Colby-Sawyer College and New England College to Join NAC
The North Atlantic Conference is pleased to announce that Colby-Sawyer College and New England College have accepted unanimous invitations to join as full members beginning in the 2011-12 academic year.
"The North Atlantic Conference Presidents Council is pleased both Colby-Sawyer College and New England College will be joining the conference," Chairperson for the Presidents Council and University Maine-Farmington President, Dr. Theodora Kalikow said. "Both institutions clearly share the commitment to academic excellence and to the NCAA Division III philosophy of the existing NAC members making this an excellent fit for all involved."
The addition of Colby-Sawyer and New England College will bring the number of full member institutions to 10 and marks the first change in membership for the NAC since the addition of Green Mountain College and Lyndon State College in the fall of 2008.
The two New Hampshire schools are centrally located within the Conference footprint that currently includes four institutions in Maine and four institutions in Vermont.
The NAC currently sponsors 13 championships in men’s and women’s athletics. Beginning in the fall of 2011, both schools will take part in nine NAC championships; men's and women's basketball, men's and women’s cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women’s lacrosse. Colby-Sawyer will also compete in women’s volleyball and men’s tennis while New England College will compete in men’s lacrosse and softball.
The North Atlantic Conference members sponsoring baseball and women’s tennis, currently compete in the North Eastern Athletic Conference for those sports. Both New England College and Colby-Sawyer will join this existing partnership in baseball and Colby-Sawyer will also compete with the NEAC as an associate member in women’s tennis.
"From a sport sponsorship and geographic standpoint, Colby-Sawyer and New England College are the perfect additions to our already strong Conference," Commissioner Julie Muller indicated. "I have no doubt they will each make a seamless transition into the NAC and their student-athletes will continue to have the outstanding experiences to which they are accustomed.
Colby-Sawyer currently offers 18 varsity athletic programs and will add field hockey to that total in 2011. The institution, current member of The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC), has seen an array of success over the years, which includes 13 NCAA tournament appearances, two Equestrian National Championships (1989, 1994), USCSA Men’s Alpine Skiing National Championship (2009), 18 TCCC Championships, and 22 ECAC tournament appearances.
“We look forward to competing in the NAC in 2011 and providing a quality experience for our student-athletes in reaching their athletic potential,” said Athletic Director Deb McGrath.
Colby-Sawyer President Tom Galligan expressed his wholehearted support for their acceptance to the NAC prior to heading out for a well deserved holiday.
New England College is a member of the NCAA Division III and sponsors 13 varsity sports. The Pilgrims have been competitive in both their current conference, The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC), and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) winning several conference championships and earning 13 NCAA Tournament appearances over the past 11 years.
"The move to the North Atlantic Conference will benefit the New England College student-athletes by providing great competition as well as an emphasis on sportsmanship and citizenship,” said NEC Athletic Director Lori Runksmeier. “We are excited to have been invited into the league and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership."
"New England College is most pleased to be joining the colleague institutions of the North Atlantic Conference,” stated New England College President Michele Perkins. “Not only does the conference allow our student-athletes to establish new athletic relationships, but it will also provide an opportunity to maintain the long and collegial rivalry we have enjoyed with our neighbor Colby-Sawyer College."
Founded in the fall of 1999, the North Atlantic Conference is comprised of eight NCAA Division-III institutions. Current members are Castleton State College (Castleton, VT), Green Mountain College (Poultney, VT), Husson University (Bangor, ME), Johnson State College (Johnson, VT), Lyndon State College (Lyndon, VT), University of Maine at Farmington (Farmington, ME), Maine Maritime Academy (Castine, ME) and Thomas College (Waterville, ME).