Wrestling | 3/5/2019 3:04:00 PM

COMPLETE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE RELEASE

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today a historic membership expansion in the sport of wrestling as the MAC has added seven new affiliate members – Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro, Lock Haven, Rider, George Mason, and Cleveland State – to begin competing in the MAC with the 2019-20 wrestling season.
 
The addition of seven new affiliate members increases MAC wrestling membership to 15 total members. Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro, Lock Haven, Rider, George Mason, and Cleveland State all have joined the MAC from the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) making the MAC the second largest NCAA Division I Wrestling conference.

"Bloomsburg University is honored by the invitation to join the Mid-American Conference for our Division I wrestling program," said Bloomsburg Director of Athletics, Dr. Michael McFarland. "It is important to preserve our historic rivalries with the EWL opponents and create new rivalries and expand our competition with MAC institutions as we enter this agreement.  This new conference alignment supports Division I wrestling and the opportunities for our student-athletes will be expanded."

"We are extremely excited to be joining the MAC," said Huskies' head coach Marcus Gordon. "Our overall schedule won't change a lot based on the league being setup in divisions but, with the tradition and the prestige of the MAC, this opportunity will help continue to build our wrestling program and keep us moving forward. It is a tremendous move, not only for Bloomsburg University, but for Division I wrestling as a whole."
 

MAC wrestling membership includes Buffalo, Central Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois and Ohio, along with current affiliate members Missouri (since 2013), Old Dominion (since 2013) and SIU-Edwardsville (since 2018).  The eight current MAC members will compete in the 2019 MAC Wrestling Championship on March 8-9 in Norfolk, Va. on the campus of Old Dominion University.  Next season, the 15 MAC wrestling programs will compete in the 2020 MAC Wrestling Championship on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill.
 
This addition to wrestling membership enhances the MAC's stature as one of the leading Division I Wrestling Conferences in the nation with legendary collegiate wrestling programs and solidifies membership and future growth in the sport of wrestling.  This addition will also provide the MAC footprint across the Midwest towards the East Coast.
 
"I am pleased to welcome our new additions to the Mid-American Conference that have strong traditions in the sport of wrestling. Our membership spent significant time discussing and studying the possible inclusion of these new members and we believe this will strengthen what has already grown into an elite wrestling league," said Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher, Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference.  "This addition of affiliate members is good for the Mid-American Conference, and good for collegiate wrestling. It broadens our footprint across a part of the country where youth, high school, and collegiate wrestling is very strong. I look forward to the 2019-20 season when our new and enhanced membership begins competition."
 
The Bloomsburg University wrestling program has amassed 610 victories since the program's inception in 1936 and has collected 13 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships and two Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) titles – 1981 and 1993. All told, the Huskies have posted 52 seasons with a .500 record or better of the 67 years the school has had a program.
 
Bloomsburg has had at least one NCAA qualifier in 42 of 49 years dating back to the 1969-70 season including two individual NCAA champions (four total) – Floyd "Shorty" Hitchcock in 1974 and Ricky Bonomo in 1985, 1986 and 1987 – and 23 NCAA Division I All-Americans. Bloomsburg also had 12 NAIA National Champions from 1960 to 1971 and has had 18 wrestlers finish with a least 100 victories. The Huskies, however, will be looking to get their first qualifier(s) since getting six in the 2013-14 season.
 
Gordon is currently in his third season at the helm of the program. Bloomsburg has seen steady improvement in each of Gordon's three years guiding the Huskies. Last season, Bloomsburg finished fifth at the EWL tournament after three consecutive seventh-place finishes at the event. The Huskies will be looking to build off of that performance this Saturday, March 9, when they head to George Mason University for the final EWL Tournament. Action is slated to get underway at 10:00 a.m.
 
On the heels of the move, Bloomsburg, along with Clarion, Edinboro, and Lock Haven, will no longer participate in the PSAC annual wrestling championship. The PSAC Championship will now be a solely Division II Championship.
 
About the Mid-American Conference
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of ten members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five (5) states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.

Current full member institutions and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947).  The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

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