MEC/WVIAC Football History

[boatcapt]

With two new football programs starting this coming season and one in 2020, I wanted to provide a little recap of the football playoff history of the current MEC and the WVIAC before that. Here goes.

The MEC has been in existence since 2013. Before that most MEC schools were in the WVIAC. MEC schools that were not in the WVIAC are Notre Dame and Urbana.

As the MEC alone:

The MEC has a 12-8 football playoff record.
MEC has had one team participate in the NCAA National Championship football game (Shepherd 2015).
MEC schools have won four NCAA Regional Championships in football (Notre Dame in 2018, Shepherd (2016 and 15) and Concord (2014).
MEC title holders: (Shepherd 3, Notre Dame and Concord 1 each).

As the WVIAC alone:

Playoff record 12-30.
Won one National Football Championship (Fairmont 1967).
Participated in four National Football Championship games (Fairmont, Glenville (twice) and Salem).
Won one NCAA Regional Title in football (Shepherd).
Leading conference title holders (Fairmont and Shepherd tied at 17 each, West Liberty 15 and Concord 12).

[Inkblot]

Re: MEC/WVIAC Football History

It should also be noted that the WVIAC's final NAIA playoff appearance came in 1994 and its first D2 playoff appearance came in 1997.

[Horror Child]

Re: MEC/WVIAC Football History

So when boatcapt writes "National Football Championship" he means "NAIA".

[boatcapt]

Re: MEC/WVIAC Football History

So when boatcapt writes "National Football Championship" he means "NAIA".

Yes. Many (most?) "small" schools were in the NAIA prior to mid/late 80's I think. I believe a few (all? most? some?) PSAC schools were in the NAIA as well.

Here's a link to a Wiki page about Fairmont's National Football Championship:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_NAIA_football_season

Fairmont also did a good video to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the NC. You can find it by googling it.

NCAA didn't even crown a DII NC in football until 1973 so the NAIA NC in 1967 was kind of a big deal...or at least as big a deal as things got in small college sports of the day!

[boatcapt]

Re: MEC/WVIAC Football History

It should also be noted that the WVIAC's final NAIA playoff appearance came in 1994 and its first D2 playoff appearance came in 1997.

Looks like the first year the WVIAC was in the NCAA DII was 1995. Don't know if they weren't eligible for post season play in 1995 and 96 or if they just didn't get any teams selected.

[ctrabs74]

Re: MEC/WVIAC Football History

Yes. Many (most?) "small" schools were in the NAIA prior to mid/late 80's I think. I believe a few (all? most? some?) PSAC schools were in the NAIA as well.

Here's a link to a Wiki page about Fairmont's National Football Championship:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_NAIA_football_season

Fairmont also did a good video to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the NC. You can find it by googling it.

NCAA didn't even crown a DII NC in football until 1973 so the NAIA NC in 1967 was kind of a big deal...or at least as big a deal as things got in small college sports of the day!

What was then the "College Division" of the NCAA - essentially today's D2/D3 - staged four regional bowl games in lieu of a post-season tournament prior to 1973 and the eventual evolution into what we know as D2 and D3. Quite a few PSAC schools were part of the NAIA at one point. Slippery Rock finished 4th in the 1973 NAIA men's basketball national title game; Cal, Clarion, Edinboro, IUP, Mansfield and Millersville also qualified for the NAIA tourney at various points between the 1950s and 1970s before the PSAC unified all programs into NCAA D2 in 1980.

[boatcapt]

Re: MEC/WVIAC Football History

Fact I just learned about "small college" football in 1967. Apparently the UPI Coaches poll lumped NCAA College Division and NAIA teams together. Fairmont finished ranked #4 in the nation with West Chester State finishing ranked #5 and Waynesburg finished the season ranked #10. Waynesburg had been ranked as high as #3 until a Nov 8 loss to Fairmont.