John Peters and Rick Chryst

Peters elected to takes reins
of MAC Conference governing council

by Melanie Magara

As the newly elected chairman of the Mid-American Conference Council of Presidents, NIU President John Peters has set his sights on raising the profile of the MAC.

"I want to increase the visibility of the MAC conference in the Chicagoland area," Peters said. "It's an exciting, competitive conference that draws many of its star players from the Chicagoland area, so I think the interest is already there.

"If you look at the success that MAC football teams have had against (Chicago-based) Conference USA teams (8-0), and the frequency with which MAC teams are playing Big Ten teams, it stands to reason that Chicago-area sports fans will follow the MAC if given the opportunity," Peters added.

There is also something of a built-in fan base.

Comprised of 13 primarily Midwestern universities and a handful of sport-specific affiliate members, the MAC is the nation's third largest Division I-A conference in terms of enrollment and boasts more than a million alumni, most living in the Midwest, many of them in the Chicagoland area.

Peters, who got the nod from 13 fellow university presidents at a meeting in Florida last month, is no stranger to big-time college athletics. A former provost and dean at athletic powerhouses Tennessee and Nebraska, Peters served on numerous athletic committees at both universities. That background gives him "tremendous credibility" in athletic circles, NIU men's basketball coach Rob Judson said.

"There's no doubt that his experience in the Big 12 and SEC conferences will be a big help in terms of gaining more recognition for the conference," Judson said.

"I think Dr. Peters' election is great for the MAC," NIU football coach Joe Novak said. "With the success of our teams against major conference foes, I think people in this region are gaining a great deal of respect for our league and I think he can help take us to the next level of recognition."

To that end, Peters said he is working already with MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst to schedule upcoming MAC media events in Chicago. He's also campaigning for more television time for MAC games at NIU, where the men's basketball team currently sits atop the MAC West Division.

"We're thrilled to have someone with both the broad experience and personal commitment to intercollegiate athletics of President Peters serve as the next chair of the MAC Council of Presidents," Chryst said. "His prior administrative experiences at Tennessee and Nebraska have been a great asset in helping both Northern Illinois and the MAC address the many challenges of Division I athletics."

In addition to his campaign for greater Chicagoland media exposure, Peters said the MAC Presidents' Council also will be dealing with issues related to crowd control and sportsmanship standards, creation of a "student opportunity fund" using conference bowl revenues and development of a non-conference officiating pool.

3-17-2003