Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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August 22, 2012

Bluefield State last college standing in the WVIAC

Associated Press

BLUEFIELD —  Davis & Elkins and Ohio Valley are joining the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

The G-MAC announced Tuesday night that the two schools, along with fellow West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference member Alderson-Broaddus, had accepted invitations to join the new league, which is based in Indianapolis.

“These institutions are committed to creating a quality Division II athletic conference that will benefit the experiences of their student-athletes and will prove to be valuable additions to the membership,” G-MAC Commissioner Tom Daeger said.

Earlier this week A-B announced it was joining the G-MAC; nine other WVIAC schools said they were forming the Mountain East Conference with two schools from Ohio and one from Virginia; and Pitt-Johnstown and Seton Hill accepted invitations to join the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

The moves are effective in fall 2013.

That will leave what was the 15-member WVIAC with only one school, Bluefield State.

Now, both must ponder their futures.

A Bluefield State athletic official didn’t immediately return a telephone message Wednesday.

WVIAC commissioner Barry Blizzard has declined comment on the league’s prospects.  Founded in 1924, the WVIAC is one of the nation’s oldest small-college leagues.  

An NCAA Division II membership committee approved the G-MAC earlier this year. The conference plans to explore further expansion opportunities. Other G-MAC members are Cedarville, Ohio; Central State, Ohio;  Kentucky Wesleyan College, Trevecca Nazarene, Tenn., and Ursuline, Ohio.

“The G-MAC is committed to the goal of establishing a model NCAA Division II athletic conference,” Daeger said. “The Conference will continue to remain pro-active in growing the membership to achieve the objective of providing a quality experience for all of its members.”

 

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