Mid-Continent Conference
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| Mid-Continent Conference | |
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| Data | |
| Established | 1982 |
| Members | 8 |
| Sports fielded | 19 (9 men's, 10 women's) |
| Region | Midwest United States |
| States | 7 - Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Utah |
| Past names | Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU) 1982-1989 |
| Headquarters | Elmhurst, Illinois |
| Commissioner | Tom Douple |
| Locations | |
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The Mid-Continent Conference (Mid-Con) is an NCAA Division I college athletic conference which operates primarily in the Midwestern United States, with outlying teams in Louisiana and Utah. The conference is in the process of acquiring and administering the Great West Football Conference, of which one current and two future members are affiliated.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Membership
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined | Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centenary College of Louisiana | Shreveport, Louisiana | 1825 | Private/Methodist | 1,006 | 2003 | Gentlemen and Ladies |
| Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1969 | Public | 29,000 | 1998 | Jaguars |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City | Kansas City, Missouri | 1933 | Public | 14,226 | 1994 | Kangaroos |
| Oakland University | Rochester, Michigan | 1957 | Public | 17,340 | 1998 | Golden Grizzlies |
| Oral Roberts University | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 1963 | Private/Christian | 5,234 | 1997 | Golden Eagles |
| Southern Utah University | Cedar City, Utah | 1897 | Public | 5,881 | 1997 | Thunderbirds and Lady Thunderbirds |
| Valparaiso University | Valparaiso, Indiana | 1859 | Private/Lutheran | 4,000 | 1982 | Crusaders |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois | 1899 | Public | 13,600 | 1982 | Fighting Leathernecks and Westerwinds |
[edit] Associate members
- Eastern Illinois University (November 3, 2005 - swimming and diving)
- South Dakota State University (November 3, 2005 - swimming and diving)
[edit] Departing members
- Valparaiso University (Horizon League), 1982 - July 1, 2007[2]
[edit] Future members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joining | Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State University | Fargo, North Dakota | 1890 | Public | 10,596 | 2007 | Bison |
| South Dakota State University | Brookings, South Dakota | 1881 | Public | 9,208 | 2007 | Jackrabbits |
| Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, Indiana | 1917 | Public | 11,755 | 2007 | Mastodons |
[edit] Former members
| Institution | Years | Moved To |
|---|---|---|
| University of Akron | 1990-1992 | Mid-American Conference |
| University at Buffalo | 1994-1998 | Mid-American Conference |
| Central Connecticut State University | 1994-1998 | Northeast Conference |
| Chicago State University | 1994-2006 | Independent |
| Cleveland State University | 1982-1994 | Horizon League |
| Eastern Illinois University | 1982-1996 | Ohio Valley Conference |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | 1993-1994 | Horizon League |
| Northeastern Illinois University | 1994-1998 | Disbanded |
| Northern Illinois University | 1990-1994 | Mid-American Conference |
| University of Northern Iowa | 1982-1991 | Missouri Valley Conference |
| Southwest Missouri State University | 1982-1990 | Missouri Valley Conference |
| Troy State University | 1994-1997 | Trans America Athletic Conference |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 1982-1994 | Horizon League |
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 1982-1994 | Horizon League |
| Wright State University | 1991-1994 | Horizon League |
| Youngstown State University | 1992-2001 | Horizon League |
[edit] History
[edit] Foundation
The conference was created in 1982 as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities (or AMCU, pronounced Am-cue), which it was known as until 1989.[3] The conference sponsored football from 1982 until 1984 at the Division II level, and current members Southern Utah, Valparaiso, and Western Illinois have Division I FCS (formerly known as Division I-AA) football programs.
[edit] Horizon and ECC transitions
In 1994, founding members Cleveland State University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay as well as new members University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Wright State University left the conference to join the Horizon League. That same year, the conference absorbed Central Connecticut State University, Chicago State University, the University at Buffalo, Troy State University and Northeastern Illinois University from the collapsed East Coast Conference. None of these members remain in the conference. Missouri-Kansas City, formerly an independent, also joined the conference in 1994.
[edit] Declining membership
Eastern Illinois departed for the Ohio Valley Conference in 1996. In 1997 Troy State University departed for the Trans America Athletic Conference. In 1998 Central Connecticut State University joined the Northeast Conference and the University at Buffalo joined the Mid-American Conference. Also that same year, Northeastern Illinois ceased athletic operations. Youngstown State University switched to the Horizon League in 2001, and founding member Valparaiso University will do the same in 2007. As of 2007, seven of the ten Horizon League members will be former members of the Mid-Con. In spring 2006, Chicago State University announced they were withdrawing from the conference and began competition as an independent for the 2006-07 school year.
[edit] Renewed expansion
At the Mid-Continent Conference annual Presidents Council meeting in 2006, conference expansion was discussed at length, and IPFW, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State were approved for site visits. On August 30, 2006, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) accepted an invitation to join the Mid-Continent Conference as a full member starting July 1, 2007.[4] The following day, North Dakota State University and South Dakota State University also accepted invitations to join the conference.[5] [6]
[edit] Men's Basketball Champions
| Season | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | NCAA Tournament Seed | NCAA Tournament Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Western Illinois (9-3) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1984 | UIC (12-2) | Western Illinois | N/A | N/A |
| 1985 | Cleveland State (11-3) | Eastern Illinois | N/A | N/A |
| 1986 | Cleveland State (13-1) | Cleveland State | 14† | defeated Indiana defeated Saint Joseph's lost to Navy |
| 1987 | SW Missouri State (13-1) | SW Missouri State | 13 | defeated Clemson lost to Kansas |
| 1988 | SW Missouri State (12-2) | N/A | 13 | lost to UNLV |
| 1989 | SW Missouri State (10-2) | SW Missouri State | 14 | lost to Seton Hall |
| 1990 | SW Missouri State (11-1) | Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa: 14 SW Missouri State: 9† |
Northern Iowa: defeated Missouri lost to Minnesota SW Missouri State: lost to North Carolina |
| 1991 | Northern Illinois (14-2) | Wisconsin-Green Bay | UWGB: 12 Northern Illinois: 13† |
UWGB: lost to Michigan State Northern Illinois: lost to St. John's |
| 1992 | UW-Green Bay (14-2) | Eastern Illinois | 15 | lost to Indiana |
| 1993 | Cleveland State (15-1) | Wright State | 16 | lost to Indiana |
| 1994 | UW-Green Bay (15-3) | UW-Green Bay | 12 | beat California lost to Syracuse |
| 1995 | Valparaiso (14-4) | Valparaiso | N/A | N/A |
| 1996 | Valparaiso (13-5) | Valparaiso | 14 | lost to Arizona |
| 1997 | Valparaiso (13-3) | Valparaiso | 12 | lost to Boston College |
| 1998 | Valparaiso (13-3) | Valparaiso | 13 | defeated Ole Miss defeated Florida State lost to Rhode Island |
| 1999 | Valparaiso (10-4) | Valparaiso | 15 | lost to Maryland |
| 2000 | Oakland (11-5) | Valparaiso | 16 | lost to Michigan State |
| 2001 | Valparaiso (13-3) | Southern Utah | 14 | lost to Boston College |
| 2002 | Valparaiso (12-2) | Valparaiso | 13 | lost to Kentucky |
| 2003 | Valparaiso (12-2) | IUPUI | 16 | lost to Kentucky |
| 2004 | Valparaiso (11-5) | Valparaiso | 15 | lost to Gonzaga |
| 2005 | Oral Roberts (13-3) | Oakland | 16 | Defeated Alabama A&M‡ Lost to North Carolina |
| 2006 | IUPUI and Oral Roberts (13-3) | Oral Roberts | 16 | lost to Memphis |
| 2007 | Oral Roberts (12-2) | Oral Roberts | 14 | lost to Washington State |
† at-large bid ‡ opening round game
[edit] Conference facilities
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centenary | Non-Football School | N/A | Gold Dome | 3,000 |
| IUPUI | Non-Football School | N/A | IUPUI Gymnasium | 2,000 |
| UMKC | Non-Football School | N/A | Municipal Auditorium | 9,287 |
| Oakland | Non-Football School | N/A | Athletics Center O'Rena | 4,005 |
| Oral Roberts | Non-Football School | N/A | Mabee Center | 10,575 |
| Southern Utah | Eccles Coliseum | 8,500 | Centrum Arena | 5,300 |
| Valparaiso | Brown Field | 5,000 | Athletics-Recreation Center | 5,000 |
| Western Illinois | Hanson Field | 15,000 | Western Hall | 5,139 |
| Expansion School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity |
| IPFW (2007) | Non-Football School | N/A | Allen County War Memorial Coliseum (men) Hilliard Gates Sports Center (women) |
13,000 2,800 |
| North Dakota State (2007) | Fargodome | 19,500 | Bison Sports Arena | 8,000 |
| South Dakota State (2007) | Coughlin-Alumni Stadium | 16,000 | Frost Arena | 8,500 |
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=78478
- ^ Press Release. Valpo to Join Horizon League in 2007-2008, Valparaiso University, May 17, 2006.
- ^ http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/SPORTS/603090335/1006
- ^ Press Release. IPFW accepts invitation to join Mid-Continent Conference, Mid-Continent Conference, August 30, 2006.
- ^ Press Release. North Dakota State University accepts invitation to join Mid-Continent Conference, Mid-Continent Conference, August 31, 2006.
- ^ Press Release. South Dakota State University accepts invitation to join Mid-Continent Conference, Mid-Continent Conference, August 31, 2006.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Mid-Continent Conference |
|---|
| Centenary (Gentlemen & Ladies) • IUPUI (Jaguars) • Oakland (Golden Grizzlies) • Oral Roberts (Golden Eagles) • Southern Utah (Thunderbirds) • UMKC (Kangaroos) • Valparaiso (Crusaders) • Western Illinois (Leathernecks) |
