New Jersey Athletic Conference

Last updated
New Jersey Athletic Conference
New Jersey Athletic Conference.png
FormerlyNew Jersey State Athletic Conference (1957–1985)
Association NCAA
Founded1985
CommissionerTerry Small
Sports fielded
  • 20
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 11
Division Division III
No. of teams10 (11 in 2026)
Headquarters Pitman, New Jersey
Region New Jersey and New York (2026)
Official website njacsports.com
Locations
NJAC-USA-states.png

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.

Contents

History

New Jersey Athletic Conference
New Jersey Athletic Conference
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Mapscaleline.svg
50km
30miles
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MSU
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New Paltz
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Stockton
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Rutgers–Camden
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Rowan
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Kean
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TCNJ
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WPU
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Rutgers–Newark
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Ramapo
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NJCU
NJAC members: Blue pog.svg north division full member, Yellow pog.svg south division full member, and Green pog.svg future member

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

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

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedColorsFootball
North Division
Montclair State University Upper Montclair, New Jersey 1908Public16,660 Red Hawks 1957  Yes
New Jersey City University Jersey City, New Jersey 19297,300 Gothic Knights 1957;
2005 [lower-alpha 1]
  No
Ramapo College Mahwah, New Jersey 19695,233 Roadrunners 1976  No
Rutgers University–Newark Newark, New Jersey 194510,500 Scarlet Raiders 1985  No
William Paterson University Wayne, New Jersey 185510,970 Pioneers 1957  Yes
South Division
Kean University Union, New Jersey 1855Public15,000 Cougars 1957  Yes
Rowan University Glassboro, New Jersey 192318,500 Profs 1957  Yes
Rutgers University–Camden Camden, New Jersey 19505,450 Scarlet Raptors 1985  No
Stockton University Galloway, New Jersey 19697,450 Ospreys 1977   No
The College of New Jersey Ewing, New Jersey 18557,400 Lions 1957  Yes
Notes
  1. New Jersey City left the NJAC after the 2003–04 school year to compete as an NCAA D-III Independent; which would later re-join back, effective in the 2005–06 school year.

Future full members

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoiningPrevious ConferenceColors
State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz, New York 1828Public [lower-alpha 1] 7,489 Hawks 2026–27 SUNYAC      
Notes

Affiliate members

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

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedPrimary
conference
NJAC
sport
Christopher Newport University Newport News, Virginia 1961Public5,186 Captains 2015–16 Coast to Coast (C2C) football
Farmingdale State College East Farmingdale, New York 1912Public7,000 Rams 2011–12m.i.t.f.
2011–12m.o.t.f.
2011–12w.i.t.f.
2011–12w.o.t.f.
Skyline men's indoor track & field
men's outdoor track & field
women's indoor track & field
women's outdoor track & field
Penn State–Harrisburg Lower Swatara, Pennsylvania 1966Public5,046 Lions 2019–20m.i.t.f.
2019–20m.o.t.f.
2019–20w.i.t.f.
2019–20w.o.t.f.
United East (UEC) men's indoor track & field
men's outdoor track & field
women's indoor track & field
women's outdoor track & field
St. Joseph's University –Long Island Patchogue, New York 1916Private3,810 Golden Eagles 2011–12m.i.t.f.
2011–12m.o.t.f.
2011–12w.i.t.f.
2011–12w.o.t.f.
Skyline men's indoor track & field
men's outdoor track & field
women's indoor track & field
women's outdoor track & field
Salisbury University Salisbury, Maryland 1925Public8,657 Sea Gulls 2015–16 Coast to Coast (C2C) football

Future affiliate members

The NJAC will have one new affiliate member, a public school:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoiningPrimary
conference
NJAC
sport
Vermont State University at Castleton Castleton, Vermont 1787Public [lower-alpha 1] 2,363 Spartans 2025–26 Little East (LEC) football
  1. Part of the Vermont State Colleges System.

Former affiliate members

The NJAC has twelve former affiliate members, all but two were public schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftPrimary
conference
NJAC
sport
Buffalo State College [lower-alpha 1] Buffalo, New York 1871Public11,000 Bengals 2006–072011–12 New York (SUNYAC) football
Frostburg State University [lower-alpha 2] Frostburg, Maryland 1898Public5,215 Bobcats 2015–162018–19 Mountain East (MEC) [lower-alpha 3]
Southern Virginia University [lower-alpha 4] Buena Vista, Virginia 1867 LDS Church 1,106 Knights 2014–152018–19 USA South
State University of New York at Brockport [lower-alpha 5] Brockport, New York 1867Public6,962 Golden Eagles 2008–092013–14 New York (SUNYAC)
State University of New York at Cortland [lower-alpha 6] Cortland, New York 1868Public6,199 Red Dragons 2000–012014–15 New York (SUNYAC)
State University of New York at Morrisville [lower-alpha 6] Morrisville, New York 1908Public3,356 Mustangs 2008–092014–15 United East (UEC)
Wesley College Dover, Delaware 1873 United Methodist 2,320 Wolverines 2015–162020–21N/A [lower-alpha 7]
Western Connecticut State University [lower-alpha 8] Danbury, Connecticut 1903Public6,000 Colonials 2004–052012–13 Little East (LEC)
State University of New York at Oneonta Oneonta, New York 1889Public6,543 Red Dragons 2019–202023–24 New York State (SUNYAC) men's tennis
University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Eau Claire, Wisconsin 1916Public10,737 Blugolds 2019–202023–24 Wisconsin (WIAC)
University of Wisconsin–La Crosse La Crosse, Wisconsin 1909Public10,679 Eagles 2019–202023–24 Wisconsin (WIAC)
University of Wisconsin–Whitewater Whitewater, Wisconsin 1868Public12,346 Warhawks 2019–202023–24 Wisconsin (WIAC)
Notes
  1. Buffalo State left the NJAC for the Empire 8 after the 2011 football season (2011–12 school year). Currently a university since 2023.
  2. Frostburg State left the NJAC to begin a transition to NCAA Division II and joined the Mountain East Conference after the 2018 football season (2018–19 school year). [2]
  3. Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  4. Southern Virginia left the NJAC to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference after the 2018 football season (2018–19 school year), and would later become an all-sports member of the USA South Athletic Conference, effective in the 2021–22 school year.
  5. SUNY Brockport left the NJAC for the Empire 8 after the 2013 football season (2013–14 school year).
  6. 1 2 SUNY Cortland and SUNY Morrisville left the NJAC to join the Empire 8 after the 2014 football season (2014–15 school year).
  7. Wesley was acquired by Delaware State University after the 2020–21 school year.
  8. Western Connecticut left the NJAC to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) after the 2012 football season (2012–13 school year).

Membership timeline

SUNY New PaltzVermont State UniversityUniversity of Wisconsin–OshkoshUniversity of Wisconsin–La CrosseUniversity of Wisconsin–Eau ClaireState University of New York at OneontaPenn State HarrisburgWesley College (Delaware)Salisbury UniversityFrostburg State UniversityChristopher Newport UniversitySouthern Virginia UniversityFarmingdale State CollegeSt. Joseph's University (New York)Farmingdale State CollegeState University of New York at MorrisvilleThe College at Brockport, State University of New YorkBuffalo State UniversityWestern Connecticut State UniversityState University of New York College at CortlandRutgers University–NewarkRutgers University–CamdenStockton UniversityRamapo CollegeWilliam Paterson UniversityThe College of New JerseyRowan UniversityNew Jersey City UniversityMontclair State UniversityKean UniversityNew Jersey Athletic Conference

Sports

The NJAC sponsors championships in the following sports:

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
Green check.svgY
Football
Green check.svgY
Lacrosse
Green check.svgY
Soccer
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Softball
Green check.svgY
Swimming
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Tennis
Green check.svgY
Track and field (indoor)
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Track and field (outdoor)
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
Volleyball
Green check.svgY
Green check.svgY
  1. In 2022, NJAC and Coast to Coast Athletic Conference announced the creation of the Coastal Lacrosse Conference, an NCAA Division III single-sport men's lacrosse conference between members from the two conferences. [3]

National championship teams

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

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

Rowan: 1996

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

Ramapo: 1982

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

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

TCNJ: 1993, 1994, 2000

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

TCNJ: 1986

Rowan: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984

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

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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.