Edited: Oct. 15, 2009

EARLHAM TO LEAVE NCAC FOLLOWING 2009-10 SEASON

CLEVELAND, OH -- Earlham College, a long-time member of the North Coast Athletic Conference, will relinquish its NCAC affiliation following the 2009-10 academic year.

Earlham announced today, that the College has been formally accepted into the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference for the 2010-11 academic year. The College expects the move would save a significant amount of money in travel and time away from campus.

Dale Knobel, president of Denison University and current president of the NCAC, noted the resignation of Earlham's membership, "Earlham College has been a respected long-time member of the NCAC. Student athletes around the conference have appreciated the opportunity to engage in competition with Earlham teams, and our coaches and athletics administrators have formed lasting relationships with their Earlham counterparts.

"All of the North Coast colleges wish Earlham well as it enters the Heartland Conference to bring more of its intercollegiate athletic competition closer to home. We know we will continue to have the opportunity to meet Earlham teams in nonconfernce contests and look forward to collaborating on the many academic, as well as athletic, goals we have in common."

Earlham joined the Conference in the summer of 1988, along with Wittenberg University, and began play in the 1989-90 season. Over the past 20 years, Quaker teams have claimed two North Coast championships and have earned berths in several NCAC championship tournaments, such as women's basketball, men's soccer and men's and women's tennis.

Acting Executive Director of the Conference, Keri Alexander Luchowski, echoed Knobel's sentiments. "Earlham has been a valued member of the NCAC, helping us become one of the strongest conferences in Division III," said Alexander Luchowski. "And on a more immediate level, the Earlham administrators, coaches and student-athletes have been a pleasure to work with and have reflected positively on the NCAC."

Founded in 1983, the North Coast Athletic Conference currently consists of 10 academically selective colleges and universities - Allegheny College, Denison University, Earlham College, Hiram College, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Wabash College, Wittenberg University and the College of Wooster. The NCAC sponsors 22 championship sports, 11 for men and 11 for women.