EXCLUSIVE: NSAC Commissioner Mike Davis talks new athletics conference on JMN In-Depth

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Many collegiate athletic conferences are full of history and tradition. Meanwhile, one new conference is working to pave its own path. Mike Davis, the commissioner of the New South Athletic Conference, spoke with WOKV’s Kristine Bellino on Jacksonville’s Morning News In-Depth about the new conference, what it consists of, and how it gets funding.

“The New South Athletic Conference is an association of really small colleges. Most people think, when you say that, they’re thinking Division III schools. Most of our schools would be considered smaller than that. Almost all of our schools have fewer than 1,000 students, ranging from Virginia all the way down to Miami. So we have a pretty big footprint,” said Davis. “I like to say we have the footprint of the ACC [Atlantic Coast Conference], but we don’t have the budget of the ACC, but that’s who we are.”

“The whole philosophy of the NSAC, when we began, is to give student-athletes at these smaller schools the same opportunities and experiences that students at Division I schools like Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Alabama, whatever, the same experiences that they would have. Just because they’re not at a big school doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have those opportunities to get recognition for their achievements in both on the field and in the classroom,” added Davis.