HOBOKEN, N.J. (July 2, 2019)  – Stevens Institute of Technology took a historic step Monday as it officially became the 17th full-time member of the Middle Atlantic Conference and the eighth member of the MAC Freedom. The department was accepted into the league in August 15, 2018. The Ducks return to the MAC after a 41-year absence.

The move signifies the end of Stevens' 12-year run (2007-19) in the Empire 8 Conference. During the Empire 8 era, Stevens' student-athletes combined for 211 All-America honors, 61 Empire 8 titles and 48 NCAA team appearances. Stevens earned the Empire 8 Commissioner's Cup, which recognizes department-wide success across all athletic programs, in each of the last two academic years. 

"Although we accepted Stevens Institute of Technology for full MAC membership last July and they were members decades ago, they have now officially joined the MAC and MAC Freedom," commented Ken Andrews, MAC Executive Director. "In addition to bringing strong academic and athletics programs to the conference, of equal importance, [Stevens] adds other dimensions to our diverse group of schools. Their mission and location are unique to the MAC and will provide our student-athletes with another experience as they travel and compete within the footprint our 18 schools encompass. On behalf of our 7,000 student-athletes, I welcome Stevens to the MAC!"

"There has been a sense of excitement building on campus since it was announced last August that Stevens would be joining the MAC and MAC Freedom and I am sure the feeling will be heightened when our fall teams begin the 2019-2020 year," added Russ Rogers, Stevens' Director of Athletics. "Our administrative team has spent the last year learning more about our new league and getting to know our colleagues from other member institutions, and I can't say enough about how welcoming everyone has been. We can't wait to get started!"

Split into the Commonwealth and Freedom, the MAC currently sponsors competition in 27 sports - 14 for men (baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, volleyball and wrestling) and 13 for women (basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field and volleyball). Stevens will compete in all sports with the exception of men's and women's ice hockey, football and women's golf as the institution does not sponsor those sports.

"We are going to miss the Empire 8 and the strong sense of camaraderie that was developed over the last 12 years," Rogers commented. "We wish nothing but the best to all of our friends in the conference and look forward to competing with them from time to time in the future."

The MAC also sponsors numerous academic awards, including Academic All-Conference, an Academic Honor Roll and the MAC Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards, which are awarded to one senior student-athlete from each sport who exhibits top academic excellence and athletic prowess. 

With origins dating back to 1912, Stevens was represented at the first annual meeting of the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletics Association on May 16, 1913 and competed in the inaugural track and field championship the following day. Stevens was also represented at the inception meeting of the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference on April 23, 1922 and is sometimes listed as one of the conference's original 13 members. Stevens is listed in official records as having held conference membership from at least 1946-47 through 1977-78. Stevens Athletics Hall of Famer John A. Davis was elected as the conference's first Vice President at the 1922 inception meeting in Philadelphia. [ Hanrahan, Thomas. A History of the Middle Atlantic Conferences. Retrieved from https://static.gomacsports.com/custompages/FactBooks/MAC%20History.pdf?]

The MAC is made up of 17 institutions spread across three states, with York College of Pennsylvania set to become the conference's 18th full-time member beginning with the 2020-21 academic year.

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