New Jersey Athletic Conference

New Jersey Athletic Conference

Formerly	New Jersey State Athletic Conference (1957–1985)
Association	NCAA
Founded	1985;40 years ago (1985)
Commissioner	Terry Small
Sports fielded	20 men's: 9 women's: 11
Division	Division III
No. of teams	10
Headquarters	Pitman, New Jersey
Region	New Jersey and New York (2026)
Official website	njacsports.com
Locations

The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), formerly the New Jersey State Athletic Conference, is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. All of its current full members are public universities in New Jersey, although it will add one new full member from New York in 2026. Affiliate members (track-only, or football-only) are located in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

History

New Jersey Athletic Conference

50km
31miles

MSU

New Paltz

Stockton

Rutgers–Camden

Rowan

Kean

TCNJ

WPU

Rutgers–Newark

Ramapo

NJCU

   

NJAC members:
north division full member
south division full member
future member
departing member

Recent events

On July 2, 2024, the State University of New York at New Paltz announced that it will join the NJAC as a full member, thus becoming the NJAC's first-ever full member located outside of the state of New Jersey, beginning the 2026–27 academic year. ^[1]

Chronological timeline

• 1957 – In 1957, the NJAC was founded as the New Jersey State Athletic Conference (NJSAC). Charter members included Glassboro State College (now Rowan University), Montclair State College (now Montclair State University), Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University), Newark State College (now Kean University), Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) and William Paterson College (now William Paterson University), beginning the 1957–58 academic year.
• 1976 – Ramapo College of New Jersey joined the NJSAC in the 1976–77 academic year.
• 1977 – Stockton State College (now Stockton University) joined the NJSAC in the 1977–78 academic year.
• 1985:
  • Women's programs became part of the NJSAC, when the Jersey Athletic Conference (a women's sports athletic conference) was merged into the NJSAC; thus being rebranded as the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), beginning the 1985–86 academic year.
  • Rutgers University at Camden and Rutgers University at Newark joined the NJAC in the 1985–86 academic year.
• 2000 – The State University of New York at Cortland joined the NJAC as an affiliate member for football in the 2000 fall season (2000–01 academic year).
• 2004:
  • New Jersey City left the NJAC to become an NCAA D-III Independent after the 2003–04 academic year.
  • Western Connecticut State University joined the NJAC as an affiliate member for football in the 2004 fall season (2004–05 academic year).
• 2005 – New Jersey City rejoined the NJAC after spending one season as an NCAA D-III Independent school in the 2005–06 academic year.
• 2006 – Buffalo State College (now Buffalo State University) joined the NJAC as an affiliate member for football in the 2006 fall season (2006–07 academic year).
• 2008 – The State University of New York at Brockport and the State University of New York at Morrisville (a.k.a. Morrisville State College) joined the NJAC as affiliate members for football in the 2008 fall season (2008–09 academic year).
• 2011 – The State University of New York at Farmingdale (a.k.a. Farmingdale State College) and St. Joseph's College–Long Island (now St. Joseph's University–Long Island) joined the NJAC as affiliate members for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field in the 2011–12 academic year).
• 2012 – Buffalo State left the NJAC as an affiliate member for football after the 2011 fall season (2011–12 academic year).
• 2013 – Western Connecticut State left the NJAC as an affiliate member for football after the 2012 fall season (2012–13 academic year).
• 2014:
  • SUNY Brockport left the NJAC as an affiliate member for football after the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year).
  • Southern Virginia University joined the NJAC as an affiliate member for football in the 2014 fall season (2014–15 academic year).
• 2015:
  • SUNY Cortland and SUNY Morrisville left the NJAC as affiliate members for football after the 2014 fall season (2014–15 academic year).
  • Christopher Newport University, Frostburg State University, Salisbury University and Wesley College joined the NJAC as affiliate members for football in the 2015 fall season (2015–16 academic year).
• 2018 – The State University of New York at Oneonta, the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater joined the NJAC as affiliate members for men's tennis in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year).
• 2019:
  • Frostburg State and Southern Virginia left the NJAC as affiliate members for football after the 2018 fall season (2018–19 academic year).
  • Five institutions joined the NJAC as affiliate members, all effective in the 2019–20 academic year:
    • Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg (a.k.a. Penn State–Harrisburg) for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field
    • and the State University of New York at Oneonta, the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater for men's tennis
• 2020 – St. Joseph's–Long Island left the NJAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field after the 2019–20 academic year; due to athletic budget cuts.
• 2021 – Wesley (Del.) left the NJAC as an affiliate member for football after the 2020 fall season (2020–21 academic year); after the school closed down to later be acquired by Delaware State University.
• 2023:
  • Five institutions left the NJAC as affiliate members, all effective after the 2022–23 academic year:
    • Penn State–Harrisburg for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field
    • and SUNY Oneonta, Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Wisconsin–La Crosse and Wisconsin–Whitewater left the NJAC as affiliate members for men's tennis
  • The University of Mary Washington, Roger Williams University and the United States Merchant Marine Academy (a.k.a. Merchant Marine) [with Salisbury adding to its NJAC affiliate membership] joined the NJAC as affiliate members for men's and women's swimming & diving in the 2023–24 academic year.
• 2024 – SUNY Farmingdale left the NJAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's outdoor track & field after the 2024 spring season (2023–24 academic year).
• 2025 – Vermont State University–Castleton joined the NJAC as an affiliate member for football in the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year).
• 2026:
  • New Jersey City will leave the NJAC to join the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) at the end of the 2025–26 academic year.
  • The State University of New York at New Paltz (a.k.a. SUNY New Paltz) will join the NJAC, beginning the 2026–27 academic year; thus becoming the NJAC's first-ever full member located outside of the state of New Jersey.

Member schools

Current full members

The NJAC currently has ten full members, all are public schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Colors	Football
Kean University	Union, New Jersey	1855	Public	13,352	Cougars	1957		Yes
Montclair State University	Upper Montclair, New Jersey	1908		22,570	Red Hawks	1957		Yes
New Jersey City University	Jersey City, New Jersey	1929		6,800	Gothic Knights	1957; 2005 [b]		No
Ramapo College	Mahwah, New Jersey	1969		5,145	Roadrunners	1976		No
Rowan University	Glassboro, New Jersey	1923		22,903	Profs	1957		Yes
Rutgers University–Camden	Camden, New Jersey	1950		6,158	Scarlet Raptors	1985		No
Rutgers University–Newark	Newark, New Jersey	1945		12,321	Scarlet Raiders	1985		No
Stockton University	Galloway, New Jersey	1969		8,392	Ospreys	1977		No
The College of New Jersey	Ewing, New Jersey	1855		7,340	Lions	1957		Yes
William Paterson University	Wayne, New Jersey	1855		8,398	Pioneers	1957		Yes

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. New Jersey City left the NJAC after the 2003–04 school year to compete as an NCAA D-III Independent; which would later rejoin in the 2005–06 school year.

Future full members

The NJAC will have one future full member, a public school:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joining [a]	Current conference	Colors
State University of New York at New Paltz	New Paltz, New York	1828	Public [b]	7,489	Hawks	2026	S.U. New York (SUNYAC)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Part of the State University of New York System.

Affiliate members

The NJAC currently has seven affiliate members, all but one are public schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	NJAC sport(s)	Primary conference
Christopher Newport University	Newport News, Virginia	1961	Public	5,186	Captains	2015	Football	Coast to Coast (C2C)
Farmingdale State College [b]	East Farmingdale, New York	1912	Public	7,000	Rams	2011	Men's indoor track & field	Skyline
						2011	Women's indoor track & field
University of Mary Washington	Fredericksburg, Virginia	1908	Public	4,862	Eagles	2023	Men's swimming & diving	Coast to Coast (C2C)
						2023	Women's swimming & diving
Roger Williams University	Bristol, Rhode Island	1956	Nonsectarian	4,702	Hawks	2023	Men's swimming & diving	C. New England (CNE)
						2023	Women's swimming & diving
Salisbury University	Salisbury, Maryland	1925	Public	8,657	Sea Gulls	2015	Football	Coast to Coast (C2C)
						2023	Men's swimming & diving
						2023	Women's swimming & diving
United States Merchant Marine Academy (Merchant Marine)	Kings Point, New York	1943	Federal	1,011	Mariners	2023	Men's swimming & diving	Skyline
						2023	Women's swimming & diving
Vermont State University at Castleton	Castleton, Vermont	1787	Public [c]	2,363	Spartans	2025	Football	Little East (LEC)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Also known as the State University of New York at Farmingdale.
3. Part of the Vermont State Colleges System.

Former affiliate members

The NJAC had 15 former affiliate members, all but two were public schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Left [b]	NJAC sport(s)	Primary conference
Buffalo State College [c]	Buffalo, New York	1871	Public [d]	11,000	Bengals	2006	2012	Football [e]	S.U. New York (SUNYAC)
Farmingdale State College [f]	East Farmingdale, New York	1912	Public [d]	7,000	Rams	2011	2024	Men's outdoor track & field	Skyline
						2011	2024	Women's outdoor track & field
Frostburg State University [g]	Frostburg, Maryland	1898	Public	5,215	Bobcats	2015	2019	Football	Mountain East (MEC) [h]
Penn State–Harrisburg	Lower Swatara, Pennsylvania	1966	Public	5,046	Lions	2019	2023	Men's indoor track & field	United East (UEC)
						2019	2023	Men's outdoor track & field
						2019	2023	Women's indoor track & field
						2019	2023	Women's outdoor track & field
St. Joseph's University–Long Island	Patchogue, New York	1916	Nonsectarian	3,810	Golden Eagles	2011	2020 [i]	Men's indoor track & field	Skyline
						2011	2020 [j]	Men's outdoor track & field
						2011	2020 [i]	Women's indoor track & field
						2011	2020 [j]	Women's outdoor track & field
Southern Virginia University	Buena Vista, Virginia	1867	LDS Church	1,106	Knights	2014	2019	Football [k]	USA South
State University of New York at Brockport	Brockport, New York	1867	Public [d]	6,962	Golden Eagles	2008	2014	Football [l]	Empire 8 (E8)
State University of New York at Cortland	Cortland, New York	1868	Public [d]	6,199	Red Dragons	2000	2015	Football [m]	S.U. New York (SUNYAC)
State University of New York at Morrisville [n]	Morrisville, New York	1908	Public [d]	3,356	Mustangs	2008	2015	Football [m]	United East (UEC)
State University of New York at Oneonta	Oneonta, New York	1889	Public [d]	6,543	Red Dragons	2018	2023	Men's tennis	S.U. New York (SUNYAC)
Wesley College	Dover, Delaware	1873	United Methodist	2,320	Wolverines	2015	2021	Football	N/A [o]
Western Connecticut State University	Danbury, Connecticut	1903	Public	6,000	Colonials	2004	2013	Football [p]	Little East (LEC)
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire	Eau Claire, Wisconsin	1916	Public [q]	10,737	Blugolds	2018	2023	Men's tennis	Wisconsin (WIAC)
University of Wisconsin–La Crosse	La Crosse, Wisconsin	1909	Public [q]	10,679	Eagles	2018	2023	Men's tennis	Wisconsin (WIAC)
University of Wisconsin–Whitewater	Whitewater, Wisconsin	1868	Public [q]	12,346	Warhawks	2018	2023	Men's tennis	Wisconsin (WIAC)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
3. Currently known as Buffalo State University since 2023.
4. Part of the State University of New York System.
5. Buffalo State left the NJAC for the Empire 8 after the 2011 football season (2011–12 school year).
6. Also known as the State University of New York at Farmingdale.
7. Frostburg State left the NJAC to begin a transition to the NCAA Division II ranks and joined the Mountain East Conference (MEC) after the 2018 football season (2018–19 school year). ^[2]
8. Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
9. The St. Joseph's–Long Island men's and women's indoor track & field teams were discontinued due to athletic budget cuts before due to the COVID pandemic during the 2020–21 school year.
10. The St. Joseph's–Long Island men's and women's outdoor track & field teams last competed in the were 2018–19 school year. Due to the COVID pandemic, they didn't compete during the remainder of 2019–20; thus they would later be discontinued due to athletic budget cuts before due to the COVID pandemic during 2020–21.
11. Southern Virginia left the NJAC to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) after the 2018 football season (2018–19 school year), and would later become an all-sports member of the USA South Athletic Conference (USA South), beginning the 2021–22 school year.
12. SUNY Brockport left the NJAC for the Empire 8 after the 2013 football season (2013–14 school year).
13. SUNY Cortland and SUNY Morrisville left the NJAC to join the Empire 8 Athletic Conference after the 2014 football season (2014–15 school year).
14. Also known as Morrisville State College.
15. Wesley was acquired by Delaware State University after the 2020–21 school year.
16. Western Connecticut left the NJAC to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) after the 2012 football season (2012–13 school year).
17. Part of the University of Wisconsin System.

Membership timeline

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

Sports

A divisional format was used for basketball (M / W), baseball, softball, and volleyball until after the 2011 12 school year.
North Montclair State New Jersey City Ramapo Rutgers–Newark William Paterson	South Kean Rowan Rutgers–Camden Stockton TCNJ

The NJAC sponsors championships in the following sports:

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross country	Y	Y
Field hockey		Y
Football	Y
Lacrosse	[a]	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Swimming & diving	Y	Y
Tennis		Y
Track & field (indoor)	Y	Y
Track & field (outdoor)	Y	Y
Volleyball	Y	Y

Notes

1. In 2022, the NJAC and the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) announced the creation of the Coastal Lacrosse Conference (CLC), an NCAA Division III single-sport men's lacrosse conference between members from the two conferences. ^[3]

Men's sports

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Football	Soccer	Swimming & Diving	Track & Field (Indoor)	Track & Field (Outdoor)	Volleyball	Total NJAC Sports
Kean	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	7
Montclair State	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	7
New Jersey City	Y	Y	N	N	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	6
Ramapo	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y [a]	Y	Y	Y	8
Rowan	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y [a]	Y	Y	N	8
Rutgers–Camden	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N	Y	Y	N	6
Rutgers–Newark	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	7
Stockton	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N	Y	Y	N	6
TCNJ	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	8
William Paterson	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	5
Totals	10	10	7	5+3	10	5+3	8+3	9+3	4	68+12
Affiliate Members
Castleton				Y						1
Christopher Newport				Y						1
Farmingdale State							Y	Y		2
Mary Washington						Y				1
Penn State–Harrisburg							Y	Y		2
Roger Williams						Y				1
Salisbury				Y		Y				2
St. Joseph’s–Long Island							Y	Y		2

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the NJAC

School	Golf	Lacrosse	Tennis	Wrestling
Kean	IND	CLC
Montclair State		CLC
New Jersey City				IND
Rutgers–Camden	UEC		WIAC
Stockton		CLC
TCNJ			WIAC	IND
William Paterson	IND

Women's sports

School	Basketball	Cross Country	Field Hockey	Lacrosse	Soccer	Softball	Swimming & Diving	Tennis	Track & Field (Indoor)	Track & Field (Outdoor)	Volleyball	Total NJAC Sports
Kean	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y [a]	Y	N	Y	Y	10
Montclair State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	10
New Jersey City	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	Y	7
Ramapo	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y [a]	N	Y	Y	Y	10
Rowan	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y [a]	N	Y	Y	Y	10
Rutgers–Camden	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Rutgers–Newark	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	Y	7
Stockton	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	10
TCNJ	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	10
William Paterson	Y	N	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	7
Totals	10	9	7	6	10	10	6+3	5	8+3	9+3	9	89+9
Affiliate Members
Farmingdale State									Y	Y		2
Mary Washington							Y					1
Penn State–Harrisburg									Y	Y		2
Roger Williams							Y					1
Salisbury							Y					1
St. Joseph’s–Long Island									Y	Y		2

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the NJAC

School	Flag Football	Golf	Rowing	Wrestling
Kean		CWGC
Montclair State	Y
New Jersey City				IND
Stockton		IND	MARC

National championship teams

Since the NCAA established the three division system in 1973, NJAC members have won a total of 63 team championships. ^[4]

• Baseball

Kean: 2007
Montclair State: 1987, 1993, 2000
Ramapo: 1984
Rowan: 1978, 1979
William Paterson: 1992, 1996

• Men's Basketball

Rowan: 1996

• Field Hockey

Rowan: 2002
TCNJ: 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2011

• Men's Golf

Ramapo: 1982

• Women's Lacrosse

TCNJ: 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006

• Men's Soccer

Kean: 1992
Richard Stockton: 2001
Rowan: 1981, 1990
TCNJ: 1996

• Women's Soccer

TCNJ: 1993, 1994, 2000

• Softball

Rutgers-Camden: 2006
TCNJ: 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996

• Women's Tennis

TCNJ: 1986

• Men's Outdoor Track

Rowan: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984

• Wrestling

Montclair State: 1976, 1986
TCNJ: 1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987

References

1. "SUNY New Paltz to Become a Full Member of the NJAC in 2026-27". NJACsports.com. NJAC. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
2. "Frostburg State Set To Join Mountain East Conference" (Press release). Mountain East Conference. July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
3. "NJAC & C2C Announce Formation of Coastal Lacrosse Conference" (Press release). New Jersey Athletic Conference. July 27, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
4. "About the NJAC" . Retrieved September 8, 2015.

Notes

1. Swimming only

External links

• Official website