The future of the MEAC hangs in the balance after school officials reportedly denied a move to expand the conference.
A tweet published by Major Madness Monday night indicated that school presidents voted 6-2 against adding Chicago State University to the MEAC.
“The MEAC now hinges upon Howard’s decision to join CAA,” a portion of the tweet read.
After the AD’s voted 7-1 to admit Chicago State, the Presidents came back with a 2-6 vote AGAINST.
The MEAC now hinges upon Howard’s decision to join CAA.
Morgan St and Delaware St have begun initial conversations with the NEC
The Doomsday clock is at 11:58 for the MEAC
— Major Madness (@low_madness) May 2, 2022
Major Madness also reported that Morgan State and Delaware State have “begun initial conversations with the NEC” in reaction to the outcome of Monday’s vote.
Last month, MEAC athletic directors reportedly voted 7-1 to admit Chicago State into the conference.
CSU currently is a member of the Western Athletic Conference and carries 15 total sports, though the school does not currently have a football team, athletic director Elliott Charles last year said officials would explore conducting a study to determine whether it could add the sport.
A spokesperson for Chicago State contacted by HBCU Sports said in a statement the MEAC was one of several Division I conferences it “had productive meetings towards finding a new conference home for Chicago State Athletics.”
“Our highest priority continues to be finding the best alignment for the university’s mission, values, athletic programs and the needs of our student-athletes,” the statement said.
Also read: Report: Howard to bolt MEAC, join Colonial Athletic Conference
The developments come just weeks after a report suggested that Howard is expected to leave the conference to join the CAA.
An HBCU Gameday report outlined that Howard would be part of the new-look CAA for the 2023-24 season.
Howard would join former MEAC members Hampton and North Carolina A&T in a conference that would feature 14 schools.
Howard officials have not responded to inquiries or made an official statement about its conference status. HBCU Sports also reached out to the MEAC and was told by a conference spokesperson that the league would “not comment on rumors.”
In preliminary expansion conversations last year, the CAA reportedly had eyed Hampton and Howard as potential members, according to reports.
With Howard’s departure, the MEAC would be left with just five football-playing schools and six basketball schools.
In recent years, the conference has lost Bethune-Cookman, Savannah State, Winston-Salem State and Florida A&M in addition to Hampton and North Carolina A&T. The conference, however, has not gained any new members since North Carolina Central joined the league in 2010.
