FLORENCE, Ala. (July 1, 2026) – The United Athletic Conference has officially arrived.
 
As of July 1, 2026, the University of North Alabama is officially a member of the United Athletic Conference. The league includes eight other institutions and one football-affiliate member and will compete in NCAA Division I and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.
 
The UAC, formerly the Western Athletic Conference, is part of a groundbreaking consortium along with the Atlantic Sun Conference. The two conferences will compete under the Unisun Sports umbrella — a groundbreaking joint venture built to support the strategic alliance between both conferences that reflects a shared commitment to creating what's next in collegiate athletics through strength and innovation.
 
Launched today, Unisun Sports will offer shared services and resources, enhanced revenue generating opportunities, collective purchasing and featured scheduling alliances, enhancing the student-athlete experience within the ASUN and UAC.
 
Joining UNA in the UAC will be Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Little Rock, Tarleton State, UT Arlington and West Georgia. Additionally, West Florida will join the UAC for football while competing in the ASUN for all other sports.
 
"Joining the United Athletic Conference marks another important milestone in North Alabama's Division I journey," said UNA Director of Athletics Dr. Josh Looney. "The UAC has established itself as one of the premier conferences in FCS, and we're excited to compete alongside institutions that share our commitment to competitive excellence and student‑athlete success. As we continue investing in our student‑athletes, facilities and fan experience, the UAC offers a strong home for North Alabama. It's a place where our programs can grow, compete for championships and build rivalries that 'Raise The ROAR' of Lion fans."
 
Yesterday ended an eight-year tenure in the ASUN for North Alabama, as the Lions joined the league in 2018 when moving up to Division I. Other ASUN members joining the UAC include Austin Peay, EKU, Central Arkansas and West Georgia. Of the five, UNA spent the most time in the league, followed by EKU and UCA in 2021 and Austin Peay in 2022. UWG joined in 2024.
 
All five former ASUN schools also competed in the UAC for football, which formed as a football-only league in 2023 and including football-playing schools from the ASUN and WAC.
 
Joining the former ASUN schools in the new-look UAC will be former WAC members Abilene Christian, Tarleton State and UT Arlington. ACU and Tarleton both joined the UAC for football in 2023, while UT Arlington is a non-football institution. The newest member to the consortium is Little Rock, which announced in October it would depart the Ohio Valley Conference for the UAC.
 
This gives the league nine members and eight football members when including West Florida. UWF announced its move to Division I in April with football joining the UAC and all other sports joining the ASUN.
 
West Florida joins Bellarmine, FGCU Jacksonville, Lipscomb, North Florida, Queens and Stetson to make up the ASUN. The UNA men's tennis and beach volleyball programs will remain with the league as an affiliate member, while all other UNA programs will compete in the UAC.
 
"Today marks more than an official launch date—it represents the beginning of what's next in collegiate athletics. It celebrates a new era for the United Athletic Conference (UAC) as it officially steps into a multi-sport conference, the continued strength of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), and the formation of a joint-venture, Unisun Sports," said Unisun Sports CEO, Jeff Bacon.
 
United Athletic Conference Members
Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas
Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee
University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas
Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky
University of North Alabama, Florence, Alabama
Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas
University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas
University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia
 
University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida *** FOOTBALL ONLY ***
 
Atlantic Sun Conference Members
Bellarmine University, Louisville, Kentucky
Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, Florida
Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida
Lipscomb University, Nashville, Tennessee
Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
Stetson University, DeLand, Florida
University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida
University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.