Mid-American Conference facts for kids
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a group of colleges that play sports together. These schools are mostly found in the Great Lakes area of the United States. The MAC supports many different sports for both guys and girls.
It's part of the NCAA Division I, which is the highest level for college sports. In football, the MAC is one of the top 10 conferences.
The MAC started in 1946 with five schools. These schools were in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Today, only one of those first schools, Ohio University, is still a member. Most of the current schools are still in those three states.
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Sports You Can Play in the MAC
The Mid-American Conference offers many exciting sports. Here are the sports available for students:
- Baseball (for guys only)
- Basketball (for both guys and girls)
- Cross country (for both guys and girls)
- Field hockey (for girls only)
- Football (for guys only)
- Golf (for both guys and girls)
- Gymnastics (for girls only)
- Soccer (for both guys and girls)
- Softball (for girls only)
- Swimming and diving (for both guys and girls)
- Tennis (for both guys and girls)
- Track and field, indoor (for both guys and girls)
- Track and field, outdoor (for both guys and girls)
- Volleyball (for girls only)
- Wrestling (for guys only)
MAC Member Schools
The MAC has different types of member schools. Some are "full members" and play many sports. Others are "associate members" and play only one or two sports.
Full Member Schools
There are 12 full member schools in the MAC. All of them are public universities. Each school plays in at least 15 different MAC sports.
Every full member school plays football, baseball, and basketball (for both guys and girls). They also all play these girls' sports: cross country, soccer, softball, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball. For many sports, the conference is split into two groups: the East Division and the West Division.
| School | Location | Started | Type | Team Nickname | Joined MAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Division | |||||
| University of Akron | Akron, Ohio | 1870 | Public | Zips | 1992 |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, Ohio | 1910 | Public | Falcons | 1952 |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo, New York | 1846 | Public | Bulls | 1998 |
| Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | 1910 | Public | Golden Flashes | 1981 |
| Miami University | Oxford, Ohio | 1809 | Public | RedHawks | 1977 |
| Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | 1804 | Public | Bobcats | 1948 |
| West Division | |||||
| Ball State University | Muncie, Indiana | 1918 | Public | Cardinals | 1973 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, Michigan | 1892 | Public | Chippewas | 1971 |
| Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, Michigan | 1892 | Public | Eagles | 1971 |
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, Illinois | 1895 | Public | Huskies | 1975, 1997 |
| University of Toledo | Toledo, Ohio | 1872 | Public | Rockets | 1950 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, Michigan | 1903 | Public | Broncos | 1947 |
Associate Member Schools
The MAC also has nine "associate members." These schools play only one or two sports in the conference. Only one of these schools plays two sports in the MAC.
| School | Location | Started | Type | Sport(s) | Main Conference | Team Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton University | Vestal, New York | 1946 | Public | Men's tennis | America East | Bearcats |
| University of Evansville | Evansville, Indiana | 1854 | Private | Men's swimming and diving | Missouri Valley | Purple Aces |
| Longwood University | Farmville, Virginia | 1839 | Public | Field hockey | Big South | Lancers |
| University of Missouri | Columbia, Missouri | 1839 | Public | Wrestling | SEC | Tigers |
| Missouri State University | Springfield, Missouri | 1905 | Public | Field hockey, men's swimming and diving |
Missouri Valley | Bears |
| University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls, Iowa | 1876 | Public | Wrestling | Missouri Valley | Panthers |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 1930 | Public | Wrestling | Conference USA | Monarchs |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | Carbondale, Illinois | 1869 | Public | Men's swimming and diving | Missouri Valley | Salukis |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | 1867 | Public | Men's soccer | Big 12 | Mountaineers |
Future Associate Member
Another school will join the MAC for one sport in July 2017.
| School | Location | Started | Type | Sport(s) | Main Conference | Team Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Boone, North Carolina | 1899 | Public | Field hockey | Sun Belt | Mountaineers |
See also
In Spanish: Mid-American Conference para niños
