Andrew Pace
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region. The MAC sponsors championship competition in 9 men's and 13 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports, including men's and women's basketball. In high school basketball, MAC is also the name of a notable player, Mac McClung, who played for Gate City High School in Virginia and went on to become an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | MAC stands for Mid-American Conference |
| Members | 12 full member schools, 9 of which are in Ohio and Michigan, and single members in Illinois, Indiana, and New York |
| Sports | Football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, soccer, wrestling, and volleyball |
| Headquarters | Public Square district in downtown Cleveland, Ohio |
| Notable Members | Mac McClung, who played basketball at Gate City High School and went on to play for the Orlando Magic in the NBA |
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What You'll Learn
Mid-American Conference (MAC)
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference. It has a membership base in the Great Lakes region, stretching from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members located in Illinois, Indiana, and New York.
The MAC is headquartered in the Public Square district in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and has two members in the nearby Akron area. The MAC ranks highest among all ten NCAA Division I FBS conferences for graduation rates. The five charter members of the Mid-American Conference were Ohio University, Butler University, the University of Cincinnati, Wayne University (now Wayne State University), and Western Reserve University.
The MAC sponsors championship competition in 9 men's and 13 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports, with women's lacrosse becoming the newest sport in 2020–21. As of the 2024–25 school year, 16 schools are associate members for four sports. As the MAC is an FBS conference, its full members are subject to the NCAA requirement that FBS members field teams in at least 16 NCAA-recognized sports. However, as of 2017, the MAC itself required sponsorship of only four sports: football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball.
In 2020–21, the MAC adopted a single league table, eliminating the divisional standings for men's and women's basketball. The conference schedule increased from 18 to 20 games, and only the top eight men's and women's teams advance to their respective conference tournaments.
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MAC men's basketball
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference. MAC sponsors championship competition in nine men's and 13 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports. As of the 2024-25 school year, 16 schools are associate members for four sports.
MAC is an FBS conference, and its full members are subject to the NCAA requirement that FBS members field teams in at least 16 NCAA-recognized sports. However, as of 2017, the MAC itself required sponsorship of only four sports: football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. Specific to men's and women's basketball, the following changes took effect in 2020-21 and will continue through at least 2023-24: MAC adopted a single league table, eliminating the divisional standings. The conference schedule increased from 18 to 20 games, and only the top eight men's and women's teams advance to their respective conference tournaments.
Several MAC sports, including men's basketball, are telecast on Spectrum Sports, replacing SportsTime Ohio and Fox Sports Ohio as the MAC TV partner. Along with Spectrum Sports, ESPN, as well as the American Sports Network, retain the "local and regional" syndication telecast rights to MAC basketball. In 2000, ESPN began broadcasting MAC games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The conference agreed to the unusual schedule to increase television ratings by not competing against other football. Fans nicknamed the midweek games MACtion.
In 2024, the MAC men's swimming programs consisted of two MAC schools and five affiliates from the MVC. Shortly after dropping men's swimming, the MAC announced it would begin sponsoring a new sport, women's rowing, in 2025-26, bringing on three new affiliates for that sport: Delaware, High Point, and former football affiliate Temple.
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MAC women's basketball
The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference. The MAC sponsors championship competition in 13 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports, including basketball.
The MAC has a membership base in the Great Lakes region, stretching from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members in Illinois, Indiana, and New York. The conference is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and boasts a high graduation rate among NCAA Division I FBS conferences.
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MAC Hall of Fame
The MAC Hall of Fame, or the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame, recognizes outstanding athletes and coaches from the Mid-American Conference, which includes universities like Miami University, Ball State University, and Bowling Green State University. The MAC Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to sports within the conference, including basketball.
In 2022, Wally Szczerbiak of the Miami RedHawks basketball team was inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame. Szczerbiak, a former first-round NBA draft pick, is one of only two MU players to be named to the MAC All-Tournament Team three times (1997, 1998, 1999). He holds several Miami career records, including for 3-point field-goal percentage and single-season records for points, free throws, and 3-point field-goal percentage. With 1,847 points, he is Miami's second-highest all-time scorer and is ranked among the top 25 scorers in MAC basketball history. Szczerbiak was instrumental in the RedHawks' success, helping them achieve a school record of 24 wins in 1999 and averaging 24.2 points per game.
In addition to Szczerbiak, other notable inductees into the MAC Hall of Fame include Curt Miller, a former basketball coach for Bowling Green State University. Miller compiled an impressive record of 258-92, with a MAC record of 135-41, making him the coach with the second-highest winning percentage in MAC history. Miller's teams achieved tremendous success, winning eight MAC regular-season championships and five tournament championships. He also led the 2007 squad to the Sweet Sixteen, a first for a MAC and BGSU team. Miller's induction into the MAC Hall of Fame adds to his list of accolades, which includes inductions into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame and Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
The MAC Hall of Fame also recognizes athletes and coaches from other sports within the Mid-American Conference. For example, the 2020 class of inductees included Stevi Large Gruber of Akron women's track and field, Bryan Bullington of Ball State baseball, and Margo Jonker of Central Michigan softball. The MAC Hall of Fame celebrates and preserves the legacy of individuals who have excelled in their respective sports within the conference, serving as a testament to their hard work, dedication, and outstanding achievements.
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Mac McClung, a high school basketball player
Matthew Ford "Mac" McClung is an American professional basketball player. Born in Gate City, Virginia, on January 6, 1999, McClung started dunking as a sophomore playing varsity basketball at Gate City High School. He grew in popularity as an acrobatic dunker throughout his high school career. As a junior, he scored a career-high 64 points in a game against Dan River High School, the best scoring performance in his school's history. After the season, he was named Southwest Virginia Boys' Basketball Player of the Year by the Bristol Herald Courier.
In his senior year, McClung made his debut by scoring 47 points in a win over Lee High School. He broke the VHSL single-season scoring record previously held by Hall of Famer Allen Iverson during the 2018 VHSL regional playoffs. McClung ended his high school career with Gate City's first state championship, scoring 47 points in the title game, which broke a VHSL all-classes scoring record for a championship game. He finished the season with 1,153 points and 2,801 for his career, a VHSL record, and was again named Southwest Virginia Player of the Year.
Prior to his senior year, McClung decommitted from Rutgers and committed to play college basketball for the Georgetown Hoyas. As a freshman, he averaged 13.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and two assists per game, leading Big East Conference freshmen in scoring. He was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team. During his sophomore season, he missed several games due to a foot injury but still averaged 15.7 points, 2.4 assists, and 1.4 steals in 27 minutes per game.
McClung went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft but played for the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers during the 2021-22 season. He then signed with the 76ers in 2023 and currently plays for the Orlando Magic on a two-way contract with their G League affiliate, the Osceola Magic. He has also won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest three times.
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Frequently asked questions
MAC stands for the Mid-American Conference, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I collegiate athletic conference.
The MAC sponsors championship competitions in men's and women's basketball, which are telecast on Spectrum Sports, ESPN, and the American Sports Network.
Mac McClung, a high school basketball player from Gate City High School in Virginia, broke the VHSL single-season scoring record previously held by Allen Iverson. He also led Gate City to its first state championship, scoring 47 points in the title game.
In the 2020-21 season, the MAC adopted a single league table and increased the conference schedule to 20 games. The MAC also recently added women's rowing as a sponsored sport, bringing on three new affiliates: Delaware, High Point, and Temple.
The MAC has 12 full member schools, with nine located in Ohio and Michigan, and single members in Illinois, Indiana, and New York. The five charter members were Ohio University, Butler University, the University of Cincinnati, Wayne State University, and Case Western Reserve University.
