American NCAA athletic conference (1990–95)
TheGreat Midwest Conference was anNCAA Division I athletics conference that existed from 1991 to 1995.
The conference was formed in 1990 with six members:Cincinnati and Memphis State (nowMemphis ) from theMetro Conference ,UAB from theSun Belt Conference ,Marquette andSaint Louis from the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now theHorizon League ), and independentDePaul .Dayton joined in 1993.Cleveland State andDetroit-Mercy had some interest from coaches, while Louisville and Tulane were heavily favored by athletic directors.[ 2]
In 1995, six of the schools in the Great Midwest (except for Dayton, who joined theAtlantic 10 Conference ) joined withUNC Charlotte ,Louisville ,Southern Mississippi ,Tulane , andSouth Florida of the Metro andHouston of the dissolvingSouthwest Conference and formedConference USA .
Chronological timeline [ edit ] 1990 – The Great Midwest Conference was founded. Charter members included theUniversity of Cincinnati andMemphis State University (now the University of Memphis) from the Metro Conference, theUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) from theSun Belt Conference ,Marquette University andSaint Louis University from theMidwestern Collegiate Conference (now the Horizon League), and D-I IndependentDePaul University , effective beginning the 1990–91 academic year. 1993 –University of Dayton joined the Great Midwest, effective in the 1993–94 academic year. 1995 – The Great Midwest ceased operations as an athletic conference, effective after the 1994–95 academic year; as many schools left to join their respective new home primary conferences, effective beginning the 1995–96 academic year: Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, Memphis, Saint Louis and UAB joined with theMetro Conference schools to form Conference USA, while Dayton joined theAtlantic 10 Conference (A-10). Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequent Current University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 1819 Public 41,357 Bearcats 1991 1995 CUSA original Big East The American Big 12 University of Dayton Dayton, Ohio 1850 Catholic (Marianists ) 11,186 Flyers 1993 1995 Atlantic 10 (A-10) DePaul University Chicago, Illinois 1898 Catholic(Vicentian ) 24,966 Blue Demons 1991 1995 CUSA original Big East Big East Marquette University Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1881 Catholic(Jesuit ) 12,002 Golden Eagles 1991 1995 CUSA original Big East Big East University of Memphis Memphis, Tennessee 1912 Public 22,365 Tigers 1991 1995 CUSA The American Saint Louis University St. Louis, Missouri 1818 Catholic(Jesuit) 13,785 Billikens 1991 1995 CUSA Atlantic 10 (A-10) University of Alabama at Birmingham * Birmingham, Alabama 1936 Public 17,999 Blazers 1991 1995 CUSA The American
Notes Membership timeline [ edit ] The following were the locations of the GMC men's basketball tournament.
Cincinnati won all four years from 1992 to 1995.
1992: Depaul 1993: DePaul 1994: UAB 1995: Marquette The Great Midwest also held a baseball tournament for each of its four years to varying coverage.[ 3]
1992: UAB 1993: Memphis State 1994: UAB 1995: Memphis State
Full members Affiliate members History 1 baseball2 beach volleyball3 bowling4 leaving in 20265 leaving by 2027
