Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, primarily competing in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Founded in 1970, it comprises historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) located in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. The conference sponsors championships in numerous sports and is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia.

History

The conference was founded on the campus of North Carolina Central University in 1970, with charter members including Howard University, Maryland Eastern Shore, North Carolina A&T, and Morgan State University. Its formation was part of a broader movement to provide structured athletic competition among prominent HBCUs. Key milestones include the addition of Florida A&M University in 1979 and the launch of its first ESPN television contract in 2005. The conference has seen membership changes, notably with the departure of Hampton University and North Carolina A&T to the Big South Conference and later the departure of Savannah State University in 2019. In 2021, the conference announced a strategic alliance with the Ivy League and the Southwestern Athletic Conference to enhance opportunities for student-athletes.

Member institutions

The conference currently has eight full member institutions. These include Coppin State University in Baltimore, Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware, Howard University in Washington, D.C., Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, Maryland, Morgan State University in Baltimore, Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia, North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, and South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Associate members include Monmouth University for women's bowling and UAB for women's golf. Former members who have departed for other conferences include Florida A&M University, now in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and Winston-Salem State University.

Sports sponsored

The conference sponsors championship competition in eight men's and nine women's NCAA sports. Men's sports include basketball, cross country, football, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and tennis. Women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, tennis, and volleyball. The conference does not sponsor baseball or soccer. Its women's bowling championship is highly regarded, with teams often competing in the NCAA Women's Bowling Championship. The conference champion in football receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship.

Conference champions

The conference crowns annual champions in each sponsored sport, with the basketball tournaments held at the Norfolk Scope arena. In football, the champion is determined by regular-season conference record, with notable recent champions including North Carolina Central University and South Carolina State University. The women's bowling champion has frequently been Maryland Eastern Shore, a national powerhouse. Track and field championships are often dominated by programs like North Carolina A&T during its tenure and Norfolk State University. The conference's champion in men's basketball receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

Facilities

Member institutions compete in notable venues, including Aggie Stadium at North Carolina A&T, William "Dick" Price Stadium at Norfolk State University, and Alumni Memorial Stadium at South Carolina State University. For basketball, key arenas are McDougald-McLendon Arena at North Carolina Central University, Burr Gymnasium at Howard University, and the Hill Field House at Morgan State University. The Maryland Eastern Shore hosts its bowling team at the UMES Bowling Alley, a premier training facility. The conference's basketball tournaments have also been held at the Arthur Ashe Athletic Center in Richmond, Virginia.

Notable achievements

The conference has a rich history of athletic and academic accomplishment, with North Carolina A&T winning the 2018 NCAA Tournament game as a #13 seed. In football, Florida A&M University won the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship in 1978, and South Carolina State University has made numerous FCS playoff appearances. The conference has produced notable NFL players such as Terrence Cody, Tarvaris Jackson, and Johnny Sample. Academically, Howard University and North Carolina Central University have consistently earned high marks from the NCAA Academic Performance Program. The conference's women's bowling teams, particularly from Maryland Eastern Shore, have won multiple national championships.