Alvernia has scheduled a news conference for Thursday afternoon at which it is expected to say it will accept an invitation to join the Middle Atlantic Conference.

The time frame is in question. The MAC has openings starting in 2007-08, but sources tell Alvernia may not prefer to leave its Pennsylvania Athletic Conference colleagues on such short notice.

Ken Andrews, the commissioner of the Middle Atlantic Conference, is listed as a participant in the news conference.

Misericordia was also invited to join the MAC, sources tell D3sports.com.