Mid-American Conference90The Mid-American ConferenceProviding leadership in education and in diversity,the Mid-American Conference moves into its 61st yearof service to the student-athlete.Since its inception in 1946, the Mid-AmericanConference has progressively grown and developedinto one of the most aggressive Division I conferencesin the country. Under the guidance of CommissionerRick Chryst, the seventh commissioner in the historyof the league, the MAC has responded to the everRick Chryst changing landscape of membership issues andmember standards in the fast-paced environment ofcollegiate athletics.In May of <strong>2007</strong>, three MAC institutions – the University of Akron, Ball StateUniversity and the University at Buffalo – were among the 10 NCAA Division I-A athleticdepartments recognized for excellence in the area of diversity. The achievements werepresented by the Laboratory for Diversity in Sport at Texas A&M University.In addition, Akron and Kent State were noted for Diversity Strategy; Akron and Toledofor African American Graduation: Female Student-Athletes; Ball State and Kent Statefor African American Graduation: Male Student-Athletes; Buffalo for Employee Diversity:Sex; and Ball State and Buffalo for Employee Diversity: Values and Attitudes.In a report issued in September of <strong>2006</strong>, the MAC had the highest percentage ofpublic institutions with a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 70 percent or above (8of 12 schools) and a GSR of 50 percent or more (12 of 12 schools). In football GSR,the MAC led all other I-A leagues as eight of the 12 schools topped the 70 percent orbetter rate. The MAC’s total of eight at 70 percent-plus accounted for 32 percent of the25 public institutions nationwide that posted 70 percent or better.MAC football produced four bowl teams in <strong>2006</strong>, the second most in leaguehistory in a single season. The <strong>2007</strong> gridiron season welcomes the addition of TempleUniversity to the East Division.MAC women’s basketball produced two firsts in <strong>2007</strong>. Bowling Green became thefirst MAC women’s basketball team to advance as far as the Sweet 16 in the NCAATournament, and Northern Illinois’ guard Stephanie Raymond became the first-everMAC player in the WNBA when she played for the Chicago Sky after being a secondround draft selection.Recent past MAC noteworthy accomplishments include that of former Kent StatePresident Dr. Carol Cartwright. She chaired the Executive Committee of the NCAABoard of Directors from 2002-2005 during a legislative process that keyed legislationrelative to I-A status.In addition, in an NCAA report released in October 2004, the MAC led the 11 I-Aconferences in long-term graduation rates for football student-athletes at publicinstitutions.The conference now has national leadership positions on the following NCAAcommittees: - Ad Hoc Committee to Review Issues Related to Gender and Equity (CarolCartwright, CEO, Kent State); Division I Board of Directors (Sidney Ribeau, CEO,Bowling Green); Championships/Competition Cabinet (Brad Bates, Miami);Committee on Academic Performance (Brad Bates); Committee onAthletics Certification (Shonna Brown, MAC); General Counsel(Eileen K. Jennings, <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong>); Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet (Derrick Gragg, Eastern <strong>Michigan</strong>and Warde Manual, Buffalo); Infractions Appeals(Susan Lipnickey, Miami); Legislative Review andInterpretations (James Klein, Toledo); ManagementCouncil (Dell Robinson, MAC); Student-AthleteAdvisory Committee (Stephanie Swiger,Bowling Green); Executive Committee(Sidney Ribeau, CEO, Bowling Green);Playing Rules Oversight Panel (RickChryst, MAC); Walter Byers ScholarshipCommittee (Lee Meserve, Bowling Green);Furthermore, the MAC has representation on the Division I Sport Committees andrelated governing groups: - Baseball (David Heeke, <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong>); Football Issues(Kirby Hocutt, Ohio); Men’s Basketball (Laing Kennedy, Kent State); Men’s BasketballIssues (Charlie Coles, Miami); Men’s Soccer (Mary Lu Gribschaw, Akron); Men’s andWomen’s Track and Field (Rich Ceronie, Miami); Women’s Basketball (Jim Phillips,Northern Illinois); Men’s Basketball Rules (Reggie Witherspoon, Buffalo); Gymnastics(Jerry Reighard, <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong>); Softball Rules (Dee Abrahamson, Northern Illinois).From Super Bowl quarterback Ben Roethlisbereger (Miami University), British Openwinner Ben Curtis (Kent State University), World Series winning manager Bob Brenly(Ohio University) and Olympic bobsled team member Brock Kreitzburg (Universityof Toledo), the Mid-American Conference continues to excel in producing leaders in theworld of athletics.In March of <strong>2006</strong>, Chryst and Cleveland Cavaliers President Len Komoroskiannounced that the Mid-American Conference Men’s and Women’s BasketballTournaments would remain in Cleveland at Quicken Loans Arena through 2011. TheMAC also announced a format change for both tournaments, bringing all 12 men’s andwomen’s teams to Cleveland beginning in <strong>2007</strong>. The MAC also co-hosted the <strong>2007</strong>Women’s Final Four at Quicken Loans Arena, after successfully hosting the <strong>2006</strong> NCAAWomen’s Basketball Regional at Quicken Loans Arena.In <strong>2006</strong>, Chryst also announced a new, five-year relationship with InternationalSports Properties (ISP), Inc. to oversee and coordinate the league’s marketing andsponsorship rights. ISP, which currently manages 29 college properties nationwide, isconsidered the leader in the collegiate sports marketing industry. The MAC will be ISP’sfirst conference property.ISP will be responsible for managing, and ultimately growing, the MAC’s stable ofcorporate partners, which currently stands at nine - FirstEnergy, Huntington Bank, Kraft,Marathon Oil, GMAC Financial Services, Aeropostale, Gatorade, Automart.com andSirius satellite radio. FirstEnergy has been the title sponsor for the men’s basketballtournament since its first year in Cleveland in March 2000, Kraft has been associatedwith the women’s basketball tournament since 2001, and Marathon Oil will besponsoring the football championship for the third time in <strong>2007</strong>.Based in Cleveland since July 1999 following a 15- year stay in Toledo, Ohio, theMAC has established historic measurements in both football and men’s and women’sbasketball since its move to Northeast Ohio.The Mid-American Conference was founded as a five-school league on February24, 1946 in Columbus, Ohio with Ohio, Butler, Cincinnati, Wayne State and WesternReserve admitted as charter members. The Mid-American Conference has 12 full-timeschools and a 13th, Temple, for football only. Comprising the East Division is theUniversity of Akron (joined in 1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), Universityat Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947) and OhioUniversity (1946). The West Division members are Ball State University (1973),<strong>Central</strong> <strong>Michigan</strong> University (1971), Eastern <strong>Michigan</strong> University (1971), NorthernIllinois University (1975-86, 1997), University of Toledo (1950) and Western <strong>Michigan</strong>University (1947).In 1946 men’s basketball was the first competitive sport in the MAC, which nowsponsors a total of 23 sports. Women’s sports were brought into theconference’s structure in 1980.For men, championships (11) are sponsored infootball, basketball, baseball, cross country, soccer,swimming and diving, indoor track and field, outdoortrack and field, wrestling, golf and tennis.For women, championships (12) are sponsoredin basketball, softball, volleyball, cross country,field hockey, golf, soccer, swimming and diving,gymnastics, indoor track and field, outdoor trackand tennis.
<strong>2006</strong> <strong>Season</strong> <strong>Recap</strong>91
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