SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist University's men's tennis and soccer teams get a new set of conference opponents in 2019-20 as the Great American Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association collaborate to include one another in those two sports.
The GAC will administer men's soccer and the MIAA will oversee men's tennis, starting in the 2019-20 academic year. The respective conferences will create regular-season schedules, coordinate weekly and yearly awards, assign officials and conduct postseason tournaments.
In men's soccer, GAC schools OBU, Harding, Ouachita and Southern Nazarene will join up with MIAA members Fort Hays State, Lindenwood, Newman and Northeastern State.
"I'm excited about the merger and the opportunity to grow our conference," said OBU Men's Soccer Coach
Anthony Yousey. "I think it will make our conference much stronger and provide more competitive matches."
Since joining the GAC, the Bison soccer team has registered a 9-7 mark in the GAC while going 0-7 against teams in the MIAA.
"I'm pleased that we crafted this creative solution to provide a better student-athlete experience for GAC men's soccer and tennis players," GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt said. "We're appreciative to Mike Racy and the leadership groups of the MIAA to partner with us in creating a format that will help preserve these sports and give a richer competitive experience in men's soccer and men's tennis. I am excited to further forge this agreement and build an even stronger relationship with our
neighbors at the MIAA."
In men's tennis, Emporia State, Lindenwood, Newman, Northwest Missouri State and Washburn, from the MIAA, will pair up with Oklahoma Baptist, Harding, Ouachita and Southeastern Oklahoma State, from the GAC.
Bison tennis has a 4-6 mark against the GAC but a 6-4 record against schools from the MIAA over the last three seasons.
"Today is a great day for MIAA men's tennis and men's soccer. This innovative partnership with the GAC will benefit dozens of MIAA student-athletes beginning in 2019 and help provide a competitive collegiate experience for both sports in the Midwest," stated MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy.
An administrator from the GAC will serve as the liaison to the men's soccer coaches' committee while an administrator from the MIAA will serve as the liaison to the men's tennis coaches' committee.
The intra-conference transfer policy for both conferences will apply -- student-athletes must serve an academic year of residence if transferring from one school, in either of these two sports, to another school in the GAC or MIAA.
