The Great Midwest Athletic Conference and the Mountain East Conference are partnering to offer swimmers and divers a championship meet to conclude the 2017-2018 season.
The new meet will draw from a combined 10 Division II teams, and take place from February 12th-14th at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio. Malone University will serve as the inaugural meet host.
G-MAC teams: Alderson Broaddus University, Davis & Elkins College, Hillsdale College (women), University of Findlay, Malone University and Ursuline College (women).
MEC teams: Fairmont State University, Notre Dame College, Urbana University and West Virginia Wesleyan College.
The top 24 swimmers in each event, in each respective league, will advance to the combined championships.
The top eight finishers in prelims at the combined meet will advance to finals, with the exception of the 1,000 and 1,650, which will be swum at timed finals. At the conclusion, each conference will name a team champion, and an overall G-MAC MEC winner will be named.
Essentially, the meet will kill two birds with one stone while upping the competition level: each conference will still crown a champion, but one team will also claim the G-MAC-MEC title.
“We are confident the unification of the two leagues’ programs in the pool will provide a highly competitive atmosphere as student-athletes compete for their respective league titles,” G-MAC Commissioner Tom Daeger said. Click here for the full G-MAC announcement.
With DII NCAA National Championship times getting ever-faster, the meet will offer a great opportunity for more athletes to have the full championship experience.
Go Hannah Elizabeth Hale and Davis & Elkins Senators