The Conference Carolinas membership currently consists of 15 small colleges or universities, 13 private and two public.

The conference was formed then as an athletic association "for the greater advantage of the small colleges in North Carolina".

The birthplace was the Washington Duke Hotel in Durham, North Carolina, and the seven charter members were Appalachian, Atlantic Christian (now Barton College), Catawba, Guilford, Elon, High Point, and Lenoir–Rhyne.

Thus, this was the first official year of full competition and championship play for the conference in NCAA D-II status.

With Longwood becoming the first Virginia member, another name change occurred and the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference (known more universally as the 'CVAC') was born.

With the lone Virginia school in Longwood leaving, the league decided to go back to its roots and change its name to Conference Carolinas June 1, 2007.

Southern Wesleyan began official full NCAA D-II membership in 2016–17 while Emmanuel started in 2018–19.

After 57 years as a league member Pfeiffer University moved down to the NCAA D-III ranks on June 1, 2017.

The leagues agreed that CC would coordinate the wrestling championship, while the SAC would fill the same role for field hockey.

[2] After the completion of the 2018–19 athletic year, former Commissioner Alan Patterson retired and was replaced by Chris Colvin.

[4] Many institutions have been members of the league during its rich history including Anderson, Appalachian, Barton (formerly Atlantic Christian), Belmont Abbey, Catawba, Coker, Converse, East Carolina, Erskine, Emmanuel, Francis Marion, Guilford, Elon, High Point, King, Lees-McRae, Lenoir–Rhyne, Limestone, Longwood, Mars Hill, Mount Olive, Newberry, North Greenville, Pfeiffer, Presbyterian, Queens, St. Andrews, UNC Pembroke (both as Pembroke State and under its current name), Western Carolina and Wingate.

[6] The arrival of Francis Marion and return of UNC Pembroke were not the only changes to the conference membership in 2021.

[10] Emory & Henry and Lincoln Memorial became de facto CC affiliates as part of South Atlantic Conference Carolinas.

[14] On June 24, 2022, CC added Wingate as an acrobatics and tumbling affiliate starting with that program's first season in 2023–24.

The CC currently has thirteen affiliate members, with all but three being private schools, and two being historically African-American institutions.

SACC also operated in field hockey until the two conferences agreed that only the SAC would sponsor that sport starting in 2022–23.