Dallas Baptist University officially joined the Lone Star Conference on Monday after a spending the past 18 years as members of the Heartland Conference.  DBU transitions to the Lone Star along with six other institutions from the Heartland including Lubbock Christian University, Oklahoma Christian University, St. Edward's University, St. Mary's University, Texas A&M International University, and the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.
 
With 19 members, the Lone Star Conference becomes the largest conference at the NCAA Division II level.  Founded on April 25, 1931, the LSC started as a five-member conference of Texas-based schools and with the latest expansion will become a 19-member league with 14 members in Texas, two in Oklahoma, two in New Mexico, and one in Arkansas.    
 
"We are excited to begin our new membership in the Lone Star Conference and the largest NCAA Division II conference in the country," DBU Director of Athletics Connor Smith said. "Our institution and athletics department will look forward to collaborating with other LSC member institutions as we strive to provide an exceptional student-athlete experience, both on and off the playing fields."

Dating back to inaugural season in the Heartland Conference in 2002, DBU won 43 league titles, including regular-season and tournament championships, over an 18-year span.  The women's cross country team totaled the most titles with 12 consecutive championships, while women's soccer ranked second with nine titles, and men's cross country was third with seven.  Also on the women's side, golf won five titles, volleyball accounted for a pair, and tennis clinched one championship. On the men's side, basketball hoisted a league title on four occasions and golf won three championships.

The LSC conducts conference championships in 18 sports (nine men and nine women).  Member institutions include Angelo State, Cameron, DBU, Eastern New Mexico, Lubbock Christian, MSU Texas, Oklahoma Christian, St. Edward's, St. Mary's, Tarleton State, Texas A&M-Commerce, Texas A&M International, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas Woman's, UA Fort Smith, UT Permian Basin, UT Tyler, West Texas A&M, and Western New Mexico.

Click here to view Lone Star Conference website.