2008–09 Mid-American Conference season


The 2008–09 Mid-American Conference season is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference. The Mid-American Conference sponsors 23 sports. The MAC is made up of 12 full-time members and five affiliate members.
The 2008–09 season is the 63rd season in existence.

Member schools

There are twelve schools with full membership:
Five schools have affiliate membership status:
InstitutionNicknameLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentSport
Chicago State UniversityCougarsChicago, Illinois1867Public7,131Men's tennis
Florida Atlantic UniversityOwlsBoca Raton, Florida1964Public26,245Men's soccer
Hartwick CollegeHawksOneonta, New York1797Private1,520Men's soccer
Missouri State UniversityLady BearsSpringfield, Missouri1905Public17,425Field hockey
Temple UniversityOwlsPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania1884Public34,218Football

Reese and Jacoby trophies

The Reese and Jacoby trophies are awarded to the top men's and women's athletic departments in the Mid-American Conference.
Points are awarded based on each school's finish, with the overall total divided by the number of sports sponsored by each school. An institution may count either indoor track and field or outdoor track and field but not both.

Reese standings

* Affiliate status only. Does not qualify for trophy.

Jacoby standings

* Affiliate status only. Does not qualify for trophy.

Sports

Basketball (men's)

Tournament

Players of the week

The following are the MAC men's basketball players of the week. Number of awards won this season are in parenthesis.
WeekDivisionPlayerSchool
November 17EastMichael BramosMiami
November 17WestDavid KoolWestern Michigan
November 24EastAl FisherKent State
November 24WestAnthony Newell
Mike DiNunno		Ball State
NIU
December 1EastKenny HayesMiami
December 1WestDarion AndersonNIU
December 8EastMichael Bramos Miami
December 8WestAnthony Newell Ball State
December 15EastMichael Bramos Miami
December 15WestDarion Anderson NIU
December 22EastChris SingletaryKent State
December 22WestAnthony Newel
David Kool 		Ball State
Western Michigan
December 29EastChris KnightBowling Green
December 29WestJustin AnyijongToledo
January 6EastJerome Tillman
Andy Robinson		Ohio
Buffalo
January 6WestJonathon AmosToledo
January 12EastChris Knight Bowling Green
January 12WestDavid Kool Western Michigan

WeekDivisionPlayerSchool
January 19EastJerome Tillman Ohio
January 19WestBrandon BowdryEastern Michigan
January 26EastRodney PierceBuffalo
January 26WestMarcus VanCentral Michigan
February 2EastTyler DierkersMiami
February 2WestJarrod JonesBall State
February 9EastNate MillerBowling Green
February 9WestRobbie HarmanCentral Michigan
February 16EastAl Fisher Kent State
February 16WestDarion Anderson NIU
February 23EastAl Fisher Kent State
February 23WestTyrone KentToledo
March 2East
March 2West
March 9East
March 9West

Basketball (women's)

Standings

Through March 8, 2009
East
West
* Receives E3 seed based on 2–0 head-to-head record vs. Miami.

Tournament

Cross country (men's)

Eastern Michigan won its fourth consecutive MAC Championship in 2008. The All-MAC team consisted of Ryan Bloom, Josh Karanja, Sammy Kiprotch, Aiman Scullion, Kevin Silver, Pat Sovacool and Curtis Vollmar.
Sovacool of Miami was the only runner to qualify for the NCAA Championship. He finished 65th overall.
In the preseason poll voted by the MAC head coaches, Eastern Michigan was chosen to win the 2008 men's MAC Cross Country Championship. EMU had won the past three MAC Championships and had five All-MAC runners returning.

MAC Championship results

  1. Eastern Michigan, 42 points
  2. Miami, 56
  3. Kent State, 61
  4. Central Michigan, 103
  5. Ohio, 122
  6. Buffalo, 169
  7. Akron, 179
  8. Toledo, 186
  9. Bowling Green, 270

    Players of the week

WeekPlayerSchool
September 2Pat SovacoolMiami
September 9Pat Sovacool Miami
September 16Tony JordanekKent State
September 23Pat Sovacool Miami
September 30Shamus EatonOhio

WeekPlayerSchool
October 7Josh KaranjaEastern Michigan
October 14R. P. WhiteEastern Michigan
October 21Josh KaranjaEastern Michigan
October 28Curtis VollmarEastern Michigan

Cross country (women's)

MAC Championship results

  1. Miami, 39 points
  2. Akron, 81
  3. Ohio, 107
  4. Central Michigan, 141
  5. Bowling Green, 147
  6. Toledo, 165
  7. Buffalo, 177
  8. Kent State, 184
  9. Western Michigan, 218
  10. Eastern Michigan, 238
  11. Ball State, 251
  12. NIU, 355

    Players of the week

WeekPlayerSchool
September 2Laura NeufarthMiami
September 9Kim LorentzAkron
September 16Laura Neufarth Miami
September 23Kim Lorentz Akron

WeekPlayerSchool
September 30Kari SummersOhio
October 7Kim Lorentz Akron
October 14Kari Summers Ohio

Field hockey

Standings

Football

started the 2008 football season 12–0, going undefeated in conference play and defeating Indiana and Navy in out of conference games. BSU was ranked as high as 12th in the Associated Press Poll and 13th in the Coaches' Poll. They were also ranked 12th at one point in the Bowl Championship Series rankings. However, Ball State was upset by Buffalo in the MAC Championship game, lost their bowl game vs. Tulsa and finished unranked in each of the polls.
In regular season non-conference games, the MAC defeated BCS opponents #25 Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
Despite having a successful non-conference record and gaining five bowl bids, the MAC finished the bowl season poorly. The MAC was the only conference to not win a bowl game and finished 0–5.

Golf (women's)

MAC Championship

Soccer (men's)

Standings

Soccer (women's)

Standings

Swimming (men's)

Standings

MAC Championship results

  1. Eastern Michigan, 1046.5 points
  2. Buffalo, 639.5
  3. Miami, 588
  4. Ball State, 267

    Swimming (women's)

Standings

MAC Championship results

  1. Miami, 639½ points
  2. Ohio, 611½
  3. Toledo, 568½
  4. Eastern Michigan, 497½
  5. Akron, 347
  6. Buffalo, 335
  7. Bowling Green, 305½
  8. Ball State, 200½

    Track and field (men's)

Indoor MAC Championships

  1. Kent State, 159 points
  2. Eastern Michigan, 132
  3. Akron, 109
  4. Central Michigan, 64
  5. Buffalo, 61

    Track and field (women's)

Indoor MAC Championships

Volleyball

Tournament bracket

Standings

East
West

Wrestling

Standings