The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. All member institutions are located in Ohio. Formed in 1902, it is the third oldest athletic conference in the United States. In its history, 31 schools have been members of the OAC. The enrollments of the current ten member institutions range from around 1,000 to 4,500. Its current commissioner is Sarah Otey. Former commissioners include Mike Cleary, who was the first General Manager of a professional basketball team to hire an African American head coach, and would later run the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Northeast Ohio is a geographic and cultural region that comprises the northeastern counties of the U.S. state of Ohio. Definitions of the region consist of 16 to 23 counties between the southern shore of Lake Erie and the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, home to over 4.5 million people. It is anchored by the metropolitan area of Cleveland, the most populous city in the region with over 372,000 residents in 2020. Other metropolitan centers include Akron, Canton, Mansfield, Sandusky, and Youngstown. Northeast Ohio includes most of the area known historically as the Connecticut Western Reserve.
Donald Francis Shula was an American professional football player, coach and executive who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1963 to 1995. He played seven seasons as a defensive back in the NFL. For most of his career, Shula was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Joshua Thomas McDaniels is an American former professional football coach. He began his National Football League (NFL) career in 2001 with the New England Patriots, where he served as the offensive coordinator for 14 non-consecutive seasons. During McDaniels' first stint as offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2008, New England set the season record for points scored and won 16 of their 16 regular season games in 2007. In his second stint from 2012 to 2021, the Patriots won three Super Bowl titles. McDaniels was also among the Patriots personnel to be present for all six of their titles during the Brady–Belichick era.
Carl N. "Gaucho" Taseff was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL). Taseff had an 11-year playing career, primarily with the Baltimore Colts, where he was a member of the 1958 and 1959 NFL Championship winning teams. Taseff then coached for 27 seasons, winning Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl VIII as part of the Miami Dolphins coaching staff.
Scott Shafer is an American football coach and former player. He has served as the defensive coordinator for the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders. Previously, he served as the head coach at Syracuse University until November 2015.
The Mount Union Purple Raiders football program represents the University of Mount Union in college football at the NCAA Division III level as members of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Mount Union have played their home games at Mount Union Stadium in Alliance, Ohio since 1913, which makes it the oldest college football stadium in Ohio. The Purple Raiders have claimed 13 NCAA Division III Football Championship and 35 OAC titles and have 12 undefeated seasons.
The Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets are the athletic teams for Baldwin Wallace University. The Yellow Jackets participate in Division III of the NCAA in the Ohio Athletic Conference. BW's rivalries include John Carroll University and University of Mount Union. BW's most successful athletic programs include cross country and swimming and diving. Among BW's most famous alumni related to athletics include Harrison Dillard, Lee Tressel, and Jim Tressel.
Thomas Francis Telesco is an American football executive who is the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2013 to 2023.
The Case Western Reserve Spartans football team is the varsity intercollegiate football team representing the Case Western Reserve University, located in Cleveland, Ohio. They compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division III level and hold dual membership in both the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) and the University Athletic Association (UAA). They are coached by Greg Debeljak. Home games are played at DiSanto Field. The team in its current form was created in 1970 after the federation of Western Reserve University and Case Institute of Technology.
Don Shula Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located on the campus of John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, near Cleveland. Don Shula Stadium is home to the Division III Blue Streaks of John Carroll University and has an official capacity of 5,416 spectators. It also serves as a home for many of the school's varsity, club and intramural athletic programs. The facility is named for Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and former NFL player, Don Shula. Shula was a cornerback for the Blue Streaks in the late 1940s and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1951 NFL Draft.
The 2017 Mount Union Purple Raiders football team represented the University of Mount Union in the 2017 NCAA Division III football season. The Purple Raiders, led by fifth-year head coach Vince Kehres, were members of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and played their home games at Mount Union Stadium in Alliance, Ohio.
The 2018 Mount Union Purple Raiders football team represented the University of Mount Union in the 2018 NCAA Division III football season. The Purple Raiders, were led by sixth-year head coach Vince Kehres, were members of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and played their home games at Mount Union Stadium in Alliance, Ohio.
The 2015 Mount Union Purple Raiders football team was an American football team that represented the University of Mount Union in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 2015 NCAA Division III football season. In their third year under head coach Vince Kehres, the Purple Raiders compiled a perfect 15–0 record, won the OAC championship, advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs, and defeated St. Thomas (MN), 49–35, in the national championship game.
The 2012 Mount Union Purple Raiders football team was an American football team that represented the University of Mount Union in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 2012 NCAA Division III football season. In their 27th year under head coach Larry Kehres, the Purple Raiders compiled a perfect 15–0 record, won the OAC championship, advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs, and defeated St. Thomas (MN), 28–10, in the national championship game.
The 2002 Mount Union Purple Raiders football team was an American football team that represented the University of Mount Union in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 2002 NCAA Division III football season. In their 17th year under head coach Larry Kehres, the Purple Raiders compiled a perfect 14–0 record, won the OAC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 654 to 180. They qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs and advanced to the national championship team, defeating Trinity (TX), 48–7.
The 1946 Ohio Athletic Conference football season was the season of college football played by the 21 member schools of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), commonly referred to as the "Ohio Conference", as part of the 1946 college football season.
The 2022 Ohio Athletic Conference football season was the season of college football played by the ten member schools of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), sometimes referred to as the "Ohio Conference", as part of the 2022 NCAA Division III football season.
