Francis Marion University and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke announced that they would leave the Peach Belt Conference to join Conference Carolinas, beginning in the 2021–22 school year. Francis Marion is joining for the first time, while UNC Pembroke is returning after an absence of nearly 30 years. They will be the first public schools to join CC since Longwood's 2003 departure. At the same time, Converse will admit men to its residential undergraduate program for the first time, and also add men's sports, initially fielding seven teams. Also in 2021–22, current SAC member Lincoln Memorial University will add men's wrestling, and Emory & Henry College, which sponsors that sport, will start a transition from Division III to Division II, joining the SAC (although it currently does not plan to start full SAC competition until 2022–23). Both schools will become de facto CC affiliates as part of South Atlantic Conference Carolinas.