(Story taken from the Gwinnett Daily Post)
By Will
Hammock
Sports Editor
SUWANEE, Ga. - Just 100 yards or so off
Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road is the turn into the nondescript office
park.
Like many similar complexes in Gwinnett County, it has the standard
doctor's offices and insurance agents. But it also has a rather
unique tenant, an NCAA Division III conference.
The Suwanee park is home to the Southern Collegiate Athletic
Conference, identified only by a small sign on the door. One step
inside, the quaint space fits the look of a conference office
better with jerseys on the wall and memorabilia on shelves.
"I would say most people don't even know there's an NCAA conference
in Gwinnett County," SCAC commissioner Dwayne Hanberry said.
"That's not such a bad thing. We get a lot of solicitors coming in.
When people stick their heads in, especially if it's a guy, they
always stop and look and ask 'What do you guys do?' because of all
the jerseys they see on the wall. Not many people know we exist in
the county because we're kind of tucked away and hidden, but that's
fine."
The SCAC found its way to the Atlanta area in 1991 when it became
the College Athletic Conference (which was founded in 1962).
Originally near Northlake Mall, it moved to the Gwinnett Place area
in 1996 before settling in Suwanee in 2000.
Originally a two-person operation, the SCAC now features three
full-time employees, a large staff for the typical D-III conference
office. Hanberry, 43, is joined by Jeff DeBaldo, director of sports
information, and Russell Kramer, director of communications and new
media.
Together they handle scheduling, championship administration, rules
and regulations, statistics and record book maintenance, the Web
site and media relations for the SCAC's 20 sports. It's like the
Southeastern Conference - on a much smaller scale.
Hanberry, a former college basketball player at Oglethorpe, an SCAC
school, has been with the conference since 1995. He became interim
commissioner in January 2008, assuming that role permanently in
July of that year. He is the league's second full-time commissioner
- Steve Argo was the first.
Hanberry and his wife Charis, who works for Turner Broadcasting,
and their children - sons David, 14, a rising freshman at Collins
Hill, and Daniel, 10, a rising fifth-grader at Walnut Grove
Elementary - have settled down in Gwinnett, an odd location for a
league that has just one Georgia school.
The remainder of the SCAC teams are scattered as far west as Texas
and Colorado, and as far north as Indiana. But the hub is
Suwanee.
"One of our ADs calls us the three-time zone league," Hanberry
said. "There are 12 schools in nine states and three time zones. We
are either the most or second-most geographically diverse Division
III conference in the nation."
The SCAC is rare in the South, which isn't loaded with D-III
schools. Other areas, the Northeast in particular, boast numerous
colleges at that level. There are a total of 449 D-III schools
nationwide, making it the largest of the NCAA's three sanctioned
divisions.
Only four Georgia colleges play D-III athletics - Oglethorpe,
Emory, Piedmont and LaGrange. D-III students don't get athletic
scholarship money, but most receive academic and other financial
aid while attending upper-echelon academic schools.
SCAC schools don't charge admission to games and there is obviously
no TV revenue to share. However, the league does feature some
noteworthy academic colleges, like esteemed Tennessee schools
Rhodes and University of the South. And all of its members devote
substantial money to athletics.
"Division III to me is kind of the last bastion of true college
amateur athletics," Hanberry said. "The kids are there because they
are good students, they want to get a diploma from a very good
school and plus they want to play athletics. It allows them to do
both. They walk away with a great degree to get them in the door to
a nice job and they got to do that along with competing in a sport
that they love for four years."
Hanberry said the athletic and academic combination at D-III
schools, like the ones that make up the SCAC, are nice fits for
Gwinnett athletes.
Even if most players and coaches around here don't know they have a
D-III office in their backyard.
"I've always thought the schools in Gwinnett County would be a
great fit for Division III," Hanberry said. "I don't know if a lot
of kids know that Division III can be a great destination for them.
... There are strong academics in Gwinnett County and obviously
Division III hangs its hat on being a great academic league."
To view the article on the Gwinnett Daily Post website, click here.
SCAC Office Profiled by Local Atlanta Newspaper
Posted: Jul 29, 2009
August 5, 2010
Iwasaki resigns as Austin College head baseball coach
August 4, 2010
Six SCAC women's teams earn USTFCCCA All-Academic honors
July 12, 2010
Oglethorpe's Unger to Step Down as Track and Field Coach
June 22, 2010
DePauw's Reich Named 2010 SCAC Woman of the Year
June 9, 2010
DePauw to Leave SCAC Effective 2011-12 Academic Year
May 28, 2010
Trinity Doubles Team Advances To NCAA Quarterfinals
May 27, 2010
Brandon Ricco named 2nd Team All-American by ABCA
May 25, 2010
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Beats Trinity Men's Tennis
May 22, 2010
SCAC has Four Named NGCA Division III All-Americans
May 21, 2010
Centre's Morris receives awards from PING
May 19, 2010
SCAC Names Golf Coaches and Freshmen-of-the-Year
May 19, 2010
Sewanee Volleyball Taps Cortese as New Coach
May 17, 2010
Centre football team to play British National Team
April 30, 2010
Trinity University to Make Soccer Stadium Renovations
April 29, 2010
Jake Martin Named DePauw's Head Baseball Coach
April 27, 2010
SCAC announces 2010 Baseball All-Tournament Team
April 27, 2010
SCAC Announces 2010 Men's Tennis All-Tournament Team
April 27, 2010
SCAC Announces 2010 Women's Tennis All-Tournament Team
April 26, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 10) - Around the SCAC
April 25, 2010
Trinity claims Sixth SCAC Baseball Title
April 25, 2010
Trinity Men's Tennis Defeats DePauw to Win SCAC Title
April 24, 2010
Rhodes Men win 2010 SCAC Track & Field Championship
April 24, 2010
Weather Keeps SCAC Golf Championship Round Two Unfinished
April 23, 2010
2010 SCAC Men's and Women's Golf Championships
April 23, 2010
2010 SCAC Men's and Women's Tennis Championships
April 23, 2010
2010 SCAC Tennis Championships Dodge Weather on Day One
April 23, 2010
2010 SCAC Men's and Women's Track & Field Championships
April 22, 2010
2010 SCAC Spring Championships
April 22, 2010
SCAC announces 2010 All-SCAC Baseball team
April 21, 2010
2010 SCAC Baseball Championship
April 19, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 11) - Around the SCAC
April 19, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 9) - Around the SCAC
April 18, 2010
SCAC announces 2010 Baseball Championship Bracket
April 12, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 10) - Around the SCAC
April 12, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 8) - Around the SCAC
April 5, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 9) - Around the SCAC
April 5, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 7) - Around the SCAC
April 4, 2010
Rhodes' Cleanthes Tallies 200th Career Win
March 31, 2010
DePauw Grad Brad Stevens Leads Butler to NCAA Final Four
March 29, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 8) - Around the SCAC
March 29, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 6) - Around the SCAC
March 22, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 7) - Around the SCAC
March 22, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 5) - Around the SCAC
March 21, 2010
SCAC Swimmers Show Well at NCAA Championships
March 20, 2010
Hayley Emerick Wins NCAA Championship in Three-Meter Diving
March 17, 2010
Alade Selected to Play in NABC All-Star Game
March 15, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 6) - Around the SCAC
March 15, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 4) - Around the SCAC
March 13, 2010
DePauw's Reich Doubles up on All-America Honors
March 12, 2010
Trinity's Wildman repeats as Pentathlon National Champion
March 12, 2010
DePauw's Reich reaches finals in two NCAA events
March 8, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 5) - Around the SCAC
March 8, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
March 5, 2010
Centre falls to Eastern Mennonite in NCAA First Round
March 2, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 4) - Around the SCAC
March 2, 2010
Rhodes' Hilgeman Announces Retirement
March 2, 2010
Centre College's Noll named Jostens Trophy Finalist
March 2, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
March 1, 2010
Millsaps names Aaron Pelch Head Football Coach
March 1, 2010
Centre draws Eastern Mennonite in NCAA First Round
February 28, 2010
Sewanee's Shackelford records 400th win
February 27, 2010
Centre and DePauw to clash for SCAC title
February 26, 2010
Top seeds advance to SCAC Semifinals
February 23, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
February 23, 2010
Men's Lacrosse Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
February 22, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 13) - Around the SCAC
February 21, 2010
SCAC Announces 2010 Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket
February 20, 2010
DePauw Men Win Sixth Straight SCAC Title
February 20, 2010
Trinity Wins Seventh Straight SCAC Title
February 18, 2010
Southwestern professor gives US Bobsled team an edge
February 15, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
February 15, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 12) - Around the SCAC
February 11, 2010
Millsaps College Names New President
February 9, 2010
Dawson named Austin College football coach
February 8, 2010
Baseball Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
February 8, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 11) - Around the SCAC
February 1, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 10) - Around the SCAC
January 28, 2010
Herb Hilgeman honored for becoming all-time SCAC wins leader
January 25, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 9) - Around the SCAC
January 19, 2010
Millsaps' Hawkins named D3baseball.com Preseason All-American
January 19, 2010
Gage Steps Down as Austin College Football Coach
January 18, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 8) - Around the SCAC
January 18, 2010
Former Trinity Tennis Star in Flyover at AFC Divisional Game
January 11, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 7) - Around the SCAC
January 10, 2010
Mason gets career win #200 in 71-36 victory over Sewanee
January 7, 2010
Trinity Kicker Biel Ranked No. 1 in Nation
January 4, 2010
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 6) - Around the SCAC
December 31, 2009
USA Today Lists Trinity Miracle Play as One of the Best of the Decade
December 25, 2009
Happy Holidays from the SCAC!
December 21, 2009
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 5) - Around the SCAC
December 19, 2009
Curry and Team Stars & Stripes fall short in Tazon de Estrellas
December 18, 2009
SCAC Men's Basketball Podcast - Week Three
December 14, 2009
Trinity's Curry to play in All-Star Football Game
December 14, 2009
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 4) - Around the SCAC
December 14, 2009
Trinity's Grossman and Garcia Earn NSCAA All-America Honors
December 11, 2009
DuBose Resigns as Head Football Coach at Millsaps
December 11, 2009
SCAC Men's Basketball Podcast - Week Two
December 11, 2009
SCAC Lands Ten Players on 2009 NSCAA All-Region Teams
December 10, 2009
DePauw's Dick highlights 12 from SCAC on D3football.com All-Region Team
December 9, 2009
Trinity’s Young and Wright selected Women's Soccer All-Americans
December 8, 2009
SCAC Lands Ten Players on 2009 NSCAA All-Region Teams
December 8, 2009
SCAC Announces 2009 Volleyball All-Sportsmanship Team
December 7, 2009
SCAC Announces 2009 Football All-Sportsmanship Team
December 7, 2009
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
December 4, 2009
DePauw's Fenlon notches 400th career win
December 4, 2009
Austin College's Fleming finishes as national blocks leader
December 3, 2009
SCAC Announces 2009 Field Hockey All-Sportsmanship Team
December 2, 2009
SCAC Announces 2009 Soccer All-Sportsmanship Teams
November 30, 2009
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
November 25, 2009
DePauw's Dick Finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy
November 25, 2009
DePauw's Fitch Named a First Team Football Academic All-America®
November 24, 2009
SCAC Announces 2009 All-Conference Football Team
November 24, 2009
Millsaps' Chris Graves named One of 10 Conerly Trophy Finalists
November 24, 2009
Robby Long Officially Named Tigers' Head Football Coach
November 23, 2009
Men's Basketball Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
November 22, 2009
Trinity loses shootout heartbreaker to Lynchburg in NCAA Quarterfinals
November 21, 2009
DePauw falls to Thomas More in NCAA Football Playoffs
November 21, 2009
Trinity advances to NCAA Quarterfinals with 1-0 win over Hardin-Simmons
November 17, 2009
SCAC Has 15 Named to the 2009 Longstreth/NFHCA DIII All-Region Team
November 15, 2009
Trinity men upset by Hardin-Simmons in NCAA tournament
November 15, 2009
Trinity blanks Maryville (Tenn.) to advance to NCAA Sectionals
November 13, 2009
Colorado College advances to West regional final in five-set thriller
November 13, 2009
Southwestern advances to regional final with sweep of Maryville
November 12, 2009
SCAC Announces 2009 All-Conference Field Hockey Team
November 12, 2009
SCAC has 11 named to AVCA All-Region Teams
November 12, 2009
Southwestern sweeps University of Dallas in NCAA regional play
November 11, 2009
Rhodes' Wagner selected to womensfieldhockey.com Honor Roll
November 10, 2009
Centre and Trinity favored to win respective SCAC divisions in 2009-10
November 9, 2009
Football Recap (Week 10) - Around the SCAC
November 9, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 10) - Around the SCAC
November 8, 2009
Rhodes wins SCAC Field Hockey Championship
November 7, 2009
Rhodes and DePauw advance to SCAC Field Hockey title game
November 7, 2009
Southwestern University wins fourth SCAC volleyball championship
November 6, 2009
Top four seeds advance to semifinals of SCAC Championship
November 5, 2009
SCAC Field Hockey Tournament begins Friday
November 5, 2009
DePauw's Riffle Invited to Senior All-Star Game
November 5, 2009
SCAC Volleyball Tournament gets underway in Atlanta on Friday
November 4, 2009
Russolino Grabs Monthly Recognition from F.M. Award
November 2, 2009
Football Recap (Week 9) - Around the SCAC
November 2, 2009
Trinity Claims Eighth Straight SCAC Men's Soccer Title
November 2, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 9) - Around the SCAC
November 1, 2009
SCAC releases 2009 Field Hockey Tournament Bracket
October 29, 2009
Hendrix Volleyball Team Helps Raise Money for Side-Out Foundation
October 26, 2009
Football Recap (Week 8) - Around the SCAC
October 26, 2009
SCAC releases 2009 Volleyball Tournament Bracket
October 26, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 8) - Around the SCAC
October 21, 2009
SCAC Commissioner selected to PRCC Athletics Hall of Fame
October 20, 2009
Trinity's Trella named to D3football.com Team of the Week
October 20, 2009
Men's Soccer Recap (Week 7) - Around the SCAC
October 20, 2009
Women's Soccer Recap (Week 7) - Around the SCAC
October 19, 2009
Football Recap (Week 7) - Around the SCAC
October 19, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 7) - Around the SCAC
October 18, 2009
Centre's Burch gets 100th win as Colonels defeat Southwestern 1-0
October 16, 2009
Oglethorpe’s Akin records milestone in victory over Piedmont
October 14, 2009
Oglethorpe’s Giordano, Sarisky honored by Georgia Dugout Club
October 14, 2009
Men's Soccer Recap (Week 6) - Around the SCAC
October 14, 2009
Women's Soccer Recap (Week 6) - Around the SCAC
October 12, 2009
Football Recap (Week 6) - Around the SCAC
October 12, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 6) - Around the SCAC
October 5, 2009
Football Recap (Week 5) - Around the SCAC
October 5, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 5) - Around the SCAC
October 2, 2009
Three from SCAC named Campbell Trophy semifinalists
September 30, 2009
Centre's Pinque selected to D3football.com Team of the Week
September 30, 2009
Centre and Austin Vie in Third Annual Komen Game
September 30, 2009
Former BSC golfer Jordan Hardy qualifies for Navistar LPGA Classic
September 29, 2009
Men's Soccer Recap (Week 4) - Around the SCAC
September 29, 2009
Women's Soccer Recap (Week 4) - Around the SCAC
September 28, 2009
Football Recap (Week 4) - Around the SCAC
September 28, 2009
Colorado College's Richardson gets career victory No. 500
September 28, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 4) - Around the SCAC
September 25, 2009
Trinity University Selects 18th President
September 25, 2009
Rhodes' Wagner selected to womensfieldhockey.com Honor Roll
September 22, 2009
Millsaps' Sager Named to D3football Team of the Week
September 22, 2009
Field Hockey Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
September 22, 2009
Colorado College mourns passing of Chris Quon
September 22, 2009
Men's Soccer Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
September 22, 2009
Women's Soccer Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
September 21, 2009
Football Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
September 21, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 3) - Around the SCAC
September 18, 2009
Jonathan Alden Wins Individual Title; Men's Team Finishes Third
September 16, 2009
NCAA President Myles Brand Passes Away
September 16, 2009
D3football.com names eight from SCAC to Team of the Week
September 15, 2009
Field Hockey Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
September 15, 2009
Grizzlies to hold training camp at Birmingham-Southern
September 15, 2009
Rhodes' Cory Smith inks professional contract in Luxembourg
September 15, 2009
Men's Soccer Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
September 15, 2009
Women's Soccer Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
September 14, 2009
Football Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
September 14, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 2) - Around the SCAC
September 10, 2009
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference - Social and New Media
September 10, 2009
Millsaps' Burrell named to D3football.com Team of the Week
September 9, 2009
Field Hockey Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
September 9, 2009
Men's Soccer Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
September 9, 2009
Women's Soccer Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
September 8, 2009
Football Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
September 8, 2009
Volleyball Recap (Week 1) - Around the SCAC
September 6, 2009
BSC's Goldfarb earns 300th win
September 2, 2009
SCAC releases 2009 Men's Soccer Prospectus
September 2, 2009
SCAC releases 2009 Women's Soccer Prospectus
September 1, 2009
SCAC releases 2009 Field Hockey Prospectus
August 31, 2009
SCAC releases 2009 Volleyball Prospectus
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August 27, 2009
Day Four - 2009 SCAC Football Media Days
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August 26, 2009
Day Three - 2009 SCAC Football Media Days
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August 25, 2009
Day Two - 2009 SCAC Football Media Days
August 24, 2009
2009 SCAC Football Media Days
August 24, 2009
Majors, Choctaws to Brawl for a great cause
August 21, 2009
Seven SCAC teams honored by ITA
August 18, 2009
Southwestern favored to win 2009 SCAC Volleyball Championship
August 17, 2009
Millsaps' Russolino Named to Fred Mitchell Award Watch List
August 12, 2009
Jake Martin Appointed Interim Head Baseball Coach at DePauw
August 11, 2009
SCAC Set to Launch Inaugural Football Media Days
August 7, 2009
Robby Long to Lead DePauw Football Program in 2009
August 5, 2009
Howell Selected to Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame
July 29, 2009
SCAC Office Profiled by Local Atlanta Newspaper
July 28, 2009
Shivers tabbed D3football.com Preseason All-American
July 20, 2009
Rhodes' Royer named to Division III Management Council
July 17, 2009
Katy Caine Tapped to Lead 2009 Tigers
July 11, 2009
Owen inks Independant contract with Edinburg
July 8, 2009
Trinity Tennis Coaching Duties Are Restructured
July 7, 2009
Gage to be Inducted to THSCA Hall of Honor
