Wright State University is an NCAA Division I school located in Dayton, Ohio. The university is a member of the Horizon League, a conference of nine universities that compete in basketball, golf, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. In this article, we will explore what the Horizon League is and how Wright State fits into it.
History of the Horizon League
The Horizon League was founded in 1979 as the Midwestern City Conference (MCC). The original members of the MCC were Cleveland State, Loyola University Chicago, Notre Dame, Green Bay, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Detroit Mercy, Illinois-Chicago, and Wright State University. The MCC was renamed to the Horizon League in 2001, and the first season of competition was in the fall of 2001.
Over the years, the Horizon League has seen a number of changes in its membership. In 2002, Wisconsin-Green Bay and Wisconsin-Milwaukee left the conference to join the Horizon League. In 2006, Butler University left the conference to join the Atlantic 10, and in 2007, Valparaiso University joined the conference. In 2008, the University of Illinois at Chicago left the conference, and in 2011, Butler University rejoined the Horizon League.
Today, the Horizon League consists of nine universities: Wright State, Valparaiso, Butler, Cleveland State, Loyola Chicago, Detroit Mercy, Illinois-Chicago, Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Benefits of Horizon League Membership
The Horizon League provides its members with a variety of benefits. The league’s members are able to compete for automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, as well as for a share of the league’s $2.2 million in revenue sharing. The league also provides its members with access to the Horizon League Digital Network, which streams live events and highlights from the league’s teams.
The Horizon League also offers its members the opportunity to participate in the annual Horizon League Basketball Championships, which features the top teams from the regular season. The tournament is held in March, and the winner of the tournament is awarded the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Wright State and the Horizon League
Wright State University joined the Horizon League in 1979, when it was still known as the Midwestern City Conference. Since then, the Raiders have been a consistent presence in the Horizon League, competing in all sports offered by the conference.
The Raiders have had a successful history in the Horizon League, winning five regular season championships and six tournament championships. The Raiders have also had a number of successful teams, with the men’s team appearing in the NCAA Tournament in 2004, 2007, and 2014.
Conclusion
The Horizon League has been an important part of Wright State University’s athletic history, and the Raiders have enjoyed a great deal of success in the conference. The Horizon League provides its members with a variety of benefits, including access to the Horizon League Digital Network and the chance to compete for a share of the conference’s revenue sharing and automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament. The Raiders have been a consistent presence in the conference since 1979, and they have had a great deal of success over the years.