Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Established	1951 (1951)
Association	NCAA
Division	Division II
Members	18 full members
Sports fielded	23 men's: 11 women's: 12
Region	Pennsylvania and West Virginia
Headquarters	Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Commissioner	Steve Murray (since 1998)
Website	www.psacsports.org
Locations

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) is a collegiate athletic conference that participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II level. The conference is currently composed of 17 full-time members within Pennsylvania and 1 in West Virginia. The conference headquarters are located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and staffed by a commissioner, two assistant commissioners, and a director of media relations.

History[]

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education organized 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 to Division II within the NCAA.^[1]

Membership remained unchanged until the conference announced on June 18, 2007, that it had invited three private universities—Gannon University and Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania and C.W. Post of Brookville, New York—to join the conference.^[2] Gannon and Mercyhurst left the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to join the PSAC, effective July 1, 2008.^[3] C.W. Post became an associate member for football and field hockey.^[4]

In 2010, Seton Hill University was accepted to join the conference as an associate member for field hockey. With the additional transition of West Chester's program from Division I to Division II, the number of teams competing in field hockey increased from 10 to 12 for the 2011 season.^[5]

On August 19, 2012, the PSAC announced that Seton Hill and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, formerly members of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), would become full members beginning with the 2013–14 school year. This announcement was fallout from a split in the WVIAC that ultimately led to the formation of the Mountain 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.^[6] 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.^[7] (The PSAC now shares the distinction of largest NCAA all-sports conference with another D-II league, the Lone Star Conference, and the D-III USA South Athletic Conference. The USA South will expand to 19 members in 2021–22.)

In March 2018, charter member Cheyney 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.^[8]

Later that year, the conference announced that it would expand into West Virginia, bringing in Shepherd University from the MEC as a full member effective with the 2019–20 school year. Shepherd is the first full PSAC member outside of Pennsylvania.^[9]

Role in Division I conference realignment[]

The PSAC played a little-known but nonetheless significant role in the history of NCAA 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.^[10]

Before Yoder formally introduced the proposal, he was approached by the Central 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 by Division 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 the Southeastern Conference took advantage of it by expanding to 12 members in 1991 and launching a title game the following year. In 2014, then-Sports Illustrated writer Andy Staples said that the rule "helped dictate the terms of conference realignment for more than 20 years."^[10]

Member schools[]

Current members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	Joined
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania	Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania	1839	Public (PASSHE)	9,512	Huskies		1951
California University of Pennsylvania	California, Pennsylvania	1852	Public (PASSHE)	9,017	Vulcans		1951
Clarion University of Pennsylvania	Clarion, Pennsylvania	1867	Public (PASSHE)	7,346	Golden Eagles		1951
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania	East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania	1893	Public (PASSHE)	7,576	Warriors		1951
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania	Edinboro, Pennsylvania	1857	Public (PASSHE)	8,286	Fighting Scots		1951
Gannon University	Erie, Pennsylvania	1925	Private (Catholic)	4,238	Golden Knights		2008
Indiana University of Pennsylvania	Indiana, Pennsylvania	1875	Public (PASSHE)	14,638	Crimson Hawks		1951
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	Kutztown, Pennsylvania	1866	Public (PASSHE)	10,634	Golden Bears		1951
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania	Lock Haven, Pennsylvania	1870	Public (PASSHE)	5,329	Bald Eagles		1951
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania	Mansfield, Pennsylvania	1857	Public (PASSHE)	3,569	Mountaineers		1951
Mercyhurst University	Erie, Pennsylvania	1926	Private (Catholic)	3,217	Lakers		2008
Millersville University of Pennsylvania	Millersville, Pennsylvania	1855	Public (PASSHE)	8,427	Marauders		1951
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown	Johnstown, Pennsylvania	1927	Public (State-related)	3,032	Mountain Cats		2013
Seton Hill University	Greensburg, Pennsylvania	1883	Private (Catholic)	2,014	Griffins		2013
Shepherd University	Shepherdstown, West Virginia	1871	Public	3,159	Rams		2019
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	Shippensburg, Pennsylvania	1871	Public (PASSHE)	8,253	Raiders		1951
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania	1889	Public (PASSHE)	8,648	The Rock		1951
West Chester University of Pennsylvania	West Chester, Pennsylvania	1871	Public (PASSHE)	17,719	Golden Rams		1951

• Seton Hill — field hockey was an affiliate member in 2011–2013.

Former member[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	Joined	Left	Current conference
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania	Cheyney, Pennsylvania	1837	Public (PASSHE)	1,488	Wolves		1951	2018	None

Former affiliate members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Type	Nickname	Joined	Left	Sport	Primary conference
Long Island University–Post	Brookville, New York	1954	Private (Nonsectarian)	Pioneers	2008	2013	field hockey; football	Northeast Conference[a]

Membership timeline[]

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

Sports[]

In wrestling; Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro, and Lock Haven compete as members of the Division I Mid-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 the Eastern Wrestling League into 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.^[11]

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[]

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
Mercyhurst	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y			Y	8
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	17	18	15	16	9	13	7	7	11	13	8	134

Women's sponsored sports by school[]

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
Mercyhurst	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y			Y	9
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	18	17	11	10	14	18	18	12	14	15	15	17	179

Other sponsored sports by school[]

School		Men					Women
		Ice Hockey[a]	Lacrosse	Water Polo[b]	Wrestling[c]		Acrobatics & Tumbling[d]	Bowling[b]	Equestrian[d]	Field Hockey[e]	Gymnastics[b]	Ice Hockey[a]	Rowing	Rugby[d]	Water Polo[b]	Wrestling[d]
Bloomsburg					MAC
Clarion					MAC
East Stroudsburg							IND									IND
Edinboro					MAC
Gannon				CWPA			IND								WWPA	IND
Kutztown							IND	ECC
Lock Haven					MAC					A-10						IND
Mercyhurst		AHA	G-MAC	CWPA								CHA	IND		WWPA
Seton Hill			G-MAC						IND
West Chester											ECAC			NIRA

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 in sprint football, a weight-restricted form of football played under standard NCAA rules but governed outside the NCAA.
• Mercyhurst sponsors two separate teams in the non-NCAA sport of men's rowing—one heavyweight and one lightweight.
• Shepherd and West Chester recognize their female cheerleaders, but not their male ones, as varsity athletes.

Championships[]

Conference venues[]

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
Mercyhurst	Louis J. Tullio Field	2,300	Mercyhurst Athletic Center	1,800	Mercyhurst Ice Center Mercyhurst Softball 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	N/A	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.

Football[]

• Jason Capizzi, Indiana, former Pittsburgh Panthers offensive tackle
• Curt Cignetti, Indiana, former University of Alabama recruiting coordinator, current James Madison University (Va.) head coach
• Frank Cignetti, Jr., Indiana, former University of Pittsburgh offensive coordinator
• Frank Cignetti, Sr., Indiana, former IUP and West Virginia University head coach, 1991 Division II Coach of the Year
• Rob Davis, Shippensburg, former NFL long snapper, current director of player development for the Green Bay Packers
• Doug Dennison, Kutztown, former NFL running back
• Jahri Evans, Bloomsburg, offensive guard for the New Orleans Saints
• Lawson Fiscus, Indiana, early professional football player
• David Green, Edinboro, former CFL running back, 1979 CFL's Most Outstanding Player
• Kris Griffin, Indiana, former NFL linebacker
• Brent Grimes, Shippensburg, former NFL cornerback
• Bruce Harper, Kutztown, former running back/returner for the New York Jets
• Trevor Harris, Edinboro, quarterback for the Ottawa Redblacks
• Jim Haslett, Indiana, former linebacker for the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets and head coach for the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams
• Jack Henry, Indiana, former NFL assistant coach
• Greg Hopkins, Slippery Rock, former Arena Football League player
• Kevin Ingram, West Chester, wide receiver/defensive back for the Los Angeles Avengers
• Mike Jemison, Indiana, former NFL and NFL Europe running back
• Leander Jordan, Indiana, former NFL offensive tackle
• Matt Kinsinger, Slippery Rock, fullback/linebacker for the Chicago Rush
• John Kuhn, Shippensburg, fullback for the Green Bay Packers
• Chuck Klausing, Indiana, College Football Hall of Fame, 1998 Class
• Bob Ligashesky Indiana, Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coach
• LeRon McCoy, Indiana, former NFL wide receiver
• Dewey McDonald, California, safety for the Indianapolis Colts
• Rontez Miles, California, current safety for the New York Jets
• John Mobley, Kutztown, former linebacker for the Denver Broncos
• Kevin O'Dea, Lock Haven, former New York Jets special teams coordinator
• Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Indiana, firmer Dallas Cowboys wide receiver
• Ken Parrish, East Stroudsburg, former NFL punter
• Dan Radakovich, Indiana, Georgia Tech athletic director
• Andre Reed, Kutztown, Hall of Fame NFL wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Redskins
• Robb Riddick, Millersville, former running back for the Buffalo Bills
• Sean Scott, Millersville, wide receiver/linebacker for the Philadelphia Soul
• Joe Senser, West Chester, former tight end for the Minnesota Vikings
• Ralph Tamm, West Chester, former NFL offensive guard
• Jimmy Terwilliger, East Stroudsburg, quarterback, 2005 Harlon Hill Trophy winner
• Bob Tucker, Bloomsburg, former NFL tight end
• Chris Villarrial, Indiana, former NFL offensive guard
• Andre Waters, Cheyney, former NFL defensive back
• Reggie Wells, Clarion, current NFL free agent, drafted as an offensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals
• James Williams, Cheyney, former offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears
• Lee Woodall, West Chester, former NFL linebacker
• Josh Portis, California, Seattle Seahawks quarterback
• Dominique Curry, California, St. Louis Rams wide receiver
• Terrence Johnson, California, Indianapolis Colts cornerback
• Derrick Jones, California, Oakland Raiders wide receiver
• Gene Carpenter, Millersville, former head coach of Millersville
• Brent Grimes, Shippensburg, cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons
• James Franklin, East Stroudsburg, head coach for the Pennsylvania State University

Baseball[]

• Clyde Barnhart, Shippensburg, former World Series-winning outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Tom Brookens, Mansfield, former MLB third baseman
• Mark Corey, Edinboro, former MLB pitcher
• Ryan Vogelsong, Kutztown, MLB pitcher
• Pete Vukovich, Clarion, MLB Pitcher, Cy Young Winner-Brewers
• Matt Adams, Slippery Rock, First Baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals in the MLB.
• Pat Kelly, West Chester, former MLB infielder, New York Yankees
• Joey Wendle, West Chester, MLB Infielder, Tampa Bay Rays
• Dan Altavilla, Mercyhurst, MLB Pitcher, Seattle Mariners
• Lou Trivino, Slippery Rock, MLB Pitcher, Oakland Athletics
• Matt Festa, East Stroudsburg, MLB Pitcher, Seattle Mariners

Basketball[]

• Geno Auriemma, West Chester, women's head coach at Connecticut; member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
• Del Beshore, California, former NBA point guard
• John Calipari, Clarion, Kentucky men's head coach, 1996 and 2008 Naismith College Coach of the Year, member of the Naismith Hall of Fame
• Stephen Dennis, Kutztown, Division II Player of the Year and professional player
• Mel Hankinson, Indiana, former college basketball coach including Liberty
• Jodi Kest, Slippery Rock, Akron women's basketball head coach
• C. Vivian Stringer, Slippery Rock, women's head coach at Rutgers; member of the Naismith and Women's Halls of Fame

Soccer[]

• Nicholas Addlery, California, forward currently for the Puerto Rico Islanders and the Jamaica national team
• Raymond Bernabei, Indiana, National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association and National Soccer Hall of Fame
• Jay Hoffman, East Stroudsburg, head coach of the 1999 U.S. women's Pan American Games gold medal team, and assistant coach of the 1999 U.S. FIFA Women's World Cup gold medal team
• Bob Rigby, East Stroudsburg, former goalkeeper in the North American Soccer League and the U.S. national team

Olympians[]

• Kurt Angle, Clarion, 1996 Summer Olympics wrestling gold medalist
• Steve Spence, Shippensburg, former Olympic long-distance runner
• Cary Kolat, Lock Haven, 2000 Summer Olympics Freestyle Wrestling - 9th

See also[]

• Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association

References[]

External links[]

• Official website