May 6, 2018 4 min read

When the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference learned it would be losing Cheyney University as a member at the end of this school year, it presented a dilemma.

The eastern half of the conference will have an odd number of schools for its two most high-profile sports: football and basketball.

So PSAC commissioner Steve Murray set his sights south of the Mason-Dixon line for a replacement.

Murray said he has approached administrators at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va., to gauge interest in joining the PSAC.

“It makes the most sense,” said Murray. “We prefer to have a team in close proximity of the eastern part of the state so it could play in the East Division. We have every sport Shepherd has, so it’s a good fit.”

Shepherd plays in the 12-team Mountain East Conference, with a majority of West Virginia schools.

MEC commissioner Reid Amos was not available for comment and the conference did release a timely statement when asked.

Cheyney was a charter member when the PSAC was founded in 1951 but the school has struggled over the past decades with economic and competitive issues.

Murray said Cheyney alerted the conference of its decision to leave the PSAC last fall, so member schools had time to fill those unexpected open dates with other opponents.

“We’ve known for some time,” Murray said. “Shepherd is in a good location, the eastern horn of West Virginia. It’s further east than Shippensburg. We don’t want to make travel any worse for our schools.”

Shepherd Vice President for Athletics Chauncey Winbush could not be reached for comment but told The Journal newspaper in Martinsville, W.Va., the two sides are talking.

“We are just going to listen to what they have to say and kind of go from there,” Winbush told the newspaper. “We’re obviously very happy with the Mountain East Conference and our standing with that conference.

“Coming into this (athletics) position, I said I was going to keep my eyes open and take a look at every opportunity that comes across. I was (surprised), to be perfectly honest. I didn’t realize the situation with Cheyney.”

Murray said Cheyney could be heading to the University Athletics Conference and trim its competitive programs to men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball.

The PSAC has undergone changes in the not-too-distant past, adding two private schools in Gannon and Mercyhurst in the 2008-09 school year and Seton Hill and Pitt-Johnstown in 2013. The latter two schools were members of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, now reformed as the Mountain East.

C.W. Post was an associate member of the PSAC from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

If Shepherd were to leave the MEC, the process would take three years. Shepherd could leave earlier but it would take a vote of approval by the member schools.

If that happens, the MEC is expected to approach Frostburg State in Maryland to replace Shepherd. Frostburg State competes in the Division III Capital Athletic Conference, which is losing two of its members in the fall. Frostburg would benefit greatly if added to the MEC, cutting travel costs and playing against some previous rival schools.

Murray said these situations with schools such as Cheyney are becoming more common.

“Fewer people are going to college,” he said. “State schools are losing population. The population of college-aged students are dropping. The pool is smaller.”

Murray said if Shepherd turns down the PSAC offer, the conference also could turn to Frostburg.

“We’ll have to know by the end of June,” Murray said. It will take a couple of years to untangle. They need to accept and our board needs to OK it. Right now, I’m comfortable with where we are.”