Middle Atlantic Conferences

Middle Atlantic Conferences
(MAC)
Established 1912
Association NCAA
Division Division III
Members 17
Sports fielded 24 (men's: 12; women's: 12)
Region Mid-Atlantic
Former names Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletics Association
Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference
Headquarters Annville, Pennsylvania
Website gomacsports.com
Locations

Founded in 1912, the Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) is an umbrella organization of three athletic conferences which competes in the NCAA's Division III. The 18-member teams are located in the Mid-Atlantic United States.

The organization is divided into two main conferences: the MAC Commonwealth and the MAC Freedom. A third conference—named the Middle Atlantic Conference—combines members from both conferences and is used for certain sports that only a smaller set of members participate in, such as track and field and cross country.

History

In 1912, the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletics Association (MASCAA) was founded primarily as a track association and had its first event, a track meeting, at Lafayette College in May 1913. In 1922, it was reorganized as the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC or MAC). Formerly, the basketball division of the conference was referred to as the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Basketball League. The original 13 members present at the formation meeting in 1922 were: Bucknell University, Drexel University, Franklin & Marshall College, Gettysburg College, Haverford College, Muhlenberg College, New York University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Susquehanna University, Swarthmore College, and the University of Delaware.[1] In addition, another five members who were not present at the initial meeting but formally approved of the plan were: Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, Lehigh University, Ursinus College, and Widener University.[1]

Throughout its history, the organization has had at least 50 different members associated with it. The conference had as many as 37 members at one time in the late 1950s.[1] A major reduction in the league occurred in 1974 after the NCAA created Divisions I, II, and III. At that time, 11 members left to form the Division I East Coast Conference and by 1976, the MAC became fully associated with Division III.[1] An additional 11 members left in 1992 to form the Centennial Conference; the football programs for eight of those schools had already left in 1981.[1] In 1999, the current corporation formed with its three conferences: Commonwealth, Freedom, and Middle Atlantic.

In May 2006, the organization offered membership to Arcadia University and Manhattanville College as part of the Freedom Conference. They replaced Juniata College, Drew University, Moravian College, Susquehanna University, and the University of Scranton, who left to join the new Landmark Conference. To offset the change in numbers, it was also decided to switch Lycoming College from the Freedom to the Commonwealth Conference.

In 2007, Alvernia University, Misericordia University, and Eastern University, all from the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference, accepted membership in the Freedom Conference and started participation in the 200809 school year.[2][3] Starting in the 200910 school year, Alvernia switched from the Freedom to the Commonwealth Conference to balance both conferences with eight teams each.[4] Stevenson University and Hood College accepted invitations to join the MAC and Commonwealth starting in July 2012 expanding the conference to 18 members. [5]

Upon completion of the 2013-2014 academic year, Elizabethtown College moved to the Landmark Conference. The switch was effective July 1, 2014.

MAC football

In 1958, the MAC began sponsoring football. The football conference essentially operated as two separate conferences with the larger schools (Delaware, Temple, Lafayette, Lehigh, Bucknell, Gettysburg, and Rutgers) playing a round robin schedule, and the smaller schools (Juniata, Lycoming, Wilkes, Widener, and Albright) playing a separate round robin schedule. Although the upper division of the conference (which also included Muhlenberg, Drexel, La Salle, and St. Joe's) competed at the Division I (then known as the University Division) level in other sports, only Rutgers was considered a University Division football school. Following the 1969 season, the upper level of MAC football was disbanded as Temple dropped out to upgrade their football schedule. Rutgers had previously dropped out of the MAC for all sports and a five team football league was not desirable. The lower division continued as MAC football, but Delaware, Lafayette, Lehigh, Gettysburg, and Bucknell operated as football independents for the rest of their tenure with the league. Numerous other MAC schools competed in other football leagues throughout most of the league's history.

In 1983, the Centennial Football League was formed between 8 MAC members. Eventually, those 8 schools and two others broke apart from the MAC for all sports, founding the Centennial Conference. Since the Centennial Conference break in 1991, all league members that sponsor football have competed in the MAC Football Conference.

Member schools

Commonwealth Conference

Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined
MAC
Albright College Reading, Pennsylvania Lions 1856 Private/Methodist 2,401[6] 1945*
Alvernia University Reading, Pennsylvania Crusaders 1958 Private/Catholic 2,906[7] 2008
Arcadia University Glenside, Pennsylvania Knights 1853 Private/Presbyterian 4,078[8] 2007
Hood College Frederick, Maryland Blazers 1893 Private/Reformed 2,435[9] 2012
Lebanon Valley College Annville, Pennsylvania Flying Dutchmen 1866 Private/Methodist 2,102[10] 1945*
Lycoming College Williamsport, Pennsylvania Warriors 1812 Private/Methodist 1,321[11] 1952
Messiah College Grantham, Pennsylvania Falcons 1909 Private/Christian 2,976[12] 1983
Stevenson University Stevenson, Maryland Mustangs 1947 Private/Non-sectarian 3,941[13] 2012
Widener University Chester, Pennsylvania Pride 1821 Private/Non-sectarian 6,464[14] 1946*

* Conference records prior to 1946 are incomplete so years given are the earliest known that were officially recorded[1]

Freedom Conference

Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined
MAC
Delaware Valley University Doylestown, Pennsylvania Aggies 1917 Private/Non-sectarian 2,241[15] 1965
DeSales University Center Valley, Pennsylvania Bulldogs 1965 Private/Catholic 3,199[16] 1997
Eastern University St. Davids, Pennsylvania Eagles 1952 Private/Baptist 4,235[17] 2008
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Madison, New Jersey Devils 1942 Private/Non-sectarian 3,288[18] 1977
King's College Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Monarchs 1946 Private/Catholic 2,725[19] 1977
Manhattanville College Purchase, New York Valiants 1841 Private/Non-sectarian 2,695[20] 2007
Misericordia University Dallas, Pennsylvania Cougars 1924 Private/Catholic 2,830[21] 2008
Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Colonels 1933 Private/Non-sectarian 5,136[22] 1946*

* Conference records prior to 1946 are incomplete so years given are the earliest known that were officially recorded[1]

Former members

Middle Atlantic Conference

The Middle Atlantic Conference combines schools from both the Commonwealth and Freedom conferences and is used for cross country, football, indoor and outdoor track and field, and swimming.

Cross Country (M,W) [23] Football[24] Track & Field (M,W)[25] Swimming (M,W) [25]
Albright
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Alvernia
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Arcadia
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DeSales
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Delaware Valley
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Eastern
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FDU-Florham
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Hood
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King's
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Lebanon Valley
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Lycoming
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Manhattanville
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Messiah
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Misericordia
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Stevenson
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Widener
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Wilkes
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Sports

Member teams compete in 24 sports, 12 men's and 12 women's.[26]

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
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Basketball
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Cross Country
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Field Hockey
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Football
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Golf
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Lacrosse
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Soccer
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Softball
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Swimming
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Tennis
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Track and field (indoor)
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Track and field (outdoor)
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Volleyball
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Wrestling
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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation History" (PDF). Middle Atlantic Corporation. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  2. "Alvernia Accepts MAC Invitation" (PDF). Middle Atlantic Corporation. Retrieved 2007-03-15.
  3. "Misericordia Accepts MAC Invitation" (PDF). Middle Atlantic Corporation. Retrieved 2007-03-15.
  4. "Alvernia Accepts Commonwealth Invitation". Alvernia University. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  5. "Latest News". NCAA.org. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
  6. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=3218&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=albright
  7. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=2854&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=alvernia
  8. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=3401&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=arcadia
  9. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?collegeId=788&type=qfs&skey=hood
  10. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=3683&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=lebanon%20valley
  11. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=1628&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=lycoming
  12. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=1316&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=messiah
  13. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=564&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=stevenson
  14. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=1219&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=widener
  15. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=901&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=delaware%20valley
  16. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=1669&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=desales
  17. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=3784&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=eastern%20university
  18. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?collegeId=2166&type=qfs&skey=fairleigh%20dickinson
  19. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?collegeId=3678&type=qfs&skey=king's
  20. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=2847&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=manhattanville
  21. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=1330&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=misericordia
  22. http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?match=true&collegeId=3103&searchType=college&type=qfs&word=wilkes
  23. "Fall Sports" (PDF). Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  24. "Middle Atlantic Conference". D3Football.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  25. 1 2 "Winter Sports" (PDF). Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation. Retrieved 2008-09-19.
  26. "History". Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation. Retrieved 2008-09-19.

External links

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