[Sly Fox]

Updated 4/21/2014

MAC ANNOUNCES BINGHAMTON (MEN’S TENNIS) & LONGWOOD (FIELD HOCKEY) AS AFFILIATE MEMBERS BEGINNING 2014-15 ACADEMIC YEAR

Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today the addition of Binghamton University as an affiliate member in men’s tennis and Longwood University as an affiliate member in field hockey. Both programs will join the MAC beginning in the 2014-15 academic year.

The addition of Binghamton will increase MAC men’s tennis membership to six members – five from MAC full membership (Ball State, Buffalo, Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan) and the Binghamton Bearcats as an affiliate member. The addition of Longwood will increase MAC women’s field hockey membership to seven members – five from MAC full membership (Ball State, Central Michigan, Kent State, Miami and Ohio) and two affiliate members (Longwood and Missouri State).

“I am pleased to welcome Binghamton University as an affiliate member in men’s tennis and Longwood University as an affiliate member in field hockey beginning with the 2014-15 academic year,” said Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher, Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference. “Both the Binghamton Bearcats and Longwood Lancers have a wonderful history in men’s tennis and women’s field hockey respectfully, and we welcome them to the Mid-American Conference.”

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[ATrain]

Well with Radford dropping the sportn and Davidson going to the A-10, that would've left only 3 members in the east counting Longwood. I doubt they want (or have the funds) to fly their team out to California every year and the Big South is definitely in no position to sponsor the sport.

[Rooster Cogburn]

So where will LU play? Sun Belt doesn't sponsor it either.

[ATrain]

So where will LU play? Sun Belt doesn't sponsor it either.

App State is still there with us...the question is whether 4 California schools will continue this marriage of convenience. Otherwise we could petition the MAC for associate membership as well.

Then once they see that having us as an associate member doesn't hurt, they may start thinking of us for full-time membership. Part time employment leading to full time employment type of thing.

[JakeP50]

As much as I would love to go to the MAC as full members I think that ship has sailed. I mean this is the same conference that voted 11-0 NO to invite us. Maybe we get associate membership for field hockey but that's about it.

I think I've finally joined the dark side...

[flameshaw]

YAWN !!!!!!!!!

[BCXtreme]

So, I'm curious, for the people "in the know"... If Liberty does find itself in need of a new home for the field hockey program, which would be more likely to grant it an associate membership: the Atlantic-10 or the Mid-American?

[Sly Fox]

I would assume the MAC.