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| Hiram College, located 34 miles from the Pennsylvania border, already competes against a number of PAC schools in a number of sports. Photo by Natalie Brown for Hiram athletics |
In a long anticipated move, Hiram has announced that it is returning to the Presidents' Athletic Conference. Currently members of the North Coast Athletic Conference, Hiram was a member of the PAC from 1971 through 1989.
The move continues the shuffle of conference members in the part of Division III formerly known as the Great Lakes region. Allegheny moved from the NCAC to the PAC, followed by John Carroll's announcement that it was moving from the OAC to the NCAC, and Hiram's move will take place at the same time, in the fall of 2025.
Hiram will become a full-time PAC member with all voting and membership rights effective on July 1, 2024, with competition in all sports set to begin in the fall of 2025. The Terriers will be the conference's 12th full-time member. In addition, Carnegie Mellon and Case Western Reserve play football as affiliate members of the PAC, which would have 12 football programs in 2025, assuming no other changes in membership.
It is expected that the NCAC will have another new member to announce by the time Hiram departs.
The return to the PAC will offer Hiram improvements for the student-athlete experience according to Hiram president, Robert Bohrer, including reduced time out of the classroom while competing and creating a better blend of the student-athletes' interests in and out of competition.
During its prior 18-year tenure in the PAC, Hiram won 13 team championships, including multiple titles in men's basketball (five), women's track and field (three) and baseball (two). In addition to the 13 team championships, Hiram also has 71 individual championships achieved by 30 different student-athletes during its previous tenure in the PAC.
The school also won the PAC Women's All-Sports Trophy in the first year it was awarded by the league in 1985-86.
"Athletics has long been an integral part of the student experience at Hiram College with more than half of our students participating in one or more sports," Bohrer said. "We are pleased to accept the invitation to again join the Presidents' Athletic Conference, which not only means that our student-athletes will compete with schools more locally and give our fans the opportunity to support our teams at away competitions, but also that our students will spend less time out of the classroom traveling for competition, helping to promote a balanced structure between athletics and academics."
Hiram fields 23 varsity athletic teams, including 12 men's and 11 women's teams. The school will retain its current affiliation as a full-time member of the North Coast Athletic Conference until June 30, 2025.
"Returning to the PAC presents our student-athletes with an exciting opportunity to continue competing at a high level, while also minimizing travel time and missed class time," said Hiram athletic director Scott Pohlman. "We would also like to thank the NCAC for everything they've done for Hiram College athletics over nearly 25 years. There have been so many memories made in the North Coast Athletic Conference that will forever be part of our school's history."
Since joining the NCAC in the fall of 2000, Hiram has won five NCAC tournament championships (four in softball, one in women's volleyball) and two regular-season titles (both in women's volleyball). Hiram softball notably advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals this past season after defending its NCAC tournament championship in the spring of 2023.
Hiram will begin play in the sport of men's volleyball, which will initiate competition as the league's 24th championship sport in the 2024-25 academic year, as they were previously accepted as a PAC affiliate member.
"On behalf of the entire Presidents' Athletic Conference, as commissioner it is both an honor and a distinct privilege to welcome Hiram College and the Terrier athletic program back to the PAC," said PAC Commissioner Joe Onderko, currently in his 18th year leading the conference. "Hiram is a big part of the history of the PAC and adding them back to our ranks as a full member strengthens the league academically and athletically, as well as in terms of alumni and fan engagement. We are thrilled to have the Terrier athletic department return to begin competition in all league sports in 2025-26."
"With 12 full members, the PAC is now the largest it has ever been in its nearly 70-year history, which provides us with numerous strategic advantages as we boldly move into a new era of college athletics," Onderko added. "I am very grateful for the outstanding executive leadership of the members of the PAC Presidents' Council, currently led by Thiel College president Dr. Susan Traverso, for their vision in making us one of the elite NCAA Division III athletic conferences in the nation."