Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference ( PSAC ) is a college athletic conference that participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II . The conference is currently composed of 16 full - time members within Pennsylvania and two associate members , one in Pennsylvania and the other in New York . In 2013 , the Pennsylvania associate will become a full member , along with another school from that state . The conference headquarters are located in Lock Haven , Pennsylvania and staffed by a commissioner , two assistant commissioners , and a director of media relations . History . The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education organized the conference in 1951 to promote competition in men ' s sports amongst the system ' s 14 universities . In 1977 , following growing interest , the conference was expanded to offer competition in women ' s sports . Then in 1980 , in order to promote increased competition , the entire conference was reclassified as Division II within the NCAA . Membership remained unchanged until the conference announced on June 18 , 2007 , that it had invited three private universities — Gannon University and Mercyhurst College in Erie , Pennsylvania and C . W . Post of Brookville , New York — to join the conference . Gannon and Mercyhurst left the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to join the PSAC , effective July 1 , 2008 . C . W . Post became an associate member for football and field hockey . In 2010 , Seton Hill University was accepted to join the conference as an associate member for field hockey . With the additional transition of West Chester ' s program from Division I to Division II , the number of teams competing in field hockey increased from 10 to 12 for the 2011 season . On August 19 , 2012 , the PSAC announced that Seton Hill and the University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown , formerly members of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference , would become full members beginning with the 2013 – 14 school year . This announcement was fallout from a split in the WVIAC that ultimately led to the formation of the Mountain East Conference ( MEC ) . Although Seton Hill was one of the schools that initially broke away from the WVIAC , it chose not to join the MEC . The arrival of these two schools will bring the PSAC to 18 full members ; barring any further changes , it will become the largest NCAA conference in terms of membership . Member schools . Schools are divided into two regions for football , men ' s and women ' s basketball , baseball , field hockey , and women ' s volleyball . Softball is divided into three regions ; however , softball will compete in two divisions beginning with the 2014 season . Sports . From its inception , each conference member selected its own competitive division within the NCAA ( I , II , or III ) . In 1980 , however , the presidents voted to reclassify the entire conference to Division II . The PSAC offers championships for men in baseball , basketball , cross country , football , golf , soccer , swimming , tennis , indoor ( winter ) and outdoor ( spring ) track and field , and wrestling . Women ' s sports include basketball , cross country , field hockey , golf , lacrosse , soccer , softball , swimming , tennis , indoor and outdoor track and field , and volleyball . Although all institutions are members of NCAA Division II , some have elected to compete at the Division I level in select sports . Lock Haven elects to compete in field hockey at the Division I level as an associate member of the Atlantic 10 Conference since 2010 . The team previously competed in Division I as a member of the Northeast Conference from 2004 to 2009 , winning four consecutive championships in each year eligible for post - season competition . In wrestling , Bloomsburg , Clarion , Edinboro , and Lock Haven compete as members of the Division I Eastern Wrestling League . The PSAC also holds an annual championship open to all Division I and Division II teams . Some member schools field NCAA teams in sports not offered by the PSAC . Kutztown competes as an affiliate for women ' s bowling in the Division I Northeast Conference . Mercyhurst competes in NCAA women ' s rowing , is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference ( ECAC ) for men ' s lacrosse , College Hockey America for women ' s ice hockey , Atlantic Hockey for men ' s ice hockey . West Chester competes in the ECAC for women ' s gymnastics . Divisions . Field hockey , men ' s and women ' s soccer , men ' s tennis , and women ' s lacrosse do not use a divisional format . Men ' s and women ' s basketball are the only sports with full member participation , with two divisions for nine teams each . Football consists of two , eight - team divisions . Notable alumni . The following is a list of alumni of the respective universities , including before the formation of the Conference in 1951 .