The ASUN conference will have a ninth member with the North Alabama Lions joining in 2018-2019. The Lions are currently a Division II program that has had success in postseason with seven Division II national titles.

The University of North Alabama is located in Florence, Alabama and is nearly a nine hour drive from Jacksonville.

Unlike North Florida, the Lions have a football program that will play in the Big South Conference joining Kennesaw State, another ASUN member.

The Lions’ softball (60-7), football (10-1) and volleyball (29-6) all made it far in postseason play with the softball program finishing as the 2016 national champions.

North Alabama has a student population of 7,490 — nearly half of North Florida. The Lions will be allowed to play in postseason conference play but will not be eligible to play in the NCAA postseason such as the March Madness for four years.

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