Voorhees University officially announced today their decision to join the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. The news comes nearly immediately after Wilberforce University announced that they would be a member of the GCAC on Oct. 9, just two days prior.

Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes, the commissioner of the GCAC, shared her excitement with the press.

“The landscape of athletics is changing, and we are working hard to stay ahead of the curve. I want to thank President Hopkins for his visionary leadership and desire to join hands to create a greater impact within the HBCU space. We are just scratching the surface of what our conference is doing to grow and expand, and I’m elated to have Voorhees as one of our members.”

President of Voorhees University Dr. Ronnie Hopkins shared Barnes’s sentiments of jubilation.

“Voorhees University is honored and thrilled to join the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, recognized as one of the most progressive conferences in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. We believe this move not only enhances the conference’s geographic diversity but also creates new avenues for collaboration and competition. We look forward to fostering meaningful relationships with our fellow member institutions and furthering the GCAC’s mission of developing student-athletes academically, athletically, and personally.”

Before the move to the GCAC, Voorhees was a member school of the Continental Athletic Conference along with Wilberforce. However, unlike their Ohio counterpart, Voorhees is located in Denmark, South Carolina. Because of this, travel to new rival schools such as Rust College or Oakwood University won’t take as long.