Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) |
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Established | 1970 |
Association | NCAA |
Division | Division I FCS |
Members | 12 [A] |
Sports fielded | 15 (men's: 7; women's: 8) |
Region | South Atlantic |
Headquarters | Norfolk, Virginia |
Commissioner | Dennis E. Thomas (since 2002) |
Website | www.meacsports.com |
Locations | |
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the Southeastern United States. It participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I, and in football, in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Currently, the MEAC has automatic qualifying bids for NCAA postseason play in baseball (since 1994), men’s basketball (since 1981), women’s basketball (since 1982), football (since 1996), softball (since 1995), men and women’s tennis (since 1998), and volleyball (since 1994). Bowling was officially sanctioned as a MEAC governed sport in 1999. Before that season, the MEAC was the first conference to secure NCAA sanctioning for women’s bowling by adopting the club sport prior to the 1996-97 school year.
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History
In 1969, a group, whose members were long associated with interscholastic athletics, met in Durham, North Carolina with the purpose of discussing the organization of a new conference. After the formulation of a committee, and their research reported, seven institutions: Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State College agreed to become the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.[1] The conference's main goals were to establish and supervise an intercollegiate athletic program among a group of educational institutions that shared the same academic standards and philosophy of co-curricular activities and seek status as a Division I conference for all of its sports.
The conference was confirmed in 1970, and had its first season of competition in football in 1971. The MEAC has had to date, three full-time commissioners.[1] In 1978, the MEAC selected its first full-time commissioner, Kenneth A. Free, who served as Commissioner until he resigned in 1995. He was succeeded by Charles S. Harris, who served at the position until 2002. On September 1, 2002, Dennis E. Thomas became the conference’s commissioner.
The MEAC experienced its first expansion in 1979 when Bethune–Cookman College (Now Bethune–Cookman University) and Florida A&M University were admitted as new members. That same year, founding members Morgan State University, North Carolina Central University and University of Maryland Eastern Shore withdrew from the conference. All three schools eventually returned to the conference; Maryland Eastern Shore rejoined in 1981, Morgan State in 1984, and North Carolina Central in 2010.
On June 8, 1980, the MEAC was classified as a Division I conference by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Prior to that year, the league operated as a Division II conference. The following month the MEAC received an automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
In 1984, membership in the MEAC again changed as Florida A&M chose to leave. The university would return to the conference two years later. Coppin State College, now Coppin State University, joined the conference in 1985. The MEAC would find stability in membership with the addition of two HBCUs in Virginia, Hampton University and Norfolk State University in 1995 and 1997 respectively. For the next 10 years, the MEAC would remain an 11 member conference. In 2007, former CIAA member Winston-Salem State University was granted membership, but announced on September 11, 2009 that it would return to Division II at the end of 2009-2010 and apply to return to the CIAA.[2]
North Carolina Central University rejoined the conference effective July 1, 2010.[3][4] NCCU was one of seven founding member institutions of the MEAC, but withdrew from the conference in 1979, opting to remain a Division II member when the conference reclassified to Division I.[3]
Savannah State University was announced as the newest member of the MEAC on March 10, 2010.[4] Savannah State originally applied for membership into the MEAC in 2006 but faced an NCAA probationary period soon after. Membership was then deferred until the completion of the imposed probation period, which ended in May 2009. Savannah State then resubmitted their application for membership again in 2009 and was finally granted probationary membership status.[4] On September 8, 2011, the university was confirmed as a full member of the MEAC Conference, making the Tigers eligible to participate in all conference championships and earn the conference's automatic berth to NCAA postseason competition in all sponsored sports. [5]
Membership
Current members
Membership in the MEAC has fluctuated through the years, but now stands at thirteen schools.
Institution | Nickname | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Tenure | NCAA Championships |
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Bethune–Cookman | Wildcats | Daytona Beach, Florida | 1904 | Private | 3,614[6] | 1979–present | |
Coppin State | Eagles | Baltimore, Maryland | 1900 | Public | 3,801[7] | 1985–present | |
Delaware State | Hornets | Dover, Delaware | 1891 | Public | 3,609[8] | 1970–present | |
Florida A&M | Rattlers | Tallahassee, Florida | 1887 | Public | 12,274[9] | 1979–1984, 1986–present |
1 (1978) |
Hampton | Pirates | Hampton, Virginia | 1868 | Private | 5,402[10] | 1995–present | |
Howard | Bison | Washington, D.C. | 1867 | Private | 10,573[11] | 1970–present | 2 (1971[A], 1974) |
Maryland Eastern Shore | Hawks | Princess Anne, Maryland | 1886 | Public | 4,433[12] | 1970–1979, 1981–present |
2 (2008, 2011)[13] |
Morgan State | Bears | Baltimore, Maryland | 1867 | Public | 7,226[14] | 1970–1979, 1984–present |
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Norfolk State | Spartans | Norfolk, Virginia | 1935 | Public | 6,993[15] | 1997–present | |
North Carolina A&T | Aggies | Greensboro, North Carolina | 1891 | Public | 10,614[16] | 1970–present | |
North Carolina Central | Eagles | Durham, North Carolina | 1910 | Public | 8,587[17] | 1970–1979, 2010–present |
1 (1989) |
Savannah State University | Tigers | Savannah, Georgia | 1890 | Public | 3,820[18] | 2010–present | |
South Carolina State | Bulldogs | Orangeburg, South Carolina | 1896 | Public | 4,538[19] | 1970–present |
Membership timeline
Former members
Institution | Years | New Conference |
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Winston-Salem State University | 2007-2010 | CIAA |
Conference facilities
Sports
Member universities compete in the following sports:
Championships
Current Champions
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Football
Season | Champion(s) |
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1971 | Morgan State |
1972 | North Carolina Central |
1973 | North Carolina Central |
1974 | South Carolina State |
1975 | South Carolina State |
1976 | South Carolina State |
1977 | South Carolina State |
1978 | South Carolina State |
1979 | Morgan State |
1980 | South Carolina State |
1981 | South Carolina State |
1982 | South Carolina State |
1983 | South Carolina State |
1984 | Bethune-Cookman |
1985 | Delaware State |
1986 | North Carolina A&T State |
1987 | Howard |
1988 | Bethune-Cookman Delaware State Florida A&M |
1989 | Delaware State |
1990 | Florida A&M |
1991 | North Carolina A&T State |
1992 | North Carolina A&T State |
1993 | Howard |
1994 | South Carolina State |
1995 | Florida A&M |
1996 | Florida A&M |
1997 | Hampton |
1998 | Florida A&M Hampton |
1999 | North Carolina A&T State |
2000 | Florida A&M |
2001 | Florida A&M |
2002 | Bethune-Cookman |
2003 | North Carolina A&T State |
2004 | Hampton South Carolina State |
2005 | Hampton |
2006 | Hampton |
2007 | Delaware State |
2008 | South Carolina State |
2009 | South Carolina State |
2010 | Bethune-Cookman[C], South Carolina State Florida A&M |
2011 | Norfolk State |
Men's basketball
On June 8, 1980, the MEAC earned the classification as a Division I conference by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Since 1981, the MEAC has received an qualifying bid to for NCAA post season play in the sport of basketball. In three cases, MEAC schools seeded 15th (Coppin State in 1997, Hampton in 2001, Norfolk State in 2012) defeated second-seeded teams in the NCAA tournament. In 2008, Coppin State again made history by being the first 20-loss team to play in the NCAA Tournament.
Season | Regular season champion(s) | Tournament champion |
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1972 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1973 | Maryland Eastern Shore | North Carolina A&T State |
1974 | Maryland Eastern Shore | Maryland Eastern Shore |
1975 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1976 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1977 | South Carolina State | Morgan State |
1978 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1979 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1980 | Howard | Howard |
1981 | North Carolina A&T State | Howard |
1982 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1983 | Howard | North Carolina A&T State |
1984 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1985 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1986 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1987 | Howard | North Carolina A&T State |
1988 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
1989 | South Carolina State | South Carolina State |
1990 | Coppin State | Coppin State University |
1991 | Coppin State | Florida A&M |
1992 | Howard | Howard |
1993 | Coppin State | Coppin State |
1994 | Coppin State | North Carolina A&T State |
1995 | Coppin State | North Carolina A&T State |
1996 | Coppin State South Carolina State |
South Carolina State |
1997 | Coppin State | Coppin State |
1998 | Coppin State | South Carolina State |
1999 | South Carolina State Coppin State |
Florida A&M |
2000 | South Carolina State | South Carolina State |
2001 | Hampton | Hampton |
2002 | Hampton | Hampton |
2003 | South Carolina State | South Carolina State |
2004 | South Carolina State Coppin State |
Florida A&M |
2005 | Delaware State | Delaware State |
2006 | Delaware State | Hampton |
2007 | Delaware State | Florida A&M |
2008 | Morgan State | Coppin State |
2009 | Morgan State | Morgan State |
2010 | Morgan State | Morgan State |
2011 | Bethune-Cookman | Hampton |
2012 | Savannah State | Norfolk State |
Tournaments Performance by school
School | Championships | Championship Years |
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North Carolina A&T State |
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1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995 |
South Carolina State |
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1989, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003 |
Coppin State |
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1990, 1993, 1997, 2008 |
Florida A&M |
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1991, 1994, 2004, 2007 |
Howard |
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1980, 1981, 1992 |
Hampton |
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2001, 2002, 2006, 2011 |
Morgan State |
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1977, 2009, 2010 |
Maryland-Eastern Shore |
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1974 |
Delaware State |
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2005 |
Women's basketball
Season | Regular season champion(s) | Tournament champion |
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1978 | – | South Carolina State |
1979 | – | South Carolina State |
1980 | – | – |
1981 | – | – |
1982 | – | Howard |
1983 | – | South Carolina State |
1984 | South Carolina State | Bethune-Cookman |
1985 | South Carolina State | Howard |
1986 | South Carolina State | South Carolina State |
1987 | Howard | Howard |
1988 | North Carolina A&T State | Howard |
1989 | North Carolina A&T State | Howard |
1990 | North Carolina A&T State | Howard |
1991 | South Carolina State | Coppin State |
1992 | South Carolina State | South Carolina State |
1993 | South Carolina State Coppin State Florida A&M |
South Carolina State |
1994 | South Carolina State | North Carolina A&T State |
1995 | Florida A&M | Florida A&M |
1996 | Florida A&M | Howard |
1997 | Howard | Howard |
1998 | Howard | Howard |
1999 | Hampton | Florida A&M |
2000 | Howard | Hampton |
2001 | Howard | Howard |
2002 | Howard | Norfolk State |
2003 | Hampton | Hampton |
2004 | Delaware State Hampton |
Hampton |
2005 | Coppin State | Coppin State |
2006 | Coppin State | Coppin State |
2007 | Coppin State | Delaware State |
2008 | North Carolina A&T State | Coppin State |
2009 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
2010 | North Carolina A&T State | Hampton University |
2011 | Hampton | Hampton |
2012 | Hampton |
Softball
Bethune-Cookman won the Florida Regional in 2005, the first NCAA Regional Final ever won by a MEAC school, and ended that season ranked #18 in a national poll.[20]
Season | Champion(s) |
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1993 | Florida A&M |
1994 | Florida A&M |
1995 | Florida A&M |
1996 | Hampton |
1997 | Florida A&M |
1998 | Florida A&M |
1999 | Florida A&M |
2000 | Bethune-Cookman |
2001 | Bethune-Cookman |
2002 | Bethune-Cookman |
2003 | Bethune-Cookman |
2004 | Bethune-Cookman |
2005 | Florida A&M |
2006 | Florida A&M |
2007 | Howard |
Baseball
Season | Regular season champion(s) | Tournament champion |
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1972 | Howard | |
1973 | South Carolina State | |
1974 | North Carolina A&T | |
1975 | Howard | |
1976 | Howard | |
1977 | Howard | |
1978 | No Records Available | |
1979 | No Records Available | |
1980 | No Records Available | |
1981 | No Records Available | |
1982 | No Records Available | |
1983 | No Records Available | |
1984 | Howard | |
1985 | Bethune-Cookman | |
1986 | Howard | |
1987 | Florida A&M | |
1988 | Florida A&M | |
1989 | Delaware State | |
1990 | Florida A&M | |
1991 | Florida A&M | |
1992 | Florida A&M | |
1993 | North Carolina A&T State | |
1994 | Florida A&M | |
1995 | Coppin State | |
1996 | Bethune-Cookman | |
1997 | Bethune-Cookman | |
1998 | Howard | |
1999 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2000 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2001 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2002 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2003 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2004 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2005 | North Carolina A&T State | North Carolina A&T State |
2006 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2007 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2008 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2009 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
2010 | Bethune-Cookman | Bethune-Cookman |
African American topics | |
Political movements
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Sports
Negro league baseball |
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Ethnic sub-divisions
Black Indians · Gullah · Igbo |
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Diaspora
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Category · Portal | |
Notes
- A.^ Howard was later disqualified from their 1971 NCAA soccer championship, however, no team was ever announced as the new champion.
- B.^ Coppin State has a club football team that competes in the Mid Atlantic Conference of the National Club Football Association. This team does compete at an on campus facility.
- C.^ Bethune-Cookman receives NCAA Division-I FCS Playoff Automatic Qualifying bid via MEAC Conference tiebreaker system.
References
- ^ a b MEAC History
- ^ "WSSU Decides To Stay In Division II Athletics". D2Football.com. digtriad.com. 2009-09-11. http://www.d2football.com/viewnews.php?id=10962. Retrieved 2009-09-12.
- ^ a b "North Carolina Central University joins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference". Onnidan.com. 2009-09-10. http://www.onnidan.com/09-10/news/september/nccu-meac091009.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
- ^ a b c "Savannah State University Joins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference". Onnidan.com. 2010-03-10. http://www.meacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&ATCLID=204905645&DB_OEM_ID=20800. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ "N.C. Central and Savannah State Become Full Members". MEACSports.com. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. http://www.meacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=20800&ATCLID=205268476. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/bethune-cookman-university-1467
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/coppin-state-university-2068
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/delaware-state-university-1428
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/florida-a-m-university-1480
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/hampton-university-3714
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/howard-university-1448
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-maryland-eastern-shore-2106
- ^ http://www.ncaa.com/news/bowling/2011-04-16/umes-takes-home-2011-crown
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/morgan-state-university-2083
- ^ http://collegeapps.about.com/od/collegeprofiles/p/norfolk-state-university.htm
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/north-carolina-a-t-state-university-2905
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/north-carolina-central-university-2950
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/savannah-state-university-1590
- ^ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/south-carolina-state-university-3446
- ^ "MEAC History" (PDF). meacsports.com. http://www.meacsports.com/meac_history/meac_history.pdf. Retrieved 2008-03-17.[dead link]
External links
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