Ohio Athletic Conference Explained
| Ohio Athletic Conference |
| Founded: | 1902 |
| Association: | NCAA |
| Division: | Division III |
| Teams: | 10 (9 in 2025) |
| Sports: | 23 |
| Mens: | 12 |
| Womens: | 11 |
| Region: | Ohio |
| Headquarters: | Westerville, Ohio |
| Commissioner: | Sarah Otey |
| Since: | 2021 |
| Website: | oac.org |
| Map: | OAC-USA-states.png |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Color: | - f6ee27;
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| Font Color: | - 000000
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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
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
- 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:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Colors |
|---|
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | 1845 | Nonsectarian | 3,220 | Yellow Jackets | 1915;
1923;
1961 | |
| Capital University | Bexley | 1830 | Lutheran ELCA | 2,617 | Comets | 1927 | |
| Heidelberg University | Tiffin | 1850 | United Church of Christ | 1,086 | Student Princes | 1907 | |
| John Carroll University | University Heights | 1886 | Catholic
| 2,922 | Blue Streaks | 1932;
1989 | |
| Marietta College | Marietta | 1835 | Nonsectarian | 1,198 | Pioneers | 1926 | |
| Alliance | 1846 | Nonsectarian | 2,130 | Purple Raiders | 1914 | |
| Muskingum University | New Concord | 1837 | Presbyterian | 2,117 | Fighting Muskies | 1922 | |
| Ohio Northern University | Ada | 1871 | United Methodist | 3,015 | Polar Bears | 1916;
1973 | |
| Otterbein University | Westerville | 1847 | United Methodist | 3,080 | Cardinals | 1921 | |
| Wilmington College | Wilmington | 1870 | Quakers | 1,046 | Quakers | 2000 | | |
- Notes:
Former members
The OAC had 20 former full members, all but seven were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Colors | Current
conference |
|---|
| Akron | 1870 | Public | 18,730 | Zips | 1915;
1944 | 1936;
1966 | | Mid-American (MAC) |
| Ashland University | Ashland | 1878 | Brethren | 6,626 | Eagles | 1931 | 1948 | | Great Midwest (G-MAC) |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green | 1910 | Public | 17,540 | Falcons | 1933 | 1942 | | Mid-American (MAC) |
| Case Institute of Technology | Cleveland | 1880 | Nonsectarian | N/A | various | 1902 | 1948 | [3] | University (UAA) |
| Cincinnati | 1819 | Public | 45,949 | Bearcats | 1910 | 1924 | | Big 12 |
| Dayton | 1850 | Catholic
| 11,241 | Flyers | 1926 | 1934 | | Atlantic 10 (A-10) |
| Denison University | Granville | 1831 | Nonsectarian | 2,100 | Big Red | 1907;
1933 | 1928;
1984 | | North Coast (NCAC) |
| Hiram College | Hiram | 1850 | Disciples of Christ | 1,395 | Terriers | 1920;
1951;
1989 | 1935;
1971;
1999 | | North Coast (NCAC) |
| Kent State University | Kent | 1910 | Public | 28,122 | Golden Flashes | 1932 | 1951 | | Mid-American (MAC) |
| Kenyon College | Gambier | 1824 | Episcopal/Anglican | 1,640 | Lords &<br />Ladies | 1902 | 1984 | | North Coast (NCAC) |
| Miami University | Oxford | 1809 | Public | 19,933 | RedHawks | 1911 | 1928 | | Mid-American (MAC) |
| Oberlin College | Oberlin | 1833 | Nonsectarian | 2,850 | Yeomen &<br />Yeowomen | 1902 | 1984 | | North Coast (NCAC) |
| Columbus | 1870 | Public | 61,369 | Buckeyes | 1902 | 1912 | | Big Ten |
| Athens | 1804 | Public | 28,750 | Bobcats | 1910 | 1925 | | Mid-American (MAC) |
| Delaware | 1842 | United Methodist | 1,850 | Battlin' Bishops | 1902;
1947 | 1928;
1984 | | North Coast (NCAC) |
| Toledo | 1872 | Public | 20,304 | Rockets | 1932 | 1947 | | Mid-American (MAC) |
| Western Reserve University | Cleveland | 1826 | Nonsectarian | N/A | various | 1902 | 1932 | [4] | University (UAA) |
| Wittenberg University | Springfield | 1845 | Lutheran ELCA | 2,050 | Tigers | 1909;
1934 | 1928;
1989 | | North Coast (NCAC) |
| Wooster | 1866 | Nonsectarian | 1,827 | Fighting Scots | 1907 | 1984 | | North Coast (NCAC) |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati | 1831 | Catholic
| 7,112 | Musketeers | 1921 | 1936 | | Big East | |
- Notes:
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:
Membership timeline
DateFormat = yyyyImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20Period = from:1902 till:2027TimeAxis = orientation:horizontalPlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5
Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:powderblue from:1902 till:1948 text:Case Tech (1902–1948)
bar:2 color:powderblue from:1902 till:1984 text:Kenyon (1902–1984)
bar:3 color:powderblue from:1902 till:1984 text:Oberlin (1902–1984)
bar:4 color:powderblue from:1902 till:1912 text:Ohio State (1902–1912)
bar:5 color:powderblue from:1902 till:1928 text:Ohio Wesleyan (1902–1928) bar:5 color:powderblue from:1947 till:1984 text: (1947–1984)
bar:6 color:powderblue from:1902 till:1932 text:Western Reserve (1902–1932)
bar:7 color:powderblue from:1907 till:1928 text:Denison (1907–1928) bar:7 color:powderblue from:1933 till:1984 text:(1933–1984)
bar:8 color:powderblue from:1907 till:end text:Heidelberg (1907–present)
bar:9 color:powderblue from:1907 till:1984 text:Wooster (1907–1984)
bar:10 color:powderblue from:1909 till:1928 text:Wittenberg (1909–1928) bar:10 color:powderblue from:1934 till:1989 text:(1934–1989)
bar:11 color:powderblue from:1910 till:1924 text:Cincinnati (1910–1924)
bar:12 color:powderblue from:1910 till:1928 text:Ohio (1910–1928)
bar:13 color:powderblue from:1911 till:1928 text:Miami (Oh.) (1911–1928)
bar:14 color:powderblue from:1914 till:end text:Mount Union (1914–present)
bar:15 color:powderblue from:1915 till:1936 text:Akron (1915–1936) bar:15 color:powderblue from:1944 till:1966 text:(1944–1966)
bar:16 color:powderblue from:1915 till:1919 text:Baldwin Wallace (1915–1919; 1923–1948) bar:16 color:powderblue from:1923 till:1948 text: bar:16 color:powderblue from:1961 till:end text:(1961–present)
bar:17 color:powderblue from:1916 till:1947 text:Ohio Northern (1916–1947) bar:17 color:powderblue from:1973 till:end text:(1973–present)
bar:18 color:powderblue from:1920 till:1935 text:Hiram (1920–1935) bar:18 color:powderblue from:1951 till:1971 text:(1951–1971) bar:18 color:powderblue from:1989 till:1999 text:(1989–1999)
bar:19 color:powderblue from:1921 till:end text:Otterbein (1921–present)
bar:20 color:powderblue from:1921 till:1936 text:Xavier (Oh.) (1921–1936)
bar:21 color:powderblue from:1922 till:end text:Muskingum (1922–present)
bar:22 color:powderblue from:1926 till:1934 text:Dayton (1926–1934)
bar:23 color:powderblue from:1926 till:end text:Marietta (1926–present)
bar:24 color:powderblue from:1927 till:end text:Capital (1927–present)
bar:25 color:powderblue from:1931 till:1948 text:Ashland (1931–1948)
bar:26 color:powderblue from:1932 till:1949 text:John Carroll (1932–1949) bar:26 color:powderblue from:1989 till:2025 text: (1989–2025)
bar:27 color:powderblue from:1932 till:1951 text:Kent State (1932–1951)
bar:28 color:powderblue from:1932 till:1949 text:Toledo (1932–1949)
bar:29 color:powderblue from:1933 till:1942 text:Bowling Green State (1933–1942)
bar:30 color:powderblue from:2000 till:end text:Wilmington (OH) (2000–present)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1902
TextData = fontsize:M textcolor:black pos:(300,30) # tabs:(0-center) text:"Ohio Athletic Conference Membership History"
Sports
In 2023–24, the OAC sponsors the following championships:
Facilities
Departing member in pink.
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity | Baseball field | Capacity | Softball field | Capacity |
|---|
| Baldwin Wallace | George Finnie Stadium | 10,000 | Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium | 2,800 | Heritage Field | | Rhoem Athletic Complex | |
| Capital | Bernlohr Stadium | 3,000 | Capital Center | 2,100 | Clowson Field | | Clowson Field | |
| Heidelberg | Hoernemann Stadium | 1,300 | Seiberling Gymnasium | | Peaceful Valley | | Frann's Field | |
| John Carroll | Don Shula Stadium | 5,416 | Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center | 2,500 | Schweickert Field | | Bracken Outdoor Athletic Complex | |
| Marietta | Don Drumm Stadium | 5,000 | Ban Johnson Arena | 1,457 | Don Schaly Stadium | 1,500 | Marietta Field | |
| Mount Union | Mount Union Stadium | 5,600 | McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex | 3,000 | 23rd Street Field | | 23rd Street Field | |
| Muskingum | McConagha Stadium | 5,000 | Anne C. Steele Center | 2,500 | Mose Morehead Field | | Donna J. Newberry Field | |
| Ohio Northern | Dial–Roberson Stadium | 3,500 | ONU Sports Center | | Wander Field | | ONU Softball Field | |
| Otterbein | Memorial Stadium | 2,400 | Rike Center | 3,100 | Fishbaugh Field | | Otterbein Softball Field | |
| Wilmington | Williams Stadium | 3,500 | Fred Raizk Arena | 3,500 | Tewksbury-Delaney Field | | WC Softball Field | | |
OAC Tournament Championship History
Men's Swimming & Diving
- 2016-24: John Carroll
- 2006-16: Ohio Northern
Women's Swimming & Diving
- 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
Notes and References
- Web site: Archived copy . 2019-09-04 . 2019-09-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190904113041/https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file%3Faccession%3Dosu1486662800883214%26disposition%3Dinline . dead .
- John Carroll University Joins North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). January 18, 2024. January 18, 2024.
- Web site: Team colors, mascots, names.
- Web site: Team colors, mascots, names.
- Web site: 2020 OAC Football Record Book . 4 . OAC.org . October 7, 2022.
