Rob McCormick, professor of history at the University of South Carolina Upstate, shared some regional sports insights with an audience of local business leaders Thursday at the Piedmont Club. Speaking to the Rotary Club of Spartanburg, McCormick discussed his latest book, “Founding the ACC: The Origins of a Major Collegiate Athletic Conference, 1951-1953,” which explores the formation of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
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In an engaging presentation, McCormick described how, in 1953, seven universities — Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest — left the NCAA’s Southern Conference to establish the ACC. The league ultimately included Virginia, too. The ACC was conceived in a Greensboro country club, where member universities sought a compact league with easy travel and access to games.
McCormick said the ACC’s founders also wanted to counteract the growing commercialism and professionalism in college athletics, which had been exacerbated by academic scandals and a bowl game crisis in 1951.
McCormick, a self-described history junkie, said he enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for his subject with others. His summer class, The History of Sports in America, covers the evolution of sports from early American settlements to contemporary times. Students learn how sports intersect with social, cultural, and political trends, giving them a unique perspective on sports history.
Raised in North Carolina as the son of a preacher, McCormick has been a sports fan since childhood. He earned his B.A. in history from Wake Forest University and both his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. McCormick has taught at USC Upstate for more than 20 years, serving as interim dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, associate dean, and department chair in the past.
In honor of McCormick, the Rotary Club of Spartanburg announced a donation to the Rotary Foundation, which supports scholarships and invests in future leaders.
McCormick also hosts the McCormick on History podcast, which he launched over a year ago following a request from an 84-year-old friend. Topics include North and South Carolina history, European history, sports and crime. Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. More information about all of McCormick’s publications can be found on his website.