Plans to change GLIAC in progress for next season
Mercyhurst College and Gannon University leave for PSAC; Tiffin University joins Hillsdale College's league
Liz Klimas
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: Sports
The Charger's athletic league awaits a facelift effective this summer after not adding or losing any teams in a decade.
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has not seen a new team in over 10 years but will welcome Tiffin University for the fall season. Both Gannon University and Mercyhurst College plan to leave the GLIAC and move to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
Commissioner of the GLIAC Tom Brown said schools coming and leaving the GLIAC is irregular.
"The last school to come in, previous to this year, was Findlay in 1997," Brown said.
Mercyhurst and Gannon have been apart of the GLIAC since 1995.
Hillsdale will remain at the same competitive level against Tiffin as before they were in the GLIAC, head football coach Keith Otterbein said.
"I don't think the games will matter any more or less," Otterbein said. "Unlike sports where you play tons of games utilizing non-league games as opportunities to tune-up, football doesn't get many chances. We aren't going to try any harder against them just because they are in the league."
Before entering the GLIAC, Tiffin was an independent Division II school for nine years with a dual membership in the NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Tiffin's Sports Information Director Shane O'Donnell said.
"Time wise it just worked out with an opening [in the GLIAC] available," O'Donnell said. "I think this move embraces rivalries. We've always had them with Ashland and Findlay. I think now with those games counting more it raises the stakes some."
Otterbein and O'Donnell said Tiffin will need to adjust to the competitive level of play in the GLIAC.
"The GLIAC is probably the best Division II conference in the country," O'Donnell said. "We realize it's going to be a challenge."
"It all depends on the sport," Brown said. "Tiffin will come in and be an especially good contender in soccer. It may take a year or two but they will be competitive."
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has not seen a new team in over 10 years but will welcome Tiffin University for the fall season. Both Gannon University and Mercyhurst College plan to leave the GLIAC and move to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
Commissioner of the GLIAC Tom Brown said schools coming and leaving the GLIAC is irregular.
"The last school to come in, previous to this year, was Findlay in 1997," Brown said.
Mercyhurst and Gannon have been apart of the GLIAC since 1995.
Hillsdale will remain at the same competitive level against Tiffin as before they were in the GLIAC, head football coach Keith Otterbein said.
"I don't think the games will matter any more or less," Otterbein said. "Unlike sports where you play tons of games utilizing non-league games as opportunities to tune-up, football doesn't get many chances. We aren't going to try any harder against them just because they are in the league."
Before entering the GLIAC, Tiffin was an independent Division II school for nine years with a dual membership in the NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, Tiffin's Sports Information Director Shane O'Donnell said.
"Time wise it just worked out with an opening [in the GLIAC] available," O'Donnell said. "I think this move embraces rivalries. We've always had them with Ashland and Findlay. I think now with those games counting more it raises the stakes some."
Otterbein and O'Donnell said Tiffin will need to adjust to the competitive level of play in the GLIAC.
"The GLIAC is probably the best Division II conference in the country," O'Donnell said. "We realize it's going to be a challenge."
"It all depends on the sport," Brown said. "Tiffin will come in and be an especially good contender in soccer. It may take a year or two but they will be competitive."
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