WSSU to join MEAC in 2007-08
July 20, 2006
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC) will expand its membership to 12 members next year, as
the league voted to admit Winston-Salem State University into
the league beginning in 2007-08.
 “We are elated to welcome Winston-Salem into the MEAC
family”, said Commissioner Thomas.
Obviously we think that WSSU is an outstanding academic institution
with an excellent athletics program.”
Winston-Salem is in the second year of its reclassification
from Division II to NCAA Division I status.
WSSU will begin conference play in all sports beginning in
2007-08. However they will not be eligible for MEAC Championship
participation until 2010-11.
Winston-Salem Director of Athletics, Dr. Chico Caldwell explained
how the move to the MEAC is one of several steps the institution
is making in their transition to the next level.
“First of all, as we prepared for the years ahead, and
the move to Division I, one of the keys to the puzzle was membership
in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference,” said Dr. Caldwell. “We
felt that the opportunity to be a member of the MEAC would
afford us a way of rekindling several of our longstanding rivalries
and establishing others, and we are happy and pleased that
the vote has gone in our favor and we look forward to our future
competition in the MEAC.
The addition of Winston Salem marks the first expansion for
the MEAC since 1997, when Norfolk State University became the
11th member of the league. Hampton University joined in 1995.
WSSU becomes the second MEAC institution located in the state
of North Carolina and the third in the Carolinas, joining North
Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro) and South Carolina
State (Orangeburg).
“Our goal is to be become a strong and viable member
of the MEAC in order to represent well within the conference,
both regionally and nationally,” Dr. Caldwell added. “We
truly believe that the MEAC is value-added to the direction
of both WSSU and the WSSU Department of Athletics. Everyone
here at WSSU, our alumni and supporters are truly excited about
this opportunity.”
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