Mason–Dixon Conference

The Mason–Dixon Conference is a defunct NCAA Division II (former NCAA College Division) athletics conference, formed in 1936[1] and disbanded in October 1978. A track championship bearing the conference's name continued for several years after the demise of the all-sports league. Its members were predominantly from states bordering the eponymous Mason–Dixon line. A similarly named Mason-Dixon Athletic Conference began play in NCAA Division II men's basketball in 1983-84 with three of the previous members (Mount St. Mary's University, Randolph-Macon College, University of Maryland-Baltimore County) plus Longwood University, Radford University and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Mason–Dixon Conference
Classification	NCAA Division II
Years of existence	1936–1978
Members	17 at height
Sports fielded	Baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, track, tennis, wrestling
Region	South Atlantic States
States/districts	Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C.

Originally for track and field only, it was established in 1936 by Waldo Hamilton and Dorsey Griffith who both coached the sport at Johns Hopkins University and The Catholic University of America respectively. Its main purpose was to provide an annual championship meet for smaller colleges.[2] The circuit began with nine member schools. Besides the institutions for which the founders represented, the others were American University, Gallaudet University, Randolph–Macon College, University of Baltimore, University of Delaware, Washington College and Western Maryland College.

Within four years it began to include other sports. Men's basketball was added in 1940.[3] The Mason–Dixon Conference sought to "solidify small college athletics and to stimulate a competitive spirit."[1]

Founding members

School	Joined[4]	Left	Location
American University	1936	1966	Washington, D.C.
The Catholic University of America	1936	1976[3]	Washington, D.C.
Gallaudet University	1936	1974	Washington, D.C.
Johns Hopkins University	1936	1974	Baltimore, Maryland
Randolph–Macon College	1936	1975	Ashland, Virginia
University of Baltimore	1936	1978[5]	Baltimore, Maryland
University of Delaware	1936	1947	Newark, Delaware
Washington College	1936	1972	Chestertown, Maryland
Western Maryland College	1936	1974	Westminster, Maryland

Other members

School	Joined[4]	Left	Location
Bridgewater College	1941	1976	Bridgewater, Virginia
Emory & Henry College	1975	1976	Emory-Meadowview, Virginia
Frostburg State College	1977	1978	Frostburg, Maryland
George Mason University	1972	1978	Fairfax, Virginia
Hampden-Sydney College	1947	1976	Hampden-Sydney, Virginia
Loyola College	1940	1977	Baltimore, Maryland
Lynchburg College	1948	1969	Lynchburg, Virginia
Mount St. Mary's University	1940	1978	Emmitsburg, Maryland
Old Dominion University	1962	1969	Norfolk, Virginia
Salisbury State College	1974	1976	Salisbury, Maryland
St. John's College	1936[1]	—	Annapolis, Maryland
Shepherd University	1964	1968	Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Towson State Teachers	1939	1978	Towson, Maryland
University of Maryland, Baltimore County	1972	1978	Catonsville, Maryland
Washington & Lee University	1975	1976	Lexington, Virginia

Basketball champions

1941 – Western Maryland 1942 – Loyola 1943 – Gallaudet 1944 – Mount Saint Mary's 1945 – American 1946 – American 1947 – Loyola 1948 – Loyola 1949 – Loyola 1950 – American 1951 – American 1952 – Baltimore 1953 – Loyola

1954 – Mount Saint Mary's 1955 – Mount Saint Mary's 1956 – Mount Saint Mary's 1957 – Mount Saint Mary's 1958 – American 1959 – American 1960 – American and Mount Saint Mary's 1961 – Catholic and Mount Saint Mary's 1962 – Mount Saint Mary's 1963 – Mount Saint Mary's 1964 – Catholic 1965 – Randolph-Macon 1966 – Randolph-Macon

1967 – Mount Saint Mary's 1968 – Roanoke 1969 – Old Dominion 1970 – Roanoke 1971 – Loyola 1972 – Roanoke 1973 – Loyola 1974 – Randolph-Macon 1975 – Randolph-Macon 1976 – Baltimore 1977 – Towson State 1978 – Towson State

Football champions

1946 – Delaware 1947 – Randolph–Macon 1948 – Johns Hopkins 1949 – Western Maryland 1950 – Randolph–Macon 1951 – Western Maryland 1952 – Randolph–Macon 1953 – Hampden-Sydney 1954 – Hampden-Sydney 1955 – Randolph-Macon

1956 – Johns Hopkins 1957 – Hampden-Sydney 1958 – Randolph–Macon 1959 – Johns Hopkins 1960 – Randolph–Macon and Western Maryland 1961 – Western Maryland 1962 – Western Maryland 1963 – Western Maryland 1964 – Hampden–Sydney 1965 – Randolph–Macon

1966 – Hampden-Sydney 1967 – Randolph–Macon 1968 – Randolph–Macon 1969 – Randolph–Macon NCAA II East Region/Co-Nat'l Champs 1970 – Hampden-Sydney 1971 – Hampden-Sydney 1972 – Hampden-Sydney 1973 – Hampden-Sydney 1974 – Towson State

See also

• List of defunct college football conferences
• Chesapeake Conference
• Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC)

References

1. "American University Athletics Timeline". American University. 2009. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
2. Student Athlete Handbook – Methodist University Athletics. Archived 2012-01-14 at the Wayback Machine Section 1, Part E: Mason Dixon Track & Field Conference.
3. McManes, Chris. "Flight of the Cardinals: A 100-year history of CUA men's basketball," The Catholic University of America Athletics, Monday, November 1, 2010.
4. Morse, Jon F. (2009). "OLD DOMINION (pre-1946-) MASON-DIXON (pre-1946-1974)". NCAA Division III Conference Alignments. jonfmorse.com. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
5. McMullen, Paul. "With 8 in state taking plunge, UB was first to drown in Division I pool," The Baltimore Evening Sun, Tuesday, November 6, 1990.