Presbyterian to join Pioneer Football League in 2021

By AP
Published

(STATS) - Rising costs of playing scholarship football has led to Presbyterian calling an audible.

The university will relinquish scholarships in the coming years and move from the Big South Conference to the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League, effective for the 2021 season.

PFL commissioner Patty Viverito announced on Monday the league's presidents' council agreed to a request by Presbyterian.

"The membership looks forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship," Viverito said.

Presbyterian, located in Clinton, South Carolina, will remain a Big South member in other sports. The football program will remain in the conference for the next two seasons while it phases out scholarships and then play an independent season in 2020.

This season, the Blue Hose posted a 4-7 record under coach Tommy Spangler.

The 11-member, coast-to-coast Pioneer League is losing Campbell as a member after this season. It will add scholarships to join the Big South next year.