BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — The Mountain East Conference announced Friday that Salem University will join the league as an associate member for three sports: Men’s Wrestling, Men’s Swimming, and Women’s Swimming.
The membership agreement between the MEC and Salem begins with the 2024-25 academic year. SU will compete in Men’s and Women’s Swimming as part of a co-Championship with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
This associate membership agreement between the MEC and Salem follows the scheduling alliance between the conference and school in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball; men’s and women’s soccer; volleyball; softball; and baseball for the 2024-25 academic year.
“We are pleased to be the home of Salem’s inaugural wrestling season and welcome their additions in swimming,” said Reid Amos, Mountain East Conference Commissioner. “This associate membership underscores the MEC’s commitment to creating competitive, regional matchups within our league.”
“The Mountain East Conference is committed to elevating our championship sports and enhancing opportunities for student-athletes across our league, and this associate membership agreement with Salem University is another step for our proud conference to deliver on that vision.”
Salem previously competed as a member of Conference Carolinas in Men’s and Women’s Swimming. The school’s Men’s Wrestling program will make its competition debut this season, and will immediately be eligible to compete for Mountain East Conference championships, weekly individual awards, and individual end-of-season honors.
The MEC has full-time members in three states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
MEC institutions participating in Men’s Wrestling include Davis & Elkins College, Frostburg State University, Fairmont State University, Glenville University, West Liberty University, and Wheeling University.
MEC institutions participating in Men’s and Women’s Swimming include: Davis & Elkins, Fairmont State, Frostburg State, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and Wheeling.
About the Mountain East Conference
The Mountain East Conference features 11 NCAA Division II member colleges and universities located in three states. The league sponsors 23 championship sports. MEC teams have won six NCAA team national championships, have played in 13 NCAA Championship games, and claimed 47 regional championships. MEC student-athletes also excel in the classroom, with 2,500 earning academic recognition in 2023-24. The league has also produced ten Elite 90 award winners, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average who has reached the site of the finals for each of the NCAA's 90 men's and women's championships across its three divisions. The Mountain East Conference is headquartered in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Visit mountaineast.org to learn more.
About Salem University
Founded in 1888, Salem University (SU) is a private, independent NCAA Division II member institution. Located in Salem, West Virginia, the institution was known as Salem College from 1888 through 1989, Salem-Teikyo University from 1989 through 2000, Salem International University from 2000 through 2017. Salem currently sponsors 14 NCAA sports and holds a dual affiliation with the United States Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I where they won a men's basketball national championship in 2023 and a women's basketball national championship in 2024. For more regarding Salem athletics, visit salemtigers.com