MANSFIELD – Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities have received NCAA approval to proceed with their plan to retain a full complement of NCAA athletic programs on the campuses that currently host them.
Each campus will maintain its full menu of sports offerings and remain wholly independent of each other. All athletic programs will continue to use their respective location name, existing logos, colors, mascots, and traditions.
“I extend our thanks to our NCAA colleagues and the Membership
Committee for its consideration and approval of our plan to maintain the full
complement of athletic teams at Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield,” said
Bashar W. Hanna, president of Bloomsburg University and interim president of
Lock Haven and Mansfield universities. “Through our collaboration, we’ve
ensured that our student-athletes have the opportunity to compete as they do
today. Intercollegiate athletics hold a special place as part of the fabric of
each of our campus communities and institutional brands. Together we can
confidently move forward into the 2022-23 academic year and beyond – to cheer
on the Huskies, Bald Eagles, and Mounties.”
“Mansfield University athletics is thrilled with the recent
announcement that we will be maintaining our 13 intercollegiate athletic
programs,” said Peggy Carl,
director of athletics at Mansfield. “We are excited to begin planning for the
2022-23 season, and this news gives us a little extra excitement. Let’s go,
Mounties!”
“The NCAA’s decision is another major decision toward building these
powerhouse institutions and is great news for our universities, our system,
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, and above all, our student-athletes,”
said Dr. Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher
Education. “I congratulate President Bashar Hanna, students, faculty, staff, and
trustees at Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield for this accomplishment. The
excitement of intercollegiate athletics will continue for players and fans when
the integrated university begins enrolling students in August.”
“Today is a great day for the Bloomsburg Huskies athletic
department after the months-long integration discussions to announce that we
are remaining intact as planned from the start,” said Michael McFarland,
director of athletics at Bloomsburg. “To our current student-athletes, future Huskies,
coaches, and alumni, we are excited about retaining our brand while still
offering a solid athletic program with expanded academic opportunities for
recruits. It is a great day to be a Husky.”
“Here at Lock Haven, the student-athletes, coaches, and I are excited to finally receive the NCAA’s official announcement that allows our athletic departments to keep our current sport memberships,” said Tom Gioglio, director of athletics at Lock Haven.
Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield are
charter members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and
compete primarily at the NCAA Division II level.
Bloomsburg sponsors 23 varsity athletic programs including an NCAA
Division I men’s wrestling program that competes in the Mid-American Conference
(MAC).
Lock Haven sponsors 21 varsity athletic programs including
Division I men’s wrestling and field hockey. The men’s wrestling program is an
affiliate member of the MAC and the field hockey team competes in the Atlantic
10 Conference (A-10).
Mansfield sponsors 13 varsity athletic
programs including sprint football, which is a member of the Collegiate Sprint
Football League (CSFL).
The integration of Bloomsburg, Lock
Haven, and Mansfield universities is a bold investment in the
communities and people of Pennsylvania with the mission to expand high-quality,
affordable academic opportunities to support the needs of all learners. First
proposed in September 2020, the integration plan received
initial approval by the institutional accrediting agency, Middle States
Commission on Higher Education in March 2022.
The three institutions will officially
unite as Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania on July 1, 2022, though each
will retain their respective location name – Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and
Mansfield – maintaining existing logos, colors, mascots, and traditions. Existing
foundations and alumni associations will remain separate and continue to
support their respective campuses. Donors can continue to designate funds to
support programs or a campus of their choosing.
For more information on integration, visit mansfield.edu/integration.