Elon Local News has confirmed with multiple sources that Elon University is leaving the Southern Conference and joining the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
The decision comes two weeks after Davidson announced they were joining the Atlantic 10 Conference. With Elon's departure, the Southern Conference is left with only seven schools: Chattanooga, Furman, Samford, The Citadel, UNC Greensboro, Western Carolina and Wofford.
The Southern Conference has an exit fee of $600,000 for schools giving less than a two-year notice and an exit fee of $300,000 for schools exiting after two-years or more of notice.
The CAA is based in Richmond, Virginia and membership is spread out. The closest school in the conference is a three-hour bus ride away- UNC Wilmington. The furthest school from Elon is Maine University, an associate member that only plays football in the conference.
With the addition of Elon, the CAA now has 10 members. The 10 members are College of Charleston, Elon, Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra, James Madison, Northeastern, Towson, UNC Wilmington and William & Mary.
Albany, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond, Stony Brook and Villanova are associate members of the CAA and only play football in the conference.
Elon will make the official announcement Thursday at a press conference in the Walker Room of the Alumni Field House at 2:00 p.m. Stick with us for continuing coverage.