July 6, 2010 – The North Atlantic Conference announced on Tuesday that Colby-Sawyer College and New England College have accepted invitations to join as full members beginning in the 2011-12 academic year.
“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 Colby-Sawyer Athletic Director Deb McGrath.
"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.
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).
--- Courtesy of the NAC
