Evansville, Missouri State and Southern Illinois will join the Mid-American Conference as affiliate members in men’s swimming and diving, beginning with the 2009-10 season. Each school will remain with the conference through at least 2015.

The three teams had been members of the Sun Belt Conference. With the additions, the MAC has seven men’s swimming and diving members, including Ball State, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Miami.

“We have always had a lot of respect for the Mid-American Conference and the schools involved in swimming and diving,” said Evansville Athletics Director John Stanley. “When the opportunity arose for us to join the conference as an affiliate member of that sport, it had a lot of appeal because of the geographic proximity and other factors.  Consequently, it is a great opportunity for us to compete with schools in our market, along with those in our conference also joining the MAC as affiliate members for swimming and diving.”