MAYFIELD, Ky. – Throughout its young athletic history, the leadership at Mid-Continent University has always been on the lookout for opportunities to help the program grow by competing in the strongest conference available. For the last seven seasons, that has been the TranSouth Athletic Conference, but with membership in the league dwindling, Mid-Continent felt it was time for a change.
 
Mid-Continent currently fields teams in men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, and softball, but MCU’s athletic leadership is also exploring the option of adding more sports in the very near future. Beginning with the 2013-14 season, the Cougars six teams will begin competing in the American Midwest Conference, becoming the 11th team in the league, and the third team to join the conference after having previously been a member of the TranSouth.
 
Mid-Continent joins former TranSouth members Lyon College (1997-98 – 2011-12) and Williams Baptist College (1996-97 – 2000-01) in the AMC as the three southern-most teams in the league. The Conference also has eight other members, seven in Missouri and one in Illinois. Harris-Stowe State University (St. Louis), Missouri Baptist University (St. Louis), Hannibal-LaGrange University (Hannibal), William Woods University (Fulton), Columbia College (Columbia), Stephens College (Columbia), and Park University (Kansas City) all call the Show Me State home, while Benedictine University at Springfield hails from the Land of Lincoln.
 
“We are grateful for our time in the TranSouth,” stated MCU Athletic Director Kevin Imhoff. “Our time in the league has seen us grow not only in each individual sport, but also as a department. We do, however, feel like it is time to move on and joining the American Midwest Conference gives us the best opportunity to compete and grow.”
 
AMC Commissioner, Lowell Pitzer said,” I am pleased to officially welcome Mid-Continent University to the AMC family on behalf of our presidents, athletic directors,  coaches, students, and fans beginning in 2013-2014.   We welcome them to our conference where our purpose is to promote the positive ideals and objectives of athletics, to enhance and preserve athletics in their true perspective, and compete in athletics in an academic environment. The AMC has enjoyed longevity as an NAIA conference, and Mid-Continent’s membership will continue that tradition”.
 
In addition to the six sports sponsored by Mid-Continent, the AMC sponsors championships in nine other sports, bringing the total number of sponsored championships to 15. The league holds men’s and women’s championships in soccer, cross country, basketball, golf, and both indoor and outdoor track and field. Also sponsored as championship sports are baseball, softball, and women’s volleyball.
 
From: MCU Media Relations