# American Mideast Conference

The American Mideast Conference (AMC) was an affiliate of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics that included eight member institutions in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts. Founded in 1949, it was known as the Mid-Ohio League, and named the Mid-Ohio Conference from 1962 until 1998, when it adopted its final moniker. The name change was the first step in a multi-phase expansion that extended the conference into states beyond Ohio before the league was eventually disbanded in 2012.

## History

In its final five years the conference experienced a number of changes, with numerous members moving to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Former members Roberts Wesleyan and Walsh University received admission to the NCAA and underwent the process of transferring athletics into Division II; Houghton College transitioned to Division III and joined the Empire 8 conference in 2012–13. Daemen, Roberts Wesleyan, and Point Park applied for NCAA Division II status in June 2011 and in July Roberts Wesleyan was approved for membership. Also in June 2011 former AMC members Cedarville, Notre Dame College, Urbana, and Ursuline College announced the creation of a new NCAA DII conference that hoped to develop and expand for an anticipated lifting of the moratorium on new NCAA DII conferences in 2013. In July 2011, Cedarville and Notre Dame were awarded NCAA provisional status, while Malone University and Ursuline College were granted candidacy year two, all three left the NAIA and AMC for the 2011–12 academic year. With the addition of Fisher College from the collapsed Sunrise Athletic Conference, there were reports that the AMC would operate as an eight team conference in 2011–12 with the eight teams being Carlow, Daemen, Fisher, Houghton, Point Park, Roberts Wesleyan, Wilberforce, and Walsh. However, on January 12, 2012, the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now known as the River States Conference) announced that it had accepted Point Park University and Carlow University as full members beginning with the 2012–13 school year. This left Fisher College and Wilberforce University as the only remaining members, but as they have now become NAIA independent schools in the Association of Independent Institutions, the conference has been shut down.

### Chronological timeline

* 1949 – The American Mideast Conference was founded as the Mid-Ohio League (MOL). Charter members included Ashland College (now Ashland University), Bluffton College (now Bluffton University), Cedarville College (now Cedarville University), Defiance College, and Findlay College (now the University of Findlay) beginning the 1949–50 academic year.
* 1950 – Ohio Northern University joined the MOL in the 1950–51 academic year.
* 1955 – Wilmington College joined the MOL in the 1955–56 academic year.
* 1962 – Findlay and Ohio Northern left the MOL after the 1961–62 academic year.
* 1962 – The MOL had rebranded as the Mid-Ohio Conference (MOC) in the 1962–63 academic year.
* 1965 – Malone College (now Malone University) joined the MOC in the 1965–66 academic year.
* 1966 – Ashland left the MOC after the 1965–66 academic year.
* 1967 – Findlay re-joined the MOC for a second time in the 1967–68 academic year.
* 1971 – Bluffton, Defiance, and Wilmington (with Findlay for a second time) left the MOC to form part as charter members of the Hoosier–Buckeye Collegiate Conference (HBCC) after the 1970–71 academic year.
* 1971 – Ohio Dominican College (now Ohio Dominican University), Rio Grande College (now the University of Rio Grande), and Urbana College (now Urbana University) joined the MOC in the 1971–72 academic year.
* 1973 – Tiffin University joined the MOC in the 1973–74 academic year.
* 1975 – Mount Vernon Nazarene College (now Mount Vernon Nazarene University) joined the MOC in the 1975–76 academic year.
* 1976 – Walsh College (now Walsh University) joined the MOC in the 1976–77 academic year.
* 1989 – Malone left the MOC after the 1988–89 academic year.
* 1991 – Shawnee State University joined the MOC in the 1991–92 academic year.
* 1993 – Two institutions re-joined the MOC (Findlay for a third time, and Malone for a second time) in the 1993–94 academic year.
* 1997 – Findlay left the MOC for a third time and the NAIA to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) after the 1996–97 academic year.
* 1998 – The MOC had rebranded as the American Mideast Conference during its 50th anniversary in the 1998–99 academic year.
* 1998 – Geneva College, Notre Dame College and Saint Vincent College joined the American Mideast in the 1998–99 academic year.
* 1999 – Point Park College (now Point Park University), Seton Hill College (now Seton Hill University), and Wilberforce University joined the American Mideast in the 1999–2000 academic year.
* 2000 – Central State University joined the American Mideast in the 2000–01 academic year.
* 2001 – Carlow College (now Carlow University), Daemen College (now Daemen University), Houghton College (now Houghton University), Roberts Wesleyan College (now Roberts Wesleyan University), and Ursuline College joined the American Mideast in the 2001–02 academic year.
* 2002 – Central State left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent after the 2001–02 academic year.
* 2006 – Saint Vincent left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents' Athletic Conference (Presidents') after the 2005–06 academic year.
* 2007 – Three institutions left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join their respective new home primary conferences: Geneva to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents', Seton Hill to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC), and Tiffin to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the GLIAC beginning the 2008–09 academic year) after the 2006–07 academic year.
* 2007 – The University of Northwestern Ohio joined the American Mideast as an associate member for some sports in the 2007–08 academic year.
* 2008 – Urbana left the American Mideast and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) beginning the 2012–13 academic year) after the 2007–08 academic year.
* 2008 – Northwestern Ohio had upgraded to full membership within the American Mideast for all sports in the 2008–09 academic year.
* 2009 – Two institutions left the American Mideast to join their respective new home primary conferences: Ohio Dominican to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the GLIAC in the 2010–11 academic year), and Rio Grande to the Mid-South Conference after the 2008–09 academic year.
* 2010 – Two institutions left the American Mideast to join their respective new home primary conferences: Northwestern Ohio to the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), and Shawnee State to the Mid-South Conference (MSC) after the 2009–10 academic year.
* 2011 – Four institutions left the American Mideast to join their respective new home primary conferences: Cedarville, Notre Dame (Ohio), and Ursuline (with Malone for a second time) to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as NCAA D-II Independents (which Cedarville and Ursuline later join the G-MAC; Malone would later join the GLIAC beginning the 2012–13 academic year; and Notre Dame (Oh.) would later join the Mountain East Conference beginning the 2013–14 academic year), and Mount Vernon Nazarene to the Crossroads League, all effective after the 2010–11 academic year.
* 2011 – Fisher College joined the American Mideast in the 2011–12 academic year.
* 2012 – The American Mideast ceased operations as an athletic conference after the 2011–12 academic year; as many schools left to join their respective new home primary conferences beginning the 2012–13 academic year: Roberts Wesleyan to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the East Coast Conference (ECC; formerly known as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference), Houghton to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Empire 8 Athletic Conference, Walsh to leave the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the GLIAC, Carlow and Point Park to the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now known as the River States Conference), and Daemen, Fisher and Wilberforce as NAIA Independents within the Association of Independent Institutions (although Daemen would later follow Roberts Wesleyan to join the NCAA D-II ECC, beginning the 2013–14 academic year).

## Member schools

A list of past members of the American Mideast Conference:

### Final members

The American Mideast ended with eight full members, all were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined | Left | Nickname | Subsequent conference(s) | Current conference |
| Carlow University | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 1929 | Catholic (R.S.M.) | 2,400 | 2001 | 2012 | Celtics | River States (RSC) (2012–23) | Allegheny Mountain (AMCC) (2023–present) |
| Daemen College | Amherst, New York | 1947 | Nonsectarian | 2,100 | 2001 | 2012 | Wildcats | USCAA/D-II Independent (2012–13) | East Coast (ECC) (2013–present) |
| Fisher College | Boston, Massachusetts | 1903 | Nonsectarian | 1,121 | 2011 | 2012 | Falcons | Continental (2012–present) | Continental (2012–present) |
| Houghton College | Houghton, New York | 1883 | Wesleyan | 1,300 | 2001 | 2012 | Highlanders | Empire 8 (2012–present) | Empire 8 (2012–present) |
| Point Park University | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 1960 | Nonsectarian | 3,376 | 1999 | 2012 | Pioneers | River States (RSC) (2012–24) | Mountain East (MEC) (2024–present) |
| Roberts Wesleyan College | Chili, New York | 1866 | Free Methodist | 2,000 | 2001 | 2012 | Redhawks | East Coast (ECC) (2012–present) | East Coast (ECC) (2012–present) |
| Walsh University | North Canton, Ohio | 1958 | Catholic (Diocese of Youngstown) | 2,500 | 1976 | 2012 | Cavaliers | Great Lakes (GLIAC) (2012–17) | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2017–present) |
| Wilberforce University | Wilberforce, Ohio | 1856 | Methodist (A.M.E. Church) | 900 | 1999 | 2012 | Bulldogs | various | HBCU (HBCUAC) (2024–present) |

#### Notes

* ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
* ↑ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
* 1 2 Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
* ↑ Currently known as Daemen University since 2022.
* 1 2 3 4 5 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
* ↑ Currently known as Houghton University since 2022.
* ↑ Currently known as Roberts Wesleyan University since 2022.
* ↑ Also a historically black college and university.
* ↑ Wilberforce had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NAIA Independent (Continental Athletic Conference [CAC] since 2021–22) from 2012–13 to 2021–22; the Mid-South Conference in 2022–23; and the CAC again in 2023–24.

### Members leaving before 2012

The American Mideast had 21 former full members, all but two were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined | Left | Nickname | Subsequent conference(s) | Current conference |
| Ashland College | Ashland, Ohio | 1878 | Brethren | 6,500 | 1949 | 1966 | Eagles | various | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2021–present) |
| Bluffton College | Bluffton, Ohio | 1899 | Mennonite | 1,149 | 1949 | 1971 | Beavers | NAIA/Coll. Div./ D-III Independent (1971–98) | Heartland (HCAC) (1998–present) |
| Cedarville University | Cedarville, Ohio | 1887 | Baptist/ Evangelical | 3,077 | 1949 | 2011 | Yellow Jackets | NAIA/D-II Independent (2011–12) | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2012–present) |
| Central State University | Wilberforce, Ohio | 1887 | Public | 2,799 | 2000 | 2002 | Marauders & Lady Marauders | D-II Independent (2002–12) Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2012–15) | Southern (SIAC) (2015–present) |
| Defiance College | Defiance, Ohio | 1850 | United Church of Christ | 1,000 | 1949 | 1971 | Yellow Jackets | various | Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC) (2024–present) |
| University of Findlay | Findlay, Ohio | 1882 | Churches of God | 4,600 | 1949; 1967; 1993 | 1962; 1971; 1997 | Oilers | Great Lakes (GLIAC) (1997–2017) | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2017–present) |
| Geneva College | Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania | 1848 | Reformed Presbyterian | 1,791 | 1998 | 2007 | Golden Tornadoes | Presidents' (PAC) (2007–present) | Presidents' (PAC) (2007–present) |
| Malone University | Canton, Ohio | 1892 | Evangelical | 2,385 | 1965; 1993 | 1989; 2011 | Pioneers | D-II Independent (2011–12) Great Lakes (GLIAC) (2012–16) | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2016–present) |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon, Ohio | 1968 | Nazarene | 2,675 | 1975 | 2011 | Cougars | Crossroads (2011–present) | Crossroads (2011–present) |
| University of Northwestern Ohio | Lima, Ohio | 1920 | Nonsectarian | 4,200 | 2008 | 2010 | Racers | Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC) (2010–present) | Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC) (2010–present) |
| Notre Dame College | South Euclid, Ohio | 1927 | Catholic (Diocese of Cleveland) | 2,000 | 1998 | 2011 | Falcons | D-II Independent (2011–13) Mountain East (MEC) (2013–24) | Closed in 2024 |
| Ohio Dominican University | Columbus, Ohio | 1911 | Catholic (O.P.) | 3,052 | 1971 | 2009 | Panthers | NAIA/D-II Independent (2009–10) Great Lakes (GLIAC) (2010–17) | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2017–present) |
| Ohio Northern University | Ada, Ohio | 1871 | United Methodist | 3,721 | 1950 | 1962 | Polar Bears | NAIA Independent (1962–73) | Ohio (OAC) (1973–present) |
| University of Rio Grande | Rio Grande, Ohio | 1876 | Nonsectarian | 2,300 | 1971 | 2009 | RedStorm | Mid-South (MSC) (2009–14) | River States (RSC) (2014–present) |
| Saint Vincent College | Latrobe, Pennsylvania | 1846 | Catholic (Benedictines) | 1,840 | 1999 | 2006 | Bearcats | Presidents' (PAC) (2006–present) | Presidents' (PAC) (2006–present) |
| Seton Hill University | Greensburg, Pennsylvania | 1883 | Catholic (Sisters of Charity) | 2,014 | 1999 | 2007 | Griffins | West Virginia (WVIAC) (2007–13) | Pennsylvania (PSAC) (2013–present) |
| Shawnee State University | Portsmouth, Ohio | 1986 | Public | 4,600 | 1991 | 2010 | Bears | Mid-South (MSC) (2010–23) | River States (RSC) (2023–present) |
| Tiffin University | Tiffin, Ohio | 1888 | Nonsectarian | 4,942 | 1973 | 2007 | Dragons | D-II Independent (2007–08) Great Lakes (GLIAC) (2008–18) | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2018–present) |
| Urbana University | Urbana, Ohio | 1850 | Nonsectarian | 1,505 | 1971 | 2008 | Blue Knights | various | Closed in 2020 |
| Ursuline College | Pepper Pike, Ohio | 1871 | Catholic (Ursulines) | 1,103 | 2001 | 2011 | Arrows | D-II Independent (2011–12) | Great Midwest (G-MAC) (2012–present) |
| Wilmington College | Wilmington, Ohio | 1870 | Quakers | 1,200 | 1955 | 1971 | Quakers | NAIA/Coll. Div./ D-III Independent (1971–98) Heartland (HCAC) (1998–2000) | Ohio (OAC) (2000–present) |

#### Notes

* ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
* ↑ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
* ↑ Currently known as Ashland University since 1989.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
* ↑ Ashland had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NCAA College Division/D-II Independent from 1966–67 to 1977–78; the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) from 1978–79 to 1994–95; and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) from 1995–96 to 2020–21.
* ↑ Currently known as Bluffton University since 2004.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
* ↑ Also a historically black college and university.
* ↑ Ashland had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NAIA/Coll. Div./ D-III Independent from 1971–72 to 1996–97; the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) from 1997–98 to 1999–2000; and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) from 2000–01 to 2023–24.
* ↑ Northwestern Ohio joined the American Midwest as an associate (provisional) member during the 2007–08 school year.
* ↑ Urbana had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NCAA D-II Independent from 2008–09 to 2011–12; the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) during the 2012–13 school year; and the Mountain East Conference (MEC) from 2013–14 to 2019–20.
* ↑ This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not field men's sports.

### Membership timeline

Full member (non-football)

## Sports

The AMC formerly sponsored 15 sports:
* Women's championships: cross-country, soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball, golf, tennis, track and field
* Men's championships: cross-country, soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, track and field

## Administration

Presidents of member institutions maintained active rolls of governance over the organization by way of the Council of Presidents.
Additionally, the AMC included a staff of conference officials:
* James D. Houdeshell, Commissioner
* Mark Womack, AMC Administrative Assistant
* Deron Brown, Supervisor of Umpires, Baseball
* Linda Cairney, Supervisor of Umpires, Softball
* Bill Ek, Supervisor of Officials, Basketball
* Karen Fulks, Treasurer
* James Phipps, Eligibility Chair
* Diane Plas, Supervisor of Officials, Women's Basketball, Volleyball
* Kim Vieira, Supervisor of Officials, Men's and Women's soccer