Mid-American Conference announces new football league format model
So long, East and West.
The Mid-American Conference has officially established a new league format model for football, which will go into effect in 2024, league officials announced on Thursday, Nov. 30.
The new model will eliminate the MAC East and West divisions and will introduce a four-pod, three-team format to protect rivalries.
The two best teams based on conference winning percentage will now make the trip to Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., to compete in the MAC Championship.
The first pod will feature EMU, Central Michigan, and Western Michigan. The second pod will feature Buffalo, Akron, and Kent State. The third pod will feature Miami, Ohio, and Ball State, while the fourth pod features Toledo, Bowling Green State, and Northern Illinois.
EMU Football earns six on All-MAC teams
All that and All-MAC!
The Eastern Michigan University football team had six players named to the All-MAC teams, the league office announced on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
The All-MAC teams along with seasonal award winners are voted on amongst the league’s 12 head coaches.
On the first team, junior punter Mitchell Tomasek was selected for the second consecutive season. Tomasek racked up 24 punts inside the 20-yard line, which ranked third nationally, 2,764 yards of accumulated punts yardage, ranking fifth nationally and eight in EMU history, according to EMU Athletics.
The second team included senior offensive lineman Brian Dooley, senior wide receiver Tanner Knue, senior linebacker Joe Sparacio, and senior running back/returner Jaylon Jackson.
Lastly, on the third team, senior linebacker Chase Kline was the lone Eagle.
It marks the eighth consecutive year that the program landed at least six student-athletes on All-MAC teams.
Lacrosse announces schedule for 2024 season?
Eat, sleep, and LAX.
2024 will be the start of the second official season for the Eastern Michigan University women’s lacrosse program as head coach Sara Tisdale announced their regular season schedule on Thursday, Nov. 30.
The Eagles’ schedule will include 16 games, six of which will be at home, and one neutral site game with the University of Michigan at to-be-named high school in the Detroit Public Schools Community District as part of the team's Grow Our Game initiative, according to EMU Athletics.
They will open their season on Friday, Feb. 9, at the University of Notre Dame and open their home schedule on Thursday, Feb. 22, with Winthrop University coming to Ypsilanti.
EMU will square off against four teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament last season, including the University of Notre Dame, Marquette University, Michigan, and MAC conference rival Central Michigan University.
Duquesne University, Howard University, and Lafayette College are also included on the schedule, which will be first-time opponents for the Eagles.
MAC play will begin on Sunday, March 24, as EMU will travel to the University of Akron before hosting their MAC home opener on Sunday, March 31, against Kent State.
Former EMU Eagle Dylan Drummond signs with New York Giants
Former Eastern Michigan University football standout Dylan Drummond signed with the New York Giants’ practice squad on Thursday, Nov. 30.
The news came after Drummond was released by the Detroit Lions on Wednesday, Nov. 29, to make room for receiver Tom Kennedy.
Drummond totaled nine caught passes for 87 yards in the preseason, and had one kickoff return for 19 yards.
The former Eagle appeared in one regular-season game for the Lions, on Oct. 8, 2023, against the Panthers, but did not log any offensive statistics.
