Editors note: This story is breaking and will be updated as more information becomes available.
As first reported by Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic on Monday, the Mid-American Conference voted to add the University of Massachusetts as a full member beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. With football-only membership no longer an option in the search for a conference, UMass will join the MAC in all sports, excluding the Massachusetts men’s hockey team which will remain in Hockey East.
UMass had previously been a partial member of MAC in football starting in 2012 after rising from FCS to FBS, but left the conference after the 2015 football season. Conflicts between the MAC and UMass regarding full membership led to the departure of UMass football, where it has since been an FBS Independent, one of four independent teams in the 2023 season. Finding a conference for football had been a priority for Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford, with Conference USA being another strong contender to host Massachusetts Athletics.
UMass has been a founding member of the Atlantic 10 conference since its inception in 1976, when it was a basketball only conference. Of UMass’ 19 varsity sports, 17 compete in the A-10, with the aforementioned football and hockey being the two outliers. The most recent A-10 tournament champions for UMass was the 2021-2022 Massachusetts women’s basketball team. Additionally, the MAC doesn’t sponsor men’s soccer and men’s lacrosse. UMass will have to find a home for those programs if it wants to maintain them. Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that UMass will request to stay an affiliate member of the A-10 for men’s and women’s lacrosse only.
On Thursday, Feb. 29, UMass officially announced its joining of the MAC.
A new era begins!
Massachusetts is headed to the @MACSports, beginning July 1, 2025.
🔗 https://t.co/sDMJ1hJuWk#MACtion 𝘅 #Flagship 🚩 pic.twitter.com/KVvBjwBGUW
— UMass Athletics (@UMassAthletics) February 29, 2024
Johnny Depin can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @Jdepin101.
