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Mid-American Conference
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
 | |
| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1946 |
| Commissioner | Jon Steinbrecher (since 2009) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | FBS |
| No. of teams | 13 (12 in 2026) |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Region | Great Lakes, New England |
| Broadcasters | ESPN CBS Sports (via ESPN) |
| Official website | getsomemaction.com |
| Locations | |
 | |
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a collegiate athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western Massachusetts to Illinois. Its members compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. For football, the conference participates in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision. Nine of the thirteen full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members located in Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts and New York.
The MAC is headquartered in the Public Square district in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and has two members in the nearby Akron area. The conference ranks highest among all ten NCAA Division I FBS conferences for graduation rates.[1]
History
[edit]The five charter members of the Mid-American Conference were Ohio University, Butler University, the University of Cincinnati, Wayne University (now Wayne State University), and Western Reserve University, one of the predecessors to today's Case Western Reserve University. Wayne University left after the first year. Miami University and Western Michigan University took the place of those charter members for the 1948 season. The MAC added the University of Toledo (1950), Kent State University (1951), and Bowling Green State University (1952). The University of Cincinnati resigned its membership February 18, 1953, with an effective date of June 1, 1953. Cincinnati's decision was based on a new requirement that at least 5 conference football games would have to be scheduled each season, university president Raymond Walters saying they "...regretfully resign...as the university could not continue under the present setup..."[2]
The membership was steady for the next two decades except for the addition of Marshall University in 1954 and the departure of Western Reserve in 1955.[3] Marshall was expelled from the conference in 1969 due to NCAA violations.[4] The first major expansion since the 1950s took place in the mid-1970s with the addition of Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University in 1972 and Ball State University and Northern Illinois University in 1973. NIU left after the 1985–86 season. The University of Akron joined the conference in 1992. The conference became the largest in Division I-A with the re-admittance of Marshall and NIU in 1997 and addition of the Bulls from the University at Buffalo in 1998. The University of Central Florida, a non-football all-sports member in the Atlantic Sun Conference at the time, joined for football only in 2002, becoming the first football-only member in conference history. Marshall and Central Florida left after the 2004–05 academic year, both joining Conference USA in all sports.
In May 2005, the Temple Owls in Philadelphia signed a six-year contract with the MAC as a football-only school and began play in the East Division in 2007.[5]
The Louisville Cardinals were a MAC affiliate for field hockey for a number of years when Louisville was a member of the Metro Conference and Conference USA, winning two MAC tourney titles in 2003 and 2004.[6]
The Missouri State Bears, Evansville Purple Aces, and Southern Illinois Salukis participate in the MAC for men's swimming and diving.[7] In 2012, the West Virginia Mountaineers joined the Florida Atlantic Owls and Hartwick College Hawks as men's soccer affiliates.[8] Florida Atlantic departed upon joining Conference USA in 2013. Hartwick's contract was not renewed by the MAC in 2015. Nine schools are wrestling affiliates; most became affiliates when the MAC absorbed the former Eastern Wrestling League in 2019. Appalachian State University and Longwood University are associates in field hockey; Missouri State had also been a member in that sport from 2005 until dropping field hockey after the 2016 season. Binghamton University is an affiliate in men's tennis. In June 2017, SIU Edwardsville (SIUE) was invited to become an affiliate member in both men's soccer and wrestling in 2018.[9] When Buffalo suddenly dropped four sports, including men's soccer, SIUE's move in that sport was made immediately.[10]
The UMass Minutemen joined the MAC as a football-only member in July 2012; the university announced that the team would leave the MAC at the end of the 2015 season due to contractual issues.[11][12] Meanwhile, Temple ended its affiliation with the MAC in football and joined the Big East for football in July 2012. Following the split of the Big East into football-sponsoring and non-football conferences in July 2013, Temple became a full member of the football-sponsoring portion, the American Athletic Conference, ending its membership in the Atlantic 10 at that time.[13][14] The Chicago State Cougars were an affiliate for men's tennis until joining the Western Athletic Conference, which sponsors that sport, in July 2013.
The conference unveiled the addition of women's lacrosse to its sport sponsorship in November 2019.[15] Lacrosse began competing under the MAC banner with six teams in the 2021 season with MAC members Akron, Central Michigan and Kent State joined by associate members Detroit Mercy, Robert Morris, and Youngstown State. Eastern Michigan became the seventh women's lacrosse member when it added the sport in the 2022 season.[16]
At the end of the 2022 season, the MAC discontinued men's soccer as a sponsored sport. While the conference realignment of the early 2020s did not affect the MAC's core membership up to that time, it significantly impacted the amount of men's soccer sponsoring programs within the conference, and ultimately led to the conference lacking enough teams to maintain its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.[17] Of the four full MAC members that sponsored men's soccer in the 2022 season, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan moved the sport to the Missouri Valley Conference,[18] and Akron moved it to the Big East Conference.[19]
The MAC eliminated its East and West divisions for football in January 2024. The divisions had already been eliminated for other sports in 2020.[20][21] Later that year, in late February, it was announced that the UMass Minutemen and Minutewomen will join the conference as a full member beginning in 2025, returning UMass football to the MAC.[22][23] In July, the conference announced that it would begin sponsoring women's rowing for the 2025–26 season; full members Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and UMass would be joined by affiliate members Delaware, High Point, and Temple.[24]
On January 3, 2025, it was reported that Northern Illinois had accepted an invitation from the Mountain West Conference to join as an affiliate member for football in 2026.[25] This move was made official on January 7, after approval by NIU's governing board.[26] Current MAC bylaws stipulate that all members must play football within the conference; correspondingly, multiple media reports in February 2025 indicated that NIU was set to rejoin the Horizon League, a non-football conference in which it had been a member from 1994 to 1997, in 2026. This move was also made official on February 27, after approval by NIU's governing board. NIU applied to maintain MAC affiliate membership in women's gymnastics and men's wrestling, neither of which the Horizon sponsors.[27][28][29] However, this did not come to pass, and NIU instead joined the Mountain West and the Pac-12 Conference as an affiliate for those respective sports.
Member universities
[edit]Current full members
[edit]There are thirteen public universities with full membership:
- Notes
- ^ UMass was a MAC affiliate in football from the 2012 to 2015 fall seasons (2012–13 to 2015–16 school years).
- ^ Northern Illinois announced it will join the Mountain West Conference for football and the Horizon League for other sports no later than July 1, 2026.
- ^ Northern Illinois left the MAC after the 1985–86 school year; before rejoining in the 1997–98 school year.
Membership map
[edit]
Current affiliate members
[edit]Eighteen schools have MAC affiliate membership status as of 2025. On July 1, 2012, Temple joined the Big East Conference for football only (the school's other sports would join the Big East/American for 2013–14), and Massachusetts replaced Temple as a football-only member in the MAC East Division. On September 19, 2012, the MAC announced Missouri, Northern Iowa and Old Dominion would join as wrestling affiliates; as the Southeastern and Missouri Valley Conferences do not sponsor wrestling. Missouri and Northern Iowa participated only in the conference tournament in the 2012–13 school year, and began full conference play in 2013–14. Old Dominion did not begin MAC competition until 2013–14, when it left the Colonial Athletic Association (which had sponsored wrestling, but no longer does so) for Conference USA (which has never sponsored the sport).[32][33] Old Dominion discontinued wrestling in April 2020.[34]
On July 1, 2013, Florida Atlantic's men's soccer program moved with the rest of its athletic program to Conference USA, and Chicago State's men's tennis team followed the rest of its sports to the Western Athletic Conference.
The 2014–15 school year saw one affiliate member leave for another conference and two new affiliates join. The Hartwick men's soccer team left the MAC for the Sun Belt Conference, which had announced in February 2014 that it would reinstate men's soccer, a sport that it last sponsored in 1995, for the 2014 season.[35] The new affiliates for 2014–15 were Binghamton in men's tennis and Longwood in field hockey.[36]
On July 1, 2017, one associate member left the MAC, another associate member dropped one of its two MAC sports, and two new schools became associate members. Northern Iowa wrestling moved from the MAC to the Big 12 Conference.[37] Missouri State dropped field hockey,[38] but remained a MAC member in men's swimming & diving. Appalachian State joined MAC field hockey,[39] and SIU Edwardsville (SIUE) joined in men's soccer.[40] SIUE was initially announced as joining in both men's soccer and wrestling in 2018, but less than a week after the initial announcement, the conference indicated that SIUE men's soccer would immediately join.[40][10] SIUE wrestling joined on its originally announced schedule.
On March 5, 2019, the conference announced that it would be adding the seven former members of the Eastern Wrestling League as affiliate members in wrestling, making the MAC the second-largest wrestling conference for academic year 2019–20.[41]
With the addition of women's lacrosse, the MAC added affiliate members Detroit Mercy, Robert Morris, and Youngstown State in the 2020–21 academic year. UDM and YSU, all-sports members of the Horizon League, were announced as incoming associates at the same time the MAC announced the addition of lacrosse.[16] RMU was announced as an incoming associate in late June 2020, shortly after the school announced it would join the Horizon League in July 2020.[42]
In June 2020, SIUE announced that it would leave the MAC men's soccer league in 2021 to rejoin its previous men's soccer home of the Missouri Valley Conference.[43] It remains in MAC wrestling to this day.
Also in 2021, Missouri left MAC wrestling and returned to its former home of the Big 12 Conference as a wrestling-only member.[44] At the same time, four schools became single-sport MAC members—Bellarmine in field hockey,[45] Georgia Southern and Georgia State in men's soccer,[46] and Valparaiso in men's swimming (the school does not include diving in its men's aquatics program).[47]
In 2022, West Virginia men's soccer was scheduled to leave the MAC for single-sport membership in Conference USA (CUSA).[48] However, due to the tenuous future of CUSA at that time, West Virginia opted instead to join the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) in 2022 as that league reinstated men's soccer. Georgia Southern and Georgia State, both full SBC members, also returned men's soccer to their home conference in 2022.[49] In response, the MAC announced that Chicago State would join as a men's soccer affiliate as of the 2022–23 season, as the Cougars prepared to depart the Western Athletic Conference in all sports, including soccer.[50] Also in 2022, the MAC gained another affiliate when another Chicago institution, UIC, joined for men's swimming & diving.[51] Ultimately, Chicago State's tenure as a MAC affiliate lasted only for the 2022 season, as the conference dropped men's soccer at season's end.[17] 2023 saw UIC adding men's tennis to its affiliate membership, as well as the announcement that James Madison would be joining as an affiliate for field hockey in 2024.[52][53]
In 2024, the Missouri Valley Conference announced it would begin sponsoring men's swimming & diving for the 2024–25 season. At the time, the MAC men's swimming programs consisted of 2 MAC schools and 5 affiliates from the MVC; correspondingly, all of these programs would move to the MVC for the following season, with the 2 MAC schools (Ball State and Miami) joining the MVC as affiliates for that sport.[54] However, shortly after dropping men's swimming, the MAC announced it would begin sponsoring a new sport, women's rowing, in 2025–26. Accordingly, it brought on 3 new affiliates for that sport: Delaware, High Point, and former football affiliate Temple.[24]
- Notes
- ^ a b c d Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
- ^ Delaware is officially chartered as a "privately-governed, state-assisted" institution. This status is broadly similar to that of New York State's statutory colleges, most of which are housed at Cornell University, or institutions in Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education.
- ^ The main campus has a Fairfax mailing address but is in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia.
- ^ a b Clarion and Edinboro, previously separate institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education formally named "Location University of Pennsylvania", became campuses of the new Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) on July 1, 2022. Both continue to have their own athletic programs, branded solely with their location (as was the case before the PennWest merger).
Former full members
[edit]School names, nicknames, and colors listed here reflect those used during each school's MAC tenure.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Type | Nickname | Colors | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler University | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1855 | 1946 | 1950 | Private | Bulldogs | Big East Pioneer (football only) | |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, Ohio | 1819 | 1953 | Public | Bearcats | Big 12 | ||
| Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | 1837 | 1954 | 1969 | Thundering Herd | Sun Belt | ||
| 1997 | 2005 | |||||||
| Wayne University[a] | Detroit, Michigan | 1868 | 1946 | 1947 | Tartars[b] | GLIAC[c] | ||
| Western Reserve University[d] | Cleveland, Ohio | 1826 | 1955 | Private | Red Cats[e] | UAA[f] |
- Notes
- ^ Wayne University became Wayne State University in 1956.
- ^ Wayne State's athletic teams changed from Tartars to Warriors in 1999.
- ^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
- ^ Western Reserve merged with Case Institute of Technology in 1967 to form Case Western Reserve University, with the athletic programs merging in 1971.
- ^ Western Reserve's teams were known as the Red Cats during their time in the MAC.[55] With the athletic merger, Case Western Reserve abandoned the nicknames of both former institutions and adopted Spartans.
- ^ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
Former affiliate members
[edit]School names, nicknames, and colors listed here reflect those used during each school's MAC tenure.
- Notes
- ^ The campus is physically located in Vestal but has a Binghamton mailing address.
- ^ The main campus has an Orlando mailing address but is entirely located in unincorporated Orange County.
- ^ Central Florida (UCF), known as the Golden Knights during its MAC tenure, dropped "Golden" from the athletic nickname in 2007 as part of its rebrand to the UCF Knights.
- ^ On November 11, 2022, the MAC announced that it was suspending men's soccer as a conference sport effective at the end of the 2022 season (2022–23 school year).[17]
- ^ In early 2014, the MAC made the decision "... to move forward without multi-divisional institutions." The conference then informed Hartwick that their contract as an affiliate member would not be renewed.
- ^ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
- ^ Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), known as the IPFW Mastodons during their affiliation with the MAC for men's soccer and men's tennis, rebranded their athletic program as the Fort Wayne Mastodons in 2016. Following IPFW's split into two separate institutions in July 2018, the Fort Wayne athletic program transferred to the larger of the two new institutions, Purdue University Fort Wayne, and the athletic program rebranded again as the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons. The school colors changed to the old gold and black used by the other members of the Purdue system, most notably the main campus.
- ^ SIUE remains a MAC affiliate in wrestling.
Membership timeline
[edit]
Full members Full members (non-football) Associate members (football only) Independent Other Conference Other Conference
Academics
[edit]One of the current full member schools, the University at Buffalo, is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).[59] All members of the MAC are classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research spending and doctorate production" except for the University at Buffalo, Kent State University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Ohio University, which are classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research spending and doctorate production".[60] Member schools are also ranked nationally and globally by various groups, including U.S. News & World Report and Times Higher Education.
| University | Location | Affiliation | Carnegie[60] | Endowment[61][62] | USN Nat.[63] | URAP Global[64] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Akron | Akron, Ohio | Public | Research (High) | $236,000,000 | 293–381 | 763 |
| Ball State University | Muncie, Indiana | Public | Research (High) | $325,000,000 | 192 | 1,437 |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | Research (High) | $200,000,000 | 246 | 1,443 |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo, New York | Public | Research (Very High) | $1,020,000,000 | 79 | 279 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | Public | Research (High) | $246,000,000 | 240 | 1,335 |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, Michigan | Public | Research (High) | $78,000,000 | 293–381 | 2,187 |
| Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | Public | Research (Very High) | $188,000,000 | 211 | 801 |
| Miami University | Oxford, Ohio | Public | Research (High) | $736,000,000 | 91 | 1,061 |
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, Illinois | Public | Research (High) | $99,000,000 | 293–381 | 1,078 |
| Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | Public | Research (Very High) | $943,400,000 | 176 | 701 |
| University of Toledo | Toledo, Ohio | Public | Research (Very High) | $551,000,000 | 293–381 | 745 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Public | Research (High) | $495,000,000 | 246 | 1,292 |
Sports
[edit]The Mid-American Conference sponsors championship competition in 9 men's and 13 women's NCAA sanctioned sports, with women's lacrosse becoming the newest sport in 2020–21.[65] As of the 2024–25 school year, 16 schools are associate members for four sports.
As the MAC is an FBS conference, its full members are subject to the NCAA requirement that FBS members field teams in at least 16 NCAA-recognized sports. However, as of 2017, the MAC itself required sponsorship of only four sports: football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball.[66] This may have since changed, as UMass was accepted as a new conference member effective in 2025 despite not sponsoring women's volleyball.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 11 | – |
| Basketball | 12 | 12 |
| Cross country | 9 | 12 |
| Field hockey | – | 8 |
| Football | 12 | – |
| Golf | 8 | 10 |
| Gymnastics | – | 7 |
| Lacrosse | – | 7 |
| Soccer | – | 12 |
| Softball | – | 12 |
| Swimming and diving | – | 8 |
| Tennis | 6 | 7 |
| Track and field (indoor) | 4 | 12 |
| Track and field (outdoor) | 5 | 12 |
| Volleyball | – | 12 |
| Wrestling | 13 | – |
Men's sponsored sports by school
[edit]| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross country | Football | Golf | Tennis | Track and field (indoor) |
Track and field (outdoor) |
Wrestling | Total MAC sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | 6 |
| Ball State | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | 5 |
| Bowling Green | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | 5 |
| Buffalo | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| Central Michigan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | 6 |
| Eastern Michigan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | 7 |
| Kent State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Miami (OH) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | 6 |
| Northern Illinois | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | 6 |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | 6 |
| Toledo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | 6 |
| UMass | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | 6 |
| Western Michigan | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | 4 |
| Totals | 12 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 5+1[a] | 5 | 6 | 5+7[b] | 76+8 |
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the MAC
[edit]Future members in gray.
| School | Ice hockey | Lacrosse | Rifle[a] | Soccer | Swimming & diving | Volleyball |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | No | No | GARC | Big East | No | No |
| Ball State | No | No | No | No | MVC | MIVA |
| Bowling Green | CCHA | No | No | MVC | No | No |
| Miami | NCHC | No | No | No | MVC | No |
| Northern Illinois | No | No | No | MVC | No | No |
| UMass | Hockey East | A-10 | No | Summit | MVC | No |
| Western Michigan | NCHC | No | No | MVC | No | No |
- Notes
- ^ Rifle is technically a men's sport, but men's, women's, and coed teams all compete against each other. Akron fields a coed team.
Women's sponsored sports by school
[edit]| School | Basketball | Cross country | Field hockey | Golf | Gymnastics | Lacrosse | Rowing | Soccer | Softball | Swimming | Tennis | Track and field (indoor) |
Track and field (outdoor) |
Volleyball | Total MAC sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Ball State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 12 |
| Bowling Green | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Buffalo | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Central Michigan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Eastern Michigan | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Kent State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Miami | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Northern Illinois | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Toledo | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| UMass | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 11 |
| Western Michigan | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Totals | 13 | 13 | 6+4[a] | 10 | 7 | 5+3[b] | 3+3[c] | 13 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 137+10 |
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the MAC
[edit]| School | Lightweight rowing[a] | Rifle[b] | Synchronized skating[c] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | No | GARC | No |
| Eastern Michigan | No[d] | No | No |
| Miami | No | No | Independent |
Notes:
- ^ Lightweight rowing is sanctioned by the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, not the NCAA.
- ^ Rifle is technically a men's sport, but men's, women's, and coed teams all compete against each other. Akron fields a coed team.
- ^ Synchronized skating is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating, not by the NCAA. Most synchronized skating teams are clubs not affiliated with any college or university; Miami is one of about 15 schools that sponsor varsity or club teams.
- ^ Eastern Michigan will add women's lightweight rowing in 2026–27.[67]
Football
[edit]Scheduling
[edit]On November 30, 2023, the MAC approved a new scheduling format for football effective for the 2024 season, eliminating its East and West Divisions for the first time since 1996 in favor of a pod-based protected rivalry system. Under the new system, teams will be divided into 4 pods of 3 teams each, and each team will be guaranteed to face the other 2 teams in its pod every season. Additionally, every team in the MAC will be guaranteed to face every other team in the MAC at least once every three years. The MAC Football Championship Game, which previously matched the winner of the East Division against the winner of the West Division, will instead put the two teams in the MAC with the highest conference winning percentage. The pods are as follows:[68][69]
| School 1 | School 2 | School 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pod 1 | Akron | Buffalo | Kent State |
| Pod 2 | Ball State | Miami (OH) | Ohio |
| Pod 3 | Bowling Green | Northern Illinois | Toledo |
| Pod 4 | Central Michigan | Eastern Michigan | Western Michigan |
All-time results
[edit]
For the current season, see 2025 Mid-American Conference football season.
 | This section needs to be updated. (June 2017) |
| Team | First season | All-time record | All-time win % | Bowl appearances | Bowl record | MAC titles | Other conference titles | Stadium | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | 1891 | 534–602–36 | .471 | 3 | 1–2 | 1 | 0 | InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field | Joe Moorhead |
| Ball State | 1924 | 479–461–32 | .509 | 9 | 1–8 | 5 | 5 | Scheumann Stadium | Mike Uremovich |
| Bowling Green | 1919 | 570–432–52 | .565 | 15 | 5–10 | 12 | 5 | Doyt Perry Stadium | Eddie George |
| Buffalo | 1894 | 415–561–28 | .427 | 7* | 4–3 | 1 | 1 | University at Buffalo Stadium | Pete Lembo |
| Central Michigan | 1896 | 651–454–37 | .586 | 13 | 4–9 | 7 | 9 | Kelly/Shorts Stadium | Jim McElwain |
| Eastern Michigan | 1891 | 495–630–47 | .442 | 8 | 2–6 | 1 | 9 | Rynearson Stadium | Chris Creighton |
| Kent State | 1920 | 365–608–28 | .379 | 5 | 1–4 | 1 | 0 | Dix Stadium | Kenni Burns |
| Miami (OH) | 1888 | 743–489–44 | .600 | 16 | 9–7 | 15 | 7 | Yager Stadium | Chuck Martin |
| Northern Illinois | 1899 | 617–531–51 | .536 | 16 | 6–10 | 6 | 8 | Huskie Stadium | Thomas Hammock |
| Ohio | 1894 | 608–587–47 | .508 | 16 | 8–8 | 5 | 6 | Peden Stadium | Tim Albin |
| Toledo | 1917 | 588–456–24 | .562 | 22 | 12–10 | 12 | 3 | Glass Bowl | Jason Candle |
| Western Michigan | 1905 | 603–488–24 | .552 | 12 | 2–10 | 3 | 1 | Waldo Stadium | Tim Lester |
- - Buffalo invited to Tangerine Bowl in 1958 / Declined due to Florida's segregation laws at the time which would not have allowed Buffalo's two black players to participate.
MAC champions
[edit]Bowl games
In 2017, the MAC was contracted to provide a team for each of five college football bowl games: the Bahamas Bowl, LendingTree Bowl, Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Camellia Bowl (later renamed the Salute to Veterans Bowl) and Quick Lane Bowl (later renamed the GameAbove Sports Bowl). The MAC also has secondary agreements with several ESPN-owned bowls.
- Notes
- The MAC champion (if not invited to the College Football Playoff or its associated bowls) is not contractually obligated to any specific bowl. The conference and the universities select which teams will play in which of the league's affiliated bowls.
College Football Playoff
[edit]The MAC champion, like the other "Group of 5" conferences receives an automatic berth in one of the so-called New Year's Six bowl games associated with the College Football Playoff under either of the following circumstances:
- Selected as one of the top four teams overall by the CFP selection committee, in which case the team will play in a CFP national semifinal.
- Ranked by the committee as the top champion among the five conferences (American, C-USA, MAC, MW, Sun Belt) given access to one of the CFP bowls, in which case the team will play in the so-called "Access Bowl" as an at-large selection.
The first "Access Bowl" berth in 2014 went to Boise State (MW); the 2015 berth went to Houston (American). The MAC got its first berth in 2016 with Western Michigan, who had an undefeated regular season that year and finished ranked at No. 15 in the AP Poll.
During the era of the now-defunct Bowl Championship Series (BCS), one MAC team appeared in a BCS bowl game. In 2012, NIU qualified by being ranked in the top 16 (15th) in the season's final BCS standings, and also higher than at least one champion of a conference that received an automatic berth in a BCS game. In the 2012 season, two such conference champions were ranked below NIU: Big East champion Louisville, who was ranked 22nd, and Big Ten champion Wisconsin, who was unranked. NIU lost to Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
Rivalries
[edit]Football rivalries involving MAC teams include:
| Teams | Rivalry name | Trophy | Meetings | First Played | Record | Series leader | Current streak | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | Kent State | – | Wagon Wheel | 67 | 1923 | 37–28–2 | Akron | Akron won 2 |
| Akron | Youngstown State | – | Steel Tire | 35 | 1982 | 19–14–2 | Youngstown State | Youngstown State won 3 |
| Ball State | Indiana State | – | Blue Key Victory Bell | 64 | 1924 | 39–24–1 | Ball State | Ball State won 1 |
| Ball State | Miami | The Redbird Rivalry | Redbird Rivalry Trophy | 38 | 1931 | 13–24–1 | Miami | Miami won 5 |
| Ball State | Northern Illinois | Battle for the Bronze Stalk | Bronze Stalk Trophy | 53 | 1941 | 25–25–2 | Tie | Ball State won 3 |
| Bowling Green | Kent State | – | Anniversary Award | 92 | 1920 | 62–24–6 | Bowling Green | Bowling Green won 2 |
| Bowling Green | Toledo | Battle of I-75 | Battle of I-75 Trophy | 90 | 1919 | 43–42–4 | Toledo | Bowling Green won 1 |
| Buffalo | UMass | The Flagship Cup | – | 16 | 1964 | 9–6 | Buffalo | Buffalo won 2 |
| Central Michigan | Eastern Michigan | Rivalry | – | 102 | 1902 | 64–32–6 | Central Michigan | Eastern Michigan won 1 |
| Central Michigan | Western Michigan | Battle of the Cannon Trohpy | Victory Cannon | 95 | 1907 | 53–40–2 | Western Michigan | Central Michigan won 1 |
| Miami | Cincinnati | Battle for the Bell | Victory Bell | 128 | 1888 | 61–60–7 | Cincinnati | Cincinnati won 1 |
| Miami | Ohio | Battle of the Bricks | – | 101 | 1908 | 56–43–2 | Miami | Ohio won 1 |
| Miami | Northern Illinois | Battle for the Mallory Cup | Mallory Cup | 21 | 1970 | 12-9 | Miami | Miami won 4 |
| Ohio | Marshall | Battle for the Bell | The Bell | 60 | 1905 | 33–21–6 | Ohio | Marshall won 1 |
| UMass | Boston College | Rivalry | – | 27 | 1899 | 23–4–1 | Boston College | Boston College won 11 |
| UMass | New Hampshire | Colonial Clash | – | 74 | 1897 | 43–28–3 | UMass | New Hampshire won 2 |
| UMass | UConn | Rivalry | The Southwick Jug | 78 | 1897 | 38–38–2 | Tie | UConn won 3 |
In addition, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, and Western Michigan compete for the Michigan MAC Trophy, which is awarded to the team with the best head-to-head record each year. Since the inception of the trophy in 2005, Western Michigan has won 7 times, Central Michigan has won 5 times, and Eastern Michigan has won the trophy 4 times. Western Michigan has won the trophy three straight years (2018–2020) as well as six of seven years from 2014 to 2020 (2014–2016, 2018–2020).
Basketball
[edit]In August 2010, Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher and the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that the Mid-American Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments would remain in Cleveland at the venue then known as Quicken Loans Arena and now as Rocket Arena through 2017.[71] Both tournaments have flourished since moving to Cleveland in 2000, with the men's semi-finals and championship regularly drawing large crowds at Quicken Loans Arena.[72] In 2007, the MAC also announced a format change for both tournaments, bringing all twelve men's and women's teams to Cleveland. The MAC also co-hosted the 2007 Women's Final Four at Quicken Loans Arena after successfully hosting the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Regional at the same facility.
On May 12, 2020, Steinbrecher announced a suite of major changes to the conference's competitive format across multiple sports in response to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific to men's and women's basketball, the following changes took effect in 2020–21 and will continue through at least 2023–24:[21]
- The conference adopted a single league table, eliminating the divisional standings.
- The conference schedule increased from 18 to 20 games.
- Only the top eight men's and women's teams advance to their respective conference tournaments.
Championships
[edit]Current MAC champions
[edit]The following are the most recent conference champions of each MAC sport. Champions from the previous academic year are indicated with the calendar year of their title.
In sports in which regular-season and tournament champions are recognized, "RS" indicates regular-season champion and "T" indicates tournament champion.
|
Fall 2025
|
Winter 2024–25
|
Spring 2025
|
Facilities
[edit]Athletic department revenue by school
[edit]Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights and licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, concessions, and novelties.
Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.
The following table shows institutional reporting to the U.S. Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2023–24 academic year.[74]
| Institution | 2023–24 total revenue from athletics | 2023–24 total expenses on athletics |
|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | $49,525,166 | $49,525,166 |
| University at Buffalo | $42,271,934 | $42,113,971 |
| Miami University | $40,819,194 | $40,819,194 |
| Western Michigan University | $40,487,398 | $40,487,398 |
| University of Toledo | $37,298,170 | $37,298,170 |
| Eastern Michigan University | $37,094,526 | $37,094,526 |
| Central Michigan University | $36,647,135 | $36,647,135 |
| Kent State University | $34,453,185 | $34,453,185 |
| Ohio University | $32,958,838 | $32,958,838 |
| Bowling Green State University | $32,044,229 | $31,864,946 |
| University of Akron | $30,010,416 | $30,010,416 |
| Ball State University | $29,737,219 | $29,737,219 |
| Northern Illinois University | $24,939,848 | $24,939,848 |
Hall of Fame
[edit]The Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame was the first Division I conference Hall of Fame.[75] It was established in 1987 and classes have been inducted in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2012 and 2013.[76][77]
In order to be eligible, a person must have participated during the time the university was in the MAC and five years must have passed from the time the individual participated in athletics or worked in the athletic department.[75]
The following is a list of the members of the MAC Hall of Fame, along with school affiliation, sport(s) for which they were inducted, and year of induction.
- Harold Anderson, Bowling Green, basketball, 1991
- Janet Bachna, Kent State, gymnastics, 1992
- Joe Begala, Kent State, wrestling, 1991
- Tom Beutler, Toledo, football, 1994
- Kermit Blosser, Ohio, golf, 1988
- Jim Corrigall, Kent State, football, 1994
- Hasely Crawford, Eastern Michigan, track and field, 1991
- Ben Curtis, Kent State, golf, 2012
- Caroline (Mast) Daugherty, Ohio, basketball, 1994
- Herb Deromedi, Central Michigan, football, 2012
- Chuck Ealey, Toledo, football, 1988
- Fran Ebert, Western Michigan, softball / basketball, 1992
- Wayne Embry, Miami, basketball, 2012
- Karen Fitzpatrick, Ball State, field hockey, 2012
- John Gill, WMU athlete / coach / administrator, 1994
- Maurice Harvey, Ball State, football, 1992
- Bill Hess, Ohio, football coach, 1992
- Gary Hogeboom, Central Michigan, football, 1994
- Fred Jacoby, MAC commissioner, 1990
- Bob James, MAC commissioner, 1989
- Ron Johnson, Eastern Michigan, football, 1988
- Dave Keilitz, Central Michigan, baseball, 2013
- Ted Kjolhede, Central Michigan, basketball, 1988
- Kim Knuth, Toledo, women's basketball, 2013
- Ken Kramer, Ball State, football, 1991
- Bill Lajoie, Western Michigan, baseball, 1991
- Jack Lambert, Kent State, football, 1988
- Frank Lauterbur, Toledo, football, 1990
- Mel Long, Toledo, football, 1992
- Charlier Maher, Western Michigan, baseball, 1989
- Bill Mallory, Miami/Northern Illinois, football, 2013
- Brad Maynard, Ball State, football, 2013
- Ray McCallum, Ball State, basketball, 1988
- Jack McLain, MAC football official, 1992
- Karen Michalak, Central Michigan, basketball / track and field / field hockey, 1992
- Gordon Minty, Eastern Michigan, track and field, 1994
- Steve Mix, Toledo, basketball, 1989
- Thurman Munson, Kent State, baseball, 1990
- Ira Murchinson, Western Michigan, track and field, 1990
- Don Nehlen, Bowling Green, football, 1994
- Manny Newsome, Western Michigan, basketball, 1988
- Bob Nichols, Toledo, basketball, 2012
- John Offerdahl, Western Michigan, football, 2013
- Bob Owchinko, Eastern Michigan, baseball, 1992
- Ara Parseghian, Miami, football, 1988
- Doyt Perry, Bowling Green, football, 1988
- John Pont, Miami, football player / coach, 1992
- John Pruis, Ball State, president, 1994
- Trevor Rees, Kent State, football, 1989
- David Reese, MAC commissioner, 1988
- George Rider, Miami, track and field, 1989
- William Rohr, Miami, basketball coach 1994
- Dan Roundfield, Central Michigan, basketball, 1990
- Bo Schembechler, Miami, football coach, 1991
- Mike Schmidt, Ohio, baseball, 2012
- Dick Shrider, Miami, basketball, 1990
- Christi Smith, Akron, track and field, 2013
- Jim Snyder, Ohio, basketball, 1991
- Shafer Suggs, Ball State, football, 1989
- Nate Thurmond, Bowling Green, basketball, 1989
- Gary Trent, Ohio, men's basketball, 2013
- Phil Villapiano, Bowling Green, football, 1992
- Bob Welch, Eastern Michigan, baseball, 1990
- Dave Wottle, Bowling Green, track and field, 1990
- Bob Wren, Ohio, baseball, 1989
Media
[edit]Broadcasts
[edit]A number of MAC sports, including football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling and volleyball, are telecast on Spectrum Sports, replacing SportsTime Ohio and Fox Sports Ohio as the MAC TV partner.[78] Along with Spectrum Sports, ESPN, as well as the American Sports Network, retain the "local and regional" syndication telecast rights to the MAC for football and basketball.
In 2000, ESPN began broadcasting MAC football games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. The conference agreed to the unusual windows to help improve viewership, as the games would face less competition than games in traditional windows such as on Saturdays); fans would nickname the midweek games MACtion. In 2014, the conference and ESPN agreed to a new 13-year contract, where each school receives more than $800,000 annually, and plays most November football games on weekday nights; 16 of 18 games in 2016 were not on Saturdays, for example. While these mid-week games have a decreased stadium attendance, they benefit from prominent, national television coverage on an ESPN network, as opposed to having to air on lesser-viewed channels or streaming platforms.[79] While noting the smaller attendance, coaches say that midweek games are good for the conference, and give players a break on Saturdays.[80]
Ball State produces its own comprehensive television package with Ball State Sports Link. Affiliate stations include WIPB in Muncie, WNDY in Indianapolis, WPTA in Fort Wayne, WHME in South Bend, WTVW in Evansville, WYIN in Merrillville and Comcast in Michigan. All Ball State Sports Link games are also broadcast on student radio station WCRD and on the Ball State Radio Network produced by WLBC-FM and Backyard Broadcasting.
NIU has multiple football and basketball games telecast by Comcast SportsNet Chicago. In addition, most NIU football and basketball games can be heard on WSCR-AM 670 "The Score"—Chicago's powerful 50,000-watt, top-rated all-sports station, which reaches 38 states and Canada.
MAC Properties
[edit]MAC Properties (a division of ISP Sports) is the sponsorship arm of the Mid-American Conference, and handles all forms of sponsorship and advertising for the MAC which includes managing and growing its stable of official corporate partners. As of 2010, the MAC has five official corporate partners: FirstEnergy, Marathon, PNC Bank, AutoTrader.com and Cleveland Clinic Sports Health. There are approximately 20 other companies engaged as sponsors of the conference at the non-official level. MAC Properties also assists with the management of the conference's television and radio contracts, including those with ESPN Regional, FOX Sports Ohio and ESPN 850 WKNR among others.
References
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- ^ a b c "SIU-Edwardsville joins Mid-American Conference as affiliate member in two sports". Hustle Belt/Vox Media, Inc. June 2, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ a b c "SIUE men's soccer to join MAC immediately". The Telegraph. June 8, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ Elton Alexander (April 19, 2011). "University of Massachusetts football to join Mid-American Conference, sources say". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
- ^ UMass Football Will Leave Mid-American Conference at End of 2015 - University of Massachusetts Official Athletic Site Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Umassathletics.com (2014-03-26). Retrieved on 2014-04-12.
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- ^ "Horizon League Welcomes NIU" (Press release). Horizon League. February 27, 2025. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ "History of the MAC". Archived from the original on June 3, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ "National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, part of the U.S. Department of Education". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
- ^ "MAC Adds Three Affiliate Members In Wrestling" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. August 29, 2012. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ "MAC adds Missouri, Northern Iowa and Old Dominion as wrestling members". Fox News. September 19, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Parsons, Brian (April 3, 2020). "Old Dominion eliminates wrestling program effective immediately". WAVY TV 10. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ "Sun Belt Men's Soccer to Re-Debut in Fall 2014" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. February 11, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
- ^ "Binghamton Joins in Men's Tennis and Longwood in Field Hockey" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. April 21, 2014. Archived from the original on June 15, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
- ^ Ryder, Nic (June 8, 2017). "Official: UNI and Fresno State Joining Big 12". IAWrestle.com. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
- ^ "Missouri State Athletics to Restructure Sport Offerings, Reduce Expenses" (Press release). Missouri State Athletics. April 3, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "Appalachian State Joins MAC as Affiliate Member in Field Hockey" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. June 30, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ a b "MAC Welcomes SIU Edwardsville as Men's Soccer Affiliate Member in 2017" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. June 8, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ Schofield, Paul (March 5, 2019). "Division I Eastern Wrestling League to merge with MAC next season". Trib Total Media. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
- ^ "Robert Morris to Join MAC as Affiliate Member in Women's Lacrosse" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "MVC Adds SIUE as Men's Soccer Affiliate" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- ^ "Big 12 Adds Missouri as Affiliate Member in Wrestling" (Press release). Big 12 Conference. April 22, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ "Bellarmine to Join MAC as Affiliate Member in Field Hockey" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. June 9, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
- ^ "Georgia Southern, Georgia State Added As Affiliate Members in Men's Soccer" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
- ^ "Valparaiso To Join MAC As Affiliate Member In Men's Swimming & Diving" (Press release). Mid=American Conference. March 4, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
- ^ "MSOC: West Virginia Added as C-USA Soccer Member for 2022" (Press release). Conference USA. June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ "Sun Belt Conference Announces Return of Men's Soccer This Fall" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ "Chicago State Men's Soccer Joins Mid-American Conference as an Affiliate Member". gocsucougars.com. May 27, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
- ^ "UIC to Join MAC As Affiliate Member in Men's Swimming & Diving" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. August 30, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ "University of Illinois Chicago to Join MAC As Affiliate Member in Men's Tennis" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. June 5, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ "James Madison To Join MAC As Affiliate Member in Field Hockey" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. April 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ "MVC To Sponsor Men's Swimming & Diving in 2024-25" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. April 11, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ "Team Colors, Mascots, Names". Case Western Reserve University. 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Year-By-Year Standings" (PDF). 2013 MAC Men's Soccer Media Guide. Mid-American Conference. pp. 25–26. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
- ^ "MAC Men's Tennis Tournament History" (PDF). 2012 MAC Men's Tennis Record Book. Mid-American Conference. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
- ^ a b "Annual MAC Standings" (PDF). 2018 MAC Field Hockey Record Book. Mid-American Conference. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
- ^ "AAU Member Institutions and Years of Admission". Association of American Universities. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ^ a b "Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup". Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
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- ^ "Eastern Michigan To Add Women's Lightweight Rowing In 2026-27" (Press release). Eastern Michigan Eagles. July 9, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
- ^ "MAC Establishes New Football Schedule Model" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- ^ Jimenez, James; Helwick, Steve (November 30, 2023). "Mid-American Conference to scrap divisions starting in 2024 in favor of 3-team pods". SB Nation. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- ^ All time Division I-A football records Archived April 6, 2004, at the Wayback Machine, College Football Data Warehouse
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- ^ "Scheumann Stadium". Ball State University. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
The most recent renovation transformed the stadium into a major community asset, while increased its capacity to 22,500 and added permanent lighting for night games.
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- ^ "MAC Announces 2013 Hall of Fame Class". Mid-American Conference. May 30, 2013. Archived from the original on June 3, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
- ^ "Time Warner Cable Sports Named New Regional Television Partner > MAC > News". Archived from the original on March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 29, 2014.
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External links
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Mid-American Conference
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
History
Founding and early years
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) was established on February 24, 1946, in Columbus, Ohio, as a five-member athletic association comprising Butler University, the University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, Wayne State University, and Western Reserve University (now part of Case Western Reserve University).[1] The conference initially emphasized non-revenue sports to foster regional competition among Midwestern institutions, with men's basketball serving as the inaugural competitive sport during the 1946-47 season.[3] Butler and Cincinnati shared the first regular-season basketball championship, marking the beginning of organized league play without a formal tournament at the time.[4] David E. Reese was selected as the conference's first commissioner in 1946, a role he held until 1964, providing steady leadership during the MAC's formative period.[5] Under his guidance, the conference expanded its scope beyond basketball, adding baseball and other Olympic sports in the late 1940s while maintaining a focus on academic alignment among members. Football competition began in 1947, with the University of Cincinnati claiming the inaugural league title after posting a 3-1 conference record.[6] This addition elevated the MAC's profile, though early football seasons involved limited scheduling among the charter members. By the early 1950s, the MAC had solidified as a multi-sport entity, sponsoring championships across basketball, football, baseball, and track and field, with Cincinnati emerging as a dominant force by securing multiple titles in football (1949, 1951) and basketball.[6] The conference's governance evolved during this decade, adopting more structured policies to support intercollegiate athletics while prioritizing student-athlete welfare, setting the stage for further institutional growth.[1]Expansion and membership changes
The Mid-American Conference experienced significant growth in its early decades, expanding beyond its founding members to include key institutions that strengthened its presence in the Midwest. Following the departure of charter member University of Cincinnati in 1953 due to disagreements over scheduling requirements, the conference added Bowling Green State University in 1952 and Kent State University in 1951, both Ohio-based schools that helped maintain regional stability. These additions, building on the initial setup from 1946, shifted the conference's focus toward public universities in the Great Lakes area after early exits by private institutions like Western Reserve University in 1955. Further expansion in the 1970s marked a pivotal wave of membership growth, incorporating several Michigan and Indiana schools that solidified the MAC's Midwestern identity. Central Michigan University joined in 1971, followed by Ball State University, Eastern Michigan University, and Northern Illinois University all in 1973, increasing the conference to ten full members and emphasizing state-supported institutions with strong academic profiles. This period of additions enhanced competitive balance in sports like football and basketball, fostering rivalries that boosted attendance and media interest while promoting geographic cohesion. Key realignments in the late 20th and early 21st centuries tested the conference's adaptability, though pre-2010 changes primarily reinforced its core. The brief inclusion of the University of Central Florida as a football-only member from 2002 to 2004 introduced a non-Midwestern element but ended with UCF's departure to Conference USA in 2005, alongside Marshall University's exit that same year after rejoining in 1997. Temple University joined as a football member in 2007, providing an Eastern foothold until its departure after the 2011 season, but these short-term shifts ultimately reaffirmed the MAC's emphasis on Midwest stability, avoiding major disruptions and enabling consistent Division I competition across 23 sports.Recent developments
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) experienced relative stability in membership throughout the 2010s, following the addition of the University at Buffalo as a full member in 1998, with no major expansions or departures during that decade.[7] This period allowed the conference to focus on competitive balance and media rights growth, including a landmark 13-year deal with ESPN announced in 2014.[8] In a significant shift, the University of Massachusetts (UMass) accepted an invitation to join the MAC as a full member effective July 1, 2025, marking the conference's first expansion in over two decades and bringing its total to 13 institutions for most sports.[9] UMass had previously been a football-only affiliate from 2012 to 2015 before returning as a full participant across multiple sports.[10] To enhance scheduling equity, the MAC eliminated its traditional East-West divisions for football starting in the 2024 season, adopting a pod-based system with four groups of three teams each and incorporating protected rivals based on geography and history.[11] This format aimed to preserve key matchups while ensuring broader competition. The 2025 football schedule, released in March, opened with Kent State hosting Buffalo on September 13.[12] The conference saw substantial coaching turnover entering 2025, with six new head football coaches across its programs, including former NFL All-Pro Eddie George at Bowling Green, hired in March after leading Tennessee State.[13] Other newcomers included Mike Uremovich at Ball State, Matt Drinkall at Central Michigan, Mark Carney at Kent State, Brian Smith at Ohio, and Joe Harasymiak at UMass.[14] On the field, Ohio claimed the 2024 MAC football championship with a dominant 38-3 victory over Miami (Ohio) on December 7 at Ford Field, securing its first title since 1968 and the largest margin in championship history.[15] Amid ongoing NCAA conference realignment, the MAC has faced discussions about further expansion, particularly following Northern Illinois' announcement in January 2025 to depart for the Mountain West in football and the Horizon League in non-football sports effective 2026, prompting evaluations of potential candidates to maintain competitive and geographic balance.[16] As of November 2025, no replacement member has been announced, and the 2025 football season is ongoing with teams like Western Michigan and Central Michigan leading conference standings.[17] Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher expressed confidence in the conference's stability and strategic positioning in July 2025, emphasizing adaptability to revenue-sharing changes from the NCAA House settlement.[18]Membership
Current full members
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) comprises 13 full member institutions as of 2025, all public universities primarily concentrated in the Midwestern United States with extensions into the Northeast. These members are geographically distributed across six states—Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Ohio—spanning from the urban centers of the Great Lakes region to rural campuses in Appalachia, fostering regional rivalries and diverse athletic competition. The University of Massachusetts Amherst joined as the 13th full member on July 1, 2025, after competing in most non-football sports in the Atlantic 10 Conference; it transitioned to full MAC membership in all 23 sponsored sports (except non-sponsored like ice hockey, men's soccer, and men's lacrosse, which remain in other affiliations).[19][9] The following table enumerates the current full members, including their primary locations, approximate total enrollment (fall 2025 figures where available, or most recent verified data), and key campus characteristics. Enrollments reflect combined undergraduate and graduate students unless noted otherwise.| Institution | Location | Enrollment | Primary Campus Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Akron | Akron, OH | 15,318 | Urban campus in a mid-sized city, renowned for engineering, polymers, and biomedical sciences programs; serves a commuter-heavy student body in Summit County.[20] |
| Ball State University | Muncie, IN | 20,200 | Suburban campus emphasizing teacher education, architecture, and immersive media; features a strong fine arts focus in a revitalized Rust Belt community.[21] |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, OH | 19,700 | Rural campus known for firelands extension and programs in music, education, and environmental science; anchors a college town 20 miles south of Toledo. |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | 32,000 | Large urban research campus as part of the SUNY system, with strengths in medicine, engineering, and social sciences; urban setting near Niagara Falls supports international student diversity. |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, MI | 13,500 | Rural wooded campus specializing in health professions, business, and recreation; features extensive study abroad options in a central Michigan setting. |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, MI | 12,146 | Suburban campus near Ann Arbor, focused on aviation, education, and technology; historic site with community ties to the auto industry heritage.[22] |
| Kent State University | Kent, OH | 26,000 | Suburban main campus with regional branches, noted for fashion design, journalism, and nursing; vibrant college town atmosphere 40 miles southeast of Cleveland. |
| Miami University | Oxford, OH | 17,000 | Rural "Public Ivy" campus emphasizing liberal arts, business, and education; picturesque setting in southwest Ohio known for strong alumni network. |
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, IL | 16,078 | Rural campus with expertise in business, engineering, and music; serves a diverse student body in northern Illinois farmland region.[23] |
| Ohio University | Athens, OH | 30,682 | Rural flagship campus in the Appalachian foothills, strong in communications, engineering, and osteopathic medicine; historic "College Green" layout.[24] |
| University of Toledo | Toledo, OH | 14,290 | Urban medical and research campus with focuses on engineering, law, and health sciences; integrated with a major hospital system in northwest Ohio.[25] |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI | 17,500 | Urban campus in a craft beer city, renowned for aviation, engineering, and business; features extensive co-op and internship opportunities. |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA | 31,000 | Rural flagship campus of the UMass system, emphasizing research in sustainability, computer science, and public health; joined MAC in July 2025, expanding the conference eastward.[26] |
Current affiliate members
The Mid-American Conference utilizes affiliate memberships to bolster participation in select sports, particularly those with limited full-member sponsorship, ensuring viable conference championships and NCAA compliance. As of 2025, the MAC has three affiliate members in women's field hockey: Appalachian State University, Bellarmine University, and James Madison University. These institutions compete in regular-season and tournament play alongside full members Central Michigan University, Kent State University, Miami University, Ohio University, and the University of Massachusetts, which joined as a full member on July 1, 2025.[27][28] Appalachian State University began competing as a field hockey affiliate in the 2017 season, adding a competitive Southern program to the league and helping elevate the overall level of play.[29] Bellarmine University joined as an affiliate starting in 2021, contributing to a more robust tournament field and providing student-athletes with regional rivalries.[30] James Madison University entered as an affiliate for the 2024 season—its inaugural year in the MAC—and continued participation in 2025, bringing a strong Atlantic program with recent national contention experience to enhance scheduling and championship contention.[31] This affiliate model enables the MAC to sustain a minimum of eight teams in field hockey, exceeding the NCAA's six-team threshold for automatic qualification to the Division I tournament without requiring full conference membership from these schools, which primarily align with other athletic associations. Affiliates participate fully in the round-robin conference schedule and the postseason tournament, hosted annually by the highest seed or a designated site, fostering balanced competition in this Olympic sport.Former full members
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has experienced relatively few changes to its full membership since its founding in 1946, with most departures occurring in the league's early decades as it refined its focus on public universities in the Midwest and Great Lakes region. The charter members that later exited included Butler University, the University of Cincinnati, Western Reserve University (now part of Case Western Reserve University), and Wayne State University, all of which departed by the late 1950s amid shifts in institutional priorities and conference alignment toward larger state schools.[1][32] Marshall University stands out as the most recent and prominent former full member, having joined the MAC twice—first from 1954 to 1969 and again from 1997 to 2005—before departing for Conference USA (C-USA) in pursuit of higher-profile competition and increased revenue opportunities. During its initial stint, Marshall was expelled in 1969 following 144 alleged NCAA violations, including improper financial aid and recruiting practices, which led to an indefinite suspension from the conference.[33] The Thundering Herd rejoined in 1997 after a period in the Southern Conference and Division I-AA, quickly establishing dominance in football with four straight MAC championships from 1997 to 2000 and appearances in multiple bowl games, highlighting the program's rise under coach Bob Praett.[34] This success, including a 13-0 season in 2002, underscored Marshall's ambition to elevate its athletics, prompting its 2005 move to C-USA alongside football-only affiliate Central Florida, where it sought matches against programs like Louisville and Southern Miss.[35] Post-departure, Marshall has remained in C-USA, achieving further football prominence with multiple bowl wins and a 2014 C-USA title.[36] The University of Cincinnati's early exit from the MAC after the 1952–53 academic year marked another significant departure, as the Bearcats transitioned to independent status before later joining other conferences like the Missouri Valley and eventually Conference USA in 1996. While specific reasons for the 1953 departure are not extensively documented, it aligned with broader realignments in Midwestern athletics during the post-World War II era, when Cincinnati prioritized regional independence to build its basketball and football programs.[37] Cincinnati's MAC tenure included competitive showings in basketball, but its exit allowed focus on emerging national opportunities, culminating in a return to major conference play with the Big East in 2005, where it won multiple football and basketball titles before moving to the American Athletic Conference in 2013 and the Big 12 in 2023.[38] Other early former full members followed similar patterns of departure in the 1950s, reflecting the MAC's evolution from a mix of public and private institutions to a more cohesive group of state-supported universities. Butler University left after the 1950–51 season, returning to the Indiana Collegiate Conference to emphasize its private liberal arts identity.[32] Western Reserve University departed following the 1954–55 year, merging with Case Institute of Technology in 1967 to form Case Western Reserve, which shifted away from Division I athletics entirely. Wayne State University exited after the 1956–57 academic year, opting for non-scholarship competition as it reoriented toward urban education priorities. These changes stabilized the MAC's membership, paving the way for expansions like the additions of Bowling Green State University in 1952 and Kent State University in 1951, both of which remain active today.[1]| Institution | Location | Joined | Left | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler University | Indianapolis, IN | 1946 | 1951 | Indiana Collegiate Conference |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | 1946 | 1953 | Independent |
| Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) | Cleveland, OH | 1946 | 1955 | Independent (later University Athletic Association) |
| Wayne State University | Detroit, MI | 1946 | 1957 | Independent (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) |
| Marshall University | Huntington, WV | 1954 | 1969 | Independent (Southern Conference) |
| Marshall University | Huntington, WV | 1997 | 2005 | Conference USA |
Former affiliate members
The Mid-American Conference has seen numerous affiliate memberships end over the years, often due to broader conference realignments, institutional transitions to other divisions, or program discontinuations amid budget challenges. These changes have affected sports like wrestling, field hockey, and men's soccer, with affiliates contributing to competitive balance and occasional championships during their tenures. In wrestling, several schools that joined as affiliates in 2019 from the former Eastern Wrestling League departed in subsequent years. Cleveland State University was an affiliate from 2019 to 2025, when the program was eliminated as part of cuts to three sports (wrestling, softball, and women's golf) to address financial shortfalls.[39] Rider University served as a wrestling affiliate from 2019 to 2025, ending participation after the 2024-25 season due to program discontinuation, despite recent successes including NCAA qualifiers.[40] These shifts reflect ongoing challenges in maintaining Division I wrestling programs at public institutions facing fiscal pressures. The University of Hartford was a field hockey affiliate from 2013 until 2022, when it departed amid the school's transition from NCAA Division I to Division III effective for the 2025-26 academic year, aligning athletics more closely with its academic mission.[41] During its time in the MAC, Hartford helped foster regional rivalries and competitive play in the sport. Men's soccer affiliates became former members following the conference's decision to suspend sponsorship of the sport after the 2022 season, citing insufficient participation (only four full members and one affiliate at the time). Chicago State University, an affiliate from 2022 to 2023, was among those affected by the change, which stemmed from declining program numbers across the conference.[42] Earlier affiliates like Detroit Mercy (until 2013) contributed to tournament appearances and helped sustain the sport before realignments and cuts reduced viability. Legacy impacts include multiple affiliate-led MAC tournament runs, such as in wrestling where former members like those from the 2019 expansion group aided in producing national contenders.Membership timeline
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has undergone several membership changes since its founding, expanding from an initial five institutions to 13 full members by the 2025–26 academic year. The conference experienced waves of growth in the early 1950s, the 1970s, and the late 1990s, with occasional departures that were offset by new additions to maintain stability. No full membership alterations occurred between 1998 and 2024, reflecting the MAC's emphasis on regional cohesion among public universities in the Midwest and Northeast. The following table summarizes key membership changes in chronological order, focusing on full member joins and leaves.[1]| Year | Event | School(s) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Founding | Butler University, University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, Western Reserve University, Wayne University (now Wayne State University) | The MAC was established on February 24, 1946, in Columbus, Ohio, as a five-member conference initially focused on men's basketball. Ohio University is the only remaining charter member.[1] |
| 1948 | Join | Miami University (OH), Western Michigan University | These additions brought the total to seven members and expanded the conference's footprint in Ohio and Michigan.[43] |
| 1951 | Join | Kent State University, University of Toledo | The conference grew to nine members with these Ohio-based public universities.[3] |
| 1952 | Join | Bowling Green State University | This brought membership to 10, completing an early expansion wave centered on Ohio institutions.[3] |
| 1953 | Leave | University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati departed for the Missouri Valley Conference effective June 1, 1953, reducing membership to nine.[43] |
| 1955 | Leave | Wayne State University | Wayne State exited after the 1954–55 academic year, dropping membership to eight.[3] |
| 1960 | Leave | Western Reserve University | Western Reserve withdrew following the 1959–60 year; it later merged with Case Institute of Technology in 1967 to form Case Western Reserve University. Membership fell to seven.[1] |
| 1964 | Leave | Butler University | Butler left to pursue independent status, leaving six members.[3] |
| 1971 | Join | Central Michigan University | Central Michigan joined as the 7th member (after prior leaves), with full sports integration; football competition began in 1975.[3][44] |
| 1971 | Join/Return | Eastern Michigan University | Eastern Michigan initially joined in 1971 but was expelled in 1984 for competitive reasons; it rejoined fully in 1987 as the 12th member.[3][45] |
| 1973 | Join | Ball State University | Ball State became the 10th member (accounting for leaves), marking the start of a 1970s expansion. Football competition began in 1975.[46] |
| 1992 | Join | University of Akron | Akron's addition expanded the conference eastward within Ohio.[3] |
| 1997 | Join | Marshall University, Northern Illinois University | Marshall joined from the Southern Conference, and Northern Illinois rejoined after departing in 1986, bringing membership to 14.[47][3] |
| 1998 | Join | University at Buffalo | Buffalo joined as the 13th full member (after Marshall's planned departure was adjusted), stabilizing at 12 after subsequent changes; this completed the late-1990s expansion wave.[3] |
| 2005 | Leave | Marshall University | Marshall departed for Conference USA after the 2004–05 academic year, returning membership to 12, where it remained until 2025.[48] |
| 2025 | Join | University of Massachusetts | UMass becomes the 13th full member starting the 2025–26 academic year, expanding the conference's reach to the Northeast.[49] |
Academics
Member institutions' profiles
The Mid-American Conference comprises twelve public universities, primarily located in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and New York, with the University of Massachusetts Amherst having joined as a full member in July 2025. These institutions emphasize accessible higher education for Midwest and Northeast students, offering a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in fields like business, education, engineering, and health sciences. Most are classified as R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, reflecting significant research output while prioritizing teaching and regional engagement; exceptions include Ohio University, University at Buffalo, and UMass Amherst, which hold R1 status for very high research activity.[50][51][52] Ohio University, established in 1804 as the first institution of higher education in the Northwest Territory and the oldest public university in the state, serves approximately 30,682 students across its Athens main campus and regional locations as of fall 2025. Originally focused on liberal arts and teacher training, it has evolved into a comprehensive research university with strengths in communications, engineering, and environmental studies, maintaining its land-grant mission through community outreach and innovation initiatives. Its R1 classification underscores annual research expenditures exceeding $100 million, supporting interdisciplinary centers in health and sustainability.[24][53][52] Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, founded in 1809 as a public liberal arts college and designated an Ohio Public Ivy, enrolls around 17,000 students, with a focus on undergraduate residential education and small class sizes. Known for its historic campus and programs in business, education, and fine arts, the university transitioned to coeducation in 1910 and expanded graduate offerings in the mid-20th century, emphasizing experiential learning through study abroad and internships. Classified as R2, it supports research in areas like data analytics and materials science, with enrollment stable amid regional recruitment efforts.[54][55][56] The University at Buffalo, part of the State University of New York system and founded in 1846 as a private medical college before becoming public in 1962, has grown to an enrollment of about 30,400 students as of fall 2025, making it one of the largest public research universities in the Northeast. As a flagship campus, it excels in medicine, engineering, and social sciences, with its R1 status driven by over $450 million in annual research funding and affiliations with the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The institution's history reflects urban expansion, including the 2020 opening of a downtown medical campus to enhance clinical training and community health partnerships.[57][58] University of Massachusetts Amherst, which joined the MAC in 2025 as its first Northeast flagship, was established in 1863 under the Morrill Land-Grant Act as the Massachusetts Agricultural College, evolving into a comprehensive public research university with an enrollment of approximately 32,000 students. Renowned for programs in computer science, public health, and polymer science, UMass Amherst's R1 classification highlights its role as a top public research institution, with research expenditures surpassing $200 million annually and contributions to national initiatives in climate and sustainability. Its integration into the conference aligns with a commitment to regional accessibility, building on historical expansions like the 1930s shift to a broader curriculum.[51][59][60][61] Other representative members, such as Ball State University (founded 1918, ~20,500 students as of fall 2025, R2) and Central Michigan University (founded 1892, ~15,000 students as of fall 2025, R2), exemplify the conference's focus on teacher preparation and applied research, with histories rooted in normal schools that transitioned to doctoral institutions in the 20th century, fostering enrollment growth through online and community college pathways.[21][62][63][64] The University of Akron, founded in 1870 as Buchtel College before becoming a public municipal university in 1913 and joining the state system in 1969, enrolls approximately 15,000 students as of fall 2025 and is classified as R2. It is known for engineering, polymer science, and education programs, with research expenditures around $40 million annually.[65][66][67] Bowling Green State University, established in 1910 as a normal school, serves about 16,000 students as of fall 2025 and holds R2 status. Strengths include education, business, and visual/communicating arts, with a focus on undergraduate research and community engagement.[68][69] Eastern Michigan University, founded in 1849 as a teacher training institution, has around 13,000 students as of fall 2025 and is R2 classified. It emphasizes aviation, health sciences, and education, with notable online programs.[70][71] Kent State University, established in 1910, enrolls approximately 25,000 students across its campuses as of fall 2025 and is R2. Renowned for fashion, journalism, and nursing, it supports research in liquid crystals and aeronautics.[72][73] Northern Illinois University, founded in 1895 as a normal school, has about 15,000 students as of fall 2025 and R2 status. It excels in education, business, and engineering, with strong emphasis on STEM and social sciences.[74][75] The University of Toledo, established in 1872, serves around 16,000 students as of fall 2025 and is classified as R2. Known for medicine, engineering, and law, it features the Medical Center and significant research in solar energy.[76][77]Academic honors and initiatives
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) annually honors student-athletes for academic excellence through its Academic All-MAC Teams, one of its flagship recognition programs. These teams are selected in each conference-sponsored sport to acknowledge individuals who balance high athletic participation with strong scholarly performance. To qualify, a student-athlete must achieve a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale, participate in at least 50 percent of their team's scheduled contests during the season, and maintain eligibility through the conclusion of the championship segment; first-year student-athletes are ineligible for consideration.[78] This program underscores the conference's commitment to prioritizing education alongside competition, with selections announced shortly after each season's end. Representative recent honorees include 31 Northern Illinois football players in 2024, marking a school record, and 19 University at Buffalo cross country athletes leading the conference that same year.[79][80] Complementing the All-Academic Teams, the MAC maintains the Academic Honor Roll as a broader initiative to recognize semester-based academic achievement among varsity student-athletes. Eligibility requires a GPA of 3.00 or higher during the fall or spring term, combined with academic eligibility to compete and participation in a conference-sponsored sport. In the 2023-24 fall semester alone, 1,690 student-athletes across MAC institutions earned this distinction, including 271 with perfect 4.00 GPAs, highlighting widespread dedication to coursework.[81] The conference also awards Senior Scholar-Athlete honors—one per sport per season—to graduating seniors demonstrating exceptional academic and athletic contributions, often with GPAs exceeding 3.50; for example, 11 such athletes were recognized across spring sports in 2025.[82] The MAC collaborates with the NCAA on academic monitoring through the Academic Progress Rate (APR) system, which tracks eligibility, retention, and graduation metrics for all teams; scores above 985 earn public recognition, a benchmark met by numerous MAC programs annually. Numerous MAC teams receive this public recognition award each year, reflecting robust support structures like academic advising and study halls. Individual member institutions further exemplify these efforts: Miami University and Ohio University report high Graduation Success Rates (GSR) for student-athletes, among the top in the conference. Prior to its affiliation considerations, UMass Amherst leveraged substantial university research funding—exceeding $200 million annually in recent years—to bolster academic resources accessible to student-athletes, enhancing interdisciplinary opportunities.[61]Sports
Sponsored sports overview
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) sponsors championships in 22 NCAA Division I sports, comprising 9 for men and 13 for women, with football competing at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level and all other sports at the Division I level.[83] These include men's baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field, and wrestling; and women's basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. The conference's athletic programs emphasize competitive balance and student-athlete development, with member institutions collectively fielding teams across these disciplines to foster regional rivalries and national contention. The MAC's sports sponsorship has evolved, including the discontinuation of men's swimming and diving after the 2023-24 season (with some programs moving to the Missouri Valley Conference) and the renewal of men's soccer for 2025-26.[84][85] For most sponsored sports, the MAC conducts postseason tournaments or championships to determine conference representatives, with winners earning automatic qualification (auto bids) to the corresponding NCAA national championships.[86] Football follows a different structure without a conference playoff, instead crowning a champion based on regular-season standings, which provides priority access to postseason bowl games. This format ensures broad participation and high-stakes competition, aligning with NCAA protocols for Division I conferences.[87] The MAC's sports sponsorship has evolved to reflect growing opportunities in women's athletics and strategic expansions. Notably, women's lacrosse was added as a sponsored sport starting in the 2020-21 academic year, initially with six participating institutions including affiliates Detroit Mercy and Youngstown State.[88] More recently, women's rowing joined the lineup in 2025-26, bringing six programs including full members Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and UMass and affiliates Delaware, Temple, and High Point, thereby enhancing the conference's commitment to gender equity under Title IX.[89] UMass's full membership, effective July 1, 2025, further bolsters participation numbers in core sports like football, basketball, and track and field, elevating overall competitiveness.[19]Men's varsity sports by school
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) sponsors championships in nine men's sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), and wrestling. All 13 current and future full members (as of the 2025-26 academic year) participate in basketball (100% participation rate), with universal sponsorship across football, baseball, cross country, and track and field as well. Participation is lower in tennis (3 schools) and wrestling (5 full members, supplemented by affiliates). UMass joined as a full member on July 1, 2025, participating in six of the nine sponsored sports.[19][90]| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country | Football | Golf | Soccer | Tennis | Track & Field | Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron Zips | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Ball State Cardinals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Bowling Green Falcons | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Buffalo Bulls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Central Michigan Chippewas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Eastern Michigan Eagles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Kent State Golden Flashes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Miami RedHawks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Northern Illinois Huskies | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ohio Bobcats | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Toledo Rockets | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Western Michigan Broncos | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| UMass Minutemen | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
- Track & field includes both indoor and outdoor seasons; all schools sponsor both.[91]
- Golf is sponsored by nine full members (Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Miami, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo).[92]
- Soccer sponsorship was renewed for 2025-26, with 12 full members participating (all except UMass, which competes in the Summit League as an affiliate).[85][93]
- Tennis is sponsored by three full members (Ball State, Buffalo, Northern Illinois).[94]
- Wrestling full member participation includes Buffalo, Central Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois, and Ohio; the conference supplements with affiliates (e.g., Rider, SIUE) for a total of 10 teams. Northern Illinois will depart for the Pac-12 after 2025-26. Eastern Michigan will add wrestling in 2026-27.[95][96][97]
- UMass does not sponsor golf, soccer, tennis, or wrestling.[98]
Women's varsity sports by school
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) sponsors 13 women's varsity sports, with high uniformity in participation among its 13 full member institutions for core disciplines such as basketball, soccer, softball, track and field, and cross country, where all schools field teams. Participation varies in niche sports like field hockey, gymnastics, lacrosse, and rowing, where only select full members compete alongside affiliates. All full members participate in women's basketball, reflecting the conference's emphasis on the sport as a flagship program. The following table outlines participation in MAC-sponsored women's varsity sports for the 2025-26 academic year, based on official conference standings and announcements; "X" indicates sponsorship and competition in the sport.[87][91]| School | Basketball | Cross Country | Field Hockey | Golf | Gymnastics | Lacrosse | Rowing | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field (Indoor/Outdoor) | Volleyball |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Ball State | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Bowling Green | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Buffalo | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Central Michigan | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Eastern Michigan | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Kent State | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Miami (OH) | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Northern Illinois | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Ohio | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Toledo | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| UMass | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Western Michigan | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Non-conference varsity sports
Several Mid-American Conference (MAC) full member institutions sponsor varsity teams in sports not offered by the conference, enabling them to compete in external leagues that better align with regional, competitive, or logistical needs. For instance, men's ice hockey programs at select schools participate in specialized NCAA Division I hockey conferences due to the sport's geographic concentration and the high costs of facilities and travel. Bowling Green State University fields its men's ice hockey team in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), where it competes against other Midwestern programs for regular-season and postseason play.[100] Similarly, Miami University competes in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), a league focused on high-level men's college hockey with members primarily from the Midwest and Mountain West regions. The University at Buffalo's men's ice hockey squad plays in Atlantic Hockey America, providing opportunities for competition in the Northeast and Great Lakes area. These affiliations allow MAC schools to sustain robust programs without relying on MAC-sanctioned events, as the conference does not sponsor ice hockey championships. Other examples include men's lacrosse and women's rowing at institutions transitioning or maintaining external ties. The University of Massachusetts (UMass), which joined the MAC as a full member in July 2025, continues to compete in men's lacrosse through the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), a decision driven by the sport's established regional footprint and the MAC's lack of sponsorship for men's lacrosse.[28] Prior to the MAC's addition of women's rowing as a sponsored sport in the 2025-26 academic year, UMass's women's rowing team participated in the Big East Conference, emphasizing the conference's focus on East Coast institutions with suitable water access for competitions.[101] Such external participations stem from NCAA requirements for Division I schools to sponsor a minimum number of sports while allowing flexibility in non-core offerings; regional leagues often provide better scheduling efficiency and competitive balance than ad hoc independent play. These non-conference arrangements impact MAC schools by influencing travel budgets, recruitment strategies, and overall athletic department resources, yet they ensure compliance with NCAA mandates for sport sponsorship diversity. For example, ice hockey programs require dedicated arenas and face longer road trips outside the MAC's core footprint, increasing operational costs but fostering national visibility through NCAA tournament eligibility via their respective leagues. Without MAC championships in these sports, teams focus on external conference titles and NCAA postseason bids, maintaining varsity status and athlete scholarships while complementing the conference's primary offerings in football, basketball, and other sponsored disciplines. This model supports the holistic development of student-athletes across a broader range of Olympic and emerging sports.Football
Program history
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) began sponsoring football in 1947, one year after the conference's founding in 1946, with charter members including Cincinnati, Ohio, Butler, Wayne State, and Western Reserve competing in the inaugural season.[102] Cincinnati claimed the first conference championship that year under head coach Sid Gillman, defeating opponents with a 7-4 overall record and establishing an early dominance that continued into 1948 and 1949, when the Bearcats repeated as champions.[32] This period marked the program's roots as a regional league focused on Midwest universities, transitioning from post-World War II athletic expansions and emphasizing competitive balance among smaller state institutions. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the MAC football landscape evolved with membership changes and infrastructure growth, including a notable surge in stadium developments during the early 1960s that enhanced fan experiences and program capacities across member schools. For instance, expansions at facilities like Ohio University's Peden Stadium and Northern Illinois' Huskie Stadium (opened in 1965) reflected the conference's commitment to elevating its football profile amid rising attendance and regional rivalries.[103] By the mid-1970s, the MAC solidified its status within the NCAA's top division, aligning with the emerging Division I-A structure ahead of the 1978 split into I-A (now FBS) and I-AA, ensuring all full members maintained major college football operations without a formal reclassification.[104] The 1990s brought heightened national visibility to MAC football, particularly with Marshall's entry in 1997 following its I-AA national titles in 1992 and 1996; the Thundering Herd quickly dominated, securing four consecutive conference championships from 1997 to 2000 and posting a 50-4 record during that span, which propelled the league's reputation for producing competitive Group of Five programs.[6] Over its history, MAC football teams have compiled a combined all-time record of 3,571-3,934-82 (.476 winning percentage) across 64 seasons through 2024, with Miami (Ohio) leading in conference titles (17) and the league achieving 146 bowl appearances (59-87 record).[104] The program's modern prominence culminated in 2024 when Ohio captured its first MAC championship since 1968—and first title game victory—with a 38-3 rout of Miami (Ohio), underscoring the conference's enduring stability and occasional breakthroughs in the FBS landscape.[15]Scheduling and competition format
The Mid-American Conference employs an eight-game conference schedule for football, contested among its 13 member institutions, as part of each team's 12-game regular season. With the addition of the University of Massachusetts as a full member in 2025, UMass plays eight conference games against rotating opponents, while the original 12 members follow the pod-based system. This model, implemented starting in the 2024 season, eliminated the longstanding East and West divisions in favor of a pod-based system designed to maintain geographic and traditional rivalries while ensuring balanced competition. Under this format, the top two teams by conference winning percentage advance to the MAC Football Championship Game, regardless of pod affiliation.[105][11] The conference is organized into four three-team pods: the Northeast Pod (Akron, Buffalo, Kent State), Central Pod (Ball State, Miami (OH), Ohio), Northwest Pod (Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Toledo), and West Pod (Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan). Each team plays the other two members of its pod annually as protected rivals, guaranteeing matchups like Akron-Kent State and Toledo-Bowling Green every season. Beyond these three protected games, teams face four additional conference opponents selected through a rotating schedule, allowing every pair of teams to compete home and away at least once over a three-year cycle.[106][107] For the 2025 season, conference play opens on September 13 with Kent State hosting Buffalo, followed by a full slate of midweek and weekend games through late November. The MAC Football Championship Game is scheduled for December 6 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, marking the 29th consecutive year the neutral-site venue has hosted the event.[12][108] MAC teams round out their schedules with four non-conference games, typically including contests against Football Championship Subdivision programs and a mix of independent or other conference opponents. In recent years, there has been a notable trend toward scheduling at least one game against Power Four conference teams, such as Kent State's visit to Texas Tech or Northern Illinois' matchup with Maryland, to elevate program visibility and competitiveness.[109][110]Championships and postseason appearances
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has determined its football champion annually since 1947, initially based on regular-season records and, since 1997, through a championship game following divisional alignments (eliminated in 2024). Miami (OH) leads all programs with 17 conference titles, followed by Bowling Green and Toledo with 12 each. Other multiple-time winners include Central Michigan (7), Northern Illinois (6), and Ohio (5). The 2024 champion was Ohio, which defeated Miami (OH) 38–3 in the title game at Ford Field to secure its first MAC crown since 1968.[111][112][113] MAC teams have compiled 146 bowl appearances since the conference's inception, posting an all-time record of 59–87 (.404 winning percentage). Notable successes include multiple victories in the Bahamas Bowl (e.g., Northern Illinois' 51–17 win over Marshall in 2014) and the LendingTree Bowl (e.g., Toledo's 17–10 victory over Liberty in 2022). The conference's highest-profile postseason achievement came in 2016, when undefeated Western Michigan (13–0 regular season) earned a New Year's Six berth in the Cotton Bowl Classic but fell 35–24 to Wisconsin, finishing 13–1 overall. No MAC team has secured a win in a major (Tier 1) bowl game to date.[114][115] As a Group of Five conference, the MAC has been eligible for an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff (CFP) since the format's debut in 2014, but no team has advanced to the 12-team field through 2024. The addition of UMass as a full member starting July 1, 2025, expands the conference to 13 teams and introduces new competitive dynamics, potentially bolstering the MAC's profile for future CFP consideration.[19]Notable rivalries
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) features several intense football rivalries, many of which are highlighted by traveling trophies that add to their historical and cultural significance. These matchups often stem from geographic proximity, shared state pride, or longstanding conference competition, fostering traditions that extend beyond the field. Among the most prominent intra-conference rivalries is the Wagon Wheel contest between the Akron Zips and Kent State Golden Flashes, which dates back to 1923 but gained its iconic trophy in 1946. The blue-and-gold Wagon Wheel, symbolizing the pioneers who settled the region, is awarded to the winner and represents a battle for bragging rights in northeastern Ohio. Akron holds the all-time series lead at 29-25-2 through the 2024 season, with the Zips claiming the trophy in recent years, including a dramatic 31-27 comeback victory in 2023.[116][117] Another key intra-MAC rivalry is the Victory Cannon between the Central Michigan Chippewas and Western Michigan Broncos, which began in 1903 and intensified with the trophy's introduction in 2008, modeled after an actual Civil War-era cannon fired at WMU's Waldo Stadium. This matchup underscores the intrastate competition within Michigan, with the winner gaining possession of the cannon, which is fired after victories to celebrate. Central Michigan leads the all-time series 51-42-2 as of November 2025, though Western Michigan reclaimed the trophy in a 24-21 comeback win on November 1, 2025, marking their fourth possession in the last seven seasons.[118][119] The Michigan MAC Trophy represents a unique three-team rivalry among Michigan's MAC members: Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan Eagles, and Western Michigan. Established in 2005, it is awarded annually to the school with the best combined record against the other two in football (and formerly basketball), promoting statewide pride and competition. Western Michigan has claimed the trophy the most times with nine football wins, and they secured it for 2025 after victories over both rivals, including the aforementioned win over Central Michigan.[120][121] Interstate rivalries also define MAC football, with the Battle of I-75 between the Bowling Green Falcons and Toledo Rockets standing out due to their proximity along Interstate 75 in northwestern Ohio. The series originated in 1919, and the current Battle of I-75 Trophy, introduced in 2011 after the original Peace Pipe was retired, goes to the victor, emphasizing the "Glass City" versus "Falcon Nation" divide. The all-time series is tied at 43-43-4 following Bowling Green's 28-23 upset victory on October 11, 2025, which snapped Toledo's recent dominance.[122][123][124] The Battle of the Bricks pits the Miami RedHawks against the Ohio Bobcats, a rivalry tracing to 1898 that symbolizes the brick-manufacturing heritage of both Oxford and Athens, Ohio, with "bricks" laid on the field to represent series wins. Miami leads the all-time record 56-43-2 through 2025, though Ohio has won three straight, including a 24-20 thriller on November 4, 2025, to reach bowl eligibility. This matchup, protected in MAC scheduling, highlights the competitive balance in the East Division.[125][126] The Anniversary Award, contested between the Bowling Green Falcons and Kent State Golden Flashes since 1919, commemorates the schools' shared history and is awarded to foster regional rivalry in Ohio. Bowling Green holds a commanding all-time edge at 52-24-4, with recent wins including a 49-19 rout in 2023 that clinched the trophy and bowl eligibility.[127][128]Basketball
Men's basketball history and structure
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) men's basketball league commenced competition in the 1946–47 season alongside the conference's founding, initially featuring five institutions: Butler, Cincinnati, Ohio, Wayne State, and Western Reserve.[129] Miami (Ohio) secured the league's inaugural NCAA Division I Tournament berth in 1957, advancing to the first round before a 89–77 defeat to Notre Dame; the RedHawks also represented the MAC in 1958, reaching the Sweet Sixteen.[130] Over the ensuing decades, Miami (Ohio) emerged as the most dominant program, claiming 18 regular-season championships, the highest total in conference history, with notable eras including five titles from 1951 to 1962 and four more between 1991 and 2005.[131] The MAC's regular-season structure features an 18-game schedule for each of its 12 member institutions, with teams typically playing most opponents twice (home and away) and select rivals once to balance travel and rivalries, culminating in standings that seed the postseason tournament.[132] The postseason tournament, held annually since 1980, employs a single-elimination format limited to the top eight teams since 2021 to heighten competitiveness; it has been centralized at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, since 2000, with the champion earning the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament bid.[133] Through the 2025 NCAA Tournament, MAC teams have amassed 78 appearances, yielding a 33–82 overall record, with no advancement beyond the Sweet Sixteen—the deepest run belonging to Toledo in 1979, when the Rockets defeated Louisville in the second round before falling to Indiana State.[134] Other notable Sweet Sixteen outings include Miami (Ohio) in 1958 and Bowling Green in 1962 and 1984.[135] Heading into the 2025–26 season following Akron's 2025 NCAA first-round exit as a No. 14 seed, preseason projections favor the Zips to repeat as regular-season champions, bolstered by returning talent and a strong recruiting class, while Miami (Ohio) and Ohio loom as top contenders for the title.[136]Women's basketball history and structure
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) women's basketball program originated in the early 1980s, coinciding with the establishment of the NCAA Division I women's tournament in 1982. The league's first conference tournament was held that year, marking the start of organized postseason play among its member institutions. Miami (OH) claimed the inaugural title, defeating Northern Illinois 58–56 in the championship game. The structure of MAC women's basketball mirrors that of the men's program in format and scheduling. Each of the 12 full-member teams plays an 18-game conference schedule over 10 to 12 weeks, with teams typically playing most opponents twice (home and away) and select rivals once to balance travel and rivalries, with two byes built in to accommodate the calendar. The regular season typically runs from late December to early March, culminating in a top-eight single-elimination tournament that determines the automatic NCAA qualifier. The tournament, held annually since 1982 and fully centralized at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, since 2021, features the top eight seeds in a bracket format.[137][138] Milestones in MAC women's basketball include the conference's entry into the NCAA tournament landscape, with Western Michigan securing the first bid in 1985 after winning the conference title; the Broncos fell 85–62 to Texas in the opening round. Ohio followed as the second representative in 1986, advancing from the tournament champion. Over the subsequent decades, MAC teams have amassed 48 NCAA appearances as of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, recording 14 wins across those outings—establishing the league's presence in the national postseason without advancing to a Final Four.[139][140] The conference's deepest NCAA runs highlight key achievements, including Sweet 16 appearances by Bowling Green in 2007 and by both Buffalo and Central Michigan in 2018—the latter year marking the only instance of two MAC teams reaching that round in the same tournament. Bowling Green holds the record for most tournament championships with 11, followed by Toledo with 8, underscoring their historical dominance. Recent seasons have demonstrated growing parity, exemplified by 2024 semifinal upsets where lower-seeded teams like Kent State (fifth seed) advanced to claim the title and an NCAA bid—the Golden Flashes' first since 2002.[141][142]Championships
Conference team champions
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has awarded team championships in its sponsored sports since 1946, with football and basketball serving as flagship programs. Miami University has exhibited historical dominance across multiple disciplines, securing the most football titles with 17 and numerous men's basketball crowns, reflecting its central role in the conference's early development. Co-champions were common in the 1950s and 1960s due to smaller league sizes and tiebreakers, while recent seasons have highlighted parity, including Ohio's 2024 football title victory over Miami by a 38-3 margin in the championship game.[15][143]Football
The MAC football championship has been contested since 1947, initially as a round-robin among founding members, evolving to divisional formats from 1990 to 2012 and a single championship game since 1997. Below is a complete list of conference champions.[143][144]| Year | Champion(s) |
|---|---|
| 1947 | Cincinnati |
| 1948 | Miami (OH) |
| 1949 | Cincinnati |
| 1950 | Miami (OH) |
| 1951 | Cincinnati |
| 1952 | Cincinnati |
| 1953 | Ohio, Miami (OH) |
| 1954 | Miami (OH) |
| 1955 | Miami (OH) |
| 1956 | Bowling Green, Miami (OH) |
| 1957 | Miami (OH) |
| 1958 | Miami (OH) |
| 1959 | Ohio |
| 1960 | Ohio |
| 1961 | Toledo |
| 1962 | Miami (OH) |
| 1963 | Miami (OH) |
| 1964 | Miami (OH) |
| 1965 | Northern Illinois |
| 1966 | Miami (OH) |
| 1967 | Ohio |
| 1968 | Ohio |
| 1969 | Toledo |
| 1970 | Toledo |
| 1971 | Toledo |
| 1972 | Kent State |
| 1973 | Miami (OH) |
| 1974 | Miami (OH) |
| 1975 | Miami (OH) |
| 1976 | Ball State |
| 1977 | Miami (OH) |
| 1978 | Ball State |
| 1979 | Central Michigan |
| 1980 | Central Michigan |
| 1981 | Toledo |
| 1982 | Bowling Green |
| 1983 | Northern Illinois |
| 1984 | Toledo |
| 1985 | Bowling Green |
| 1986 | Miami (OH) |
| 1987 | Eastern Michigan |
| 1988 | Western Michigan |
| 1989 | Ball State |
| 1990 | Central Michigan, Toledo |
| 1991 | Bowling Green |
| 1992 | Bowling Green |
| 1993 | Ball State |
| 1994 | Central Michigan |
| 1995 | Toledo |
| 1996 | Ball State |
| 1997 | Marshall |
| 1998 | Marshall |
| 1999 | Marshall |
| 2000 | Marshall |
| 2001 | Toledo |
| 2002 | Marshall |
| 2003 | Miami (OH) |
| 2004 | Toledo |
| 2005 | Akron |
| 2006 | Central Michigan |
| 2007 | Central Michigan |
| 2008 | Buffalo |
| 2009 | Central Michigan |
| 2010 | Miami (OH) |
| 2011 | Northern Illinois |
| 2012 | Northern Illinois |
| 2013 | Northern Illinois |
| 2014 | Northern Illinois |
| 2015 | Bowling Green |
| 2016 | Western Michigan |
| 2017 | Toledo |
| 2018 | Northern Illinois |
| 2019 | Miami (OH) |
| 2020 | Ball State |
| 2021 | Northern Illinois |
| 2022 | Toledo |
| 2023 | Miami (OH) |
| 2024 | Ohio |
Men's Basketball
MAC men's basketball regular season champions have been determined since 1947, with tournament titles beginning in 1968. Miami holds the record with 17 regular season titles, underscoring its legacy. The table below lists regular season champions. Note that tournament champions are determined separately, with Akron winning both the regular season and tournament in 2024-25.[145]| Year | Champion(s) |
|---|---|
| 1946-47 | Butler, Cincinnati |
| 1947-48 | Cincinnati |
| 1948-49 | Butler |
| 1949-50 | Ohio |
| 1950-51 | Miami (OH) |
| 1951-52 | Western Michigan |
| 1952-53 | Miami (OH) |
| 1953-54 | Miami (OH) |
| 1954-55 | Toledo |
| 1955-56 | Miami (OH) |
| 1956-57 | Miami (OH) |
| 1957-58 | Miami (OH) |
| 1958-59 | Miami (OH) |
| 1959-60 | Ohio |
| 1960-61 | Ohio |
| 1961-62 | Ohio |
| 1962-63 | Loyola (IL) |
| 1963-64 | Western Michigan |
| 1964-65 | Miami (OH) |
| 1965-66 | Miami (OH) |
| 1966-67 | Toledo |
| 1967-68 | Miami (OH) |
| 1968-69 | Miami (OH) |
| 1969-70 | Toledo |
| 1970-71 | Miami (OH) |
| 1971-72 | Miami (OH) |
| 1972-73 | Miami (OH) |
| 1973-74 | Miami (OH) |
| 1974-75 | Miami (OH) |
| 1975-76 | Western Michigan |
| 1976-77 | Ball State |
| 1977-78 | Ball State |
| 1978-79 | Ball State |
| 1979-80 | Central Michigan |
| 1980-81 | Toledo |
| 1981-82 | Ball State |
| 1982-83 | Bowling Green |
| 1983-84 | Miami (OH) |
| 1984-85 | Miami (OH) |
| 1985-86 | Miami (OH) |
| 1986-87 | Ball State |
| 1987-88 | Miami (OH) |
| 1988-89 | Ball State |
| 1989-90 | Central Michigan |
| 1990-91 | Miami (OH) |
| 1991-92 | DePaul |
| 1992-93 | Wright State |
| 1993-94 | Central Michigan |
| 1994-95 | Miami (OH) |
| 1995-96 | Miami (OH) |
| 1996-97 | Miami (OH) |
| 1997-98 | Miami (OH) |
| 1998-99 | Miami (OH) |
| 1999-00 | Kent State |
| 2000-01 | Kent State |
| 2001-02 | Kent State |
| 2002-03 | Kent State |
| 2003-04 | Western Michigan |
| 2004-05 | Miami (OH) |
| 2005-06 | Ohio |
| 2006-07 | Miami (OH) |
| 2007-08 | Kent State |
| 2008-09 | Bowling Green |
| 2009-10 | Kent State |
| 2010-11 | Kent State |
| 2011-12 | Akron |
| 2012-13 | Ohio |
| 2013-14 | Western Michigan |
| 2014-15 | Buffalo |
| 2015-16 | Akron |
| 2016-17 | Akron |
| 2017-18 | Buffalo |
| 2018-19 | Buffalo |
| 2019-20 | Kent State |
| 2020-21 | Ohio |
| 2021-22 | Toledo |
| 2022-23 | Toledo |
| 2023-24 | Akron |
| 2024-25 | Akron |
Women's Basketball
The MAC began sponsoring women's basketball in 1981-82, with regular season champions determined annually. Bowling Green leads with 15 titles, emphasizing its program strength. The table lists regular season champions. Note that tournament champions are determined separately.[140]| Year | Champion(s) |
|---|---|
| 1981-82 | Miami (OH) |
| 1982-83 | Central Michigan |
| 1983-84 | Central Michigan |
| 1984-85 | Western Michigan |
| 1985-86 | Ohio |
| 1986-87 | Miami (OH) |
| 1987-88 | Miami (OH) |
| 1988-89 | Miami (OH) |
| 1989-90 | Miami (OH) |
| 1990-91 | Miami (OH) |
| 1991-92 | Bowling Green |
| 1992-93 | Liberty |
| 1993-94 | Bowling Green |
| 1994-95 | Toledo |
| 1995-96 | Ball State |
| 1996-97 | Ball State |
| 1997-98 | Ball State |
| 1998-99 | Bowling Green |
| 1999-00 | Kent State |
| 2000-01 | Bowling Green |
| 2001-02 | Bowling Green |
| 2002-03 | Bowling Green |
| 2003-04 | Bowling Green |
| 2004-05 | Bowling Green |
| 2005-06 | Bowling Green |
| 2006-07 | Bowling Green |
| 2007-08 | Bowling Green |
| 2008-09 | Bowling Green |
| 2009-10 | Bowling Green |
| 2010-11 | Bowling Green |
| 2011-12 | Eastern Michigan |
| 2012-13 | Central Michigan |
| 2013-14 | Bowling Green |
| 2014-15 | Ohio |
| 2015-16 | Buffalo |
| 2016-17 | Ohio |
| 2017-18 | Central Michigan |
| 2018-19 | Ohio |
| 2019-20 | Bowling Green |
| 2020-21 | Central Michigan |
| 2021-22 | Toledo |
| 2022-23 | Toledo |
| 2023-24 | Toledo |
| 2024-25 | Ball State |
Individual and team awards
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) bestows a range of individual awards to honor exceptional athletic performances and academic achievements among its student-athletes, with selections typically made by coaches, media, or conference officials. These include player of the year honors, position-specific recognitions, and All-MAC teams, which recognize top performers across sports. The awards emphasize leadership, statistical excellence, and contributions to team success, and have been a staple of MAC competition since the 1970s.[147] In football, the MAC has recognized an Offensive Player of the Year since 1972, highlighting quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers who lead in yards, touchdowns, or efficiency. Notable recipients include Miami (OH) quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in 2003, who threw for 4,486 yards and 37 touchdowns en route to a conference title. More recently, Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. earned the award in 2024 after recording 1,155 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, becoming the 10th Falcon to win it. The Defensive Player of the Year award, also dating to 1972, has gone to standouts like Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac in 2024 for his 168 tackles and five interceptions. The Vern Smith Leadership Award, the conference's highest individual football honor since 1966, is given to the top overall player; Jaret Patterson of Buffalo received it in 2020 alongside Offensive Player of the Year honors for his 1,799 rushing yards. All-MAC teams, comprising first-, second-, and third-team selections, are announced annually to form composite "dream teams" based on voting from head coaches and media.[147][148][149][148] Basketball awards in the MAC similarly spotlight scoring, rebounding, and defensive prowess. The Men's Basketball Player of the Year, first awarded after the 1967–68 season, has recognized multiple-time winners like Miami (OH) guard Ron Harper in 1985 and 1986, during which he averaged 24.4 points and 11.7 rebounds per game as a senior. In 2023–24, Akron forward Enrique Freeman claimed the honor after leading the conference with 19.0 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. The women's equivalent, established in 1983, went to Ball State forward Ally Becki in 2024–25 for her 17.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, while teammate Marie Kiefer was named Defensive Player of the Year. All-MAC teams for both genders, along with Sixth Player and Freshman of the Year awards, provide broader recognition, with selections based on regular-season performance.[150][151][152][152] Beyond performance-based honors, the MAC's Medal of Excellence, presented annually since 1982 to one male and one female graduating student-athlete per member institution, celebrates scholar-athletes excelling in academics (minimum 3.20 GPA), athletics, leadership, and community service. In 2025, recipients included Ohio's Miles Fleming (football) and Kelsi Harris (track and field), recognizing their 3.8+ GPAs alongside athletic contributions. This award underscores the conference's commitment to holistic development, with 24 honorees named each year.[153][154]Facilities
Football stadiums
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) football teams play their home games in a variety of on-campus stadiums across the Midwest and Northeast, with capacities ranging from 17,000 to over 30,000 seats. These venues, primarily built or renovated in the mid-20th century to early 2000s, emphasize intimate atmospheres that foster strong fan engagement despite their modest sizes compared to Power Five conference facilities. Most stadiums feature artificial turf surfaces and modern amenities like video boards and luxury suites, reflecting investments in student-athlete experience and game-day production.[155] The MAC Football Championship Game is held at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, a domed stadium with a capacity of 65,000 that has hosted the event annually since 2011. This neutral-site venue, home to the NFL's Detroit Lions, provides a professional-level setting for the conference title clash, drawing larger crowds than typical regular-season games. The 2025 championship is scheduled for December 6 at Ford Field.[156][108] Notable team venues include InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field, home of the Akron Zips since 2009, which offers 27,881 seats in a modern, open-air design with 522 club seats and proximity to downtown Akron. The Toledo Rockets play at the historic Glass Bowl, opened in 1937 and renovated multiple times, seating 26,038 fans in a bowl-shaped structure named for its glass factory surroundings and known for its passionate "Rocket" fanbase.[157][158] Recent updates to MAC stadiums highlight ongoing enhancements to improve fan and player experiences. At the University at Buffalo's UB Stadium, upgrades completed ahead of the 2025 season include a new high-definition video board, upgraded sound system, and an on-field fan section, though no capacity expansion occurred. Similarly, the University of Massachusetts integrated improvements to Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium upon rejoining the MAC in 2025, including a new high-definition scoreboard, additional restrooms, and plans for over $25 million in further facility investments to modernize the 17,000-seat venue.[159][160][161]| Team | Stadium | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron Zips | InfoCision Stadium–Summa Field | Akron, OH | 27,881[157] |
| Ball State Cardinals | Scheumann Stadium | Muncie, IN | 22,500 |
| Bowling Green Falcons | Doyt L. Perry Stadium | Bowling Green, OH | 24,000 |
| Buffalo Bulls | UB Stadium | Amherst, NY | 25,000 |
| Central Michigan Chippewas | Kelly/Shorts Stadium | Mount Pleasant, MI | 30,255 |
| Eastern Michigan Eagles | Rynearson Stadium | Ypsilanti, MI | 30,200 |
| Kent State Golden Flashes | Dix Stadium | Kent, OH | 20,500 |
| Miami RedHawks | Yager Stadium | Oxford, OH | 24,100 |
| Northern Illinois Huskies | Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium | DeKalb, IL | 23,595 |
| Ohio Bobcats | Peden Stadium | Athens, OH | 24,000 |
| Toledo Rockets | Glass Bowl | Toledo, OH | 26,038[158] |
| UMass Minutemen | Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium | Amherst, MA | 17,000[162] |
| Western Michigan Broncos | Waldo Stadium | Kalamazoo, MI | 30,000 |
Basketball arenas and other venues
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) basketball programs compete in a variety of on-campus arenas that provide dedicated spaces for men's and women's games, practices, and related events. These facilities, typically ranging in capacity from 5,000 to 14,000 seats, emphasize fan accessibility and modern amenities to enhance the game-day experience. The conference's postseason tournaments for both genders are centralized at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, a versatile downtown venue with a basketball-specific capacity of 19,432 that has hosted MAC championships since 2000.[163] Notable examples include Ball State University's John E. Worthen Arena in Muncie, Indiana, which seats 11,500 spectators and features a multi-sport configuration supporting basketball alongside volleyball and other indoor events. Similarly, the University of Massachusetts Amherst's William D. Mullins Memorial Center, known as the Mullins Center, accommodates 9,493 for basketball following its integration into the MAC in 2025; this arena, opened in 1993, is configured for conference play. Other prominent venues, such as the University at Buffalo's Alumni Arena (capacity 6,100), have incorporated recent technological improvements like high-definition video boards installed during the 2010s to boost production quality for broadcasts and fan engagement. Beyond basketball, MAC member institutions utilize specialized outdoor venues for baseball and soccer, often designed for both conference competitions and NCAA tournaments. The All-American Diamond at the University of Akron, a synthetic turf field with covered dugouts and premium seating for 1,500, serves as the primary home for Zips baseball and has hosted MAC Championship games. Soccer facilities, exemplified by Central Michigan University's CMU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex (capacity 1,000), feature natural grass surfaces and lighting for night matches, with several undergoing renovations such as drainage improvements and expanded bleachers to meet evolving NCAA standards. These multi-use sites underscore the conference's commitment to balanced athletic infrastructure across non-revenue sports.Athletic Department Revenue
Revenue sources and trends
The primary revenue sources for Mid-American Conference (MAC) athletic departments include institutional and government support, student fees, ticket sales, contributions and donations, corporate sponsorships, and distributions from the NCAA. Institutional support, which encompasses direct subsidies from university general funds, constitutes the largest share, accounting for approximately 47% of total conference-wide revenue in recent fiscal years. Student fees contribute around 19%, reflecting the reliance on mandatory athletic fees assessed to undergraduates to subsidize operations. Ticket sales and contributions from boosters provide additional generated income, while NCAA distributions—primarily from the Division I basketball fund and academic performance units—offer a stable but modest influx, typically in the low millions per school annually. Media rights deals, such as the ongoing agreement with ESPN, generate about $1-2 million per institution yearly, primarily through broadcasts on ESPN+ and linear networks. Corporate sponsorships and licensing further bolster earnings, though these remain secondary compared to institutional allocations.[164][165][166] In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the average total revenue per MAC athletic department reached approximately $35 million, marking a recovery from pandemic-related disruptions and highlighting the conference's dependence on non-generated funds amid limited commercial appeal. Post-COVID trends show a rebound in ticket sales and event attendance, with overall conference revenues growing by about 10-15% from 2020-21 lows, driven by resumed full-capacity crowds and normalized sponsorship activity. The addition of UMass as a full member in 2025 is expected to positively impact shared revenue pools, including enhanced media rights distributions and NCAA units, potentially increasing per-school allotments by 10-20% through expanded inventory and market reach. However, the rising influence of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities has introduced upward pressure on expenses, with MAC schools allocating growing portions of budgets—estimated at $2-5 million annually per program—to NIL collectives and incentives, straining margins without commensurate revenue gains.[165][167][168][169][19] As a Group of Five conference, the MAC faces structural challenges in revenue generation compared to Power conferences, including smaller media rights values and fewer high-profile matchups that limit ticket and sponsorship upside. This funding gap has widened post-2022, with MAC departments generating only about 20-30% of revenues from self-sustaining sources like tickets and media, versus over 70% for top-tier leagues, prompting increased reliance on student fees and institutional subsidies to maintain competitive balance. Ongoing NCAA revenue-sharing mandates, set to distribute up to $20 million per school starting in 2025-26, may further test these trends by accelerating expense growth without proportional income boosts for mid-majors.[170][171][166]School-by-school comparisons
The athletic departments of Mid-American Conference (MAC) schools exhibit significant variation in financial performance, largely influenced by factors such as football success, basketball attendance, and local market size. Data from the 2023-24 Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) reports reveal total revenues ranging from approximately $25 million to over $42 million across the 12 full-member institutions (pre-UMass addition), with an average of about $34.9 million. These figures primarily stem from ticket sales, media rights, donations, and conference distributions, though institutional subsidies and student fees often bridge gaps between revenues and expenses. Note that UMass joined as the 13th full member on July 1, 2025; revenue data for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which would include UMass, is not yet available as of November 2025.[172][19]| School | Total Revenue (2023-24) |
|---|---|
| Buffalo | $42,271,934 |
| Miami (OH) | $40,819,194 |
| Western Michigan | $40,487,398 |
| Toledo | $37,298,170 |
| Eastern Michigan | $37,094,526 |
| Central Michigan | $36,647,135 |
| Kent State | $34,453,185 |
| Ohio | $32,958,838 |
| Bowling Green | $32,044,229 |
| Akron | $30,010,416 |
| Ball State | $29,737,219 |
| Northern Illinois | $24,939,848 |
Source: EADA reports filed by institutions.[172] Expenses typically mirror or exceed revenues, averaging around $35-38 million per school, with football accounting for 30-40% of total operating costs in most cases due to travel, coaching salaries, and facilities maintenance. For instance, the University at Buffalo reported total expenses of $42.3 million in 2023-24, slightly above its revenue, while Northern Illinois faced expenses near $35 million amid ongoing budget challenges. Institutional subsidies, often comprising 40-60% of funding, cover these shortfalls; Central Michigan, for example, received over $20 million in direct university support and student fees to offset a $2-3 million deficit.[172] Revenue streams highlight disparities between football-centric programs and those emphasizing basketball or Olympic sports. Schools like Northern Illinois and Toledo, which prioritize football investments, derive 50-60% of revenues from gridiron-related sources such as bowl payouts and ticket sales, though NIU's lower total reflects recent on-field struggles and reduced attendance. In contrast, basketball-focused institutions like Kent State and Ball State generate 25-35% from hoops, bolstered by MAC tournament appearances, but rely more heavily on subsidies (up to 55% of budgets) to sustain non-revenue sports. With UMass joining as a full member in 2025, projections suggest it will contribute significantly to conference revenues, potentially elevating the average while introducing new subsidy dynamics.[172]