Mid-American Conference to Suspend Sponsoring Men's Soccer Following 2022 Season
 
Western Michigan to join the Missouri Valley Conference as an affiliate member in Men's Soccer.
 
Kalamazoo, Mich. -- The Mid-American Conference has announced the 2022 season for men's soccer will be the last one sponsored by the Conference.  Currently standing at four full members sponsoring the sport plus one affiliate member, the MAC will suspend sponsorship of men's soccer following the close of the 2022 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship.
 
"The Mid-American Conference has an enviable and proud men's soccer tradition," said Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher.  "The membership has had exceptional success and has been a perennial Top 10 conference, regularly placing multiple teams in the NCAA Tournament with teams making deep runs and winning national championships. However, the challenges of maintaining sufficient membership, given the small number of full members sponsoring the sport, finally caught up to us. If in the future the Conference membership includes more institutions sponsoring men's soccer, this decision will be reexamined."
 
In conjunction with today's news by the MAC, Western Michigan Athletics has announced the Bronco Men's Soccer program will compete in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), starting in the 2023 season. The MVC, which is the nation's second-oldest NCAA Division 1 conference, has established itself as one of the most competitive men's soccer leagues in Division 1 and currently sits as a top 10 RPI conference with three teams sitting in the Top 100 of the RPI. Members of the Missouri Valley Conference that sponsor men's soccer include Belmont, Bradley, Drake, Evansville, University of Illinois-Chicago, Missouri State, and Southern Illinois Edwardsville. Missouri State currently is nationally ranked at #23, and is ranked #3 in the latest United Soccer Coaches West Regional Rankings. Since the start 2017 (through Nov. 2), Missouri State leads all of NCAA Division I men's soccer in win percentage at .804.
 
"I would like to thank Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae for his commitment to finding the men's soccer team a new home. We are excited to be joining such a prestigious league in the Missouri Valley Conference," said head men's soccer coach, Chad Wiseman. "We are very familiar with several of the teams already in the league as we have competed against them over the years both on the pitch and in the recruiting circuit. We will continue to put a championship caliber team on the field and look forward to competing for MVC titles. "
 
"It is certainly bittersweet to see the suspension of men's soccer's sponsorship in the MAC," added Bartholomae.  "The MAC has had a long history of post-season success in men's soccer with multiple bids to the NCAA tournament on a regular basis.  WMU has been a key part of that history, having made a NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" as members of the MAC.  At the same time, we are thrilled to be joining an excellent men's soccer league as an affiliate member in the MVC.  In our early conversations with Commissioner Jeff Jackson, it was clear he had a passion to position the MVC as a premier men's soccer league with multiple post-season opportunities for its membership.  We look forward to contributing to the MVC's success for years to come."
 
The Broncos will bring a competitive resume to the Missouri Valley Conference.  Since 2015, the team has an overall record of 86-37-22, including seven wins over Power 5 schools. The Broncos have been ranked as high as fifth nationally, earned an at-large bid and the 10^th seed, has had three individual NCAA statistical champions, and three players drafted in the MLS.
 
The Broncos sport an overall record of 14-11-5 versus current MVC schools, with Missouri State the only school the team has yet to compete against.  Joining the Broncos in the MVC will be familiar foes Northern Illinois and Bowling Green.
 
"These additions will not only enhance the student-athlete experience for all participating, but it will establish the MVC as one of the top conferences in the country for men's soccer and strengthen its footprint in the Midwest," says MVC Commissioner Jeff Jackson.
 
The Broncos will travel to No. 12 Akron on Saturday, November 12 for the 2022 MAC Men's Soccer Championship. The match will begin at 1 pm ET and can be seen on ESPN+.