List of former Southern Conference members
This is a list of former members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Southern Conference. Most former members are currently members of either the Southeastern Conference or the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Two of the former full members, Appalachian State and Davidson, maintain SoCon associate membership in wrestling. A third former full member, Georgia Southern, became an associate member in rifle when the SoCon added the sport for the 2016–17 school year.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current Conference |
| Tuscaloosa, Alabama | 1831 | Crimson Tide | 1921 | 1932 | Southeastern | |
| Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | 1899 | Mountaineers | 1971 | 2014 | Sun Belt |
| Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama | 1856 | Tigers | 1921 | 1932 | Southeastern |
| Charleston, South Carolina | 1770 | Cougars | 1998 | 2013 | Colonial Athletic | |
| Clemson University | Clemson, South Carolina | 1889 | Tigers | 1921 | 1953 | Atlantic Coast |
| Davidson College | Davidson, North Carolina | 1837 | Wildcats | 1936 1992 | 1988 2014 | Atlantic 10 |
| Duke University | Durham, North Carolina | 1838 | Blue Devils | 1928 | 1953 | Atlantic Coast |
| East Carolina University | Greenville, North Carolina | 1907 | Pirates | 1964 | 1976 | The American |
| Elon University | Elon, North Carolina | 1889 | Phoenix | 2003 | 2014 | Colonial Athletic |
| Gainesville, Florida | 1853 | Gators | 1922 | 1932 | Southeastern | |
| George Washington University | Washington, D.C. | 1821 | Colonials | 1936 | 1970 | Atlantic 10 |
| Athens, Georgia | 1785 | Bulldogs | 1921 | 1932 | Southeastern | |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, Georgia | 1906 | Eagles | 1991 | 2014 | Sun Belt |
| Atlanta, Georgia | 1885 | Yellow Jackets | 1921 | 1932 | Atlantic Coast | |
| Lexington, Kentucky | 1865 | Wildcats | 1921 | 1932 | Southeastern | |
| Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | 1860 | Tigers | 1922 | 1932 | Southeastern |
| Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | 1837 | Thundering Herd | 1976 | 1997 | C-USA |
| College Park, Maryland | 1856 | Terrapins | 1923 | 1953 | Big Ten | |
| Oxford, Mississippi | 1848 | Rebels | 1922 | 1932 | Southeastern | |
| Mississippi State University | Starkville, Mississippi | 1878 | Bulldogs | 1921 | 1932 | Southeastern |
| Chapel Hill, North Carolina | 1789 | Tar Heels | 1921 | 1953 | Atlantic Coast | |
| North Carolina State University | Raleigh, North Carolina | 1887 | Wolfpack | 1921 | 1953 | Atlantic Coast |
| Richmond, Virginia | 1830 | Spiders | 1936 | 1976 | Atlantic 10 | |
| Sewanee, Tennessee | 1857 | Tigers | 1923 | 1932 | Southern Athletic | |
| Columbia, South Carolina | 1801 | Gamecocks | 1922 | 1953 | Southeastern | |
| Knoxville, Tennessee | 1794 | Volunteers | 1921 | 1932 | Southeastern | |
| Tulane University | New Orleans, Louisiana | 1834 | Green Wave | 1922 | 1932 | The American |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1873 | Commodores | 1922 | 1932 | Southeastern |
| Charlottesville, Virginia | 1819 | Cavaliers | 1921 | 1937 | Atlantic Coast | |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, Virginia | 1872 | Hokies | 1921 | 1965 | Atlantic Coast |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 1834 | Demon Deacons | 1936 | 1953 | Atlantic Coast |
| Washington and Lee University | Lexington, Virginia | 1749 | Generals | 1921 | 1958 | Old Dominion |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 1867 | Mountaineers | 1950 | 1968 | Big 12 |
| Williamsburg, Virginia | 1693 | Tribe | 1936 | 1977 | Colonial Athletic |