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{{Infobox sports league
| name         = MAC Freedom
| logo_size    = 200
| founded      = 1999
| conference   = [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]
| division     = [[NCAA Division III|Division III]]
| teams        = 8
| sports       = 23
| mens         = 11
| womens       = 12
| region       = [[Mid-Atlantic states|Mid-Atlantic]]
| headquarters = [[Annville, Pennsylvania]]
| website      = http://www.gomacsports.com
}}
The '''MAC Freedom''', in full '''Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom''',<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://gomacsports.com/news/2020/6/30/general-mac-officially-welcomes-york-pa-new-conference-structure.aspx |title=MAC Officially Welcomes York (Pa.), New Conference Structure |publisher=Middle Atlantic Conferences |date=July 1, 2020 |accessdate=July 3, 2020 |quote=Located in Annville, Pa., the Middle Atlantic Conference is an NCAA Division III conference {{sic|comprised |hide=y|of}} the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC), Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth (MAC Commonwealth) and Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom).}}</ref> is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]'s [[NCAA Division III|Division III]]. It is one of the three conferences that operate under the umbrella of the [[Middle Atlantic Conferences]]; the others are the [[MAC Commonwealth Conference|MAC Commonwealth]] and the Middle Atlantic Conference, a grouping used for some sports that consists of MAC Commonwealth and MAC Freedom schools. Member institutions are located in [[New Jersey]] and [[Pennsylvania]].

==Member schools==
===Current members===
The MAC Freedom currently has eight full members, all are private schools. The most recent changes in membership coincided with the 2023 departure of [[Lycoming College]] and [[Wilkes University]]. The MAC, which only had 16 members remaining, balanced the two leagues by moving Lebanon Valley from the MAC Commonwealth to the MAC Freedom.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://gomacsports.com/news/2022/6/9/lebanon-valley-moves-to-mac-freedom-in-2023-24.aspx |title=Lebanon Valley Moves to MAC Freedom in 2023-24 |publisher=Middle Atlantic Conference |date=June 9, 2022 |access-date=April 1, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! Nickname
! Joined
! Football?
|-
| '''[[Arcadia University]]'''
| [[Glenside, Pennsylvania]]
| 1853
| Presbyterian
| 2,473
| [[Arcadia Knights|Knights]]
| 2007–08,<br>2020–21{{efn|group=current|Arcadia moved from the MAC Freedom to the MAC Commonwealth after the 2007–08 school year, before returning in the 2020–21 school year.}}<ref name="2020 realignment">{{cite press release|url=https://gomacsports.com/news/2019/5/7/general-mac-announces-realignment-for-2020-21.aspx |title=MAC Announces Realignment for 2020-21 |publisher=Middle Atlantic Conferences |date=May 7, 2019 |accessdate=August 5, 2019}}</ref>
| No
|-
| '''[[Delaware Valley University]]'''
| [[Doylestown, Pennsylvania]]
| 1917
| Nonsectarian
| 2,375
| [[Delaware Valley Aggies|Aggies]]
| 1965–66{{efn|group=current|name=preMAC|Member school has been part of the MAC before the formation of the MAC Freedom, effective in the 1999–2000 school year.}}
| Yes
|-
| '''[[DeSales University]]'''
| [[Center Valley, Pennsylvania]]
| 1965
| Catholic
| 3,309
| [[DeSales Bulldogs|Bulldogs]]
| 1997–98{{efn|group=current|name=preMAC}}
| No
|-
| '''[[Fairleigh Dickinson University|Fairleigh Dickinson University–Florham]]'''
| [[Madison, New Jersey]]
| 1942
| Nonsectarian
| 2,546
| [[Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham Devils|Devils]]
| 1977–78{{efn|group=current|name=preMAC}}
| Yes
|-
| '''[[King's College (Pennsylvania)|King's College]]'''
| [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]]
| 1946
| Catholic
| 2,421
| [[King's Monarchs|Monarchs]]
| 1977–78{{efn|group=current|name=preMAC}}
| Yes
|-
| '''[[Lebanon Valley College]]'''
| [[Annville, Pennsylvania]]
| 1866
| Methodist
| 1,712
| [[Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen|Flying Dutchmen]]
| 2023–24{{efn|group=current|name=preMAC}}{{efn|group=current|Lebanon Valley joined the MAC prior to the 1945–46 school year, however, they were a part of the MAC Commonwealth prior to the 2023–24 school year.}}
| Yes
|-
| '''[[Misericordia University]]'''
| [[Dallas, Pennsylvania]]
| 1924
| Catholic
| 2,879
| [[Misericordia Cougars|Cougars]]
| 2008–09
| Yes
|-
| '''[[Stevens Institute of Technology]]'''
| [[Hoboken, New Jersey]]
| 1870
| Nonsectarian
| 5,260
| [[Stevens Ducks|Ducks]]
| 1922–23;<br>2019–20{{efn|group=current|Stevens left the MAC after the 1977–78 school year, before re-joining in the 2019–20 school year.}}
| No
|}

;Notes:
{{notelist|group=current}}

Enrollment source:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges |title=Best Colleges |work=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref>

===Future members===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! Nickname
! Joining
! Previous<br>conference
|-
|  '''[[Marywood University]]'''
| [[Scranton, Pennsylvania]]
| 1915
| Catholic<br />{{small|([[Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary|I.H.M.]])}}
| 2,470
| [[Marywood Pacers|Pacers]]
| 2026–27
| [[Atlantic East Conference|Atlantic East (AEC)]]
|}

===Former members===
The MAC Freedom had seven former full members, all were private schools:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! Nickname
! Joined
! Left
! Current<br>conference
! Football?
|-
| '''[[Alvernia University]]'''
| [[Reading, Pennsylvania]]
| 1958
| Catholic
| 2,872
| [[Alvernia Crusaders|Crusaders]]{{efn|group=former|Alvernia has been known as the Golden Wolves since the 2017–18 school year.}}
| 2008–09
| 2008–09
| [[MAC Commonwealth Conference|MAC Commonwealth]]
| No
|-
| '''[[Drew University]]'''
| [[Madison, New Jersey]]
| 1867
| Methodist
| 2,647
| [[Drew Rangers|Rangers]]
| 1968–69{{efn|group=former|name=preMAC|Member school had been part of the MAC before the formation of the MAC Freedom, effective in the 1999–2000 school year.}}
| 2006–07
| [[Landmark Conference|Landmark]]
| No
|-
| '''[[Eastern University (United States)|Eastern University]]'''
| [[St. Davids, Pennsylvania]]
| 1952
| Baptist
| 3,420
| [[Eastern Eagles|Eagles]]
| 2008–09
| 2019–20
| [[MAC Commonwealth Conference|MAC Commonwealth]]
| No
|-
| '''[[Lycoming College]]'''
| [[Williamsport, Pennsylvania]]
| 1812
| Methodist
| 1,272
| [[Lycoming Warriors|Warriors]]
| 1952–53,{{efn|group=former|name=preMAC}}<br>2020–21{{efn|group=former|Lycoming moved from the MAC Freedom to the MAC Commonwealth after the 2006–07 school year; before returning back effective in the 2020–21 school year.}}
| 2007–08,<br>2022–23
| [[Landmark Conference|Landmark]]
| Yes
|-
| '''[[Manhattanville University|Manhattanville College]]'''
| [[Purchase, New York]]
| 1841
| Nonsectarian
| 2,700
| [[Manhattanville Valiants|Valiants]]
| 2007–08
| 2018–19
| [[Skyline Conference|Skyline]]
| No
|-
| {{sort|Scranton|'''[[University of Scranton]]'''}}
| [[Scranton, Pennsylvania]]
| 1888
| Catholic
| 5,160
| [[Scranton Royals|Royals]]
| 1938–39{{efn|group=former|name=preMAC}}
| 2006–07
| [[Landmark Conference|Landmark]]
| No
|-
| '''[[Wilkes University]]'''
| [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]]
| 1933
| Nonsectarian
| 5,552
| [[Wilkes Colonels|Colonels]]
| 1946–47{{efn|group=former|name=preMAC}}
| 2022–23
| [[Landmark Conference|Landmark]]
| Yes
|}

;Notes:
{{notelist|group=former}}

===Membership timeline===
<timeline>

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize  = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20

Period     = from:1999 till:2030

TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal

PlotArea   = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph,  use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#

Colors = 

 id:barcolor  value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)
         
 id:line      value:black
         
 id:bg        value:white
 id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
 id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
 id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
 id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote)
 id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference
 id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two

PlotData=

  width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

  bar:1  color:Full from:1999 till:end text:[[Delaware Valley College|Delaware Valley]] (1999–present)

  bar:2  color:FullxF from:1999 till:end text:[[DeSales University|DeSales]] (1999–present)

  bar:3  color:FullxF from:1999 till:2007 text:[[Drew University|Drew]] (1999–2007)

  bar:4  color:Full from:1999 till:end text:[[Fairleigh Dickinson University|Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham]] (1999–present)

  bar:5  color:Full from:1999 till:end text:[[King's College (Pennsylvania)|King's (PA)]] (1999–present)

  bar:6  color:Full from:1999 till:2007 text:[[Lycoming College|Lycoming]] (1999–2007, 2020–2023)
  bar:6  color:Full from:2020 till:2023

  bar:7  color:FullxF from:1999 till:2007 text:[[University of Scranton|Scranton]] (1999–2007)

  bar:8  color:Full from:1999 till:2023 text:[[Wilkes University|Wilkes]] (1999–2023)

  bar:9  color:FullxF from:2007 till:2008 text:[[Arcadia University|Arcadia]] (2007–08, 2020–present)
  bar:9  color:FullxF from:2020 till:end

  bar:10 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2019 text:[[Manhattanville University|Manhattanville]] (2007–2019)

  bar:11 color:FullxF from:2008 till:2009 text:[[Alvernia University|Alvernia]] (2008–09)

  bar:12 color:FullxF from:2008 till:2020 text:[[Eastern University (United States)|Eastern]] (2008–2020)

  bar:13 color:Full from:2008 till:end text:[[Misericordia University|Misericordia]] (2008–present)

  bar:14 color:FullxF from:2019 till:end text:[[Stevens Institute of Technology|Stevens]] (2019–present)

  bar:15 color:Full from:2023 till:end text:[[Lebanon Valley College|Lebanon Valley]] (2023–present)

  bar:16 color:FullxF from:2026 till:end text:[[Marywood University|Marywood]] (2026–future)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:1999

TextData =
   fontsize:M
   textcolor:black
   pos:(300,30) # tabs:(0-center)
   text:"MAC Freedom membership history"
</timeline>

==Sports==
The MAC Freedom sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in men's [[College baseball|baseball]], men's and women's [[basketball]], women's [[field hockey]], men's and women's [[golf]], men's and [[women's lacrosse]], men's and women's [[College soccer in the United States|soccer]], women's [[softball]], men's and women's [[tennis]], and women's [[volleyball]].  In addition, members also compete in the MAC's Middle Atlantic Conference in men's and women's [[cross country running|cross country]], men's [[College football|football]], men's and women's [[College ice hockey|ice hockey]],{{efn|While officially sponsoring ice hockey, the larger MAC does not conduct a conference tournament; all MAC ice hockey schools compete in the single-sport [[United Collegiate Hockey Conference]] for that league's automatic bids to the NCAA Division III men's and women's tournaments. The MAC uses regular-season results of UCHC games involving MAC members to extrapolate a conference champion. The relationship between the MAC and UCHC is similar to that in Division I between the [[Ivy League]] and [[ECAC Hockey]].}} men's and women's [[swimming (sport)|swimming]], men's and women's indoor and outdoor [[track and field]], men's volleyball, and men's [[Collegiate wrestling|wrestling]].

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://gomacsports.com/ MAC Conference]

{{Middle Atlantic Conferences navbox}}
{{NCAA Division III conference navbox}}

[[Category:Middle Atlantic Conferences|*]]