Gulf Star Conference

The Gulf Star Conference was a conference that existed from 1984–85 to 1986–87, three academic years. All of the schools subsequently joined the Southland Conference. Dave Waples was the only Commissioner, with the Conference office located in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Although the Southland eventually took in all of the former Gulf Star schools, only four (Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, and Southwest Texas State) joined the Southland immediately upon the Gulf Star's demise. The other two Gulf Star members, Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana, initially became independents. Nicholls State joined the SLC for the 1991–92 school year. SLU became a member of the Trans America Athletic Conference (now known as the Atlantic Sun Conference) in that same year, and moved to the Southland in 1997–98. Five of the six remain in the Southland today. The one exception is Southwest Texas State, now known as Texas State. It joined the Western Athletic Conference in July 2012 and moved to the Sun Belt Conference a year later.