RMU Joins New Conferences

ROBERT MORRIS JOINS HORIZON LEAGUE

Robert Morris University announced in a press conference at the UPMC Events Center June 15, 2020, that the Department of Athletics will join the Horizon League as the Horizon League Board of Directors approved the university’s application for membership.

Beginning July 1, 2020, the Horizon League will have 12 members, including Cleveland State University (Cleveland, Ohio), the University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit, Mich.), the University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, Ill.), Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.), Northern Kentucky University (Highland Heights, Ky.), Oakland University (Rochester, Mich.), Purdue University Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Robert Morris, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (Green Bay, Wisc.), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, Wisc.), Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio) and Youngstown State University (Youngstown, Ohio).

In the Horizon League, the Colonials will compete in men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, women’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s golf and softball.

“This is the next great step forward for our student-athletes and a great day in the history of Robert Morris University,” RMU President Dr. Chris Howard said. “We are excited for

the excellent competition that awaits in the Horizon League and for the opportunities it presents for the university.” From its fertile beginning as a men’s basketball junior college powerhouse to one of the most multi-faceted athletic programs in the Pittsburgh region, over the last 44 years Robert Morris has claimed 51 conference regularseason championships and 52 league tournament titles. A total of 14 of RMU’s intercollegiate athletic programs have earned at least one tournament championship, with men’s

basketball leading the way with nine.

“We are excited for the opportunity to become members of the Horizon League,” Robert Morris Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris King ‘94 said. “Aligning ourselves with a nationally recognized and well-branded conference such as the Horizon League positions our athletics department to continue to gain national exposure for RMU.

“RMU is excited to collaborate with our Horizon League members to meet established conference goals and to

actively contribute to broad-based initiatives that serve to grow the Horizon League on both a regional and national level,” said King. “We are excited about this next chapter, creating new rivalries and continuing the forward momentum of RMU athletics. I’m confident RMU, located in one of the country’s most passionate sports cities, will not only be a strong and valued member of the conference athletically, but will also enhance the reputation of the conference through the addition of a national ranking institution with student-athletes who excel academically,

athletically and in life.”

RMU JOINS BIG SOUTH AS ASSOCIATE MEMBER

Robert Morris University announced in a press conference at the UPMC Events Center June 15, 2020, that the Department of Athletics will join the Big South Conference as an associate member in football beginning in 2021.

Beginning in 2021, the Big South will have five core members with football, including Campbell University (Buies Creek, N.C.), Charleston Southern University (Charleston, S.C.), Gardner-Webb University (Boiling Springs, N.C.), Hampton University (Hampton, Va.) and North Carolina A&T University (Greensboro, N.C.).

“On behalf of the Robert Morris football program we’re thrilled to be joining the Big South in 2021,” RMU head football coach Bernard Clark, Jr. said. “I speak for our coaches and student-athletes that this move will help us elevate the program to new heights. I’d like to thank Commissioner Kallander as well as RMU President Howard and athletic director Chris King for this opportunity.”

In addition, the Big South will feature four associate football-only members institutions, including Monmouth University (West Long Branch, N.J.), Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, Ga.), the University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.) and Robert Morris.

Introduced at Robert Morris June 8, 1993, RMU football has won six Northeast Conference (NEC) titles, including the league’s first five championships from 1996 to 2000, in the program’s 26-year history. In 2010, the Colonials claimed

the NEC title and became the first team in NEC history to garner an automatic bid to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs.

RMU JOINS MAC AS AFFILIATE MEMBER

Robert Morris University announced June 23, 2020 that the Department of Athletics will join the Mid-American Conference (MAC) as an affiliate member in women’s lacrosse in 2020-21.

Beginning in 2021, the MAC will have six members with women’s lacrosse, including core institutions Akron (Akron, Ohio), Central Michigan (Mount Pleasant, Mich.) and Kent State (Kent, Ohio) and affiliate members Detroit-Mercy (Detroit, Mich.), Robert Morris and Youngstown State (Youngstown, Ohio). The following year, Eastern Michigan (Ypsilanti, Mich.) will add women’s lacrosse to increase MAC membership to seven for the 2021-22 academic year.

“We’re extremely excited to become an affiliate member of the Mid-American Conference,” RMU women’s lacrosse Katrina Silva said. “We’re looking forward to creating new rivalries within the league and continuing to grow the sport of women’s lacrosse. I’d like to thank Chris King and MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher for this opportunity. We can’t wait to get started.”