COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- February 19, 2009 -- The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference will celebrate its 100th "birthday" on March 6, 2009.

The RMAC is the fourth most historic collegiate athletic conference, trailing only the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1888), Big 10 (1896), and Missouri Valley Conference (1907). The RMAC is the oldest conference operating in NCAA Division II, and the oldest headquartered in the western U.S..

On March 6, 1909 leaders from Colorado College, the University of Colorado and Colorado Agricultural College (now Colorado State) agreed to eligibility rules and scheduling procedures, forming the Colorado Faculty Athletic Conference. That spring, the conference sponsored the sports of baseball and track & field.

The Colorado School of Mines joined in November of 1909 and participated in the conference's first ever basketball season. CSM has been a member of the RMAC ever since. The next schools to join were the University of Utah in March of 1910 and Denver University in May of 1910. That was when the name of the league changed to the Rocky Mountain Faculty Athletic Conference.

In 1967, the name of the league was changed to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Over the years, 31 colleges and universities have been members of the RMAC.

Currently there are 14 member institutions (Adams State, Chadron State, Colorado Christian, Colorado Mines, CSU-Pueblo, Fort Lewis, Mesa State, Metro State, New Mexico Highlands, Regis, UC-Colorado Springs, Univ. of Nebraska-Kearney, Western New Mexico, Western State) and six associate schools (Fort Hays State, Grand Canyon, Montana State Billings, San Francisco State, Univ. of Incarnate Word, Univ. of Texas-Permian Basin) competing in the RMAC.

The conference sponsors 21 sports (Baseball, Men's & Women's Basketball, Men's & Women's Cross Country, Football, Men's & Women's Golf, Men's & Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving, Men's & Women's Tennis, Men's & Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's & Women's Outdoor Track & Field, Volleyball, Wrestling) that's the highest number in the 100-year history of the league.

To commemorate the Centennial, all-time teams are being selected in 19 sports (track & field is combined).

The RMAC Centennial Celebration will take place on Saturday, July 11 at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. More than 200 former student-athletes and coaches will be honored as part of the RMAC's All-Time Teams. For more information go to www.rmacsports.org.