By: Ryan Thompson, Assistant AD for Communications
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Davenport University athletics has announced that they will have three programs become associate members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference beginning in the 2024-25 academic year. Men's Lacrosse, Men's Wrestling, and STUNT will be joining the conference because the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference does not currently sponsor these sports. The men's lacrosse and men's wrestling teams will be moving over from the Great Lakes Valley Conference and STUNT will be joining a conference for the first time as an emerging sport in the NCAA.
"The GLVC has been a competitive conference for our men's wrestling and men's lacrosse teams over the years," said Paul Lowden, executive director of intercollegiate athletics. "We appreciate their support of us as an associate member. As we recently assessed our athletic blueprint, the GMAC consists of 14 private schools and 26 conference championships that allow not only our men's wrestling and men's lacrosse programs to compete, but allows for our national championship STUNT team to have more competitive opportunities. We feel it is important to provide championship opportunities for all our varsity programs and the G-MAC offers us this opportunity."
Davenport will compete alongside 10 other institutions in the league, including full-time members Lake Erie, Malone, Northwood, Thomas More, Tiffin, and Walsh. Davis & Elkins, Mercyhurst, Seton Hill, and Wheeling also compete as associate members.
The Panthers will join six other G-MAC wrestling programs in 2024-25, including Ashland, Findlay, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lake Erie, Thomas More, and Tiffin.
In the sport of STUNT, Davenport was crowned the 2022-23 National Champions last season, finishing 13-2 overall. The STUNT program currently has eight national championships under their belt. The addition of Davenport increases STUNT membership to eight. The Panthers will compete against full-time members Ashland, Malone, Tiffin, Ursuline, and Walsh, as well as associate members Hiram and Mercyhurst.
