The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) is an NCAA Division III conference that competes in 15 sports on the men’s and women’s sides. The conference was founded in 2008 and is made up of ten institutions located in the Appalachian region of the United States. The AMCC offers students the opportunity to compete athletically and to pursue their academic goals within a highly competitive collegiate environment.
History and Significance
The AMCC was formed in 2008 through the consolidation of the former North Coast Athletic Conference and Allegheny Mountain Athletic Conference. It is part of the NCAA’s Division III and operates in accordance with the NCAA regulations. The AMCC boasts great tradition and history from the former two conferences, pitting some of the best small college athletes in the nation against one another. The AMCC now offers its member institutions the opportunity to compete in 15 sports, including Baseball, Basketball, Football, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball and other popular sports.
Member Institutions
The AMCC has reinvigorated the athletic rivalries within the previous two conferences, as member institutions from both are now united under one umbrella. The ten institutions making up the AMCC are: Alfred University, D’Youville College, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Hilbert College, La Roche College, Medaille College, Mt. Aloysius College, Penn State Behrend, Pitt-Bradford, and Pitt-Greensburg.
These member institutions compete in a variety of different sports, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, swimming, tennis and a selection of other athletics.
Notable Achievements
The AMCC has seen a number of successes from its member institutions, both athletically and academically. The conference has maintained a strong tradition of academic excellence, which has been the foundation for the success of its member institutions. On the athletic field, the AMCC has seen a number of accomplishments, including the 2010 AMCC Men’s Basketball Championship win by Mt. Aloysius, a continued strong presence in the NCAA Chattanooga Regional Women’s Basketball tournament and several NCAA Tournament appearances.
Rivalries
The revitalization of the AMCC has spiked traditional rivalries amongst the teams. Pitt Bradford and Franciscan have one of the longest standing rivalries in the conference, while D’Youville and La Roche have been engaged in a rivalry since the 1990s. The most recent addition to the conference is Penn State Behrend, which has quickly become a formidable rival to both Mt. Aloysius and Pitt Greensburg.
Conference Operations
The AMCC is governed by an eight-member executive Council, consisting of the presidents of each of the member institutions. The Council is responsible for setting the agenda for the conference and for overseeing the operation and promotion of all conferences within the AMCC. The Executive Council is assisted by a Council of Deans, which works to ensure that the academic integrity of the conference is maintained.
The AMCC divides its participants into two divisions for scheduling purposes. These divisions are named East and West, and include all of the institutions in the conference. Schedules are often based on geography, with the East division containing mostly northern schools and the West containing mostly southern schools.
Championships are awarded to the winner of each division, with the winner of the East and West division meeting in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Championship game. The Championship typically takes place in May, and typically features the winners of the previous two divisions.
Impact and Role
The AMCC offers students the opportunity to compete athletically and to pursue their academic goals within a highly competitive collegiate environment. It also plays an important role in the regional and national sports scene, providing an opportunity for young athletes to hone their skills and compete with some of the best athletes in the country. The AMCC also promotes the development of strong sportsmanship amongst its participants and encourages all student-athletes to pursue excellence both academically and athletically.
Future Prospects
The future of the AMCC looks bright, with the conference maintaining its commitment to providing top-notch collegiate athletic experiences. The conference continues to attract highly talented teams from around the region, and is continuing to promote the development of strong rivalries and sportsmanship. Recent trends in the conference have been favorable, with the addition of Penn State Behrend and new academic initiatives being undertaken by the conference.
As the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference continues to grow and develop, it is sure to become one of the top NCAA Division III conferences in the nation, offering college athletes the opportunity to pursue their goals in a highly competitive environment.