Ohio Athletic Conference

The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) was formed in 1902 and is the third oldest athletic conference in the United States. Its current commissioner is Sarah Otey. Former commissioners include Mike Cleary, who was the first General Manager of a professional basketball team to hire an African American head coach, and would later run the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). It is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Through the years, 31 schools have been members of the OAC. The enrollments of the current ten member institutions range from around 1,000 to 4,500. Member teams are located in Ohio.

History

Locations of members in the Ohio Athletic Conference

The Ohio Athletic Conference was found in 1902 with six charter members—Case Tech, Kenyon, Oberlin, Ohio State, Ohio Wesleyan, and Western Reserve. By 1934, the conference reached an all-time high of twenty-four members,^[1] seeing many schools come and go throughout the upcoming decades. By 2000, the conference solidified to its current form with the addition of its final school, Wilmington, to ten members.

On January 18, 2024, John Carroll University announces departure from the OAC to the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), beginning in the 2025–26 academic year.^[2]

Conference timeline

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Historical membership of the OAC: current members in red and former members in steel.

1902 – The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) was founded. Charter members included Case Institute of Technology, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio State University, Ohio Wesleyan University and Western Reserve University, beginning the 1902–03 academic year.
1907 – Denison University, Heidelberg College (now Heidelberg University) and the College of Wooster joined the OAC in the 1907–08 academic year.
1909 – Wittenberg College (now Wittenberg University) joined the OAC in the 1909–10 academic year.
1910 – The University of Cincinnati and Ohio University joined the OAC in the 1910–11 academic year.
1911 – Miami University of Ohio joined the OAC in the 1911–12 academic year.
1912 – Ohio State left the OAC after the 1911–12 academic year.
1914 – Mount Union College (now the University of Mount Union) joined the OAC in the 1914–15 academic year.
1915 – The University of Akron and Baldwin Wallace College (now Baldwin Wallace University) joined the OAC in the 1915–16 academic year.
1916 – Ohio Northern University joined the OAC in the 1916–17 academic year.
1919 – Baldwin Wallace left the OAC after the 1918–19 academic year.
1920 – Hiram College joined the OAC in the 1920–21 academic year.
1921 – Otterbein College (now Otterbein University) and St. Xavier College (now Xavier University) joined the OAC in the 1921–22 academic year.
1922 – Muskingum College (now Muskingum University) joined the OAC in the 1922–23 academic year.
1923 – Baldwin Wallace re-joined the OAC for a second time in the 1923–24 academic year.
1924 – Cincinnati left the OAC after the 1923–24 academic year.
1926 – Marietta College joined the OAC in the 1926–27 academic year.
1927 – Capital University joined the OAC in the 1927–28 academic year.
1928 – Denison, Miami, Ohio, Ohio Wesleyan and Wittenberg left the OAC to form the Buckeye Conference, alongside Cincinnati (who left 4 years prior), after the 1927–28 academic year.
1931 – Ashland College (now Ashland University) joined the OAC in the 1931–32 academic year.
1932 – Western Reserve left the OAC after the 1931–32 academic year.
1932 – John Carroll University, Kent State College (now Kent State University) and Toledo University (now the University of Toledo) joined the OAC in the 1932–33 academic year.
1933 – Bowling Green State College (now Bowling Green State University) joined the OAC, with Denison re-joining for a second time as well, in the 1933–34 academic year.
1934 – Wittenberg re-joined the OAC for a second time in the 1934–35 academic year.
1935 – Hiram left the OAC after the 1934–35 academic year.
1936 – Baldwin Wallace, Case Tech, John Carroll, Toledo and Xavier were suspended from the OAC for a violation of the opening date of football practice, all of them (except Xavier) were re-instated back the following school year.
1936 – Akron and Xavier left the OAC after the 1935–36 academic year.
1942 – Bowling Green State left the OAC after the 1941–42 academic year.
1947 – Ohio Wesleyan re-joined the OAC for a second time in the 1947–48 academic year.
1944 – Akron re-joined the OAC for a second time in the 1944–45 academic year, with football re-joining in the 1948 fall season (1948–49 academic year).
1947 – Ohio Northern left the OAC after the 1946–47 academic year.
1947 – Ohio Wesleyan re-joined the OAC for a second time in the 1947–48 academic year.
1948 – Ashland and Case Tech, alongside Baldiwn Wallace for a second time, left the OAC after the 1947–48 academic year.
1949 – John Carroll and Toledo left the OAC after the 1948–49 academic year.
1951 – Kent State left the OAC after the 1950–51 academic year.
1951 – Hiram re-joined the OAC for a second time in the 1951–52 academic year.
1961 – Baldwin Wallace re-joined the OAC for a third time in the 1961–62 academic year.
1966 – Akron left the OAC for a second time after the 1965–66 academic year.
1971 – Hiram left the OAC for a second time after the 1970–71 academic year.
1973 – Ohio Northern re-joined the OAC for a second time in the 1973–74 academic year.
1984 – Kenyon, Oberlin and Wooster left the OAC, alongside Denison and Ohio Wesleyan for a second time, to form the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) after the 1983–84 academic year.
1989 – Wittenberg left the OAC for a second time after the 1988–89 academic year.
1989 – Hiram re-joined the OAC for a third time, alongside John Caroll who re-joined for a second time, both effective in the 1989–90 academic year.
1999 – Hiram left the OAC for a third time after the 1998–99 academic year.
2000 – Wilmington College of Ohio joined the OAC in the 2000–01 academic year.
2011 – Defiance College joined the OAC as an associate member for men's and women's swimming and diving in the 2011–12 academic year.
2012 – Transylvania University joined the OAC as an associate member for men's and women's swimming and diving in the 2012–13 academic year.
2015 – Manchester University joined the OAC as an associate member for men's and women's swimming and diving in the 2015–16 academic year.
2024 – Defiance will leave the OAC and the NCAA Division III ranks as an affiliate member for men's and women's swimming and diving to join the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), beginning the 2024–25 academic year.
2025 – John Carroll will leave the OAC to join the NCAC, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The OAC currently has ten full members, all are private schools:

Notes

^ All cities are located within the State of Ohio.
^ Baldwin–Wallace left the OAC after the 1918–19 school year, but returned in the 1923–24 school year.
^ Baldwin–Wallace left the OAC again after the 1947–48 school year, but returned again effective in the 1961–62 school year.
^ Founded as St. Ignatius College in Cleveland.
^ John Carroll left the OAC after the 1948–49 school year, but returned effective in the 1989–90 school year.
^ Ohio Northern left the OAC after the 1948–49 school year, but returned effective in the 1973–74 school year.

Former members

The OAC had 20 former full members, all but seven were private schools:

Notes

^ All cities are located within the State of Ohio.
^ Akron left the OAC after the 1935–36 school year, but returned in the 1944–45 school year before leaving for good after the 1965–66 school year.
^ a b c d e f g h Currently an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision athletic conference.
^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
^ a b c d Case Tech and Western Reserve merged with to form Case Western Reserve University in 1967. However, their athletic programs continued to operate separately until after the 1969–70 school year.
^ Case Tech's nicknames were the following: Scientists from 1918–19 to 1939–40; and Rough Riders from 1940–41 to 1970–71.
^ a b Currently an NCAA Division I non-football athletic conference.
^ Denison left the OAC after the 1927–28 school year, but rejoined in the 1933–34 school year before leaving for good after the 1983–84 school year.
^ Hiram first left the OAC after the 1934–35 school year, but rejoined in the 1951–52 school year. It left the OAC again after the 1970–71 school year, but returned again in the 1989–90 school year before leaving for good after the 1998–99 school year.
^ During Miami's tenure in the OAC, the school had no established nickname; "Boys", "Big Reds", and "Red and White" were used interchangeably. "Redskins" made its first appearance in 1928; by 1931, that nickname became official. Miami (OH) has been competing as the RedHawks since the 1997–98 school year.
^ Ohio adopts conference rules in 1909 that go into effect for the 1910 fall season (1910–11 school year)."Ohio University Football", Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH, p. 4, September 27, 1909
^ Ohio Wesleyan left the OAC after the 1927–28 school year, but rejoined in the 1947–48 school year before leaving for good after the 1983–84 school year.
^ Paused affiliation with the United Methodist Church in 2019.
^ Western Reserve's nicknames were the following: Pioneers from 1920–21 to 1927–28; and Red Cats from 1928–29 to 1970–71.
^ Wittenberg left the OAC after the 1927–28 school year, but rejoined in the 1934–35 school year before leaving for good after the 1988–89 school year.

Former associate members

The OAC had three former associate members, all private schools. This included the only schools outside of Ohio that had any level of OAC membership.

Notes

^ Currently an NAIA athletic conference.

Membership timeline

Sports

In 2023–24, the OAC sponsors the following championships:

Facilities

Departing member in pink.

OAC Tournament Championship History

2016-24: John Carroll
2006-16: Ohio Northern

2017-24: John Carroll
2015-16: Mount Union

Men's Basketball

2020-22: Marietta
2019-20: Mount Union
2018-19: Baldwin Wallace
2017-18: John Carroll
2016-17: Marietta
2015-16: John Carroll
2014-15: Mount Union
2013-14: Wilmington
2012-13: Marietta
2011-12: Capital
2010-11: Marietta
2009-10: Wilmington
2008-09: John Carroll
2007-08: Heidelberg
2006-07: Capital

Women's Basketball

2022: Baldwin Wallace
2020-21: John Carroll
2019-20: Baldwin Wallace
2018-19: John Carroll
2017-18: Marietta
2016-17: Ohio Northern
2015-16: Mount Union
2014-15: Baldwin Wallace
2013-14: Capital
2012-13: Ohio Northern
2009-10, 2010–11, 2011-12: Mount Union
2008-09: Capital
2007-08: Baldwin Wallace
2005-06, 2006-07: Wilmington
2002-03, 2003-04: Wilmington

Football

2017–19;2021: Mount Union
2016: John Carroll
1995–2015: Mount Union
1994: Baldwin Wallace/John Carroll/Mount Union
1992–1993: Mount Union
1991: Baldwin Wallace
1990: Mount Union
1989: John Carroll
1988: Baldwin Wallace/Wittenberg

^[5]

Baseball

2021-22: Marietta
2019: Otterbein
2018: Baldwin Wallace
2017: Otterbein
2015–16: Marietta
2014: John Carroll
2013: Mount Union
2011–12: Marietta
2010: Heidelberg

Men's Soccer

2023: Ohio Northern
2018-22: John Carroll
2017: Otterbein
2016: John Carroll
2015: Ohio Northern
2014: Heidelberg
2010–13: Ohio Northern
2009: Capital and Ohio Northern (tie)
2008: Ohio Northern
2004: Wilmington
2000: Wilmington

Women's Soccer

2019: Ohio Northern
2018: Otterbein
2017: Ohio Northern
2016: Mount Union
2013–15: Capital
2012: Ohio Northern
2011: Capital
2010: Otterbein

Women's Volleyball

2018–19: Ohio Northern
2017: Otterbein
2016: Ohio Northern
2015: Heidelberg
2011–14: Mount Union
2010: Heidelberg
2009: Ohio Northern
2008: Heidelberg

Men's Golf

2015–19: Otterbein
2014: Baldwin Wallace
2011: Mount Union
2009–10: Otterbein
2007–08: Mount Union
1998–06: Otterbein
1997: John Carroll
1996: Otterbein
1994–95: John Carroll
1992–93: Otterbein
1991: Heidelberg and Hiram (tie)
1990: John Carroll
1988–89: Wittenberg
1987: Muskingum

Men's Wrestling

2016–19: Baldwin Wallace
2012–14: Heidelberg
2011: Mount Union
2006–10: Heidelberg
2002–05: John Carroll
2001: Ohio Northern
2000: Muskingum

Men's Cross Country

2018-2019: Otterbein
2015–2017: Ohio Northern
2012–2014: Mount Union
2011: Ohio Northern
2010: Mount Union
2009: Heidelberg
2007–2008: Ohio Northern
2005–2006: Mount Union
2003–2004: Otterbein
2001–2002: Mount Union
2000: Heidelberg

Women's Cross Country

2015–18: Otterbein
2014: Mount Union
2013: John Carroll
2010–12: Ohio Northern
2009: Baldwin Wallace
2008: Ohio Northern
2007: Baldwin Wallace
2006: Ohio Northern

Men's Lacrosse

2016–22: John Carroll
2013–15: Otterbein

Women's Lacrosse

2014–19: Mount Union

References

^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-09-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "John Carroll University Joins North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)" (Press release). January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
^ "Team colors, mascots, names".
^ "Team colors, mascots, names".
^ "2020 OAC Football Record Book" (PDF). OAC.org. p. 4. Retrieved October 7, 2022.

External links

Official website