David E. Reese, MAC (Administration)
From the league's inception in 1946 to the summer 1964, Dr. David E. Reese served as the MAC Commissioner. Reese was an all-time Denison University athletic great, a professional football and basketball player of note, and a highly regarded sports official for many years before becoming the MAC's first Commissioner.
Organized in the winter of the 1946-47 school year, the early years in the MAC were marked by frequent change. Charter members included Butler, Cincinnati, Ohio, Wayne and Western Reserve. The league grew to six teams in 1947 when Wayne withdrew, however Miami and Western Michigan were added. After three years of operation, Butler dropped its conference affiliation and Toledo was added, maintaining the six-team membership. In 1951, the league grew to eight teams with the addition of Kent Sate and Bowling Green, then nine with the inclusion of Marshall in 1952.
In honor of his service to the MAC, the annual top men's athletic program in conference sponsored sports is named in his honor. The league began crowning an all sports champion during the 1958-59 school year. Beginning in the 1964-65 school year, the award became officially known as the Reese Trophy, in honor of Dr. David E. Reese.
Reese retired in 1964 as MAC Commissioner.
