Sports will remain intact when 6 PSAC universities merge into 2 this summer

When Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference universities Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield, California, Clarion and Edinboro merge into two schools July 1, athletic programs on each campus will remain intact.

The NCAA Division II Membership Committee gave its approval Wednesday for those schools to continue to offer a full complement of programs and will compete for championships, as usual.

“The NCAA’s decision is another major step toward building these powerhouse institutions and is great news for our universities, our system, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, and above all, our student-athletes,” Dr. Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, said in a statement. “I congratulate the university leaders, students, faculty, staff and trustees for this accomplishment. The excitement of intercollegiate athletics will continue for players and fans when the integrated university begins enrolling students in August.”

Bloomsburg, Lock Haven and Mansfield will merge under the name of Commonwealth University. California, Clarion and Edinboro are uniting as Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest).

PennWest integration leader, Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, president of Clarion and interim president of California and Edinboro, said the NCAA decision reflects the trust it holds for those campuses to operate their programs.

“It also recognizes the impact that our student-athletes have on our campuses and in our communities,” Pehrsson said. “We are excited to continue the strong legacy of our Vulcans, Golden Eagles and Fighting Scots.”

The integration of the six schools into two received initial approval from the institutional accrediting agency, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, in March.

The new universities will begin enrolling students in August.