The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. All member institutions are located in Ohio. Formed in 1902, it is the third oldest athletic conference in the United States. In its history, 31 schools have been members of the OAC. The enrollments of the current nine member institutions range from around 1,000 to 4,500. Its current commissioner is Bethany Dannelly. 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).

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, 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.

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 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 rejoined 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.

• 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 rejoining for a second time as well, in the 1933–34 academic year.

• 1934 – Wittenberg rejoined 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.

• 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.

• 1944 – Akron rejoined the OAC for a second time in the 1944–45 academic year, with football rejoining in the 1948 fall season (1948–49 academic year).

1947:

• Ohio Northern left the OAC after the 1946–47 academic year.

• Ohio Wesleyan rejoined 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.

• Hiram rejoined the OAC for a second time in the 1951–52 academic year.

• 1961 – Baldwin Wallace rejoined 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 rejoined 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.

• Hiram rejoined the OAC for a third time, alongside John Caroll who rejoined 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.

• 2014 – Defiance left the OAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's swimming and diving after the 2013–14 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.

• 2017 – Manchester and Transylvania left the OAC as affiliate members for men's and women's swimming and diving after the 2016–17 academic year.

• 2025 – John Carroll left the OAC to join the NCAC after the 2024–25 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The OAC currently has nine full members, all are private schools:

1. Notes:

Former members

The OAC had 21 former full members, all but seven were private schools:

1. 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.

1. Notes:

Membership timeline

Sports

In 2023–24, the OAC sponsors the following championships:

Conference sports

Facilities

OAC tournament championship history

Men's swimming & diving

• 2017–2025: John Carroll

• 2006–2016: Ohio Northern

Women's swimming & diving

• 2017–2025: John Carroll

• 2015–2016: Mount Union

Women's basketball

• 2022–2025: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2021: John Carroll

• 2020: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2019: John Carroll

• 2018: Marietta

• 2017: Ohio Northern

• 2016: Mount Union

• 2015: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2014: Capital

• 2013: Ohio Northern

• 2010–2012: Mount Union

• 2009: Capital

Men's basketball

• 2024–2025: John Carroll

• 2023: Mount Union

• 2020–2021: Marietta

• 2020: Mount Union

• 2019: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2018: John Carroll

• 2017: Marietta

• 2016: John Carroll

• 2015: Mount Union

• 2014: Wilmington

• 2013: Marietta

• 2012: Capital

• 2011: Marietta

• 2010: Wilmington

• 2009: John Carroll

• 2008: Heidelberg

• 2007: Capital

• 2005–2006: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2003–2004: John Carroll

• 2002: Otterbein

• 1999–2001: Ohio Northern

• 1998: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1997: Mount Union

• 1996: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1995: Ohio Northern

• 1991–1994: Otterbein

• 1990: Muskingum

• 1989: Otterbein

• 1988: Muskingum

• 1987: Wittenberg

• 1986: Otterbein

• 1985: Wittenberg

• 1984: Capital

• 1981–1983: Wittenberg

• 1980: Ohio Northern

• 1979: Wittenberg

• 1978: Otterbein

• 1977: Muskingum

• 1976: Oberlin

• 1974–1975: Wittenberg

• 1973: Wooster

• 1972: Wittenberg

• 1971: Capital

• 1970: Oberlin

• 1969: Wittenberg

• 1968: Dennison

• 1967: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1964–1966: Akron

• 1960–1963: Wittenberg

Football

• 2017–2025: 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

• 1987: Capital

• 1985–1986: Mount Union

• 1982–1984: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1981: Wittenberg

• 1980: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1979: Wittenberg

• 1977–1978: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1976: Wittenberg

• 1975: Muskingum

• 1973–1974: Wittenberg

• 1972: Heidelberg

• 1971: Ohio Wesleyan

• 1970: Wittenberg (vacated)

• 1969: Wittenberg

• 1968: Baldwin Wallace

• 1967: Ohio Wesleyan

• 1961–1966: Wittenberg

• 1960: Muskingum

• 1959: Heidelberg

Men's soccer

• 2024: Otterbein

• 2023: Ohio Northern

• 2018–2022: John Carroll

• 2017: Otterbein

• 2016: John Carroll

• 2015: Ohio Northern

• 2014: Heidelberg

• 2010–2013: Ohio Northern

• 2009: Capital/Ohio Northern

• 2008: Ohio Northern

• 2004: Wilmington

• 2000: Wilmington

Women's soccer

• 2021–2024: Otterbein

• 2020: John Carroll

• 2019: Ohio Northern

• 2018: Otterbein

• 2017: Ohio Northern

• 2016: Mount Union

• 2013–2015: Capital

• 2012: Ohio Northern

• 2011: Capital

• 2010: Otterbein

Baseball

• 2024–2025: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2023: John Carroll

• 2020–2022: Marietta

• 2019: Otterbein

• 2018: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2017: Otterbein

• 2015–2016: Marietta

• 2014: John Carroll

• 2013: Mount Union

• 2011–2012: Marietta

• 2008–2010: Heidelberg

• 2005–2007: Otterbein

• 2004: Heidelberg

• 2003: Otterbein

• 1990–2002: Marietta

• 1989: Otterbein

• 1986–1988: Marietta

• 1985: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1984: Marietta

• 1982–1983: Ohio Northern

• 1977–1981: Marietta

• 1976: Ohio Northern

• 1975: Marietta

• 1974: Ohio Northern

• 1971–1973: Marietta

• 1970: Marietta/Mount Union

• 1969: Ohio Wesleyan

• 1968: Wittenberg

• 1967: Hiram

• 1966: Wittenberg

• 1965: Ohio Wesleyan

• 1964: Mount Union

• 1963: Wittenberg

• 1962: Hiram

• 1961: Ohio Wesleyan

• 1960: Wittenberg

Women's volleyball

• 2020–2024: Otterbein

• 2018–2019: Ohio Northern

• 2017: Otterbein

• 2016: Ohio Northern

• 2015: Heidelberg

• 2011–2014: Mount Union

• 2010: Heidelberg

• 2009: Ohio Northern

• 2008: Heidelberg

Men's golf

• 2025: John Carroll

• 2023–2024: Otterbein

• 2022: John Carroll

• 2021: Otterbein

• 2015–2019: Otterbein

• 2014: Baldwin Wallace

• 2013: Otterbein

• 2012: Mount Union

• 2010–2011: Otterbein

• 2009: Ohio Northern

• 2008: Otterbein

• 2007: Mount Union

• 2006: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1998–2005: Otterbein

• 1997: John Carroll

• 1996: Otterbein

• 1994–1995: John Carroll

• 1992–1993: Otterbein

• 1991: Heidelberg/Hiram

• 1990: John Carroll

• 1988–1989: Wittenberg

• 1987: Muskingum

Men's wrestling

• 2021–2025: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2020: Mount Union

• 2016–2019: Baldwin Wallace

• 2015: Mount Union

• 2013–2014: Heidelberg

• 2011–2012: Mount Union

• 2006–2010: Heidelberg

• 2002–2005: John Carroll

• 2001: Ohio Northern

• 2000: Muskingum

• 1998–1999: John Carroll

• 1995–1997: Mount Union

• 1991–1994: John Carroll

• 1985–1990: Mount Union

• 1982–1984: Capital

• 1980–1981: Ohio Northern

• 1979: Muskingum

• 1975–1978: Ohio Northern

• 1974: Mount Union

• 1971–1973: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1970: Wittenberg

• 1968–1969: Denison

• 1967: Hiram

• 1965–1966: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1964: Hiram

• 1963: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1959–1962: Hiram

Men's cross country

• 2025: Otterbein

• 2021–2024: John Carroll

• 2020 No meet

• 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

• 1998-2000: Heidelberg

• 1996–1997: Mount Union

• 1994–1995: Otterbein

• 1993: Mount Union

• 1992: Otterbein

• 1990-1991: Mount Union

• 1988-1989: Otterbein

• 1987: Mount Union

• 1986: Otterbein

• 1984-1985: Mount Union

• 1981-1983: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1980: Otterbein

• 1979: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1974-1978: Mount Union

• 1973: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1972: Denison

• 1966-1971: Mount Union

• 1965: Akron

• 1964: Mount Union

• 1962-1963: Akron

• 1961: Muskingum

• 1959-1960: Oberlin

• 1956-1958: Ohio Wesleyan

• 1955: Oberlin

• 1954: No meet

• 1952-1953: Oberlin

• 1951: Wooster

• 1948-50: Oberlin

• 1947: Case

• 1946: Oberlin

• 1943-1945: No meet

• 1942: Bowling Green

• 1939-1941: Oberlin

• 1938: Wooster

• 1934-1937: Oberlin

• 1933: Wooster

• 1929-1932: Oberlin

Women's cross country

• 2025: Ohio Northern

• 2021-2024: John Carroll

• 2020: No Meet

• 2015–2018: Otterbein

• 2014: Mount Union

• 2010-2012: Ohio Northern

• 2009: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2008: Ohio Northern

• 2007: Baldwin-Wallace

• 2005-2006: Ohio Northern

• 2003–2004: Mount Union

• 1999-2002: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1998: Ohio Northern

• 1992-1997: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1991: John Carroll

• 1990: Mount Union

• 1987-1989: Baldwin-Wallace

• 1986: Baldwin-Wallace and Mount Union

• 1985: Wittenberg

Men's lacrosse

• 2025: Ohio Northern

• 2024: John Carroll

• 2016–2022: John Carroll

• 2013–2015: Otterbein

Women's lacrosse

• 2025: Mount Union

• 2022–2024: Capital

• 2021: John Carroll

• 2014–2019: Mount Union

References

External links