Media Guide - Bloomsburg University

Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
The Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference, with 51 years of organized
competition, has established itself as one
of the most respected NCAA Division II
athletic conferences.
In its history the PSAC has laid claim
to 32 NCAA team champions and 178
individual title winners, giving credence
to its fine athletic tradition. The
conference’s prosperity on the national
level was abundant again in 2001-02, as
88 of the league’s 245 teams participated
in NCAA postseason competition. The
PSAC also distinguishes itself as the
largest conference in terms of sports
sponsorship. With the addition of men’s
and women’s indoor track & field
championships in 2001-02, the PSAC now
awards titles for 22 different sports.
Academic success is paramount for
PSAC member institutions as well. During
the 2001-02 academic year, 1,118
student-athletes were designated by the
conference as “Scholar-Athletes” after
attaining a cumulative grade point
average of 3.25 or better. Additionally,
eight PSAC student-athletes earned
19
Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America
Awards last season.
The PSAC was organized in 1951 for
the purpose of promoting and
administering men’s athletic programs
within the 14 state teachers colleges in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In
1977, due to the interest and growth of
women’s athletics, the conference was
restructured to provide for women’s
programs.
From its inception, each conference
member selected its own competitive
division within the NCAA. In 1980,
however, the presidents voted to
reclassify the entire conference to
Division II. Although all 14 institutions
are members of NCAA Division II, nine
schools have also elected to compete at
the Division I level in select sports.
In 1983, all member institutions
were granted university status as a result
of Legislative Act 188, which formed
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher
Education. This system now enrolls over
98,000 students. The alumni of the State
System number more than 570,000,
including 361,000 Pennsylvanians.
Eastern Division Western Division
Bloomsburg California
Cheyney Clarion
East Stroudsburg Edinboro
Kutztown Indiana
Mansfield Lock Haven
Millersville Shippensburg
West Chester Slippery Rock