South Carolina–Beaufort Sand Sharks
The USC Beaufort Sand Sharks are the athletic teams that represent the University of South Carolina Beaufort, located in Beaufort, South Carolina, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Peach Belt Conference since the 2022–23 academic year. The Sand Sharks previously competed in the Continental Athletic Conference, formerly known as the Association of Independent Institutions, for the 2022–23 school year only, while they were continuing their transition as members of the Peach Belt and of NCAA Division II; and in the Sun Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference, from 2008–09 to 2021–22.
Move to NCAA Division II
On April 14, 2021, South Carolina–Beaufort reported that the NCAA Division II's Peach Belt Conference invited the Sand Sharks to join the conference in 2022 after applying for membership in and gaining acceptance into the NCAA. Also on that day, USCB planned to add men's and women's basketball as a condition of its NCAA and Peach Belt membership. The teams in that sport played their first season in 2023–24. By July 15, 2022, USCB was already accepted into the Continental Athletic Conference for its first year of provisional membership while still playing a Peach Belt schedule as part of the Sand Sharks' one-year NAIA-NCAA dual membership, but are ineligible for a Peach Belt or NCAA postseason during the three-year transition.Conference affiliations
NAIA- Association of Independent Institutions
- Sun Conference
- Continental Athletic Conference