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 ten member institutions range from around 1,000 to 4,500. Its current commissioner is Sarah Otey. 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).
30-497: 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
60-492: A charter member. In conjunction with other top research universities in the country, Case Western Reserve became a charter member of University Athletic Association (UAA) in 1986, while maintaining joint conference membership affiliation with the NCAC until the 1998-1999 school year. In 2014 the football team, while maintaining membership in the UAA, began competing as an associate member of
90-1071: A new record for wins in a single season at 20-1-1, under first year head coach Abby Richter, finishing as the National Runner Up losing to Johns Hopkins . University Athletic Association The University Athletic Association ( UAA ) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III . Member schools are highly selective universities located in Georgia , Illinois , Massachusetts , Missouri , New York , Ohio , and Pennsylvania . The eight members are Brandeis University , Carnegie Mellon University , Case Western Reserve University , Emory University , New York University , The University of Chicago , University of Rochester , and Washington University in St. Louis . All UAA member schools are private, and ranked in
120-622: The Association of American Universities , a collection of 65 Ph.D.-granting research institutions, with 63 in the United States and two in Canada, from 2011, when Nebraska joined the previously all-AAU Big Ten , until 2019 when Dartmouth became the last Ivy League institution to join the AAU. The UAA currently has eight full members, all are private schools: The UAA had one former full member, which
150-661: The NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament . The 2023 team claimed the UAA title for the first time in school history, and returned to the NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament , winning their first game against Arcadia before falling to Wisconsin-Whitewater . The 2022 team was the first team in school history to make the NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament , defeating Dubuque and Wisconsin-Oshkosh , before falling to Mary Hardin-Baylor in overtime in
180-447: The NCAA Division III tournament for a second time in school history. The 2023 team won the UAA and made it to the NCAA Division III tournament , finishing with a record of 38-5. The 2022 team won the UAA and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III tournament , finishing the season 30-12. During the 2018 season, Case Western Reserve softball team earned an at-large bid in
210-527: The NCAA Division III tournament , making a deep run in the playoffs to nationals in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , finishing the season ranked 6th nationally. The team won the first regional in school history, defeating Mt. Aloysius , St. Mary's , and Ohio Northern twice. The Spartans won the super regional against Hope , and achieved a win at nationals against Rowan , before being defeated by University of Texas at Tyler and Luther . The 2018 team finished
240-627: The UAA title, and won four playoff games advancing to the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship. From 2013 to 2017, Bianca Smith served as director of baseball operations; she would later become the first black woman professional baseball coach , hired by the Boston Red Sox in 2021. Conference Titles and Playoffs: Finishing with a school best record of 40-9, the 2024 team won its third consecutive UAA championship and made it to nationals played at Marshall, Texas for
270-531: The 1870s. During this era, Clarence Emir Allen is famously credited as the first college baseball player to throw and perfect the curve ball , and notably never lost a game once mastering the "curve." Other notable players in school history include Bob Kelly , Paul O'Dea , and Ed Andrews . Western Reserve won the PAC in 1967 and 1968. In recent years, the Case Western Reserve baseball team has competed in
300-637: The NCAA playoffs, earning spots in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2019, and 2023. In 2011, Spartan third baseman Chad Mullins was named the D3Baseball.com Player of the Year after hitting .437 with eight home runs and 71 RBIs. Mullins also ranked in the Division III national top ten in hits, runs scored, and total bases. The 2013 team won two NCAA playoff games and the UAA title. The 2014 team set a school record for victories with 34, won
330-667: The OAC in 1931 to compete as an independent, while Case Tech stayed in until 1948. Breaking away from independence looking to compete with larger schools, Western Reserve became a charter member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 1946. After less than a decade, Western Reserve withdrew from the MAC in 1954, citing the need for the school to focus more energy on academics and less money and resources on athletics spearheaded by President John S. Millis . Returning to their roots of competing in
SECTION 10
#1732851646880360-640: The OAC sponsors the following championships: Departing member in pink. Case Western Reserve Spartans The Case Western Reserve Spartans are the varsity intercollegiate athletic teams of Case Western Reserve University , located in Cleveland, Ohio , United States. Case Western Reserve University competes at the NCAA Division III level. The Spartans compete in the University Athletic Association (UAA), except in football where
390-482: The OAC to the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), beginning in the 2025–26 academic year. The OAC currently has ten full members, all are private schools: The OAC had 20 former full members, all but seven were private schools: 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. In 2023–24,
420-573: The PAC. Founding charter members of five conferences: Conference Titles: The 2023 men's tennis team won the school's first ever team national championship, defeating the Tufts University Jumbos 5-2 in the NCAA Division III national finals match . The team finished 33-4 overall, including a perfect 28-0 record against Division III competition. The Spartans also won the University Athletic Association (UAA) title. The 2022 team finished
450-539: The Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division III tournament appearance and concluded the season ranked 12th in the nation. In 2011, the team returned gain to the NCAA Division III tournament after winning the UAA and finishing 15–5. In 2018, the team reemerged to national prominence finishing 16–4–2 and making its deepest run in the NCAA DIII tournament making it to the "elite eight." Conference Titles and Playoffs: Since 1968
480-564: The Sweet 16. Western Reserve's first varsity team was in 1897, only six years after the game was invented by Dr. James Naismith . Case Tech played its first varsity season in 1912. The first college sporting event televised in Cleveland aired on December 18, 1947, where Western Reserve's basketball team defeated Fenn College, now the Cleveland State Vikings , at Adelbert Gym, 63-26. Conference Titles and playoffs: Varsity baseball teams for Western Reserve College date back to
510-564: The best finish for any Spartan XC runner to date. In 1976 & 1977 Peter Kummant finished 6th & 10th. It took 16 years for the Spartans to put another runner on the podium. In 1993 Steve Cullen finished 16th. In 1994 teammates Steve Cullen and Brian Casselberry finished 19th & 27th. After another 10 year draught Aaron Johnston-Peck finished 7th in 2004. Most recently Sam Merriman finished 21st & 11th in 2016 & 2017. Additionally since 1946, 119 male athletes and 16 teams have represented
540-494: The combination of two long and storied sports histories of Western Reserve University and Case Institute of Technology. Case, originally known as Case School of Applied Science, carried the name Scientists from 1918 to 1939. In 1940, the mascot was changed to the Rough Riders , in honor of their head coach Ray A. Ride . Case formally updated its school name in 1947 to Case Institute of Technology. Western Reserve originally used
570-558: The mascot Pioneers from 1921 to 1927, until being forced to change by Marietta College , who claimed earlier usage of the namesake. The famous Red Cats mascot was then used beginning in 1928. Upon the merger of the two schools, the Spartans name was adopted in 1970, as the team is now known. In 1902, Case Tech and Western Reserve University were both founding members of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Western Reserve left
600-480: The same conference, Case Tech and Western Reserve became founding members of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) in 1955. When the athletic departments of the two universities merged in 1971 they dominated the PAC for several years. The university remained a member of the PAC until 1983. In the fall of 1984 the university joined the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), a pioneer in gender equality in sports, as
630-433: The season 38-12. The softball team previously had made the NCAA Division III tournament in 2001. Karen (Chambers) Farrell founded the university Softball team in 1996 and coached the first four seasons, winning three UAA titles in 1997, 1998, and 1999. Conference Titles and Playoffs The 2006 Men's Soccer team finished the season with a 17–2–2 record, a UAA title, and first-ever playoff appearance. The team reached
SECTION 20
#1732851646880660-479: The season again as the National Runner-Up, this time losing to another UAA foe, University of Chicago . In tournament play, the team defeated Ohio Northern , Wisconsin–Whitewater , Williams , and Middlebury . James Hopper and Jonathan Powell won the NCAA men's doubles national title. At the beginning of the season, the team won the 2022 ITA Division III Men’s National Team Indoor Championship. In 2021,
690-563: The season, and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight before falling to Middlebury College. That same year, two CWRU tennis players, Eric Klawitter and Christopher Krimbill, won the NCAA men's doubles national title. Conference Titles: Since 1972 the Spartans have had fourteen All-Americans. In 1972 Greg Bowser finished 14th. In 1973 Jeff Tanchon & Greg Bowser finished 15th & 16th respectively. In 1974 Greg Bowser & Doug Leary finished 6th & 19th. In 1975 Peter Kummant finished 2nd,
720-477: The team competes as an associate member of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). The university offers 19 sports—10 men's sports and 9 women's sports. All 19 varsity teams wear a commemorative patch on their uniforms honoring Case alumnus, M. Frank Rudy , inventor of the Nike air-sole . The Spartans' primary athletic rival is Carnegie Mellon University . The Case Western Reserve Spartans' heritage stems from
750-515: The team was undefeated up until Nationals, this included beating several DI schools during the season. During this stretch, the Spartan women finished in the top 10 twice, including 2007, when the team finished sixth in the nation. individually during these five years, team members earned 8 All-American Titles, including multiple by future professional marathoner Esther Erb . Conference Titles: The 2024 team claimed its second UAA title, returning to
780-479: The team went undefeated in Division III regular season play, finishing as the National Runner-Up losing to Emory . In the tournament, the team defeated Illinois Tech , Gustavus Adolphus , Trinity (TX) , and Washington (MO) . In 2019, Matthew Chen and James Hopper won the Division III doubles title in the 2019 ITA Cup. In 2014, the Spartan men's tennis team was ranked in the Division III Top 10 for most of
810-476: The top 50 of national research universities by U.S. News & World Report 's Best Colleges Rankings . Historically, the division was colloquially called the "egghead eight", or "nerdy nine" when Johns Hopkins was a member. This stems both from the academic strength of the member schools, and the fact that the conference prioritizes academic achievement over athletic prowess. The UAA was the only NCAA conference to have all of its member institutions affiliated with
840-433: The university has had 29 Outdoor All-Americans, including 5 National Champions, and an additional 26 NCAA qualifiers. The first and only relay team to qualify did so in the 4x400 in 2017, consisting of Jon Haling, Andrew Ibibo, Joe Cabral, and Nate Wahner. From 1985-1999 the Spartans had 45 NCAC individual champions. Notably, the 1946 Western Reserve team was coached by Cleveland Browns halfback Don Greenwood , while he
870-518: The university, with the best finish occurring in 1986 with a 7th-place finish. Four of those athletes sent either pre-date the All-American designation and/or would be considered All-Americans under new guidelines. Conference Titles: Individual Champions: The women's cross country team earned five consecutive team qualifying years to the NCAA Championship Meet from 2006-2010. In 2006
900-431: Was still a player. Conference Titles: Conference Titles: The women's soccer team played their first season in 1984. The team made it to the NCAA tournament in 2011, 2019, 2021-2023. In 2021, the Spartans went 16-2-2 and finished the regular season ranked 10th nationally. The 16 wins were the most victories in a single season in program history, also advancing three games into the tournament. The 2022 season set
#879120