With this change, the MAC will consist of nine wrestling programs. Six are from full MAC membership schools: Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois and Ohio ... while three are affiliate members: Missouri, Old Dominion, and now, SIUE.
The SIUE men's soccer program is also being welcomed as an affiliate member of the MAC, effective in 2018-19.
MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher discussed how SIU Edwardsville came to receive an invitation to join the conference.
"After significant study and discussion by our member institution's coaches and administrators the Mid-American Conference has made a move to strengthen the Conference with the addition of SIU Edwardsville as an affiliate member in both men's soccer and wrestling," said Steinbrecher. "Both programs will add quality and depth to the Conference. I am pleased to welcome SIU Edwardsville, their student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans to the Mid-American Conference."
SIUE Director of Athletics Dr. Brad Hewitt also weighed in with what this new affiliation will mean to wrestling and soccer at the school located on the Illinois side of the greater St. Louis area.
"Joining the Mid-American Conference as an affiliate member in these two sports is not only a compliment but also a recognition and validation of each program's recent success," Hewitt said. "We are thankful for the opportunities granted and support given by the Missouri Valley Conference in men's soccer and the Southern Conference in wrestling.
"Conference affiliations are always evolving, and institutions are constantly pursuing the best academic, social and competitive opportunities for their student-athletes," Hewitt continued. "Our decision to accept the MAC's invitation is based on many factors, including increased national branding, cost containment, augmentation of existing rivalries, the development of new regional rivalries and SIUE's general student recruitment focus in major metropolitan areas. Our coaches, student-athletes and fans are going to be excited for these new challenges."
SIUE wrestling, a long-standing program with a rich tradition, just completed one of its best seasons since the move to NCAA Division I. Three SIUE wrestlers won their respective weight classes at the Southern Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA championships in St. Louis. Senior Jake Residori finished in eighth place, becoming SIUE's first All-American in 30 years.
SIUE wrestling Head Coach Jeremy Spates said. "The MAC is an extremely strong conference across all sports, and in wrestling it's one of the top three or four conferences.
"You have some big-time teams like Missouri and Central Michigan, and teams that are placing and bringing home All-Americans every year. It's great for us because it is so centrally located."
The MAC made its presence felt at the 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, sending 45 wrestlers to the Nationals in St. Louis ... putting the MAC third in terms of numbers of conference participants at the event. Eight MAC wrestlers earned All-American honors, with University of Missouri senior J'den Cox becoming the 12th MAC wrestling national champion in conference history.
Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of ten members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five (5) states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was founded in 1957. Located 20 miles northeast of downtown St. Louis, SIUE has an enrollment of approximately 14,000 students.
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