INDIANAPOLIS – Davis & Elkins College, a Great Midwest Athletic Conference member institution since 2013, has announced intention to join the Mountain East Conference effective for the 2019-20 academic year. 
 
With D&E’s pending departure, Great Midwest membership will consist of 13 full member institutions and three associate member schools in 2019-20. 
 
Founded in 2012, the Great Midwest has membership represented in five different states (Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia) and will continue to feature 23 conference championship sport offerings. 
 
The following is a statement from Great Midwest commissioner Tom Daeger. 
 
“We would like to thank Davis & Elkins for the contributions to the Great Midwest and we wish them the best as they return to their former colleagues in West Virginia. We have valued the D&E membership since day one, and the Senators have been significant contributors to the league as we have grown from six to now 14 members in the past six years. Though we have provided the institution expanded exposure throughout the Midwest, we understand the desired geographical membership that West Virginia will provide the institution.
 
The level of success in the Great Midwest has never been higher, and the level competitiveness has never been stronger. We look forward to continuing to embrace our new membership to ensure our institutions are positioned to have an impact regionally and nationally. We will also continue to evaluate potential member institutions on their ability to assist us in developing the best student-athlete experience. 
 
Additionally, the Great Midwest is in receipt of Davis & Elkins' interest in continuing on in the Great Midwest as an associate member in the sport of men's lacrosse, a sport the Mountain East does not sponsor. The Great Midwest Presidents Council will consider its' associate member interest at an October meeting.”
 
The 2018-19 academic year is the third consecutive year in which the Great Midwest has welcomed a new member. This year, Tiffin, which finished 51st in the Learfield Directors Cup last year, has officially joined the league. The Dragons currently assist the Conference expanding sport sponsorship to 23 sports, the second-highest sport sponsorship offering in Division II.