Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) to Add Saint Vincent College as Eighth Member
Contact: Joe Onderko
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) has announced the addition of Saint Vincent College of Latrobe, Pa., as the eighth member of the conference. The members of the PAC Presidents' Council voted unanimously to accept Saint Vincent's application for membership during a conference call this morning.
"On behalf of the PAC Presidents' Council, we are very pleased to add Saint Vincent College to the conference," said Waynesburg President Timothy Thyreen, who serves as PAC Presidents' Council chair in 2005-06. "Saint Vincent brings an academic reputation and athletic history that is very consistent with our other conference members."
Saint Vincent, which is currently a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), recently completed an exploratory year as a member of NCAA Division III and will begin a four-year provisional membership period in Division III in 2006-07. PAC schools will begin scheduling Saint Vincent in all sports in 2006-07, including the new Bearcat varsity football program set to debut in 2007-08. Saint Vincent will be eligible for PAC championships upon its acceptance as a full member in NCAA Division III, scheduled for the 2010-11 academic year.
"We are pleased that the members of the PAC Presidents' Council have enthusiastically welcomed us into the conference," said Saint Vincent College Vice Chancellor and President James F. Will.
The addition of Saint Vincent marks the second institution to join the PAC in 2005. In April, the conference welcomed Thomas More College of Crestview Hills, Ky., as the league's seventh member. The other conference members are Bethany (W.Va.) College, Grove City College, Thiel College, Washington & Jefferson College, Waynesburg College, and Westminster (Pa.) College.
"The acceptance of Saint Vincent is another step in the growth and development of the PAC into a premier NCAA Division III conference," said Waynesburg Director of Athletics Rudy Marisa, the 2005-06 chair of the PAC Athletic Directors' Council. "Also, this addition will allow several of our schools to restore and renew athletic rivalries with Saint Vincent, including some which stretch over several decades."
Saint Vincent will field 19 intercollegiate athletic teams during the upcoming academic year -- men's teams in nine sports including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis and track and women's teams in ten sports including basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball. All except field hockey and lacrosse are sponsored by the PAC.
"Realigning with NCAA Division III and the Presidents' Athletic Conference is a long-term investment in the future," Mr. Will concluded. "And we are excited to announce the return of football. I know everyone associated with Saint Vincent shares in our excitement about these decisions."
Founded in 1955, the Presidents' Athletic Conference continues its mission of promoting intercollegiate athletics and the pursuit of academic excellence. The PAC remains a unique organization in this day of high pressure intercollegiate athletics. With academics at the center of each member's philosophy, the PAC is built on the principle that an athletic program is a part of college life, but not an entity in itself.
The PAC annually crowns champions in 19 sports (10 men, nine women). In 2004-05, the conference had 18 teams represent the conference in postseason play, including 12 in NCAA championship events. The conference is scheduled to receive automatic qualification (AQ) status for NCAA championships in the 2007-08 academic year.
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Joe Onderko
Sports Information Director
Westminster College/Presidents' Athletic Conference
102 Old Main, 319 S. Market Street
New Wilmington, PA 16172-0001
P-(724) 946-6357
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) has announced the addition of Saint Vincent College of Latrobe, Pa., as the eighth member of the conference. The members of the PAC Presidents' Council voted unanimously to accept Saint Vincent's application for membership during a conference call this morning.
"On behalf of the PAC Presidents' Council, we are very pleased to add Saint Vincent College to the conference," said Waynesburg President Timothy Thyreen, who serves as PAC Presidents' Council chair in 2005-06. "Saint Vincent brings an academic reputation and athletic history that is very consistent with our other conference members."
Saint Vincent, which is currently a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), recently completed an exploratory year as a member of NCAA Division III and will begin a four-year provisional membership period in Division III in 2006-07. PAC schools will begin scheduling Saint Vincent in all sports in 2006-07, including the new Bearcat varsity football program set to debut in 2007-08. Saint Vincent will be eligible for PAC championships upon its acceptance as a full member in NCAA Division III, scheduled for the 2010-11 academic year.
"We are pleased that the members of the PAC Presidents' Council have enthusiastically welcomed us into the conference," said Saint Vincent College Vice Chancellor and President James F. Will.
The addition of Saint Vincent marks the second institution to join the PAC in 2005. In April, the conference welcomed Thomas More College of Crestview Hills, Ky., as the league's seventh member. The other conference members are Bethany (W.Va.) College, Grove City College, Thiel College, Washington & Jefferson College, Waynesburg College, and Westminster (Pa.) College.
"The acceptance of Saint Vincent is another step in the growth and development of the PAC into a premier NCAA Division III conference," said Waynesburg Director of Athletics Rudy Marisa, the 2005-06 chair of the PAC Athletic Directors' Council. "Also, this addition will allow several of our schools to restore and renew athletic rivalries with Saint Vincent, including some which stretch over several decades."
Saint Vincent will field 19 intercollegiate athletic teams during the upcoming academic year -- men's teams in nine sports including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis and track and women's teams in ten sports including basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball. All except field hockey and lacrosse are sponsored by the PAC.
"Realigning with NCAA Division III and the Presidents' Athletic Conference is a long-term investment in the future," Mr. Will concluded. "And we are excited to announce the return of football. I know everyone associated with Saint Vincent shares in our excitement about these decisions."
Founded in 1955, the Presidents' Athletic Conference continues its mission of promoting intercollegiate athletics and the pursuit of academic excellence. The PAC remains a unique organization in this day of high pressure intercollegiate athletics. With academics at the center of each member's philosophy, the PAC is built on the principle that an athletic program is a part of college life, but not an entity in itself.
The PAC annually crowns champions in 19 sports (10 men, nine women). In 2004-05, the conference had 18 teams represent the conference in postseason play, including 12 in NCAA championship events. The conference is scheduled to receive automatic qualification (AQ) status for NCAA championships in the 2007-08 academic year.
###
Joe Onderko
Sports Information Director
Westminster College/Presidents' Athletic Conference
102 Old Main, 319 S. Market Street
New Wilmington, PA 16172-0001
P-(724) 946-6357
posted by Don @ 7/22/2005 01:28:00 AM
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