ANNVILLE, Pa. –The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its plan to realign the MAC Commonwealth and MAC Freedom beginning in the 2020-21 academic year with the addition of both Stevens Institute of Technology and York College of Pennsylvania. The MAC will move to a nine-and-nine conference structure. Eastern University Athletics, for the 13 sports where the MAC is split into two conferences, will compete with seven teams currently in the MAC Commonwealth and York College.

The realignment will result in five-team conference tournaments for sports where all nine teams in the league sponsor a program.

Eastern will join Albright College, Alvernia University, Hood College, Lebanon Valley College, Messiah College, Stevenson University, Widener University, and York College of Pennsylvania in the MAC Commonwealth. Lycoming College and Arcadia University will move from the MAC Commonwealth into the MAC Freedom. Stevens Institute of Technology enters the MAC Freedom in July of 2019.

For Eastern, the realignment does not impact Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's Volleyball, Women's Golf, or Men's and Women's Indoor or Outdoor Track and Field. Each of those sports currently compete in a unified Middle Atlantic Conference. For Men's and Womens' Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Field Hockey, Men's and Women's Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's Golf, and Men's and Women's Lacrosse, the move in 2020-'21 will mean the end of several long-running rivalries. While Eastern only joined the MAC in 2008, Eastern and Misericordia University share a history as conference opponents that dates back to 1992.

Eastern Athletic Director Eric McNelley is pleased to have another conference school nearby and looks forward to establishing a positive rivalry with Widener. With the two schools only 13 miles apart, both schools will be able to have fans travel to away games and create great competitive environments. The realignment will result in less travel total time without a decrease in the competitive level of the league.

Eastern will compete in the MAC Freedom for 2019-2020. Eastern Men's Soccer and Women's Volleyball will attempt to defend their MAC Freedom Championships this coming fall.