The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is a collegiate athletic conference which consists of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA’s Division I; in football, its teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS; known until the 2006-07 academic year as Division I-AA). It is expected that founding member North Carolina Central University will rejoin the league in the 2008-09 season.

History

Old Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference logo

In 1969 a group from a number of historical black colleges long associated with intercollegiate athletics met in Durham, North Carolina, at North Carolina College (NCC), now North Carolina Central University (NCCU), for two days. They were invited by Leroy T. Walker, to discuss the feasibility of organizing a new conference based along the Atlantic coastline. Seven of these institutions agreed to become the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. They were Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University.

The MEAC headquarters remained in Durham, North Carolina, until 1981, moving to Greensboro on March 26, 1982. It remained in Greensboro until the MEAC relocated to its current location in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in August of 2005.

The league was confirmed in 1970, kicking off its first season of competition in football in 1971. In 1978, the MEAC selected its first full-time commissioner, Kenneth A. Free and the following year, expanded to nine schools with the admission of two Florida schools: Bethune-Cookman University (then Bethune-Cookman College) and Florida A&M University. The MEAC operated with nine schools until 1985 when Coppin State University was admitted. The next expansion occurred in the 1990s with the inclusion of Hampton University in 1995 and Norfolk State University in 1997. Newer additions followed into the 2000s with Winston-Salem State University in 2007 and the readdition of North Carolina Central University fully by 2011.

On June 8, 1980, the MEAC was classified Division I by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the following month, received an automatic berth in the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.

Member institutions

Institution

Location

Founded

Affiliation

Enrollment

Joined

Nickname

Bethune-Cookman University

Daytona Beach, Florida

1904

Private/Methodist

3,060

1979

Wildcats

Coppin State University

Baltimore, Maryland

1900

Public

4,306

1985

Eagles

Delaware State University

Dover, Delaware

1891

Public

3,200

1970

Hornets

Florida A&M University

Tallahassee, Florida

1887

Public

12,792

1986

Rattlers

Hampton University

Hampton, Virginia

1868

Private/Non-sectarian

5,117

1995

Pirates

Howard University

Washington, D.C.

1867

Private/Non-sectarian

10,642

1970

Bison

Morgan State University

Baltimore, Maryland

1867

Public

6,621

1984

Bears

Norfolk State University

Norfolk, Virginia

1935

Public

8,500

1997

Spartans

North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro, North Carolina

1891

Public

11,103

1970

Aggies

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, South Carolina

1896

Public

4,525

1970

Bulldogs

University of Maryland Eastern Shore

Princess Anne, Maryland

1886

Public

3,297

1981

Hawks

Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

1892

Public

5,567

2007

Rams

 

Former members

    * Florida A&M University (1979-1984; rejoined in 1986)

    * Morgan State University (1970-1979; rejoined in 1984)

    * North Carolina Central University (1970-1979)

    * University of Maryland Eastern Shore (1970-1979; rejoined in 1981)

Conference facilities

School

Football stadium

Capacity

Basketball arena

Capacity

Bethune-Cookman

Municipal Stadium

10,000

Moore Gymnasium

3,000

Coppin State

Non-Football School

N/A

Coppin Center

1,720

Delaware State

Alumni Stadium

6,828

Memorial Hall

3,000

Florida A&M

Bragg Memorial Stadium

25,500

Jake Gaither Gymnasium

3,365

Hampton

Armstrong Stadium

17,000

Hampton Convocation Center

7,200

Howard

William H. Greene Stadium

10,000

Burr Gymnasium

2,700

Morgan State

Hughes Stadium

10,000

Hill Field House

4,250

Norfolk State

Dick Price Stadium

30,000

Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall

7,000

North Carolina A&T

Aggie Stadium

22,000

Corbett Sports Center

5,700

South Carolina State

Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

22,000

SHM Memorial Center

3,200

UMES

Non-Football School

N/A

Hytche Athletic Center

5,500

Winston-Salem State

Bowman Gray Stadium

17,000

LJVM Coliseum Annex

4,000

 

Championships

Football

    * 1971 Morgan State

    * 1972 North Carolina Central

    * 1973 North Carolina Central

    * 1974 South Carolina State

    * 1975 South Carolina State

    * 1976 South Carolina State

    * 1977 South Carolina State

    * 1978 South Carolina State

    * 1979 Morgan State

    * 1980 South Carolina State

    * 1981 South Carolina State

    * 1982 South Carolina State

    * 1983 South Carolina State

    * 1984 Bethune-Cookman

    * 1985 Delaware State

    * 1986 North Carolina A&T

    * 1987 Howard

    * 1988 Bethune-Cookman, Delaware State and Florida A&M

    * 1989 Delaware State

    * 1990 Florida A&M

    * 1991 North Carolina A&T

    * 1992 North Carolina A&T

    * 1993 Howard

    * 1994 South Carolina State

    * 1995 Florida A&M

    * 1996 Florida A&M

    * 1997 Hampton

    * 1998 Florida A&M and Hampton

    * 1999 North Carolina A&T

    * 2000 Florida A&M

    * 2001 Florida A&M

    * 2002 Bethune-Cookman

    * 2003 North Carolina A&T

    * 2004 Hampton and South Carolina State

    * 2005 Hampton

    * 2006 Hampton


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