PAC Historical Look Back Print The formation of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) was announced April 5, 1954 and included Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Institute of Technology, John Carroll University and Western Reserve University. The league began competition in the fall of 1955. A statement announcing the new program said: "The presidents of Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Institute of Technology, John Carroll University and Western Reserve University believe that these institutions should provide a vigorous program of student activities as an integral part of the educational opportunities afforded to the undergraduate students, Among such activities competitive athletics enlist the interest and participation of a substantial majority of the male students and provide an important educational experience." Wayne State University in Detroit was added in 1955. In 1958, four members were added from Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia: Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia, Thiel College in Greenville, Pa. and Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa. In May 1962, Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) boosted the league's total to nine members. Eastern Michigan and Wayne State withdrew from the PAC following the 1965-66 academic year. Both institutions cited geographic problems involved in scheduling spring sports and changes in the complexities of their institutions as primary reasons for resignation. In the fall of 1967 the PAC gained another unique characteristic, as Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve federated into a new school known as Case Western Reserve University. The undergraduate student bodies would remain separate, however, and both Case Tech and Adelbert College (the male undergraduate school of the former Western Reserve) would continue to field spearate teams. Thus, the federated Case Western Reserve was represented by two separate entitites: Adelbert and Case Tech. The two undergraduate student bodies merged in 1970 and began competing as Case Western Reserve. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh was added in 1968, followed by the addition of Hiram College in 1971. Allegheny and Case Western Reserve withdrew at the conclusion of the 1983-84 academic year and Grove City College was admitted in the fall of 1984. John Carroll and Hiram resigned following the completion of the 1988-89 academic year. Carnegie Mellon withdrew after the 1989-90 academic year and Waynesburg College (now University) joined the conference in the fall of 1990. The league remained a five-school conference until June 1995 when Alfred University (N.Y.) was added as its sixth member. Alfred resigned following the 1997-98 academic year. Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa., a former National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) member, was added in the fall of 2000, becoming the league's sixth member. The PAC expanded to seven members in 2005 with the addition of Thomas More College (now University) in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, formerly a NCAA Division III independent. Thomas More's 12-year membership in the PAC ended with the conclusion of the 2017-18 academic year. Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., also a former NAIA member, joined the conference as it began provisional Division III membership status in 2006-07. Another former NAIA member, Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa., became the conference's ninth member and began league play as it started Division III provisional membership in 2007-08. Chatham College (now University) in Pittsburgh became the league's 10th member, also in 2007-08. In 2011, the PAC voted to add Carnegie Mellon and Case Western Reserve as affiliate members in the sport of football beginning in 2014. Franciscan University of Steubenville was accepted as an affiliate member in men's and women's lacrosse in December 2017 and began PAC play in 2019. In April 2019, the PAC accepted Franciscan as its 10th full member. Franciscan will compete in women's golf and men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field during the 2019-20 academic year. Franciscan's 14 additional NCAA Division III sports will be eligible for PAC championships and all-conference honors in 2020-21. In August 2021, Allegheny announced plans to re-enter the PAC as the league's 11th full-time member, effective July 1, 2022. In April, 2023, Hiram was accepted as a PAC affiliate member for men's volleyball, which will be sponsored by the conference as it's 24th championship sport in the 2024-25 academic year. Hiram's affiliate membership will begin in July, 2024. In April 2024, Hiram announced plans for the College to re-enter the PAC as the league's 12th full-time member, effective July 1, 2025. Hiram will compete in men's volleyball & wrestling in 2024-25 and compete in all sports in the 2025-26 season. In September 2024, Carnegie Mellon was granted a release from its football affiliate membership at the completion of the 2024 season following a request from the University. In March 2025, Saint Francis University announces plans to reclassify from NCAA Division I to Division III and join the PAC. Full membership rights will begin on July 1, 2025, with the Red Flash to have full PAC schedules in applicable sports starting in the 2026-27 academic year when it begins provisional Division III membership. PAC membership timeline: • 1955: Charter members Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Case Institute of Technology and Wayne State University (Detroit, Mich.) come together to form the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). • 1958: The PAC adds four additional members: Allegheny College (Meadville, Pa.); Bethany College (Bethany, W.Va.); Thiel College (Greenville, Pa.); and Washington & Jefferson College (Washington, Pa.) to bring total conference membership to eight. • 1962: The PAC accepted Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University; Ypsilanti, Mich.) as its ninth member. • 1966: Wayne State and Eastern Michigan withdraw from the PAC following the 1965-66 academic year, leaving the conference with seven members. • 1967: Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University federated into a new institution known as Case Western Reserve University. The undergraduate student bodies remained separate, however, and both Case Tech and Adelbert College (the male undergraduate school of the former Western Reserve) continued to field separate teams. • 1968: Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pa.) is accepted into the PAC. • 1970: Case Western Reserve begins to compete as one program, no longer fielding teams as Case Tech and Adelbert. • 1971: Hiram College (Hiram, Ohio) is accepted into the PAC. • 1984: Grove City College (Grove City, Pa.) is accepted into the PAC; Allegheny and Case Western Reserve leave the PAC following the 1983-84 academic year. • 1984-85: The PAC sponsors women's athletic championship events for the first time. • 1989: John Carroll and Hiram leave the PAC following the 1988-89 academic year. • 1990: Waynesburg College (now University) (Waynesburg, Pa.) is accepted into the PAC; Carnegie Mellon leaves the PAC following 1989-90 academic year. • 1996: Alfred College (Alfred, N.Y.) is accepted into the PAC. • 1998: Alfred leaves the PAC following the 1997-98 academic year. • 2000: Westminster College (New Wilmington, Pa.) is accepted into the PAC. • 2005: Thomas More College (now University) (Crestview Hills, Ky.) is accepted into the PAC. • 2006: Saint Vincent College (Latrobe, Pa.) is accepted into the PAC. • 2007: Geneva College (Beaver Falls, Pa.) and Chatham University (Pittsburgh, Pa.) are both accepted into the PAC. • 2011: Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University are admitted to the PAC as affiliate members in football, beginning with the 2014-15 academic year. • 2017: Franciscan University of Steubenville admitted to the PAC as an affiliate member in men's and women's lacrosse, beginning with the 2018-19 academic year. • 2018: Thomas More leaves the PAC following the 2017-18 academic year. • 2019: Franciscan accepted into the PAC as a full member. • 2022: Allegheny College re-enters the PAC as the league's 11th full-time member, effective July 1. • 2023: Hiram College admitted to the PAC as an affiliate member in men's volleyball, beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. • 2024: Hiram and the PAC announces the College will re-enter the conference as the league's 12th full-time member, effective July 1, 2025. Hiram will compete in men's volleyball & wrestling in 2024-25 and compete in all sports in the 2025-26 season. • 2024: Carnegie Mellon University is granted a release from its football affiliate membership at the completion of the 2024 season. • 2025: Saint Francis University accepted into the PAC as a full member, effective July 1, 2025.