Colby-Sawyer's membership in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) has come to an end and the institution officially transitioned into the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) earlier this month.

"We'll look back fondly on our time in the NAC," said Athletic Director Bill Foti. "When we joined the NAC in 2011, the members worked closely with us to ensure a smooth transition. We're very grateful for that. We've made many friends and established healthy rivalries. These are relationships we hope to sustain into the future."

"We are grateful for the past seven years of membership in the NAC," said Athletic Director George Martin. "The NAC provided Colby-Sawyer College and our student-athletes a wonderful conference affiliation and we will be forever thankful for our association with the NAC."

Colby-Sawyer joined the NAC in the fall of 2011 and wasted no time to have an impact on the conference. The Chargers won a pair of championships and were the runners-up five times during the 2011-12 campaign. The success would only get more impressive throughout the next several years as Colby-Sawyer finished its tenure in the NAC as the most successful institution in that seven-year span.

All told, the Chargers hoisted 34 conference championships in seven years. Husson had the second most with 28, while Castleton won 27 titles. New England College was in fourth place with nine trophies. What is more impressive is that Colby-Sawyer was not eligible for 19 championships due to not offering men's golf, softball and men's lacrosse. The 34 titles came in 91 chances for the Chargers. Colby-Sawyer also collected 23 runner-up team awards to finish either first or second in 57 of its 91 opportunities (62.6%).  

In all sports combined, Colby-Sawyer was 511-251-8 in conference contests for a 66.9 winning percentage.

In addition to great team success, the athletic programs were well-represented in all-conference and major award selections. Colby-Sawyer had 28 Athletes of the Year, 24 Rookies of the Year, 11 Defensive Players of the Year, four Senior Scholar-Athletes of the Year, 29 Coach's of the Year and four Sportsmanship Teams.

As Colby-Sawyer turns the page to embark on its next venture in the GNAC, the NAC will always hold a place in Chargers history.

Colby-Sawyer, which increased its varsity sport offerings to 23 effective for the 2018-19 season, officially became the 13th full-time member of the GNAC on July 1 and will compete in 17 championship sports. The Chargers are eligible for GNAC titles in men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's outdoor track & field, baseball, and women's lacrosse.

"We're very excited to join the GNAC and the opportunities it provides our student-athletes," said Foti. "The GNAC geographic footprint brings us closer to our historical recruiting stomping grounds and to our alumni base. To join a group of private institutions like Colby-Sawyer is a logical next step in our athletic history."

"We are excited about having conference members in all six New England states," said Martin. "Being a member of the GNAC will allow our current student-athletes to compete in their hometown areas, give our outstanding coaches opportunities to recruit in a wider range of locations, and allow our alumni opportunities to see us play throughout New England."

The GNAC is now comprised of 13 member institutions and has at least one school in each state across New England. Founded in 1995 with 11 institutions, the GNAC provides championship opportunities for more than 3,000 student-athletes. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement.  

The conference includes Albertus Magnus College (New Haven, Conn.), Anna Maria College (Paxton, Mass.), Emmanuel College (Boston, Mass.), Johnson & Wales University (Providence, R.I.), Lasell College (Newton, Mass.), Norwich University (Northfield, Vt.), Regis College (Weston, Mass.), Rivier University (Nashua, N.H.), University of Saint Joseph Connecticut (West Hartford, Conn.), Saint Joseph's College of Maine (Standish, Maine), Simmons College (Boston, Mass.) and Suffolk University (Boston, Mass.).

The GNAC is led by Joe Walsh, who became the conference's first full-time commissioner in 2005.

The Chargers will also compete for the GNAC Commissioner's Cup, which annually recognizes the member institution that achieves the highest level of athletic success throughout the academic year. It is based upon a point system and standings are determined by percentages in order to reflect the number of GNAC sports that each member sponsors. Schools receive five points for winning a GNAC Championship, four points for advancing to a conference title game, three points for competing in a GNAC Semifinal, two points for qualifying for a GNAC Tournament, or one point for sponsoring the sport.

For more information on the GNAC please visit thegnac.com  

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