesleyan Quits Texas Conference Athletics". Waco News-Tribune. Waco, Texas. UP. March 28, 1947. p. 20. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  15. "Hardin Voted Into Lone Star Conference". The Marshall News Messenger. Marshall, Texas. AP. December 12, 1948. p. 9. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  16. "A&I Joins Loop". Lubbock Morning Avalanche. Lubbock, Texas. AP. February 5, 1949. p. 4. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  17. "TC President Says Pirates Must Quit". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. April 27, 1951. p. 26. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  18. Holden, Jack (December 12, 1953). "A&I Announces TC Withdrawal". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. p. 2. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  19. "Texas Conference Cut to 3 Members". The Chieftain (5). January 1954. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  20. Browder, Jimmy (May 12, 1956). "Howard Payne Wins Meet As Texas Conference Ends". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. p. 2. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  21. Hart, Weldon (August 31, 1939). "The Tigers Are Crusaders Now". Austin American-Statesman. p. 19. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
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