The USC Beaufort Sand Sharks (also USCB Sand Sharks or South Carolina–Beaufort Sand Sharks) are the athletic teams that represent the University of South Carolina Beaufort, located in Beaufort, South Carolina, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) since the 2022–23 academic year (while competing full-time in the NCAA since 2023–24). The Sand Sharks previously competed in the Continental Athletic Conference, formerly known as the Association of Independent Institutions (AII), for the 2022–23 school year only (which they were a member on a previous stint during the 2007–08 school year, which was when the school began its athletics program and joined the NAIA), while they were continuing their transition as members of the Peach Belt and of NCAA Division II; and in the Sun Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC), from 2008–09 to 2021–22.
| South Carolina–Beaufort Sand Sharks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of South Carolina Beaufort |
| Conference | Peach Belt (primary) |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Quin Monahan[1] |
| Location | Beaufort, South Carolina |
| First season | 2007 |
| Varsity teams | 11 (5 men's, 6 women's) |
| Basketball arena | Sand Shark Recreation Center |
| Baseball stadium | Richard Gray Baseball Complex |
| Softball stadium | Richard Gray Softball Complex |
| Soccer stadium | USCB Campus/Fin Land Field |
| Mascot | Finnegan |
| Nickname | Sand Sharks |
| Colors | Navy blue, sand, and light blue[2] |
| Website | uscbathletics |
Move to NCAA Division II
editOn April 14, 2021, South Carolina–Beaufort reported that the NCAA Division II's Peach Belt Conference invited the Sand Sharks to join the conference in 2022 after applying for membership in and gaining acceptance into the NCAA.[3] Also on that day, USCB planned to add men's and women's basketball as a condition of its NCAA and Peach Belt membership. The teams in that sport played their first season in 2023–24.[4][5] By July 15, 2022, USCB was already accepted into the Continental Athletic Conference for its first year of provisional membership while still playing a Peach Belt schedule as part of the Sand Sharks' one-year NAIA-NCAA dual membership, but are ineligible for a Peach Belt or NCAA postseason during the three-year transition.[6]
Conference affiliations
editNAIA
- Association of Independent Institutions (2007–2008)
- Sun Conference (2008–2022)
- Continental Athletic Conference (2022–2023)
NCAA
- Peach Belt Conference (2022–present)
Varsity teams
editUSC Beaufort competes in eleven intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, and indoor and outdoor track and field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, and indoor and outdoor track and field.
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball[7] |
| Basketball[8] | Cross country |
| Cross country | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Track and field† | Softball |
| Track and field† | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor | |
Facilities
editBoth the Sand Shark baseball and softball teams currently practice and play all home games at the City of Hardeeville's Recreation Complex (the Richard Gray Baseball Complex).
References
edit- ^ "Staff". UCSB. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
- ^ "USC Beaufort Alters Athletic Marks". August 9, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "Peach Belt Accepts USCB as Newest League Member". USCB Sand Sharks. April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ Goldstein, Andrew (April 14, 2021). "USC-Beaufort to move up to Division II, add women's and men's basketball". WSAV.com. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Murdaugh, Shellie (April 15, 2021). "University of South Carolina Beaufort plans move to NCAA Division II". Bluffton Today. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Gough, Lyndsay (July 15, 2022). "USCB Approved for NCAA DII Membership". WTOC 11. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
- ^ "USCB Hires Purdue Legend Sharon Versyp to Lead Sand Shark Women's Basketball". Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ "Fudala Tabbed As USCB's First Men's Basketball Head Coach". Retrieved January 15, 2023.