Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) is a college athletic conference that participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. The conference is currently composed of 16 full-time members within Pennsylvania and two associate members, one in Pennsylvania and the other in New York. In 2013, the Pennsylvania associate will become a full member, along with another school from that state. The conference headquarters are located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and staffed by a commissioner, two assistant commissioners, and a director of media relations.

History
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education organized the conference in 1951 to promote competition in men's sports amongst the system's 14 universities. In 1977, following growing interest, the conference was expanded to offer competition in women's sports. Then in 1980, in order to promote increased competition, the entire conference was reclassified as Division II within the NCAA.

Membership remained unchanged until the conference announced on June 18, 2007, that it had invited three private universities—Gannon University and Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania and C.W. Post of Brookville, New York—to join the conference. Gannon and Mercyhurst left the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to join the PSAC, effective July 1, 2008. C.W. Post became an associate member for football and field hockey.

In 2010, Seton Hill University was accepted to join the conference as an associate member for field hockey. With the additional transition of West Chester's program from Division I to Division II, the number of teams competing in field hockey increased from 10 to 12 for the 2011 season.

On August 19, 2012, the PSAC announced that Seton Hill and the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, formerly members of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, would become full members beginning with the 2013–14 school year. This announcement was fallout from a split in the WVIAC that ultimately led to the formation of the Mountain East Conference (MEC). Although Seton Hill was one of the schools that initially broke away from the WVIAC, it chose not to join the MEC. The arrival of these two schools will bring the PSAC to 18 full members; barring any further changes, it will become the largest NCAA conference in terms of membership.

Member schools
Schools are divided into two regions for football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, field hockey, and women's volleyball. Softball is divided into three regions; however, softball will compete in two divisions beginning with the 2014 season.

Sports
From its inception, each conference member selected its own competitive division within the NCAA (I, II, or III). In 1980, however, the presidents voted to reclassify the entire conference to Division II. The PSAC offers championships for men in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, indoor (winter) and outdoor (spring) track and field, and wrestling. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball.

Although all institutions are members of NCAA Division II, some have elected to compete at the Division I level in select sports. Lock Haven elects to compete in field hockey at the Division I level as an associate member of the Atlantic 10 Conference since 2010. The team previously competed in Division I as a member of the Northeast Conference from 2004 to 2009, winning four consecutive championships in each year eligible for post-season competition. In wrestling, Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro, and Lock Haven compete as members of the Division I Eastern Wrestling League. The PSAC also holds an annual championship open to all Division I and Division II teams.

Some member schools field NCAA teams in sports not offered by the PSAC. Kutztown competes as an affiliate for women's bowling in the Division I Northeast Conference. Mercyhurst competes in NCAA women's rowing, is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) for men's lacrosse, College Hockey America for women's ice hockey, Atlantic Hockey for men's ice hockey. West Chester competes in the ECAC for women's gymnastics.

Divisions
Field hockey, men's and women's soccer, men's tennis, and women's lacrosse do not use a divisional format. Men's and women's basketball are the only sports with full member participation, with two divisions for nine teams each. Football consists of two, eight-team divisions.

Notable alumni
The following is a list of alumni of the respective universities, including before the formation of the Conference in 1951.

Football

 * Jason Capizzi, Indiana, former Pittsburgh Panthers offensive tackle, Current UFL Tackle
 * Curt Cignetti, Jr., Indiana, former University of Alabama Recruiting Coordinator, current Indiana (Pa) Head Coach
 * Frank Cignetti, Jr., Indiana, former Pittsburgh Panthers offensive coordinator,
 * Frank Cignetti, Sr., Indiana, former IUP and West Virginia University head coach, 1991 Division II Coach of the Year
 * Rob Davis, Shippensburg, former NFL long snapper, current Director of Player Development for the Green Bay Packers
 * Doug Dennison, Kutztown, former NFL running back
 * Jahri Evans, Bloomsburg, offensive guard for the New Orleans Saints
 * Lawson Fiscus, Indiana, early professional football player
 * David Green, Edinboro, former CFL running back, 1979 CFL's Most Outstanding Player
 * Kris Griffin, Indiana, former NFL linebacker
 * Jim Haslett, Indiana, former linebacker for the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets and head coach for the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams
 * Jack Henry, Indiana, former NFL assistant coach
 * Greg Hopkins, Slippery Rock, former Arena Football League player
 * Kevin Ingram, West Chester, wide receiver/defensive back for the Los Angeles Avengers
 * Mike Jemison, Indiana, former NFL and NFL Europe running back
 * Leander Jordan, Indiana, former NFL offensive tackle
 * Matt Kinsinger, Slippery Rock, fullback/linebacker for the Chicago Rush
 * John Kuhn, Shippensburg, running back for the Green Bay Packers
 * Chuck Klausing, Indiana, College Football Hall of Fame, 1998 Class
 * Bob Ligashesky Indiana, Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coach
 * LeRon McCoy, Indiana, former NFL wide receiver
 * John Mobley, Kutztown, former linebacker for the Denver Broncos
 * Kevin O'Dea, Lock Haven, current New York Jets special teams coordinator
 * Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, Indiana, current Dallas Cowboys wide receiver
 * Ken Parrish, East Stroudsburg, former NFL punter
 * Dan Radakovich, Indiana, Georgia Tech athletic director
 * Andre Reed, Kutztown, former NFL wide receiver
 * Robb Riddick, Millersville, former running back for the Buffalo Bills
 * Tobias Robinson, Indiana, Running Back for the Colorado Ice
 * Sean Scott, Millersville, wide receiver/linebacker for the Philadelphia Soul
 * Joe Senser, West Chester, former tight end for the Minnesota Vikings
 * Ralph Tamm, West Chester, former NFL offensive guard
 * Jimmy Terwilliger, East Stroudsburg, 2005 Harlon Hill Trophy winner
 * Bob Tucker, Bloomsburg, former NFL tight end
 * Chris Villarrial, Indiana, former NFL offensive guard
 * Andre Waters, Cheyney, former NFL defensive back
 * Reggie Wells, Clarion, offensive tackle for the Arizona Cardinals
 * James Williams, Cheyney, former offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears
 * Scott Highley, Millersville, Running Back for the Raleigh Durham Skyhawks
 * Lee Woodall, West Chester, former NFL linebacker
 * Tommy Campbell, California, Tennessee Titans CB
 * Josh Portis, California, Seattle Seahawks QB
 * Dominique Curry, California, St. Louis Rams WR
 * Terrence Johnson, California, Indianapolis Colts CB
 * Derrick Jones, California, Oakland Raiders, WR
 * Gene Carpenter, Millersville, Head Coach
 * Brent Grimes,Shippensburg, Cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons

Baseball

 * Tim Bausher, Kutztown, minor league pitcher
 * Tom Brookens, Mansfield, former MLB third baseman
 * Mark Corey, Edinboro, former MLB pitcher
 * Frank Gailey, West Chester, minor league pitcher
 * Ryan Vogelsong, Kutztown, MLB pitcher
 * Pete Vukovich, Clarion, MLB Pitcher, Cy Young Winner-Brewers

Basketball

 * Geno Auriemma, West Chester, women's head coach at Connecticut; member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
 * Del Beshore, California, former NBA point guard
 * Stephen Dennis, Kutztown, Division II Player of the Year and professional player
 * John Calipari, Clarion, Kentucky men's head coach, 1996 and 2008 Naismith College Coach of the Year
 * Mel Hankinson, Indiana, former college basketball coach including Liberty
 * Jodi Kest, Slippery Rock, Akron women's basketball head coach
 * C. Vivian Stringer, Slippery Rock, women's head coach at Rutgers; member of the Naismith and Women's Halls of Fame

Soccer

 * Nicholas Addlery, California, forward currently for the Puerto Rico Islanders and the Jamaican national team
 * Raymond Bernabei, Indiana, National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association and National Soccer Hall of Fame
 * Jay Hoffman, East Stroudsburg, head coach of the 1999 U.S. women's Pan American Games gold medal team, and assistant coach of the 1999 U.S. FIFA Women's World Cup gold medal team
 * Pedro Power, Slippery Rock, former midfielder for the Miami F.C.
 * Bob Rigby, East Stroudsburg, former goalkeeper in the North American Soccer League and the U.S. national team

Olympians

 * Kurt Angle, Clarion, 1996 Summer Olympics wrestling gold medalist
 * Steve Spence, Shippensburg, former Olympic long-distance runner
 * Cary Kolat, Lock Haven, 2000 Summer Olympics Freestyle Wrestling - 9th