The MAC Freedom, in full Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom,[1] is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. It is one of the three conferences that operate under the umbrella of the Middle Atlantic Conferences; the others are the MAC Commonwealth and the Middle Atlantic Conference, a grouping used for some sports that consists of MAC Commonwealth and MAC Freedom schools. Member institutions are located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
| Conference | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division III |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Headquarters | Annville, Pennsylvania |
| Region | Mid-Atlantic |
| Official website | http://www.gomacsports.com |
Member schools
editCurrent members
editThe MAC Freedom currently has eight full members, all are private schools. The most recent changes in membership coincided with the 2023 departure of Lycoming College and Wilkes University. The MAC, which only had 16 members remaining, balanced the two leagues by moving Lebanon Valley from the MAC Commonwealth to the MAC Freedom.[2]
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Football? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia University | Glenside, Pennsylvania | 1853 | Presbyterian | 2,473 | Knights | 2007–08, 2020–21[a][3] |
No |
| Delaware Valley University | Doylestown, Pennsylvania | 1917 | Nonsectarian | 2,375 | Aggies | 1965–66[b] | Yes |
| DeSales University | Center Valley, Pennsylvania | 1965 | Catholic | 3,309 | Bulldogs | 1997–98[b] | No |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University–Florham | Madison, New Jersey | 1942 | Nonsectarian | 2,546 | Devils | 1977–78[b] | Yes |
| King's College | Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania | 1946 | Catholic | 2,421 | Monarchs | 1977–78[b] | Yes |
| Lebanon Valley College | Annville, Pennsylvania | 1866 | Methodist | 1,712 | Flying Dutchmen | 2023–24[b][c] | Yes |
| Misericordia University | Dallas, Pennsylvania | 1924 | Catholic | 2,879 | Cougars | 2008–09 | Yes |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, New Jersey | 1870 | Nonsectarian | 5,260 | Ducks | 1922–23; 2019–20[d] |
No |
- Notes
- ^ Arcadia moved from the MAC Freedom to the MAC Commonwealth after the 2007–08 school year; before returning back effective in the 2020–21 school year.
- ^ a b c d e Member school has been part of the MAC before the formation of the MAC Freedom, effective in the 1999–2000 school year.
- ^ Lebanon Valley joined the MAC prior to the 1945–46 school year, however, they were a part of the MAC Commonwealth prior to the 2023–24 school year.
- ^ Stevens left the MAC after the 1977–78 school year; before re-joining back, effective in the 2019–20 school year.
Enrollment source:[4]
Former members
editThe MAC Freedom had seven former full members, all were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current conference |
Football? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvernia University | Reading, Pennsylvania | 1958 | Catholic | 2,872 | Crusaders[a] | 2008–09 | 2008–09 | MAC Commonwealth | No |
| Drew University | Madison, New Jersey | 1867 | Methodist | 2,647 | Rangers | 1968–69[b] | 2006–07 | Landmark | No |
| Eastern University | St. Davids, Pennsylvania | 1952 | Baptist | 3,420 | Eagles | 2008–09 | 2019–20 | MAC Commonwealth | No |
| Lycoming College | Williamsport, Pennsylvania | 1812 | Methodist | 1,272 | Warriors | 1952–53,[b] 2020–21[c] |
2007–08, 2022–23 |
Landmark | Yes |
| Manhattanville College | Purchase, New York | 1841 | Nonsectarian | 2,700 | Valiants | 2007–08 | 2018–19 | Skyline | No |
| University of Scranton | Scranton, Pennsylvania | 1888 | Catholic | 5,160 | Royals | 1938–39[b] | 2006–07 | Landmark | No |
| Wilkes University | Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania | 1933 | Nonsectarian | 5,552 | Colonels | 1946–47[b] | 2022–23 | Landmark | Yes |
- Notes
- ^ Alvernia has been known as the Golden Wolves since the 2017–18 school year.
- ^ a b c d Member school had been part of the MAC before the formation of the MAC Freedom, effective in the 1999–2000 school year.
- ^ Lycoming moved from the MAC Freedom to the MAC Commonwealth after the 2006–07 school year; before returning back effective in the 2020–21 school year.
Membership timeline
edit
Sports
editThe MAC Freedom sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's field hockey, men's and women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, women's softball, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball. In addition, members also compete in the MAC's Middle Atlantic Conference in men's and women's cross country, men's football, men's and women's ice hockey,[a] men's and women's swimming, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, men's volleyball, and men's wrestling.
Footnotes
edit- ^ While officially sponsoring ice hockey, the larger MAC does not conduct a conference tournament; all MAC ice hockey schools compete in the single-sport United Collegiate Hockey Conference for that league's automatic bids to the NCAA Division III men's and women's tournaments. The MAC uses regular-season results of UCHC games involving MAC members to extrapolate a conference champion. The relationship between the MAC and UCHC is similar to that in Division I between the Ivy League and ECAC Hockey.
References
edit- ^ "MAC Officially Welcomes York (Pa.), New Conference Structure" (Press release). Middle Atlantic Conferences. July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
Located in Annville, Pa., the Middle Atlantic Conference is an NCAA Division III conference comprised of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC), Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth (MAC Commonwealth) and Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom).
- ^ "Lebanon Valley Moves to MAC Freedom in 2023-24" (Press release). Middle Atlantic Conference. June 9, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "MAC Announces Realignment for 2020-21" (Press release). Middle Atlantic Conferences. May 7, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ "Best Colleges". U.S. News & World Report.