The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) is an NCAA Division II conference headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, with 18 member institutions competing in 23 championships.[1] The conference adopted the moniker “Passion, Pride, Pennsylvania” to promote the competitive academic and athletic opportunities provided throughout the Commonwealth.[1]
Design and History
On January 25, 2017, the PSAC unveiled a new logo and branding initiative developed in partnership with Joe Bosack & Co., a brand strategy and identity design firm.[2] The design process took approximately nine months and included focus groups and surveys of campus constituents, including presidents, sports information directors and athletics administrators.[2]
The new mark replaced an older, seal-like logo that spelled out “Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.”[3] The redesigned logo features the acronym “PSAC” inside an outline shaped like the keystone state of Pennsylvania, emphasizing that the conference is composed entirely of schools within the Commonwealth.[3]
A distinctive feature of the rebrand is the creation of 18 different versions of the logo, each using the specific colors of one of the conference’s member schools.[3] In each school-specific version, the bottom portion of the Pennsylvania outline and the letters use the school’s primary color, while the top portion of the state uses the school’s secondary color.[3] The conference style guide also provides member-specific two-color and one-color versions of the primary logo for use on uniforms, equipment, arena and stadium decor, and playing surfaces.[4]
Commissioner Steve Murray described the result as “a series of marks which exhibit our geographic commonality as institutions throughout Pennsylvania while also featuring each school with their own recognizable elements.”[2] The rebrand also included revised championship and award presentations, with a website redesign planned later in 2017.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The keystone state outline is the central symbolic element of the PSAC logo, directly referencing Pennsylvania’s nickname as the Keystone State and the conference’s geographic identity.[3] The school-specific color versions were designed to let each member institution embrace its relationship with the conference while maintaining a unifying visual campaign.[2]
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