''I don't have any reason to believe any (of our members are) interested in going anywhere,'' Alfred White, the commissioner of the Southern Conference said Friday, a day after the conference's spring meetings in Myrtle Beach, S.C. ended.

The Colonial Athletic Association, looking to replenish its dwindling number of members, hopes to lure schools away from the Southern Conference.

''Now that I've been able to sit around the table with all of (the Southern Conference presidents), I don't think that would happen,'' White said. ''What we talked most about at the meetings was expansion, not defection. All of the presidents supported working on expansion.''

Tom Yeager, the commissioner of the CAA, said that his league was close to wrapping up plans for expansion and addition of football before Richmond announced last week that it was leaving the CAA for full membership in the Atlantic 10.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the CAA's plan included six current Southern Conference schools -- The Citadel, College of Charleston, Davidson, Furman, UNC Greensboro and VMI.

Richmond's announcement left the CAA even more depleted after recent defections of East Carolina and American. Six members remain in the CAA. Only two, James Madison and William & Mary, play football.

A source in the Southern Conference said that Furman was entertaining the idea of joining the CAA if football was offered, feeling that the Colonial provided a better academic fit, and that VMI was interested in joining fellow Virginia schools George Mason, James Madison, Richmond, Old Dominion, VCU and William & Mary.

White said he wasn't aware if any Southern Conference school was planning to leave for the CAA, but was concerned about the speculation -- before the spring meetings.

Nelson Bobb, the athletics director at UNC Greensboro, said that his school's contact with the CAA was preliminary, at best, and that his school likes where it's at in the Southern Conference.

''There was a casual conversation between our chancellor and the chancellor at UNC Wilmington (a CAA member), but there's nothing to take from that,'' Bobb said.

''Certainly we would always pay attention and listen, but was there a strong interest in moving? The answer is no.''

Charleston, Furman and Wofford all have said that they have been contacted by the CAA.

Bobb said there was unanimity among Southern Conference members at last week's meetings to remain intact.

''I don't know what will happen with the Colonial, but, at least the way I perceive it, I don't think Southern Conference teams are much interested (in leaving),'' Bobb said.

The Southern Conference's council of presidents did issue a statement during the meetings, saying that it was unanimous about considering expansion in the near future.

Sources say that William & Mary and James Madison will be the main targets of the Southern's expansion exploration.

''Attracting William & Mary, James Madison and Richmond to the Southern Conference has been a desire even before my joining the conference,'' said White, who became commissioner in 1998.

William & Mary was a member of the Southern Conference from 1936 through 1977.

White said that talk of expansion centered around two schools and two divisions for football, and that he will begin gathering preliminary information about the candidates.

The Southern Conference currently has 12 members, nine of which play football.

Yeagar said that the CAA will continue its effort to expand.

Richmond is the third school in the last six months to say that it is leaving the CAA. East Carolina is leaving for full membership in Conference USA, and American is going to the Patriot League.