In the midst of a whirlwind of conference realignment among East Central Indiana high schools, the Mid-Eastern Conference is holding strong.
Since Eastern Hancock and Shenandoah announced their intentions to leave the conference and form the Eastern Crossroads Conference, rumors have circulated regarding the future of the MEC, whether that will involve continued expansion or more teams leaving.
According to a release provided to The Star Press by MEC president and Cowan High School principal Brent Adams, the eight MEC schools remaining are committed to staying in the conference and exploring the addition of new schools to replace the two future ECC schools.
“As president of the MEC, I am proud to announce that the eight remaining member schools of the MEC remain firmly committed to our conference and its long-standing traditions of excellence,” Adams said via the release.
“The Blue River Valley Vikings, Cowan Blackhawks, Daleville Broncos, Monroe Central Golden Bears, Randolph Southern Rebels, Union Rockets, Wapahani Raiders, and Wes-Del Warriors reaffirm their dedication to the values and vision of the Mid-Eastern Conference. Collectively, these schools are excited to begin the process of exploring expansion opportunities to strengthen and enhance the conference moving forward.”
The MEC dates back to 1963 with Cadiz, Cowan, Daleville, Mooreland, Mt. Summit and Union as founding members. Mooreland and Mt. Summit were members for one season before consolidating into Blue River Valley in 1964, while Monroe Central and Randolph Southern opened and joined that same year. Following Cadiz’s consolidation into Shenandoah, Northeastern joined in 1967 and was followed by Wapahani in 1968, but Northeastern would leave in 1974 for the Tri-Eastern Conference.
Wes-Del and Frankton both joined in 1977 before leaving in 1989, but Wes-Del returned in 2008. Muncie Burris was also a member from 1979 until being voted out in 2014.
Eastern Hancock and Shenandoah both joined in 2017, and their exit brings the MEC back down to eight schools. If the conference wants to remain at 10 teams, that leaves room for two potential additions. Wherever those additions come from — or whether they come at all — is yet to be seen, but the conference is still positive regarding its future.
“The MEC remains confident in the foundation it provides, built upon strong academics, competitive athletics, genuine camaraderie, and outstanding sportsmanship,” Adams said in the release. “We look forward to continuing the proud traditions and excellence that have defined the Mid-Eastern Conference for generations of student-athletes.”
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@muncie.gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Mid-Eastern Conference schools reaffirm commitment to conference, exploring expansion
Reporting by Cade Hampton, Muncie Star Press / Muncie Star Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
