In mid-April, Savannah State administrative officials announced that the school was going to drop its athletics program from Division I to Division II.

The announcement has drawn a variety of reactions from students, alumni and fans. Some applaud the decision while others were not pleased.

SSU is no stranger to Division II, having been a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Conference, before joining the Division I ranks.

Many wonder what conference will the Tigers join, once they return to Division II.

Some say the logical choice would be to return to the SIAC. Other options could be the Peach Belt Conference and the Gulf South Conference.

SSU joined the SIAC in 1969 and left for what some thought were greener pastures in 1998, however, the SIAC website states that SSU were members of the conference from 1968-2000. The SIAC has changed in many ways since SSU left. Albany State, Clark Atlanta, Kentucky State, Fort Valley State, Morehouse, Tuskegee, Lane, Paine, Miles and LeMoyne-Owen remain members while Benedict, Claflin, Central State (Ohio) and Spring Hill have since joined.

None of the presidents that were in place in ‘98 are around and the same could be said for the athletic directors.

Calls to the SIAC office were not returned.

Should Savannah State re-join the SIAC, they will see some familiar faces.

SSU alum and former women’s basketball coach Phil Wallace is the athletic director and women’s basketball coach at Miles. Former SSU tennis coach and football assistant Greg Green is also a football assistant at Miles. SSU grad and former sports information assistant Ruben Perez is the Associate Commissioner, Men’s Basketball and Baseball at Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, former Tiger running back Evan Brown is the equipment manager at Clark Atlanta, former SSU men’s basketball coach Sammy Jackson is the men’s basketball coach at Fort Valley State, former football assistant Gary Harper is on the football staff at Central State and former SSU AD’s Jerome Fitch (athletic director) and Marilynn Suggs (assistant athletic director) head up the athletic department at Claflin.

Peach Belt commissioner David Brunk says that his conference will be down to 12 schools next year with the loss of Armstrong State. Brunk adds that the loss of ASU makes Savannah State very attractive to the PBC. “SSU is within our footprint. They will be a part of our discussions as well as a few NAIA schools, at our next meeting.” He adds that although no contact has been made, he looks forward to meeting with the SSU president and athletic director.

The Peach Belt does not offer football but that would allow Savannah State to be a member of the PBC in the other sports and operate its football program as a independent or join another conference as an associate member.

Gulf South Conference commissioner Matt Wilson says that his conference and Savannah State has had some discussion through a third party. He also thinks that SSU may be a good fit for the GSC. “They are a lot like many of the GSC schools and clearly in our footprint. They will be an asset to Division II.” With money being a key factor in SSU’s decision to move down, Wilson thinks the administration made a smart choice. “Savannah State is making a wise decision, given today’s climate.”

The GSC already has a footprint in the state with Valdosta State, Shorter and West Georgia already being members.

Travel would be financially beneficial in the Peach Belt and the SIAC, but may pose challenges in the Gulf South. The SIAC would also help with instate recruiting, especially with the cites that have conference schools such as Augusta, Albany and Atlanta as well as the middle Georgia area.

In the African American arena, many SSU alumni know people in their neighborhood, churches, jobs or social organizations that attended SIAC schools.