HIAWASSEE, GA – The Peach Belt Conference filed a lawsuit in Towns County, Ga., against Young Harris College seeking fees arising from the school’s withdrawal from the conference effective June 30, 2023. Under the provision of the conference constitution, member institutions are required to provide written notification of withdrawal at least two calendar years in advance of its effective date. Failure to do so results in an exit fee equal to twice the new member initiation fee. These provisions require Young Harris, which gave less than one year’s notice, to pay the conference twice the new member initiation fee, resulting in a total due of $240,000.

“This is not something we want to do, however, our policies and procedures are clear,” said PBC commissioner David Brunk. “Young Harris President Drew Van Horn is well aware of what is required given the timing of its withdrawal. For the past ten years, we have enjoyed having Young Harris as part of the Peach Belt family. While we would be open to Young Harris returning to the conference, we expect it to fulfill the obligations resulting from its withdrawal.”

The Peach Belt Conference Board of Directors comprised of the presidents and chancellors at each member institution revised the conference’s exit fee policy in July of 2020. Minutes of that meeting show that Young Harris President Van Horn voted in favor of the exit fee policy, and it passed unanimously.

Young Harris joined the Peach Belt in 2012 and has won Peach Belt championships in several sports since that time. In November of 2022, it announced that it will join Conference Carolinas in the 2023- 24 academic year.