Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
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| Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | |
|---|---|
| Image:NewMEACLogo.png
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| Data | |
| Classification | NCAA Division I FCS |
| Established | 1970 |
| Members | 12 |
| Sports fielded | 15 (7 men’s, 8 women’s) |
| Region | East Coast |
| States | 7 - Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia |
| Headquarters | Virginia Beach, Virginia |
| Commissioner | Dennis E. Thomas |
| Locations | |
| Image:MEACstates.PNG | |
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is a collegiate athletic conference which consists of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; in football, its teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS; known until the 2006-07 academic year as Division I-AA). It is expected that founding member North Carolina Central University will rejoin the league in the 2008–09 season.
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1969 a group from a number of historical black colleges long associated with intercollegiate athletics met in Durham, North Carolina, at North Carolina College (NCC), now North Carolina Central University (NCCU), for two days. They were invited by Leroy T. Walker, to discuss the feasibility of organizing a new conference based along the Atlantic coastline. Seven of these institutions agreed to become the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. They were 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 University.
The MEAC headquarters remained in Durham, North Carolina, until 1981, moving to Greensboro on March 26, 1982. It remained in Greensboro until the MEAC relocated to its current location in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in August of 2005.
The league was confirmed in 1970, kicking off its first season of competition in football in 1971. In 1978, the MEAC selected its first full-time commissioner, Kenneth A. Free and the following year, expanded to nine schools with the admission of two Florida schools: Bethune-Cookman University (then Bethune-Cookman College) and Florida A&M University. The MEAC operated with nine schools until 1985 when Coppin State University was admitted. The next expansion occurred in the 1990s with the inclusion of Hampton University in 1995 and Norfolk State University in 1997. Newer additions followed into the 2000s with Winston-Salem State University in 2007 and the readdition of North Carolina Central University fully by 2011.
On June 8, 1980, the MEAC was classified Division I by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the following month, received an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.
[edit] Member institutions
[edit] Former members
- Florida A&M University (1979–1984; rejoined in 1986)
- Morgan State University (1970–1979; rejoined in 1984)
- North Carolina Central University (1970–1979)
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore (1970–1979; rejoined in 1981)
[edit] Conference facilities
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethune-Cookman | Municipal Stadium | 10,000 | Moore Gymnasium | 3,000 |
| Coppin State | Non-Football School | N/A | Coppin Center | 1,720 |
| Delaware State | Alumni Stadium | 6,828 | Memorial Hall | 3,000 |
| Florida A&M | Bragg Memorial Stadium | 25,500 | Jake Gaither Gymnasium | 3,365 |
| Hampton | Armstrong Stadium | 17,000 | Hampton Convocation Center | 7,200 |
| Howard | William H. Greene Stadium | 10,000 | Burr Gymnasium | 2,700 |
| Morgan State | Hughes Stadium | 10,000 | Hill Field House | 4,250 |
| Norfolk State | Dick Price Stadium | 30,000 | Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall | 7,000 |
| North Carolina A&T | Aggie Stadium | 22,000 | Corbett Sports Center | 5,700 |
| South Carolina State | Oliver C. Dawson Stadium | 22,000 | SHM Memorial Center | 3,200 |
| UMES | Non-Football School | N/A | Hytche Athletic Center | 5,500 |
| Winston-Salem State | Bowman Gray Stadium | 17,000 | LJVM Coliseum Annex | 4,000 |
[edit] Championships
[edit] Football
- 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
- 1987 Howard
- 1988 Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State and Florida A&M
- 1989 Delaware State
- 1990 Florida A&M
- 1991 North Carolina A&T
- 1992 North Carolina A&T
- 1993 Howard
- 1994 South Carolina State
- 1995 Florida A&M
- 1996 Florida A&M
- 1997 Hampton
- 1998 Florida A&M and Hampton
- 1999 North Carolina A&T
- 2000 Florida A&M
- 2001 Florida A&M
- 2002 Bethune-Cookman
- 2003 North Carolina A&T
- 2004 Hampton and South Carolina State
- 2005 Hampton
- 2006 Hampton
- 2007 Delaware State
[edit] External links
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) |
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| Bethune–Cookman • Coppin State • Delaware State • Florida A&M • Hampton • Howard • Maryland – Eastern Shore • Morgan State • Norfolk State • North Carolina A&T • South Carolina State • Winston–Salem State |
