The Mid-American Conference
By Matt Shetler
The Mid-American Conference (MAC)
is a twelve member Division I conference that competes in
twenty-three Division I sports. All members are located in the
Great Lakes region, stretching from New York to Illinois. Nine
of the MAC’s members are from Ohio and Michigan, with single
members located in each Indiana, Illinois and New York. The MAC
headquarters is located in Cleveland, Ohio and the commissioner
of the conference is Rick Chryst, a post he has held since 1999.
The MAC was founded in 1948. The
charter members of the MAC were: Ohio University, the University
of Cincinnati, Butler University, Wayne State University and
Western Reserve University. Wayne St. never participated and
Butler left the conference after only one season. Miami
University and Western Michigan University quickly were added to
take their place. During the next five seasons, the MAC added
the University of Toledo, Kent State University and Bowling
Green University. Cincinnati left the conference after the
1952-53 season.
After Marshall University
replaced Western Reserve in 1954, the MAC’s membership stayed in
tact for the next two decades. Marshall was kicked out of the
conference in 1969 and in 1972 the conference expanded by adding
Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University. A
year later, Ball State University and Northern University joined
the conference. Northern Illinois left the MAC in 1986 and the
University of Akron was added in 1992. The MAC became the
largest Division I conference in 1997 by re-admitting Marshall
and Northern Illinois and adding the University of Buffalo. In
2001, the University of Central Florida would join the MAC, but
after the 2004 season, both they and Marshall would leave for
Conference USA. The final addition to the MAC’s current form was
the addition of Temple University, which began play in 2007.
For both football and basketball,
the MAC separates its teams into two divisions (East and West).
The MAC has ties to three bowl games: the GMAC, Motor City and
International Bowls. A fourth MAC team could be invited to the
Papajohns.com Bowl, if a Big East team isn’t selected.
The MAC was the first conference
to start a Hall of Fame in 1987. The conference also leads all
Division I conferences in graduation rates. Lately, the MAC has
been dubbed “The Conference of Quarterbacks” , referring to the
numerous accomplishments of former players now playing in the
NFL.
