What to Know About the New United Athletic Conference for Softball

In June, the United Athletic Conference announced its new brand identity, “Forge Ahead."

This new branding follows the conference’s restructuring into a full-sport conference. The revamped conference will consist of eight member institutions competing in softball for the 2026-2027 season.

Founded in 2023, the United Athletic Conference (UAC) was originally formed as a football-only conference. The UAC was an alliance between the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), where its members competed in the FCS subdivision of NCAA D1.

Our opportunities are unlimited.@ASUNSports | @UAConference pic.twitter.com/WikteeIzbB
— Unisun Sports (@UnisunSports) July 1, 2026

On July 1, 2026, the UAC became a full-sport conference, as the Western Athletic Conference officially rebranded as the UAC. The conference now consists of nine full member institutions, eight of which will compete in softball. The ASUN will continue to operate as its own conference with eight full member institutions for the 2026-2027 academic year.

The nine member institutions of the UAC are:

Abilene Christian University ( Abilene, Texas)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, Tennessee)
University of Central Arkansas (Conway, Arkansas)
Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Kentucky)
University of North Alabama (Florence, Alabama)
Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Texas)
University of Texas at Arlington ( Arlington, Texas)
University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Georgia)

All but the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will compete in softball for the upcoming season.

The members of the UAC will look to be highly competitive in the 2027 softball season. UAC members Tarleton State University and UT Arlington both found success in the Western Athletic Conference last season.

The Tarleton State Texans went 13-5 in WAC play, while the UT Arlington Mavericks went 12-6 in WAC play with a notable win over the Baylor Bears in non-conference play. In addition, the Central Arkansas Bears found success in the Atlantic Sun, going 16-6-1 in conference play.

The UAC and ASUN also announced that they would be joining forces through Unisun Sports, a strategic partnership between the two conferences.

Creating What’s Next: ASUN and UAC Partner to Launch Unisun Sports

🔗 https://t.co/2HKcBjaVWO pic.twitter.com/uc7urJvuDX
— Atlantic Sun Conference (@ASUNSports) May 18, 2026

In a press release, Unisun Sports revealed that the partnership will aim to improve the efficiency of both conferences and foster innovation. This alliance will also allow for collaborative scheduling efforts, streamlined operational processes, and an enhanced student-athlete experience.

Even though the two conferences have formed an alliance, the UAC and ASUN will maintain their independent conference structure, thus allowing them to be eligible for NCAA Championship automatic qualifiers.

The newly reimagined conference represents a new era in collegiate athletics.

“Forge Ahead represents who we are and where we're going. Our member institutions have never been content to follow established paths," said Unisun Sports CEO, Jeff Bacon. "They build, innovate, and create. This identity reflects the grit of our student-athletes, the leadership of our campuses, and our collective commitment to advancing collegiate athletics."

The UAC will officially begin competition with its football kickoff on July 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas.

Add us as a preferred source on Google