Great Northeast Athletic Conference

Great Northeast Athletic Conference

Association	NCAA
Founded	1995;30 years ago (1995)
Commissioner	Joe Walsh (since 2005)
Sports fielded	22 men's: 11 women's: 11
Division	Division III
No. of teams	14
Headquarters	Winthrop, Massachusetts
Region	New England
Official website	thegnac.com
Locations

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

History

Great Northeast Athletic Conference

50km
31miles

Dean

New England College

Mitchell

Albertus Magnus

Saint Joseph (CT)

Colby-Sawyer

Rivier

Elms

Norwich

Saint Joseph's (ME)

Simmons

Emmanuel

Regis

Lasell

   

Locations of GNAC members, 2025–2026 full

Recent changes

On August 24, 2021, the University of New England joined the GNAC as an associate member for women's swimming & diving, beginning the 2021–22 academic year. ^[1]

On June 16, 2022, New England (Me.) left the GNAC as an associate member for women's swimming & diving after the 2021–22 academic year, to join the Little East Conference (LEC) as an affiliate member for that sport. ^[2]

On September 28, 2022, Mitchell College and New England College joined the GNAC, beginning the 2023–24 academic year. ^[3]

Chronological timeline

• 1995 – In 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) was founded. Charter members included the following: On men's sports and women's sports, Albertus Magnus College, Daniel Webster College, Emerson College, Endicott College, Johnson & Wales University, Rhode Island Campus and Rivier College (now Rivier University); on women's sports only, Emmanuel College, Pine Manor College, the University of Saint Joseph, Simmons College (now Simmons University) and Suffolk University, all beginning the 1995–96 academic year.
• 1998:
  • Norwich University, Southern Vermont College and Western New England College (now Western New England University) joined the GNAC in the 1998–99 academic year.
  • Suffolk added men's sports in its athletic program to join the GNAC in the 1998–99 academic year.
• 1999 – Endicott left the GNAC to join the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) after the 1998–99 academic year.
• 2001 – Emmanuel (Mass.) added men's sports in its athletic program to join the GNAC in the 2001–02 academic year.
• 2004 – Elms College, Husson College (now Husson University) and Wheelock College joined the GNAC as associate members for women's swimming & diving in the 2004–05 academic year.
• 2006 – Rhode Island College, the University of Southern Maine and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (a.k.a. Massachusetts–Dartmouth or UMass Dartmouth) joined the GNAC as associate members for men's golf in the 2007 spring season (2006–07 academic year).
• 2007:
  • Western New England left the GNAC to join the CCC after the 2006–07 academic year.
  • Lasell College (now Lasell University) and Mount Ida College and Saint Joseph's College of Maine joined the GNAC in the 2007–08 academic year.
• 2008 – Daniel Webster and Southern Vermont left the GNAC to join the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) after the 2007–08 academic year.
• 2009 – Wheelock left the GNAC as an associate member for women's swimming & diving after the 2008–09 academic year.
• 2011:
  • Anna Maria College joined the GNAC in the 2011–12 academic year.
  • Three institutions joined the GNAC as associate members (and/or added other single sports into their associate memberships), all effective in the 2011–12 academic year:
    • Elms for men's swimming & diving
    • Regis College of Massachusetts for men's and women's swimming & diving
    • and Wentworth Institute of Technology (a.k.a. Wentworth Tech) for men's volleyball
• 2012:
  • Pine Manor left the GNAC to join the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) after the 2011–12 academic year.
  • Worcester State University joined the GNAC as an associate member for men's golf in the 2013 spring season (2012–13 academic year).
• 2013:
  • Emerson left the GNAC to join the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) after the 2012–13 academic year; while it remained in the conference as an associate member for men's volleyball since the 2014 spring season (2013–14 academic year).
  • Husson added men's swimming & diving into its GNAC associate membership in the 2013–14 academic year.
• 2017:
  • Colby–Sawyer College joined the GNAC as an associate member for men's and women's swimming & diving in the 2017–18 academic year.
  • Regis (Mass.) had upgraded as a full member of the GNAC for all sports in the 2017–18 academic year.
• 2018:
  • Mount Ida left the GNAC after the 2017–18 academic year; as the school ceased operations.
  • Colby–Sawyer had upgraded as a full member of the GNAC for all sports in the 2018–19 academic year.
  • Saint Joseph (Conn.) added men's sports in its athletic program to join the GNAC in the 2018–19 academic year.
  • Eastern Nazarene College joined the GNAC as an associate member for men's and women's tennis in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year).
• 2019:
  • Worcester State left the GNAC as an associate member for men's golf after the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year).
  • Lesley University joined the GNAC as an associate member for men's tennis in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year).
• 2020:
  • Five institutions left the GNAC as associate members, all effective after the 2019–20 academic year:
    • Lesley for men's tennis
    • Husson for men's and women's swimming & diving
    • and Rhode Island College, Southern Maine and UMass Dartmouth for men's golf
  • Suffolk left the GNAC to join the CCC after the 2019–20 academic year; although it remained in the conference as an associate member for men's and women's indoor track & field, beginning the 2020–21 school year.
  • Dean College joined the GNAC in the 2020–21 academic year.
  • Lesley rejoined the GNAC as an associate member for women's tennis in the 2021 spring season (2020–21 academic year).
• 2021 – Elms had upgraded as a full member of the GNAC for all sports in the 2021–22 academic year.
• 2021 – The University of New England joined the GNAC as an associate member for women's swimming & diving in the 2021–22 academic year.
• 2022 – Two institutions left the GNAC as associate members, both effective after the 2021–22 academic year:
  • New England (Me.) for women's swimming & diving to join the Little East Conference (LEC) for that sport
  • and Suffolk for men's and women's indoor track & field
• 2023:
  • Eastern Nazarene left the GNAC as an associate member for women's tennis after the 2023 spring season (2022–23 academic year).
  • Mitchell College and New England College joined the GNAC in the 2023–24 academic year.
• 2024 – Eastern Nazarene left the GNAC as an associate member for men's tennis after the 2024 spring season (2023–24 academic year).
• 2025 – Two institutions left the GNAC to join their respective new home primary conferences, both effective after the 2024–25 academic year:
  • Anna Maria to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC)
  • and Johnson & Wales (R.I.) to join the Conference of New England (CNE; formerly the Commonwealth Coast Conference or CCC)

Member schools

Former Great Northeast Athletic Conference until spring 2025

Current members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]
Albertus Magnus College	New Haven, Connecticut	1925	Catholic (D.S.P.)	1,961	Falcons	1995
Colby–Sawyer College	New London, New Hampshire	1837	Nonsectarian	2,262	Chargers	2018
Dean College	Franklin, Massachusetts	1865	Nonsectarian	1,055	Bulldogs	2020
Elms College [b]	Chicopee, Massachusetts	1928	Catholic (S.S.J.)	1,713	Blazers	2021 [c]
Emmanuel College [b]	Boston, Massachusetts	1919	Catholic (SNDdeN)	1,850	Saints	1995
Lasell University [b]	Newton, Massachusetts	1851	Nonsectarian	2,200	Lasers	2007
Mitchell College	New London, Connecticut	1938	Nonsectarian	572	Mariners	2023
New England College	Henniker, New Hampshire	1946	Nonsectarian	4,327	Pilgrims	2023
Norwich University	Northfield, Vermont	1819	Private	2,300	Cadets	1998
Regis College [b]	Weston, Massachusetts	1927	Catholic (S.S.J.)	2,748	Pride	2017
Rivier University	Nashua, New Hampshire	1933	Catholic (S.P.M.)	2,520	Raiders	1995
University of Saint Joseph [b]	West Hartford, Connecticut	1932	Catholic (R.S.M.)	2,467	Blue Jays	1995
Saint Joseph's College of Maine	Standish, Maine	1912	Catholic (R.S.M.)	1,987	Monks	2007
Simmons University [d] [e]	Boston, Massachusetts	1899	Nonsectarian	1,900	Sharks	1995

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. 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 & diving from 2008–09 to 2020–21. ^[4]
4. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
5. Non-basketball member; therefore Simmons had sponsored women's basketball until after at least the 2018–19 school year.

Associate members

The GNAC currently has two associate members, both are private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	GNAC sport(s)	Primary conference
Emerson College [b]	Boston, Massachusetts	1880	Nonsectarian	4,290	Lions	2013	Men's volleyball	New England (NEWMAC)
Wentworth Institute of Technology	Boston, Massachusetts	1904	Nonsectarian	4,576	Leopards	2011	Men's volleyball	C. New England (CNE)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Emerson was a full member of the GNAC from 1995–96 to 2012–13.

Former members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Left [b]	Current conference
Anna Maria College	Paxton, Massachusetts	1946	Catholic (S.S.A.)	1,500	Amcats	2011	2025	Massachusetts (MASCAC)
Daniel Webster College	Nashua, New Hampshire	1965	For-profit	N/A	Eagles	1995	2008	Closed in 2017
Endicott College	Beverly, Massachusetts	1939	Nonsectarian	4,528	Gulls	1995	1999	C. New England (CNE)
Emerson College [c]	Boston, Massachusetts	1880	Nonsectarian	4,290	Lions	1995	2013	New England (NEWMAC)
Johnson & Wales University	Providence, Rhode Island	1914	Nonsectarian	8,564	Wildcats	1995	2025	C. New England (CNE)
Mount Ida College	Newton, Massachusetts	1899	Nonsectarian	N/A	Mustangs	2007	2018	Closed in 2018
Pine Manor College [d]	Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts	1911	Nonsectarian	N/A	Gators	1995	2012	N/A [e]
Southern Vermont College	Bennington, Vermont	1929	Nonsectarian	N/A	Mountaineers	1998	2008	Closed in 2019
Suffolk University [f]	Boston, Massachusetts	1906	Nonsectarian	6,832	Rams	1995	2020	C. New England (CNE)
Western New England University	Springfield, Massachusetts	1919	Nonsectarian	3,702	Golden Bears	1998	2007	C. New England (CNE)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
3. Emerson remains in the GNAC as an associate member for men's volleyball.
4. This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (Pine Manor from 2014–15).
5. Pine Manor was acquired by Boston College in 2021.
6. Suffolk competed as an associate member of the GNAC for men's and women's indoor track & field from 2020–21 to 2021–22.

Former associate members

The GNAC had 12 former associate members, 7 were private schools while 5 were public schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Left [b]	GNAC sport(s)	Primary conference
Eastern Nazarene College	Quincy, Massachusetts	1900	Nazarene	1,063	Lions	2018	2024	Men's tennis	Closed in 2025
						2018	2023	Women's tennis
Husson University	Bangor, Maine	1898	Nonsectarian	3,500	Eagles	2008	2020	Men's swimming & diving	North Atlantic (NAC)
						2008	2020	Women's swimming & diving
Lesley University	Cambridge, Massachusetts	1909	Nonsectarian	6,593	Lynx	2019	2020	Men's tennis	North Atlantic (NAC)
						2020	2023	Women's tennis
University of New England	Biddeford, Maine	1831	Nonsectarian	7,208	Nor'easters	2021	2022	Women's swimming & diving	C. New England (CNE)
Ramapo College	Mahwah, New Jersey	1969	Public	5,145	Roadrunners	2013	2019	Men's tennis	New Jersey (NJAC)
Rhode Island College	Providence, Rhode Island	1854	Nonsectarian	7,523	Anchormen	2008	2020	Men's golf	Little East (LEC)
Rutgers University–Camden	Camden, New Jersey	1950	Public	6,158	Scarlet Raptors	2014	2019	Men's tennis	New Jersey (NJAC)
Rutgers University–Newark	Newark, New Jersey	1945	Public	12,321	Scarlet Raiders	2013	2019	Men's tennis	New Jersey (NJAC)
University of Southern Maine	Portland, Maine	1878	Public	8,022	Huskies	2008	2020	Men's golf	Little East (LEC)
Suffolk University [c]	Boston, Massachusetts	1906	Nonsectarian	6,832	Rams	2020	2022	Men's indoor track & field	C. New England (CNE)
						2020	2022	Women's indoor track & field
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth	North Dartmouth, Massachusetts	1895	Public	8,513	Corsairs	2012	2020	Men's golf	Little East (LEC) [d]
Worcester State University	Worcester, Massachusetts	1874	Public [e]	5,611	Lancers	2012	2019	Men's golf	Mass. State (MASCAC)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
3. Suffolk was a full member of the GNAC from 1995–96 to 2019–20.
4. Massachusetts–Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth) discontinued men's golf at the end of the 2019–20 school year due to budget cuts.
5. Part of the Massachusetts State Universities System. ^[5]

Membership timeline

 Full member (all sports)  Full member (non-football)  Associate member (football)  Associate member (sport) 

Sports

A divisional format is used for basketball (M / W).
North Anna Maria Colby–Sawyer Emmanuel Norwich Rivier Saint Joseph (Maine)	South Albertus Magnus Dean Elms Lasell Regis Saint Joseph (Conn.)

See also: Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross country	Y	Y
Field hockey		Y
Golf	Y
Lacrosse	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Swimming & diving	Y	Y
Track & field	Y	Y
Volleyball	Y	Y

Men's sponsored sports by school

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Lacrosse	Soccer	Swimming & Diving	Track & Field	Volleyball	Total GNAC sports
Albertus Magnus	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	6
Colby–Sawyer	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N	Y	N	6
Dean	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	7
Elms	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	8
Emmanuel	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	7
Lasell	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	7
Mitchell	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	6
New England	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N	7
Norwich	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	7
Regis	N	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Rivier	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	Y	5
Saint Joseph (CT)	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	6
Saint Joseph’s (ME)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	8
Totals	11	13	11	8	13	13	6	6	6+2	89
Emerson									Y
Wentworth									Y

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by theGNAC that are played by GNAC schools

School	Alpine Skiing	Football	Ice Hockey	Nordic Skiing	Rifle	Rugby	Tennis	Wrestling
Albertus Magnus			UCHC				IND
Colby–Sawyer	EISA						CNE
Dean		MASCAC
Emmanuel								IND
New England	Y	CNE	LEC	Y				NEWA
Norwich		NEWMAC	LEC		YCo-Ed	NACR	Empire 8	NEWA
Rivier			MASCAC
Saint Joseph (CT)							CNE
Saint Joseph's (ME)	Y

Women's sponsored sports by school

School	Basketball	Cross Country	Field Hockey	Lacrosse	Soccer	Softball	Swimming & Diving	Track & Field	Volleyball	Total GNAC sports
Albertus Magnus	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	7
Colby–Sawyer	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	8
Dean	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	7
Elms	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	8
Emmanuel	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	7
Lasell	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	8
Mitchell	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	6
New England	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	8
Norwich	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	7
Regis	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Rivier	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	6
Saint Joseph (CT)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	8
Saint Joseph’s (ME)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	9
Simmons	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Totals	13	12	11	14	14	14	7	7	14	106

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by theGNAC that are played by GNAC schools

School	Alpine Skiing	Golf	Ice Hockey	Nordic Skiing	Rifle	Rowing	Rugby	Tennis	Wrestling
Albertus Magnus		IND	UCHC					IND
Colby–Sawyer	EISA							CNE
Dean		IND
Emmanuel									2026-27
New England	Y		LEC	Y			Y		Y
Norwich			LEC		YCo-Ed		NCR		Y
Rivier			MASCAC
Saint Joseph (CT)								CNE
Saint Joseph's (ME)	Y	IND
Simmons						NEWMAC		NAC

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.
5. Massachusetts State Universities – The Nine State Universities of Massachusetts

External links

• Official website