The Presidents Council of the Capital Athletic Conference announced Monday that Southern Virginia University will be added as a full member of the conference, beginning July 1, 2013.

Southern Virginia is located in Buena Vista, Va. It is located approximately 240 miles from York College, which is also a member of the CAC.

Southern Virginia, which received notification last week of its approved regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), will join the CAC as a full member at the same time as Christopher Newport University, which announced its membership intentions in April. Southern Virginia also anticipates being promoted by the NCAA Division III Membership Committee from its current exploratory year to Division III Provisional Membership status later this summer.

"The (CAC) has demonstrated its competitiveness and high academic standards for student-athletes over many years. We are pleased to welcome two new members, who increase our geographic scope, diversity, and stature in NCAA Division III," said George Waldner, president of York College and chair of the CAC Presidents Council.

The CAC will have seven full member institutions in the 2012-13 academic year. The additions of CNU and Southern Virginia will increase membership to nine for the 2013-14 academic year, joining Frostburg State (Md.) University, Marymount (Va.) University, the University of Mary Washington (Va.), Salisbury (Md.) University, St. Mary's College of Md., Wesley College (Del.) and York.

CNU will be immediately eligible for conference championships and NCAA Division III Tournament opportunities. Southern Virginia will become eligible to compete in CAC playoffs during its third year of NCAA Division III Provisional Membership in 2014-15 -- one year after joining the conference.

Southern Virginia does not have a conference affiliation, but competes in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) events for national recognition.

The CAC recently completed its 22nd championship season as an all-sports conference.