Wikipedia

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

ThePennsylvania State Athletic Conference(PSAC) is acollege athletic conferenceaffiliated with theNational Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA) at theDivision IIlevel. The conference was originally formed in 1951 as theState Teachers Conference,and was temporarily named thePennsylvania State Teachers College Conferencein 1956 before being assuming its current name in 1964.[1]

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded1951(1951)
CommissionerSteve Murray (since 1998)
Sports fielded
  • 23
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 12
DivisionDivision II
No. of teams17
HeadquartersLock Haven, Pennsylvania,U.S.
RegionPennsylvaniaandWest Virginia
Official websitewww.psacsports.org
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The conference's 17 full-time members include 16 based inPennsylvaniaand one inWest Virginia.The conference's headquarters are inLock Haven, Pennsylvaniaand staffed by a commissioner, two assistant commissioners, and a director of media relations.

History

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ThePennsylvania State System of Higher Educationorganized the conference in 1951 to promote competition in men's sports amongst the system's 14 universities.

In 1977, following growing interest, the conference was expanded to offer competition in women's sports. From its inception, each conference member selected its own competitive division within the NCAA (I, II, or III).

In 1980, however, the presidents voted to reclassify the entire conference toDivision IIwithin theNCAA.[2]

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
50km
30miles
Bloomsburg
West Chester
Slippery Rock
Shippensburg
Shepherd
Seton Hill
Pitt-Johnstown
Millersville
Mansfield
Lock Haven
Kutztown
IUP
Gannon
Edinboro
East Stroudsburg
Clarion
California
PSAC Member Locations:full
full, campus ofPennsylvania Western University
full, campus ofCommonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Membership remained unchanged until the conference announced on June 18, 2007, that it had invited three private universities—Gannon UniversityandMercyhurst CollegeinErie, PennsylvaniaandC.W. PostofBrookville, New York—to join the conference.[3]Gannon and Mercyhurst left theGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conferenceto join the PSAC, effective July 1, 2008.[4]C.W. Post became an associate member for football and field hockey.[5]

In 2010,Seton Hill Universitywas accepted to join the conference as an associate member for field hockey. With the transition of West Chester from Division I to Division II, the number of teams competing in field hockey increased from 10 to 12 for the 2011 season.[6]

On August 19, 2012, the PSAC announced that Seton Hill and theUniversity of Pittsburgh at Johnstown,formerly members of theWest Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference(WVIAC), would become full members beginning with the 2013–14 school year. This announcement was fallout from asplit in the WVIACthat ultimately led to the formation of theMountain East Conference(MEC). Although Seton Hill was one of the schools that initially broke away from the WVIAC, it chose not to join the MEC.[7]The arrival of these two schools brought the PSAC to 18 full members, making it the largest NCAA all-sports conference in terms of membership at that time.[8]While two other conferences briefly expanded to more members, the D-IILone Star Conferenceto 19 in 2019–20 and the D-IIIUSA South Athletic Conferenceto the same number in 2021–22, both have since reduced their memberships to less than 18, once again giving the PSAC the largest membership of any NCAA all-sports conference.[a][b]

In March 2018, charter memberCheyney University of Pennsylvania,facing crises in enrollment, graduation rates, and finances, announced that it would leave NCAA Division II and the PSAC at the end of the 2017–18 school year. The school had dropped football in December 2017.[9]

Later that year, the conference announced that it would expand intoWest Virginia,bringing inShepherd Universityfrom the MEC as a full member effective with the 2019–20 school year. Shepherd is the first full PSAC member outside of Pennsylvania.[10]

Role in Division I conference realignment

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The PSAC played a little-known but nonetheless significant role in the history ofNCAA Division I conference realignment.In 1986, the conference was seeking a way out of a football scheduling conundrum. The PSAC had 14 members at the time, and had been split into divisions for decades. One of the methods it historically used to determine a football champion involved a championship game between the winners of its two divisions. However, due to NCAA limits on regular-season games, every PSAC team had to leave a schedule spot open, with only the two division winners getting to play all of their allowed regular-season games. Then-conference commissioner Tod Eberle asked Dick Yoder, then athletic director at West Chester and member of the Division II council, to draft NCAA legislation that would allow the PSAC to play a conference title game that would be exempt from regular-season limits. The initial draft required that a qualifying league have 14 members and play a round-robin schedule within each division; only the PSAC then qualified.[11]

Before Yoder formally introduced the proposal, he was approached by theCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association,which was interested in co-sponsoring the legislation because it was also split into football divisions and wanted the option of a championship game. Since the CIAA then had 12 members, Yoder changed the legislation to require 12 members instead of 14. Although at the time all NCAA legislation had to be approved by the entire membership, regardless of divisional alignment, the proposal passed with little notice. It was generally seen as a non-issue byDivision I-A (now FBS)schools since no conference in that group then had more than 10 members. While the PSAC planned to stage its first exempt title game in 1988, it decided against doing so at that time because the D-II playoffs expanded from 8 to 16 teams that season, and it feared that the result of a title game could cost the league a playoff berth. The new NCAA rule would not see its first use until theSoutheastern Conferencetook advantage of it by expanding to 12 members in 1991 and launchinga title gamethe following year. In 2014, then-Sports Illustratedwriter Andy Staples said that the rule "helped dictate the terms of conference realignment for more than 20 years."[11]

Chronological timeline

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Notes
  1. ^After the LSC expanded to 19 members, it lost two to D-I transitions,Tarletonin 2020 andTexas A&M–Commercein 2022, leaving it at 17 members. After a single school year as a 19-member league, the USA South amicably split into two leagues; eight members left to form the newCollegiate Conference of the Southand 10 remained in the USA South, with one member leaving for a third conference.
  2. ^While the D-IIIMiddle Atlantic Conference,which had 18 members at two different times in the 21st century and now has 16, operates under a single administrative structure, it is actually an umbrella organization of three conferences. Its members are divided into two conferences,MAC CommonwealthandMAC Freedom,that each compete in the same set of 14 non-football sports, including men's and women's basketball. The third conference, known as the Middle Atlantic Conference (not to be confused with the umbrella organization), sponsors competition in 13 other sports, among them football, for Commonwealth and Freedom members.

Member schools

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Current members

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The PSAC currently has 17 full members, all but two beingpublicschools. Also, only three of the 15 public members are outside of thePennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania 1839 Public[a] 7,440 Huskies 1951
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania 1893 Public[a] 5,152 Warriors 1951
Gannon University Erie, Pennsylvania 1925 Catholic 4,705 Golden Knights 2008
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, Pennsylvania 1875 Public[a] 8,825 Crimson Hawks 1951
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Kutztown, Pennsylvania 1866 Public[a] 7,466 Golden Bears 1951
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania Lock Haven, Pennsylvania 1870 Public[a] 2,860 Bald Eagles 1951
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania Mansfield, Pennsylvania 1857 Public[a] 1,793 Mountaineers 1951
Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, Pennsylvania 1855 Public[a] 6,814 Marauders 1951
Pennsylvania Western University California
(California) 		California, Pennsylvania 1852 Public[a] 6,885 Vulcans 1951
Pennsylvania Western University Clarion
(Clarion) 		Clarion, Pennsylvania 1867 Public[a] 3,922 Golden Eagles 1951
Pennsylvania Western University Edinboro
(Edinboro) 		Edinboro, Pennsylvania 1857 Public[a] 4,319 Fighting Scots 1951
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Johnstown, Pennsylvania 1927 Public
(State-related) 		2,039 Mountain Cats 2013
Seton Hill University[b] Greensburg, Pennsylvania 1883 Catholic 1,989 Griffins 2013
Shepherd University Shepherdstown, West Virginia 1871 Public 3,235 Rams 2019
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, Pennsylvania 1871 Public[a] 5,162 Raiders 1951
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania 1889 Public[a] 8,243 The Rock 1951
West Chester University of Pennsylvania[c] West Chester, Pennsylvania 1871 Public[a] 17,275 Golden Rams 1951
Notes
  1. ^abcdefghijklmPart of thePennsylvania State System of Higher Education(PASSHE).
  2. ^Seton Hill competed in the PSAC as an affiliate member forfield hockeyfrom the 2011 to 2012 fall seasons (2011–12 to 2012–13 school years).
  3. ^West Chester had dual athletic conference membership with theMiddle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference(now known as the Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC)) from 1969–70 to 1973–74, and with theEast Coast Conference(ECC) from 1974–75 to 1981–82, then the Golden Rams left the ECC and the NCAA Division I ranks in order to fully align with the PSAC and the NCAA Division II ranks.

Former members

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The PSAC had two former full members, apublicschool and aprivate school:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Colors Current
conference
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Cheyney, Pennsylvania 1837 Public[a] 642 Wolves 1951 2018 Independent
Mercyhurst University Erie, Pennsylvania 1926 Catholic 2,801 Lakers 2008 2024 Northeast (NEC)[b]
Notes
  1. ^Part of thePennsylvania State System of Higher Education(PASSHE).
  2. ^Currently anNCAA Division Iathletic conference.

Affiliate members

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The PSAC has one affiliate member, apublicschool.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined PSAC
sport(s) 		Primary
conference
Frostburg State University Frostburg, Maryland 1898 Public Bobcats 2024–25[13] field hockey Mountain East (MEC)

Former affiliate members

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The PSAC had one former affiliate member, which was also aprivateschool:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left PSAC
sport(s) 		Primary
conference
Long Island University–Post Brookville, New York 1954 Nonsectarian Pioneers 2008–09 2012–13 Field hockey Northeast (NEC)[a][b]
Football
Note
  1. ^Currently anNCAA Division Iathletic conference.
  2. ^While LIU Post was a full member of theEast Coast Conference(ECC) from 1989 to 2019, neither of its PSAC sports were sponsored by the ECC. In 2013, Post moved both of its PSAC sports to theNortheast-10 Conference(NE-10). In July 2019,Long Island Universitymerged its two athletic programs—the LIU Post Pioneers and the Division ILIU Brooklyn Blackbirds—into a single Division I athletic program, theLIU Sharks.The merged program inherited Brooklyn's memberships in Division I and theNortheast Conference(NEC). Sports that had been sponsored by both campuses (among them field hockey) maintained LIU Brooklyn's NEC membership; sports that had been sponsored only by Post (among them football) became NEC members.

Membership timeline

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Frostburg State UniversityShepherd UniversityUniversity of Pittsburgh at JohnstownSeton Hill UniversityLIU PostMercyhurst UniversityGannon UniversityWest Chester UniversitySlippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaShippensburg University of PennsylvaniaMillersville University of PennsylvaniaMansfield University of PennsylvaniaLock Haven University of PennsylvaniaKutztown University of PennsylvaniaIndiana University of PennsylvaniaPennWest EdinboroEast Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaPennWest ClarionCheyney University of PennsylvaniaPennWest CaliforniaBloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football) Associate member (sport)

Sports

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In wrestling; Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro, and Lock Haven compete as members of the Division IMid-American Conference.The PSAC held an annual championship open to all Division I and Division II teams, however with the transition of all of the former members of theEastern Wrestling Leagueinto the MAC starting in 2019 the Division I level PSAC programs will focus on Division I level competition. The PSAC offers championships in the following sports.[14]

A 2-divisional format is used for baseball, basketball (M / W), football, and tennis (W). A 3-divisional format is used for softball. A 4-divisional format is used for volleyball.
East
  • Bloomsburg
  • East Stroudsburg
  • Kutztown
  • Lock Haven
  • Mansfield
  • Millersville
  • Shepherd
  • Shippensburg
  • West Chester
West
  • California
  • Clarion
  • Edinboro
  • Gannon
  • IUP
  • Mercyhurst
  • Pitt–Johnstown
  • Seton Hill
  • Slippery Rock
East
  • East Stroudsburg
  • Kutztown
  • Millersville
  • Shepherd
  • Shippensburg
  • West Chester
Central
  • Bloomsburg
  • Clarion
  • IUP
  • Lock Haven
  • Mansfield
  • Pitt–Johnstown
West
  • California
  • Edinboro
  • Gannon
  • Mercyhurst
  • Seton Hill
  • Slippery Rock
Central
  • Bloomsburg
  • East Stroudsburg
  • Kutztown
  • Lock Haven
  • Millersville
Northwest
  • Clarion
  • Edinboro
  • Gannon
  • Mercyhurst
  • Slippery Rock
Southeast
  • Millersville
  • Shepherd
  • Shippensburg
  • West Chester
Southwest
  • California
  • IUP
  • Pitt–Johnstown
  • Seton Hill
Conference sports
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball Y
Basketball Y Y
Cross Country Y Y
Field Hockey Y
Football Y
Golf Y Y
Lacrosse Y
Soccer Y Y
Softball Y
Swimming&Diving Y Y
Tennis Y Y
Track & Field Indoor Y Y
Track & Field Outdoor Y Y
Volleyball Y
Wrestling Y

Men's sponsored sports by school

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School Baseball Basketball Cross
Country 		Football Golf Soccer Swimming
& Diving 		Tennis Track
& Field
Indoor 		Track
& Field
Outdoor 		Wrestling Total
PSAC
Sports
Bloomsburg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
California Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Clarion Y Y Y Y Y 5
East Stroudsburg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Edinboro Y Y Y Y Y Y 6
Gannon Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Indiana Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Kutztown Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Lock Haven Y Y Y Y Y Y 6
Mansfield Y Y Y Y Y 5
Millersville Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7
Pittsburgh–Johnstown Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Seton Hill Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Shepherd Y Y Y Y Y Y 6
Shippensburg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
Slippery Rock Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7
West Chester Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
Totals 16 17 14 15 8 12 7 6 11 13 8 126

Women's sponsored sports by school

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School Basketball Cross
Country 		Field
Hockey 		Golf Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming
& Diving 		Tennis Track
& Field
Indoor 		Track
& Field
Outdoor 		Volleyball Total
PSAC
Sports
Bloomsburg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
California Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
Clarion Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
East Stroudsburg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12
Edinboro Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
Gannon Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Indiana Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
Kutztown Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12
Lock Haven Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
Mansfield Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7
Millersville Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12
Pittsburgh–Johnstown Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7
Seton Hill Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
Shepherd Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7
Shippensburg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
Slippery Rock Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
West Chester Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12
Totals 17 16 10+1[a] 9 13 17 17 12 13 15 15 16 170
  1. ^Affiliate member Frostburg State.

Other sponsored sports by school

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School Men Women
Lacrosse Water
Polo[a] 		Wrestling[b] Acrobatics &
Tumbling[c] 		Bowling[a] Equestrian[c] Field
Hockey[d] 		Gymnastics[a] Rugby[c] Water
Polo[a] 		Wrestling[c]
Bloomsburg MAC
Clarion MAC
East Stroudsburg IND IND
Edinboro MAC
Gannon WWPA IND WWPA IND
Kutztown IND ECC
Lock Haven MAC A-10 IND
Seton Hill G-MAC IND
West Chester ECAC NIRA
  1. ^abcdDe facto Division I sport. These sports have a single NCAA championship open to members of all three divisions.
  2. ^The PSAC members listed in this table all compete in Division I men's wrestling.
  3. ^abcdPart of theNCAA Emerging Sports for Womenprogram.
  4. ^Lock Haven competes in Division I field hockey.

In addition to the above:

  • Edinboro sponsors coeducational varsity teams in esports and wheelchair basketball.
  • Gannon recognizes its cheerleaders (both male and female) and all-female dance team as varsity athletes.
  • Mansfield fields a varsity team insprint football,a weight-restricted form of football played under standard NCAA rules but governed outside the NCAA.
  • Shepherd and West Chester recognize their female cheerleaders, but not their male ones, as varsity athletes.

Championships

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Main articles:PSAC Football Championship GameandPSAC men's basketball tournament

Conference venues

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School Football stadium Capacity Basketball arena Capacity Other facilities
Bloomsburg Robert B. Redman Stadium
4,775
 Nelson Fieldhouse
3,000
 Jan Hutchinson Field
Danny Litwhiler Field
Steph Pettit Stadium
California Hepner-Bailey Field at Adamson Stadium
6,500
 California University of Pennsylvania Convocation Center
4,000
 Wild Things Park
Phillipsburg Soccer Facility
Lilley Field
Hamer Hall
Clarion Memorial Field
5,000
 W.S. Tippin Gymnasium
4,000
East Stroudsburg Eiler-Martin Stadium
6,000
 Koehler Fieldhouse
2,000
 Whitenight Field
Mitterling Field
Zimbar Field
Edinboro Sox Harrison Stadium
6,000
 McComb Fieldhouse
3,500
 Zafirovski Sports and Recreation Dome
Gannon McConnell Family Stadium
2,500
 Hammermill Center
2,800
IUP George P. Miller Stadium
6,000
 Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex
6,000
 Dougherty Field
Podbielski Field
Memorial Field House
South Campus Field
Kutztown University Field at Andre Reed Stadium
5,600
 Keystone Field House
3,400
 O'Pake Field House
Keystone Field
North Campus Field
Lock Haven Hubert Jack Stadium
3,500
 Thomas Fieldhouse
2,500
 Foundation Field
Lawrence Field
Charlotte Smith Field
Zimmerli Gymnasium
Mansfield
non-football school
 Decker Gymnasium
2,000
 Lutes Field
Spaulding Field
Shaute Field
Soccer Field
Millersville Biemesderfer Stadium
6,500
 Pucillo Gymnasium
2,850
 Cooper Park
Millersville Softball Field
Pittsburgh–Johnstown
non-football school
 Sports Center
2,400
 Point Stadium(baseball)
Seton Hill Offutt Field
5,000
 Salvitti Gymnasium
1,200
 Dick's Sporting Goods Field
Shepherd Ram Stadium
5,000
 Butcher Center — Fairfax Baseball Field
Shepherd Softball Field
Shippensburg Seth Grove Stadium
7,700
 Heiges Field House
2,768
 Robb Field
David See Field
Art Fairchild Field
Slippery Rock N. Kerr Thompson Stadium
10,000
 Morrow Field House
3,000
 Egli Soccer Field
Critchfield Park
West Chester John A. Farrell Stadium
7,500
 Hollinger Field House
2,500
 Vonnie Gros Field
Serpico Stadium

Notable alumni

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The following is a list of alumni of the respective universities, including before the formation of the Conference in 1951.

Kurt Angle,gold medalist,freestyle wrestling,1996 Summer Olympics
Andre Reed,Pro Football Hall of Famemember
Vivian Stringer

Football

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Baseball

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Basketball

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Soccer

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Olympians

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See also

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References

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  1. ^"Clarion Men's Basketball - Year by Year Records (PDF)"(PDF).Clarion University.Archived(PDF)from the original on March 19, 2022.RetrievedMarch 19,2022.
  2. ^"PSAC Overview".PSAC. Archived fromthe originalon November 27, 2010.RetrievedSeptember 10,2010.
  3. ^"PSAC invites, Gannon, Mercyhurst to be full members".The Vindicator.June 19, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon March 20, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 10,2010.
  4. ^"PSAC adds Gannon University and Mercyhurst College to Membership".PSAC. June 27, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2007.RetrievedSeptember 10,2010.
  5. ^"PSAC admits C.W. Post as associate members in two sports".Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.June 28, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon January 31, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 10,2010.
  6. ^"Seton Hill to Join PSAC as Field Hockey Associate Member".October 26, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 2010.RetrievedOctober 27,2010.
  7. ^Rine, Shawn (August 20, 2012)."Cards, Toppers Set To Jump Into New League".The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register.Wheeling, WV.RetrievedAugust 21,2012.
  8. ^"University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Seton Hill University to Join PSAC"(Press release). Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. August 19, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2013.RetrievedAugust 21,2012.
  9. ^Bell, Daryl (March 23, 2018)."Cheyney University dropping sports in an attempt to strengthen academics and school".Andscape.Archivedfrom the original on March 25, 2018.RetrievedMarch 25,2018.
  10. ^"Shepherd University to Join PSAC in 2019–20"(Press release). Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. June 7, 2018. Archived fromthe originalon June 19, 2018.RetrievedJune 19,2018.
  11. ^abStaples, Andy (May 16, 2014)."Should NCAA alter title game requirements? Look at the rule's origin".Sports Illustrated.RetrievedJanuary 5,2016.
  12. ^"Welcome To The Lake Show: Mercyhurst University Accepts Northeast Conference Membership Invite"(Press release). Northeast Conference. April 4, 2024.RetrievedApril 4,2024.
  13. ^"PSAC announces addition of Frostburg State field hockey as Associate Member beginning in 2024 season"(Press release). Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. May 30, 2023.RetrievedMay 30,2023.
  14. ^"Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference".Archived fromthe originalon September 24, 2009.RetrievedSeptember 22,2009.
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