Since its founding in the early 1990s, the Peach Belt Conference has established itself as a perennial leader in NCAA Division II. Counting numerous achievements in competition, in academics and in innovation, the Peach Belt has built a strong foundation from which to build towards the future.

That success continued in the 2023-24 season as the North Georgia men's golf team and the Flagler men's tennis team both reached the national championship final match. Overall, 31 PBC teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament with nine member schools serving as hosts. The PBC had four different sports with a team ranked #1 in the nation and 32 All-Americans.

Starting with only two championships in 1990-1991, men's and women's basketball, the conference has expanded to 18 championship sports with the addition of men's and women's indoor track and field for the 2023-24 season.

The conference traces its roots back to November of 1988 when 11 schools first met in Greenville, S.C. to form a Division II conference. Following a second meeting on Dec. 3, 1989, five of those 11 schools, plus two others, formed the Peach Belt and began play in fall 1990 with men's and women's basketball. The league became a full NCAA Division II conference in 1991-92 with 11 championship sports.

The Peach Belt was less than a year old before capturing a national championship. The Columbus State golf team took the honor by winning the 1992 national crown, the first of three golf championships the Cougars own. One year later, the Lander men's tennis team began their record-breaking run of eight straight national titles, the first PBC dynasty. Since then, USCA men's golf has won three straight national titles from 2004-06 while Armstrong State won 10 women's tennis national titles, including five in a six-year span from 2008-13.

The Peach Belt has made a commitment to being a leader in NCAA Division II. The league was the first in any division to hold an Esports Championship in 2018 with League of Legends. The league is also the first to partner with Battlefields2Ballfields to encourage veterans to become officials. The league was the first to have an officials appreciation week in 2018-19 which was adopted by the D2CCA and became a national program in 2019-20.

The seven charter members of the conference were Armstrong State University, Columbus State University, Francis Marion University, Georgia College, Lander University, USC Aiken and USC Upstate. The name Peach Belt Athletic Conference was adopted in January of 1990 and modified to Peach Belt Conference in May of 2000. Marvin Vanover served as the league's first commissioner, retiring in 2007.

Augusta University joined the conference in 1991 and UNC Pembroke became the ninth member on July 1, 1992. They were followed by Kennesaw State University on July 1, 1994, Clayton State University on July 1, 1995 and the University of North Florida on July 1, 1997. Kennesaw State and North Florida departed for the Division I ranks in 2005, USC Upstate did the same in 2007, and the conference welcomed in the University of North Georgia in 2005 and Georgia Southwestern State University in 2006. In 2009-10, the Peach Belt added Montevallo and Flagler. Young Harris became the league's 14th member in 2012-13 and in 2014 completed the transition to full NCAA Division II status. Montevallo departed in 2017 while Armstrong State University was merged with Georgia Southern University that same year. UNC Pembroke and Francis Marion departed following the 2021 season.

The league currently sits at 10 members with the addition of the University of South Carolina Beaufort in 2022. USCB will be entering their third year of transition to full Division II status in the 24-25 year and would be full members for the 25-26 season. The league announced in early 2024 that Middle Georgia State University has been extended an offer to join, pending their approval to begin the process of transitioning to Division II. MGA is expected to apply for Division II membership in February of 2025 and, if approved, will begin league play that fall.

The PBC has added numerous associate members. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University participates in outdoor and indoor track & field, while Albany State joined for women's soccer and Claflin for baseball. Salem University joins us as an associate member for volleyball beginning 2025/26. The University of Alabama-Huntsville and the University of Montevallo are associate members for men's lacrosse. The PBC also has several associate members in its Esports ranks.

Diana Kling was named the third PBC commissioner in July 2025. Kling joined the conference office in 2005 and became Deputy Commissioner in 2019. Kling has been instrumental in the success of the PBC since her arrival and has played a key role in the introduction of new programs, awards, sports, championships and member institutions. 

Dr. Cathy Cox of Georgia College & State University began her two-year term as chair of the PBC Executive Committee on July 1, 2024. John Delaney of Flagler College is the vice-chair with Dr. Daniel Heimmermann of USC Aiken the second vice-chair and Dr. Richard Cosentino of Lander the immediate past chair.

The conference currently holds championships in 18 NCAA Division II sports, nine for men and nine for women. They are men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, baseball, softball, men's lacrosse, men's and women's golf and men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field.

The league also has Esports conference championships for Overwatch, League of Legends, Valorant and Rocket League with two in-person events each year.

To view a list of our members by year, use the interactive map below courtesy of NCAA.org.