Great Northeast Athletic Conference

Last updated
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
Great Northeast Athletic Conference logo.png
Association NCAA
Founded1995
CommissionerJoe Walsh (since 2005)
Sports fielded
  • 22
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 11
Division Division III
No. of teams16 (15 in 2024, 14 in 2025)
Headquarters Winthrop, Massachusetts
Region New England
Official website thegnac.com
Locations
GNEAC-USA-states.png

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III.

Contents

History

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Great Northeast Athletic Conference
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50km
30miles
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Dean
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New England College
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Mitchell
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Albertus Magnus
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Saint Joseph (CT)
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Colby-Sawyer
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Rivier
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Elms
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Anna Maria
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Norwich
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JWU
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Saint Joseph's (ME)
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Simmons
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Emmanuel
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Regis
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Lasell
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
Locations of GNAC members, 2023-2024 Gold pog.svg full and Black pog.svg departing

Current members

The GNAC currently has sixteen full members, all are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined
Albertus Magnus College New Haven, Connecticut 1925 Catholic
(D.S.P.)
1,961 Falcons 1995
Anna Maria College [lower-alpha 1] Paxton, Massachusetts 1946Catholic
(S.S.A.)
1,500 Amcats 2011
Colby–Sawyer College New London, New Hampshire 1837Nonsectarian2,262 Chargers 2018
Dean College Franklin, Massachusetts 1865Nonsectarian1,055 Bulldogs 2020
Elms College [lower-alpha 2] Chicopee, Massachusetts 1928Catholic
(S.S.J.)
1,713 Blazers 2021 [lower-alpha 3]
Emmanuel College [lower-alpha 2] Boston, Massachusetts 1919Catholic
(SNDdeN)
1,850 Saints 1995
Johnson & Wales University [lower-alpha 4] Providence, Rhode Island 1914Nonsectarian8,564 Wildcats 1995
Lasell University [lower-alpha 2] Newton, Massachusetts 1851Nonsectarian2,200 Lasers 2007
Mitchell College New London, Connecticut 1938Nonsectarian572 Mariners 2023
New England College Henniker, New Hampshire 1946Nonsectarian4,327 Pilgrims 2023
Norwich University Northfield, Vermont 1819 Private 2,300 Cadets 1998
Regis College [lower-alpha 2] Weston, Massachusetts 1927Catholic
(S.S.J.)
2,748 Pride 2017
Rivier University Nashua, New Hampshire 1933Catholic
(S.P.M.)
2,520 Raiders 1995
University of Saint Joseph [lower-alpha 2] West Hartford, Connecticut 1932Catholic
(R.S.M.)
2,467 Blue Jays 1995
Saint Joseph's College of Maine Standish, Maine 1912Catholic
(R.S.M.)
1,987 Monks 2007
Simmons University [lower-alpha 5] [lower-alpha 6] Boston, Massachusetts 1899Nonsectarian1,900 Sharks 1995
Notes
  1. Anna Maria will join the MASCAC in 2025–26 academic year.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (Lasell since 1997–98, Elms since 1998–99, Emmanuel (Mass.) since 2001–02, Regis (Mass.) since 2007–08 and Saint Joseph (Conn.) since 2018–19).
  3. Before joining for full membership, Elms competed in the GNAC as an associate member for swimming and diving from 2008–09 to 2020–21. [4]
  4. Johnson & Wales will join the Commonwealth Coast Conference in 2024–25 academic year.
  5. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
  6. Non-basketball member.

Associate members

The GNAC currently has five associate members, all but two are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedPrimary
conference
GNAC
sport
Husson University Bangor, Maine 1898Nonsectarian3,500 Eagles 2008–09 North Atlantic (NAC) swimming and diving
Emerson College Boston, Massachusetts 1880Nonsectarian4,290 Lions 1995–96 New England (NEWMAC) men's volleyball
Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, Massachusetts 1904Nonsectarian4,576 Leopards 2011–12 Commonwealth Coast (CCC) men's volleyball

Former members

The GNAC had eight former full members, all were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftCurrent
conference
Daniel Webster College Nashua, New Hampshire 1965 For-profit N/A Eagles 1995–962007–08Closed in 2017
Endicott College Beverly, Massachusetts 1939Nonsectarian4,528 Gulls 1995–961998–99 Commonwealth Coast (CCC)
Emerson College Boston, Massachusetts 1880Nonsectarian4,290 Lions 1995–962012–13 New England (NEWMAC)
Mount Ida College Newton, Massachusetts 1899NonsectarianN/A Mustangs 2007–082017–18Closed in 2018
Pine Manor College [lower-alpha 1] Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 1911NonsectarianN/A Gators 1995–962011–12N/A [lower-alpha 2]
Southern Vermont College Bennington, Vermont 1929NonsectarianN/A Mountaineers 1998–992007–08Closed in 2019
Suffolk University Boston, Massachusetts 1906Nonsectarian6,832 Rams 1995–962019–20 Commonwealth Coast (CCC)
Western New England University Springfield, Massachusetts 1919Nonsectarian3,702 Golden Bears 1998–992006–07 Commonwealth Coast (CCC)
Notes
  1. This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (Pine Manor from 2014–15).
  2. Pine Manor was acquired by Boston College in 2021.

Former associate members

The GNAC had two former associate members, which were also private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftPrimary
conference
GNAC
sport
Eastern Nazarene College Quincy, Massachusetts 1900 Nazarene 1,063 Lions 2018–192019–20 North Atlantic (NAC) men's tennis
University of New England Biddeford, Maine 1831Nonsectarian7,208 Nor'easters 2021–222021–22 Commonwealth Coast (CCC) women's swimming & diving
Rhode Island College Providence, Rhode Island 1854Nonsectarian7,523 Anchormen 2008–09? Little East (LEC) men's golf
University of Southern Maine Portland, Maine 1878Public8,022 Huskies 2008–09? Little East (LEC) men's golf
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth North Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1895Public8,513 Corsairs 2012–13? Little East (LEC) men's golf

Membership timeline

New England CollegeMitchell CollegeUniversity of New England (United States)Dean CollegeEastern Nazarene CollegeColby-Sawyer CollegeRegis College (Massachusetts)University of Massachusetts DartmouthWentworth Institute of TechnologyAnna Maria CollegeUniversity of Southern MaineRhode Island CollegeHusson UniversityElms CollegeSaint Joseph's College of MaineMount Ida CollegeLasell CollegeWestern New England UniversitySouthern Vermont CollegeNorwich UniversitySuffolk UniversitySimmons UniversityUniversity of Saint Joseph (Connecticut)Rivier UniversityPine Manor CollegeJohnson %26 Wales UniversityEndicott CollegeEmerson CollegeEmmanuel College (Massachusetts)Daniel Webster CollegeAlbertus Magnus CollegeGreat Northeast Athletic Conference

Sports

A divisional format is used for basketball (M / W).
North
  • Anna Maria
  • Colby–Sawyer
  • Emmanuel
  • Norwich
  • Rivier
  • Saint Joseph (Maine)
  • Simmons
South
  • Albertus Magnus
  • Dean
  • Elms
  • Johnson & Wales
  • Lasell
  • Regis
  • Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
Green check.svgY
Basketball
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Cross country
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Field hockey
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Golf
Green check.svgY
Lacrosse
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Soccer
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Softball
Green check.svgY
Swimming & diving
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Tennis
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Track & field
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Volleyball
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY

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References

  1. "UNE Women Join GNAC Swimming & Diving as Associate Member" (Press release). Great Northeast Athletic Conference. August 24, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  2. "University of New England Women's Swimming to Join LEC as Affiliate Member in 2022-23" (Press release). Little East Conference. June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  3. "Mitchell, NEC Joining GNAC in 2023-24 Academic Year" (Press release). Great Northeast Athletic Conference. September 28, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  4. "Elms, GNAC Ready to Begin Conference Affiliation in 2021-22". Great Northeast Athletic Conference. April 7, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.