INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Midwest Athletic Conference has announced several official membership updates for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.
The Great Midwest will add Ashland University as an associate member for the sport of wrestling in the 2020-21 academic year. In May, Ashland announced it would join the Great Midwest as a full member institution for the 2021-22 year, the league’s 10th season as a Division II conference.
The Eagles’ wrestling program, coached by Josh Hutchens, will join Findlay, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lake Erie, Ohio Valley and Tiffin, a year prior to full membership to pursue a conference wrestling championship in 2021.
Owensboro will be home for this year’s conference championship tournament as Kentucky Wesleyan serves as host. The conference championship duals format will be modified to a bracket-style tournament mirroring the super regional format.
“We are excited to welcome Ashland’s wrestling program for the 2020-21 season,” said Great Midwest Commissioner Tom Daeger. “The opportunity to bring in the Eagles a year early, prior to their first season of full membership, will deliver additional strength to the wrestling competition and provide support, recognition and a great championship experience for these Ashland student-athletes.”
In addition, the Great Midwest has retained Alderson Broaddus University as an associate member in the sport of men’s lacrosse in 2020-21. AB will continue to participate in men’s lacrosse following its departure from full membership back in June, and is one of five associate members in the sport, joining Davis & Elkins College, Mercyhurst University, Seton Hill University and Wheeling University.
Additionally, Ohio Valley University has resigned league membership effective June 30, 2021. The 2020-21 academic year will be OVU’s final season as a full member institution in the Great Midwest since originally joining back in 2013-14.
“The Great Midwest wishes President (Michael) Ross and the entire Ohio Valley community the best as they step away from league membership,” said Daeger. “Thank you to the Fighting Scots for their contributions to the conference over these eight years, and we look forward to serving the institution in its final year of Great Midwest membership.”
The Great Midwest will feature 12 full members for the 2021-22 academic year with Ashland entering the league in all sports at that time. Full member institutions in 2021-22 will reside in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and Tennessee.
“As the Great Midwest has evolved, our league's present and future has never been stronger or brighter, respectively,” he added. “The 2021-22 academic year will mark the league's 10th anniversary, and I am extremely proud to represent the membership we have unified. Our transitions of membership over the past few months have further strengthened our full membership and we are well positioned to support the academic and athletic excellence driven by our member institutions.”