HILTON HEAD, S.C. – The 2019 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Spring Meetings, the annual gathering of the MEAC’s Presidents and Chancellors, Athletics Directors, Senior Woman Administrators and Faculty Athletics Representatives, began Wednesday at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa and concluded on Friday.
It was announced that Howard University President Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick will become the next Chair of the Council of Chief Executive Officers (CCEOs). Dr. Frederick will serve a two-year term starting July 1. Dr. Frederick is a scholar, surgeon and researcher, with the focal point of his research to narrow the disparity in all cancer-care outcomes – with a focus on gastrointestinal cancers.
Dr. Frederick, who continues to perform surgeries, has served as President of Howard University for the past four and a half years.
The MEAC also announced the full implementation of instant replay for all football games, starting with the upcoming 2019 season.
The MEAC also awarded the Talmadge Layman Hill Men’s All-Sports Award and the Mary McLeod Bethune Women’s All-Sports Award, as well as the highest academic performance rate (APR) and the Highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR).
The All-Sports Awards are indicators of the overall strengths of the conference’s men’s and women’s athletics programs. In sweeping the awards this year, North Carolina A&T State was presented with a pair of $20,000 checks during the Awards Dinner on Wednesday evening.
“I would like to congratulate North Carolina A&T State University, including Chancellor Dr. Harold L. Martin, Sr., Director of Athletics Earl M. Hinton III, and the administrators, coaches, student-athletes and support staff for winning both the 2019 Talmadge Layman Hill Men’s All-Sports Award and the Mary McLeod Bethune Women’s All-Sports Award,” MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis E. Thomas said. “Receiving these awards is indicative of the overall strength of their athletics programs.”
In addition, North Carolina A&T State was honored with the conferecen’s APR Recognition Award. For its efforts, the NCAT Department of Athletics received a $10,000 check.
Howard University was recognized during the dinner as the 2019 recipient of the MEAC Highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) award. In winning the award, Howard was presented a check for $25,000 from the conference. The Bison’s 81-percent GSR is the highest among MEAC institutions spanning the 2008-11 cohorts.
The MEAC will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in the 2020-21 academic year.
The Delegate Assembly welcomed Shauna Cobb, NCAA Director of Academic & Membership Affairs, and Frank Smith, NCAA Associate Director of Enforcement, to speak with the membership about academics and enforcement.
MEAC softball and baseball schedules were finalized for the upcoming year as well.
ESPN’s Senior Director of Content Strategy & Scheduling Dan Margulis also met with conference officials during the MEAC Spring Meetings.
During the meetings, the Delegate Assembly and the CCEOs discussed the NCAA Misconduct Concepts. One concept is to adopt legislation to add an overarching bylaw that would capture instances of systemic, willful disregard for academic integrity as it pertains to student-athlete eligibility and/or fair competition.
Another concept is to adopt legislation to improve the overall clarity of and reinforce the intended application of the legislation Division I adopted in 2016, and to provide institutions with “best practices” to help schools prevent academic violations for student-athletes.
The MEAC will hold its next event on Friday, July 26 with the 2019 MEAC Football Press Luncheon in Norfolk, Va. at the Hilton Norfolk The Main. For ticket information, contact the MEAC office at (757) 951-2055.