MEC new member Shawnee State

[WVSU1995]

They are located in nearby Ohio.

[Finchwidget]

Guess that feasibility study from a few months back was the real deal. Where there's smoke, there's fire!

[Finchwidget]

Looks like they're starting up a football program too?? Fantastic move by the MEC to get them!

[Uindy18]

Here is the official release:

https://mountaineast.org/news/2025/6...wneestate.aspx

The next question becomes does MEC expansion end here? Do you look at non-football schools such as Salem or WV Tech (since the MEC seems to like River States Conference teams of late)?

[Finchwidget]

Here is the official release:

https://mountaineast.org/news/2025/6...wneestate.aspx

The next question becomes does MEC expansion end here? Do you look at non-football schools such as Salem or WV Tech (since the MEC seems to like River States Conference teams of late)?

The MEC has had every opportunity to add Salem the past couple years given their recent departures, and yet they haven't. From the outside looking in, it seems like they prefer the setup they currently have, where they use scheduling alliances and affiliate memberships... Keeping Salem around only when it's convenient for the conference, and even then, only at an arms distance. Unless the MEC gets decimated to the point where their status as an active D2 conference is in jeopardy and they need to plug someone in immediately to maintain it, I have a hard time seeing them ever giving Salem full membership.

In any case, barring any more departures, I doubt any further expansion is coming. The MEC has never expanded beyond 12 in the past, and 12 full members with 10 football playing members is a good place to be in anyways

[zimmy21]

How nice it must be to be surrounded by nearby options for conference expansion.

[Tdobson]

Is there any chance Salem and Tech get offers to join?

Would either be willing to add football? I know tech had football in the 90's early 2000's.

[WVSU1995]

I would say Salem has a lot of work to do to become a member. They do fill some scheduling gaps for us.

But, they were 0-26 in women's basketball. They were 0-18 in women's soccer. They were 5-24 in volleyball with all but one win coming against branch campuses. They were 6-22 in men's basketball. Their men's soccer team was 4-12-2.

I just don't see any need to bring them in. It isn't personal. I just don't see them adding any thing to the conference.

[Tech Boys]

I'd still like to see the MEC look east for Mary Washington, Salisbury, and Shenandoah.

[EastStroud13]

I'd still like to see the MEC look east for Mary Washington, Salisbury, and Shenandoah.

I would love to see Salisbury in D2. I think they would be a good fit for the PSAC. Unfortunately geography is not on their side.

[Tech Boys]

I would love to see Salisbury in D2. I think they would be a good fit for the PSAC. Unfortunately geography is not on their side.

Travel for Salisbury is probably not going to be ideal in either conference but there are 9 current and future PSAC schools less than 300 miles from campus. Only 3 PSAC members are 400 or more miles away.

[Uindy18]

Is there any chance Salem and Tech get offers to join?

Would either be willing to add football? I know tech had football in the 90's early 2000's.

Salem was a football wagon of the 1970s and 1980s with Jimbo Fisher,Terry Bowden, Rich Rodriguez, Bill Stewart, and many notable WV football names spending time playing or coaching there.

But they cut it for a reason, no place to play/practice and no where near the resources needed to do football.

[Uindy18]

I would say Salem has a lot of work to do to become a member. They do fill some scheduling gaps for us.

But, they were 0-26 in women's basketball. They were 0-18 in women's soccer. They were 5-24 in volleyball with all but one win coming against branch campuses. They were 6-22 in men's basketball. Their men's soccer team was 4-12-2.

I just don't see any need to bring them in. It isn't personal. I just don't see them adding any thing to the conference.

If they did get in, it would be heavily on the geographic factor and keeping travel costs down.

Salem was more competitive with baseball and softball if that helps at all.

End of the day, I am have always liked the idea of the MEC brining in Salem and WV Tech to reform the old WVIAC. Just makes logistical sense.

[ctrabs74]

Looks like they're starting up a football program too?? Fantastic move by the MEC to get them!

Shawnee State, a regional public university located in Portsmouth, Ohio, will officially become a member of the MEC in July of 2026, pending its acceptance into the NCAA Division II membership process. SSU will initially participate in 19 of the MEC’s 23 sports and will begin competition in football no later than the 2028 season.

[Fightingscot82]

Is there any chance Salem and Tech get offers to join?

Would either be willing to add football? I know tech had football in the 90's early 2000's.

Tech moved campuses and abandoned their notorious old football stadium on the cliff. Not sure if their current campus has a field to use. Now that they're under the WVU umbrella, the mother ship won't pony up.

Salem had football in the 80s in the old NAIA days. Terry Bowden's first head coach job was there and he won multiple WVIAC titles.

Both schools are in tough financial situations like most in the region, so I doubt either make that decision. The specter of AB's demise is too recent.