Bowling Green State University Athletics
MAC to Recognize Former Student-Athletes During Black History Month
January 26, 2006 | General
Jan. 26, 2006
CLEVELAND, Ohio (courtesy MAC office) - In an effort to pay tribute to its history, the Mid-American Conference will be saluting former MAC African American student-athletes, head coaches and administrators during the month February as part of Black History Month. The league will also celebrate National Women and Girls Sports Day on February 1.
Beginning February 2, each weekday during the month the league's web
site at www.mac-sports.com
Throughout the process, the goal was to interview each former athlete, coach and/or administrator to get a sense and understanding of what their accomplishments meant to them, the African American community, as well as athletics as a whole.
The timeline for male (1947-present) and female athletes (1983-present) provided two periods in the selection process. Through contact with league media relation directors and from historical MAC documents a number of significant student-athletes were identified. The honorees include many who were ground breaking student-athletes at their respective universities in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
Each current MAC school is represented with this year's celebration and future endeavors will expand to include former MAC schools and other student-athletes who were not able to be recognized this year.
The project was coordinated by Danielle Whitmore, a media relations assistant at the MAC and a graduate of Bowling Green State University.
The MAC was formed in 1946 with five institutions representing the league -- Ohio University, Butler University, University of Cincinnati, Wayne State University and Western Reserve University (now known as Case Western Reserve University).
Current members of the MAC, in addition to charter member Ohio University, are: University of Akron, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, University at Buffalo, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Kent State University, Miami University, Northern Illinois University, University of Toledo and Western Michigan University. Former members include Marshall University and the University of Central Florida (football only) as well as original members Butler, Cincinnati, Wayne State and Case Western Reserve. Future MAC membership will involve Temple University (football only) beginning with the 2007 season.
