American Mideast Conference
FormerlyMid-Ohio League (1949–1962)
Mid-Ohio Conference (1962–1998)
AssociationNAIA
Founded1949
Ceased2012
Sports fielded
  • 15
    • men's: 7
    • women's: 8
DivisionDivision II (until 2012)
HeadquartersFindlay, Ohio
RegionEast
Region IX of the NAIA
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The American Mideast Conference (AMC) was an affiliate of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics that included eight member institutions in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts. Founded in 1949, it was known as the Mid-Ohio League, and named the Mid-Ohio Conference from 1962 until 1998, when it adopted its final moniker. The name change was the first step in a multi-phase expansion that extended the conference into states beyond Ohio before the league was eventually disbanded in 2012.

History

In its final five years the conference experienced a number of changes, with numerous members moving to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Former members Roberts Wesleyan and Walsh University received admission to the NCAA and underwent the process of transferring athletics into Division II; Houghton College transitioned to Division III and joined the Empire 8 conference in 2012–13. Daemen, Roberts Wesleyan, and Point Park applied for NCAA Division II status in June 2011 and in July 2011 Roberts Wesleyan was approved for membership. In June 2011 former AMC members Cedarville, Notre Dame College, Urbana, and Ursuline College announced the creation of a new NCAA DII conference that hoped to develop and expand for an anticipated lifting of the moratorium on new NCAA DII conferences in 2013.[1] In July 2011, Cedarville and Notre Dame were awarded NCAA provisional status, while Malone University and Ursuline College were granted candidacy year two,[2][3][4] all three left the NAIA and AMC for the 2011–12 academic year. With the addition of Fisher College from the collapsed Sunrise Athletic Conference, there were reports that the AMC would operate as an eight team conference in 2011–12 with the eight teams being Carlow, Daemen, Fisher, Houghton, Point Park, Roberts Wesleyan, Wilberforce, and Walsh. However, on January 12, 2012, the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now known as the River States Conference) announced that it had accepted Point Park University and Carlow University as full members beginning with the 2012–13 school year.[5] This left Fisher College and Wilberforce University as the only remaining members, but as they have now become NAIA independent schools in the Association of Independent Institutions, the conference has been shut down.

Chronological timeline

  • 1949 - The American Mideast Conference was founded as the Mid-Ohio League (MOL). Charter members included Ashland College (now Ashland University), Bluffton College (now Bluffton University), Cedarville College (now Cedarville University), Defiance College, and Findlay College (now the University of Findlay) beginning the 1949–50 academic year.
  • 1950 - Ohio Northern University joined the MOL in the 1950–51 academic year.
  • 1955 - Wilmington College joined the MOL in the 1955–56 academic year.
  • 1962 - Findlay and Ohio Northern left the MOL after the 1961–62 academic year.
  • 1962 - The MOL was renamed as the Mid-Ohio Conference (MOC) in the 1962–63 academic year.
  • 1965 - Malone College (now Malone University) joined the MOC in the 1965–66 academic year.
  • 1966 - Ashland left the MOC after the 1965–66 academic year.
  • 1967 - Findlay re-joined the MOC for a second time in the 1967–68 academic year.
  • 1971 - Bluffton, Defiance, and Wilmington (with Findlay for a second time) left the MOC to form part as charter members of the Hoosier–Buckeye Collegiate Conference (HBCC) after the 1970–71 academic year.
  • 1971 - Ohio Dominican College (now Ohio Dominican University), Rio Grande College (now the University of Rio Grande), and Urbana College (now Urbana University) joined the MOC in the 1971–72 academic year.
  • 1973 - Tiffin University joined the MOC in the 1973–74 academic year.
  • 1975 - Mount Vernon Nazarene College (now Mount Vernon Nazarene University) joined the MOC in the 1975–76 academic year.
  • 1976 - Walsh College (now Walsh University) joined the MOC in the 1976–77 academic year.
  • 1989 - Malone left the MOC after the 1988–89 academic year.
  • 1991 - Shawnee State University joined the MOC in the 1991–92 academic year.
  • 1993 - Two institutions re-joined the MOC (Findlay for a third time, and Malone for a second time) in the 1993–94 academic year.
  • 1997 - Findlay left the MOC for a third time and the NAIA to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) after the 1996–97 academic year.
  • 1998 - The MOC had rebranded as the American Mideast Conference during its 50th anniversary in the 1998–99 academic year.
  • 1998 - Geneva College, Notre Dame College, and Saint Vincent College joined the American Mideast in the 1998–99 academic year.
  • 1999 - Point Park College (now Point Park University), Seton Hill College (now Seton Hill University), and Wilberforce University joined the American Mideast in the 1999–2000 academic year.
  • 2000 - Central State University joined the American Mideast in the 2000–01 academic year.
  • 2001 - Carlow College (now Carlow University), Daemen College (now Daemen University), Houghton College (now Houghton University), Roberts Wesleyan College (now Roberts Wesleyan University), and Ursuline College joined the American Mideast in the 2001–02 academic year.
  • 2002 - Central State left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent after the 2001–02 academic year.
  • 2006 - Saint Vincent left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents' Athletic Conference (Presidents') after the 2005–06 academic year.
  • 2007 - Three institutions left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join their respective new home primary conferences: Geneva to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents', Seton Hill to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), and Tiffin to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the GLIAC beginning the 2008–09 academic year) after the 2006–07 academic year.
  • 2007 - The University of Northwestern Ohio joined the American Mideast as an associate member for some sports in the 2007–08 academic year.
  • 2008 - Urbana left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) beginning the 2012–13 academic year) after the 2007–08 academic year.
  • 2008 - Northwestern Ohio had upgraded to full membership within the American Mideast for all sports in the 2008–09 academic year.
  • 2009 - Two institutions left the American Mideast to join their respective new home primary conferences: Ohio Dominican to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the GLIAC in the 2010–11 academic year), and Rio Grande to the Mid-South Conference after the 2008–09 academic year.
  • 2010 - Two institutions left the American Mideast to join their respective new home primary conferences: Northwestern Ohio to the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), and Shawnee State to the Mid-South Conference (MSC) after the 2009–10 academic year.
  • 2011 - Four institutions left the American Mideast to join their respective new home primary conferences: Cedarville, Notre Dame (Ohio), and Ursuline (with Malone for a second time) to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as NCAA D-II Independents (which Cedarville and Ursuline later join the G-MAC; Malone would later join the GLIAC beginning the 2012–13 academic year; and Notre Dame (Oh.) would later join the Mountain East Conference beginning the 2013–14 academic year), and Mount Vernon Nazarene to the Crossroads League, all effective after the 2010–11 academic year.
  • 2011 - Fisher College joined the American Mideast in the 2011–12 academic year.
  • 2012 - The American Mideast ceased operations as an athletic conference after the 2011–12 academic year; as many schools left to join their respective new home primary conferences beginning the 2012–13 academic year: Roberts Wesleyan to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the East Coast Conference (ECC), Houghton to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Empire 8 Athletic Conference, Walsh to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the GLIAC, Carlow and Point Park to the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now known as the River States Conference), and Daemen, Fisher and Wilberforce as NAIA Independents (although Daemen would later follow Roberts Wesleyan to join the NCAA D-II ECC since the 2013–14 academic year).

Member schools

A list of past members of the American Mideast Conference:[6]

Final members

The American Mideast ended with eight full members, all were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Joined Left Nickname Subsequent
conference(s)		 Current
conference
Carlow University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1929 Catholic
(R.S.M.)		 2,400 2001 2012 Celtics River States (RSC)
(2012–23)		 Allegheny Mountain (AMCC)[lower-alpha 1]
(2023–present)
Daemen College[lower-alpha 2] Amherst, New York 1947 Nonsectarian 2,100 2001 2012 Wildcats USCAA/D-II Independent
(2012–13)		 East Coast (ECC)[lower-alpha 3]
(2013–present)
Fisher College Boston, Massachusetts 1903 Nonsectarian 1,121 2011 2012 Falcons Continental
(2012–present)
Houghton College[lower-alpha 4] Houghton, New York 1883 Wesleyan 1,300 2001 2012 Highlanders Empire 8[lower-alpha 1]
(2012–present)
Point Park University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1960 Nonsectarian 3,376 1999 2012 Pioneers River States (RSC)
(2012–present)
Roberts Wesleyan College[lower-alpha 5] Chili, New York 1866 Free Methodist 2,000 2001 2012 Redhawks East Coast (ECC)[lower-alpha 3]
(2012–present)
Walsh University North Canton, Ohio 1958 Catholic
(Diocese of
Youngstown)		 2,500 1976 2012 Cavaliers Great Lakes (GLIAC)[lower-alpha 3]
(2012–17)		 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 3]
(2017–present)
Wilberforce University Wilberforce, Ohio 1856 Catholic
(A.M.E. Church)[lower-alpha 6]		 900 1999 2012 Bulldogs Continental
(2012–22)		 Mid-South
(2022–present)
Notes
  1. 1 2 Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  2. ↑ Currently known as Daemen University since 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  4. ↑ Currently known as Houghton University since 2022.
  5. ↑ Currently known as Roberts Wesleyan University since 2022.
  6. ↑ Also a historically black college and university.

Members leaving before 2012

The American Mideast had 21 former full members, all but two were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Joined Left Nickname Subsequent
conference(s)		 Current
conference
Ashland College[lower-alpha 1] Ashland, Ohio 1878 Brethren 6,500 1949 1966 Eagles various[lower-alpha 3] Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2021–present)
Bluffton College[lower-alpha 4] Bluffton, Ohio 1899 Mennonite 1,149 1949 1971 Beavers NAIA/D-III Independent
(1971–98)		 Heartland (HCAC)[lower-alpha 5]
(1998–present)
Cedarville University Cedarville, Ohio 1887 Baptist/
Evangelical		 3,077 1949 2011 Yellow
Jackets		 NAIA/D-II Independent
(2011–12)		 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2012–present)
Central State University Wilberforce, Ohio 1887 Public[lower-alpha 6] 2,799 2000 2002 Marauders &
Lady Marauders		 D-II Independent
(2002–12)
Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2012–15)		 Southern (SIAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2015–present)
Defiance College Defiance, Ohio 1850 United
Church
of Christ		 1,000 1949 1971 Yellow Jackets NAIA/D-III Independent
(1971–97)
Michigan (MIAA)[lower-alpha 5]
(1997–2000)		 Heartland (HCAC)[lower-alpha 5]
(2000–present)
University of Findlay Findlay, Ohio 1882 Churches
of God		 4,600 1949;
1967;
1993		 1962;
1971;
1997		 Oilers Great Lakes (GLIAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(1997–2017)		 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2017–present)
Geneva College Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania 1848 Reformed
Presbyterian		 1,791 1998 2007 Golden
Tornadoes		 Presidents' (PAC)[lower-alpha 5]
(2007–present)
Malone University Canton, Ohio 1892 Evangelical 2,385 1965;
1993		 1989;
2011		 Pioneers D-II Independent
(2011–12)
Great Lakes (GLIAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2012–16)		 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2016–present)
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, Ohio 1968 Nazarene 2,675 1975 2011 Cougars Crossroads
(2011–present)
University of Northwestern Ohio Lima, Ohio 1920 Nonsectarian 4,200 2008[lower-alpha 7] 2010 Racers Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
(2010–present)
Notre Dame College South Euclid, Ohio 1927 Catholic
(Diocese of
Cleveland)		 2,000 1998 2011 Falcons D-II Independent
(2011–13)		 Mountain East (MEC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2013–present)
Ohio Dominican University Columbus, Ohio 1911 Catholic
(O.P.)		 3,052 1971 2009 Panthers NAIA/D-II Independent
(2009–10)
Great Lakes (GLIAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2010–17)		 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2017–present)
Ohio Northern University Ada, Ohio 1871 United
Methodist		 3,721 1950 1962 Polar Bears NAIA Independent
(1962–73)		 Ohio (OAC)[lower-alpha 5]
(1973–present)
University of Rio Grande Rio Grande, Ohio 1876 Nonsectarian 2,300 1971 2009 RedStorm Mid-South (MSC)
(2009–14)		 River States (RSC)
(2014–present)
Saint Vincent College Latrobe, Pennsylvania 1846 Catholic
(Benedictines)		 1,840 1999 2006 Bearcats Presidents' (PAC)[lower-alpha 5]
(2006–present)
Seton Hill University Greensburg, Pennsylvania 1883 Catholic
(Sisters of
Charity)		 2,014 1999 2007 Griffins West Virginia (WVIAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2007–13)		 Pennsylvania (PSAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2013–present)
Shawnee State University Portsmouth, Ohio 1986 Public 4,600 1991 2010 Bears Mid-South (MSC)
(2010–present)
Tiffin University Tiffin, Ohio 1888 Nonsectarian 4,942 1973 2007 Dragons D-II Independent
(2007–08)
Great Lakes (GLIAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2008–18)		 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2018–present)
Urbana University Urbana, Ohio 1850 Nonsectarian 1,505 1971 2008 Blue Knights various[lower-alpha 8] closed in 2020
Ursuline College Pepper Pike, Ohio 1871 Catholic
(Ursulines)		 1,103 2001 2011 Arrows D-II Independent
(2011–12)		 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[lower-alpha 2]
(2012–present)
Wilmington College Wilmington, Ohio 1870 Quakers 1,200 1955 1971 Quakers NAIA/D-III Independent
(1971–98)
Heartland (HCAC)[lower-alpha 5]
(1998–2000)		 Ohio (OAC)[lower-alpha 5]
(2000–present)
Notes
  1. ↑ Currently known as Ashland University since 1989.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  3. ↑ Ashland had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NCAA D-II Independent from 1966–67 to 1977–78; the Great Lakes Valley Conference[lower-alpha 2] (GLVC) from 1978–79 to 1994–95; and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference[lower-alpha 2] (GLIAC) from 1995–96 to 2020–21.
  4. ↑ Currently known as Bluffton University since 2004.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  6. ↑ Also a historically black college and university.
  7. ↑ Northwestern Ohio joined the American Midwest as an associate (provisional) member during the 2007–08 school year.
  8. ↑ Urbana had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NCAA D-II Independent from 2008–09 to 2011–12; the Great Midwest Athletic Conference[lower-alpha 2] (G-MAC) during the 2012–13 school year; and the Mountain East Conference[lower-alpha 2] (MEC) from 2013–14 to 2019–20.

Membership timeline

Fisher CollegeUniversity of Northwestern OhioUrsuline CollegeRoberts Wesleyan CollegeHoughton CollegeDaemen CollegeCarlow UniversityCentral State UniversityWilberforce UniversitySeton Hill UniversityPoint Park UniversitySaint Vincent CollegeNotre Dame CollegeGeneva CollegeShawnee State UniversityWalsh UniversityMount Vernon Nazarene UniversityTiffin UniversityUrbana UniversityUniversity of Rio GrandeOhio Dominican UniversityMalone UniversityWilmington College (Ohio)Ohio Northern UniversityUniversity of FindlayDefiance CollegeCedarville UniversityBluffton UniversityAshland University

 Full member (non-football) 

Sports

The AMC formerly sponsored 15 sports:

Administration

Presidents of member institutions maintained active rolls of governance over the organization by way of the Council of Presidents.[7]

Additionally, the AMC included a staff of conference officials:

  • James D. Houdeshell, Commissioner
  • Mark Womack, AMC Administrative Assistant
  • Deron Brown, Supervisor of Umpires, Baseball
  • Linda Cairney, Supervisor of Umpires, Softball
  • Bill Ek, Supervisor of Officials, Basketball
  • Karen Fulks, Treasurer
  • James Phipps, Eligibility Chair
  • Diane Plas, Supervisor of Officials, Women's Basketball, Volleyball
  • Kim Vieira, Supervisor of Officials, Men's and Women's soccer

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ursuline Forms New Athletic Conference". Ursuline College. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  2. ↑ Cooper, Michael (July 8, 2011). "Cedarville University receives NCAA D-II provisional year". Springfield News-Sun. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  3. ↑ "NCAA Approves Notre Dame College for Provisional Year". Notre Dame College. July 13, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Malone, Walsh Universities One Step Closer To Full NCAA Div. II Membership". Malone University. July 11, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Point Park University, Carlow University approved for membership into KIAC" (Press release). Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. January 12, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  6. ↑ "About the American Mideast Conference". American Mideast Conference. 2010. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011.
  7. ↑ "American Mideast Conference Council of Presidents". American Mideast Conference. 2007. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2007.
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