North Atlantic Conference

This article is about the current NCAA Division III conference. For the NCAA Division I conference that used this name from 1988 to 1996, see America East Conference. For the shortlived HBCU conference, see North Atlantic Conference (1946).

North Atlantic Conference

Formerly	North Atlantic Women's Conference
Association	NCAA
Founded	1996
Commissioner	Marcella Zalot (since 2016)
Sports fielded	16 men's: 8 women's: 8
Division	Division III
No. of teams	10 (8 in 2026)
Headquarters	Waterville, Maine
Region	Northeastern United States
Official website	nacathletics.com
Locations

The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Member schools are primarily small liberal arts colleges in the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont, as well as the Mid-Atlantic state of New York.

The conference was founded in 1996 when six colleges agreed to form the North Atlantic Women's Conference. It changed to its current name in the fall of 1999. It currently sponsors a total of 17 men's and women's sports played by teams of the 13 institutions therein.

The 17 different sports that are played in the NAC range from the fall season, throughout the winter, and to the spring season. These sports are played among both men's and women's teams.

In the fall season, there are six sports played. Among these are, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's golf, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis, and women's volleyball.

In the winter season there are two sports played, which are men's and women's basketball along with men's and women's swimming and diving.

In the spring time there are four sports both for men's and women's teams. The NAC has men's and women's lacrosse, baseball, softball, men's tennis, and men's and women's outdoor track & field. ^[1]

History

North Atlantic Conference

100km
62miles

Maine Maritime

Lesley

MCLA

SUNY Cobleskill

SUNY Delhi

Maine–Presque Isle

VSU–Lyndon

Thomas

Maine–Farmington

Husson

VSU–Johnson

   

Location of NAC members: full member departing member associate member

Recent events

^[2]

On June 9, 2016, Colby–Sawyer announced that it would leave the NAC following the 2017–18 school year to join the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). ^[3]

On May 4, 2017, Castleton announced that it would leave the NAC following the 2017–18 school year to join the Little East Conference (LEC). ^[4]

On June 13, 2017, Green Mountain announced that it would leave the NAC (and the NCAA) following the 2017–18 school year to join the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), ^[5] which it would spend one season as an NAIA member before closing in 2019.

On July 31, 2017, New England College announced that it would leave the NAC following the 2017–18 school year to join the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC). ^[6]

The NAC announced the additions of the Maine–Presque Isle and the State University of New York at Canton (SUNY Canton) as full members beginning in the fall of 2018. Both schools had been members of the American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA). ^[7]

On November 30, 2018, the NAC announced that the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi), already an associate member in six sports (men's golf, men's lacrosse, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's track & field), would become a full member of the conference effective in the fall of 2019. At that time, five additional Delhi sports—men's and women's cross country, men's golf, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball—began NAC play. Three more sports—men's and women's basketball, plus softball—remained in the ACAA as its associate member until starting NAC play in 2020–21. ^[8]

On August 20, 2019, the NAC announced that three schools—Cazenovia College, the State University of New York at Cobleskill (SUNY Cobleskill) and the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)—would become full members in July 2020. ^{[9] [10]}

On March 1, 2022, the NAC announced that SUNY Morrisville (formerly Morrisville State)—alongside Lesley—would join as full members in the 2023–24 season.

On January 9, 2023, the NAC announced that they would welcome Eastern Nazarene College as a full member, also starting in the 2023–24 season.

On October 5, 2023, SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville accepted to join to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). ^[11] A month later, on November 21, 2023, SUNY Poly followed suit to join the Empire 8. ^[12]

Eastern Nazarene announced that it would be permanently closing following the 2023–24 academic year.

On June 5, 2025, SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi had accepted to join the SUNYAC, thus leaving the NAC at 8 full members (all within New England). ^[13]

Chronological timeline

• 1996 – The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) was founded as the North Atlantic Women's Conference (NAWC). Charter members included Bay Path College (now Bay Path University), Lasell College (now Lasell University), Lesley College (now Lesley University), the Maine Maritime Academy, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy (now the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences) and Wheelock College, beginning the 1996–97 academic year.
• 1999:
  • Mass Pharmacy left the NAWC after the 1998–99 academic year.
  • The NAWC was rebranded as the North Atlantic Conference, while adding men's sports in there, beginning the 1999–2000 academic year.
  • Becker College, Elms College and Mount Ida College joined the NAC in the 1999–2000 academic year.
• 2000 – Simmons College (now Simmons University) and Western New England College (now Western New England University) joined the NAC as associate members for field hockey in the 2000 fall season (2000–01 academic year).
• 2001:
  • Castleton State College (later Castleton University and now Vermont State University at Castleton) and Johnson State College (later Northern Vermont University at Johnson and now Vermont State University at Johnson) joined the NAC in the 2001–02 academic year.
  • Husson College (now Husson University), the University of Maine at Farmington (UMaine–Farmington) and Thomas College joined the NAC as associate members for field hockey in the 2001 fall season (2001–02 academic year).
• 2003 – Husson, UMaine–Farmington and Thomas upgraded their NAC memberships for all sports in the 2003–04 academic year.
• 2004 – Three institutions joined the NAC as associate members, all effective in the 2005 spring season (2004–05 academic year):
  • Daniel Webster College and Emerson College for men's lacrosse
  • and Saint Joseph's College of Maine for baseball
• 2007:
  • Lasell and Mount Ida left the NAC to join the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) after the 2006–07 academic year; while both remained in the conference as associate members (Lasell for field hockey, and Mount Ida for men's lacrosse).
  • Two institutions left the NAC as associate members, both effective after the 2006–07 academic year):
    • Saint Joseph's (Me.) for baseball
    • and Western New England for field hockey
• 2008:
  • Bay Path, Becker, Elms, Lesley and Wheelock left the NAC to form part of the then-newly created New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) after the 2007–08 academic year.
  • Daniel Webster left the NAC as an associate member for men's lacrosse after the 2008 spring season (2007–08 academic year).
  • Green Mountain College and Lyndon State College (later Northern Vermont University at Lyndon and now Vermont State University at Lyndon) joined the NAC in the 2008–09 academic year.
  • Saint Joseph's (Me.) rejoined the NAC as an associate member (this time for field hockey and men's lacrosse) in the 2008–09 academic year.
• 2009 – Rivier University joined the NAC as an associate member for field hockey in the 2009 fall season (2009–10 academic year).
• 2010 – Emerson, Mount Ida and Saint Joseph's (Me.) left the NAC as associate members for men's lacrosse after the 2010 spring season (2009–10 academic year).
• 2011:
  • Colby–Sawyer College and New England College joined the NAC in the 2008–09 academic year.
  • Salem State University joined the NAC as an associate member for men's golf in the 2012 spring season (2011–12 academic year).
• 2012 – The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) joined the NAC as an associate member for men's golf, men's lacrosse and men's & women's tennis in the 2013 spring season (2012–13 academic year).
• 2014 – Lasell, Rivier, Saint Joseph's (Me.) and Simmons left the NAC as associate members for field hockey after the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year).
• 2017 – The State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi) joined the NAC as an associate member for men's and women's track & field in the 2017–18 academic year.
• 2018:
  • Four institutions left the NAC to join their future respective primary home conferences, all effective after the 2017–18 academic year:
    • Castleton to join the Little East Conference (LEC)
    • Colby–Sawyer to join the GNAC
    • Green Mountain to join the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as an Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII)
    • and New England (N.H.) to join the NECC
  • The State University of New York at Canton (SUNY Canton) and the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMaine–Presque Isle or UMPI) joined the NAC in the 2018–19 academic year.
  • SUNY Delhi added men's golf, men's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis into its NAC associate membership in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year).
• 2019 – SUNY Delhi upgraded its NAC membership for all sports in the 2019–20 academic year; although its men's and women's basketball and softball teams would later join for 2020–21.
• 2020:
  • The MCLA and Salem State left the NAC as associate members for men's golf after the 2020 fall season (2019–20 academic year).
  • Cazenovia College, the State University of New York at Cobleskill (SUNY Cobleskill) and the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) joined the NAC in the 2020–21 academic year.
• 2023:
  • Cazenovia left the NAC after the 2022–23 academic year; as the school ceased operations.
  • Eastern Nazarene College and the State University of New York at Morrisville (SUNY Morrisville), with charter member Lesley rejoining, joined the NAC in the 2023–24 academic year.
• 2024 – Four institutions left the NAC to join their future respective primary home conferences, all effective after the 2023–24 academic year:
  • Eastern Nazarene to discontinue its athletics program before ceasing operations on May 2025.
  • SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC)
  • and SUNY Poly to the Empire 8 Athletic Conference (Empire 8)
• 2026 – SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi will leave the NAC to join the SUNYAC, beginning in the 2026–27 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The NAC currently has ten full members, all but three are public schools.

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Colors
Husson University	Bangor, Maine	1898	Nonsectarian	3,476	Eagles	2003
Lesley University [a]	Cambridge, Massachusetts	1909		6,593	Lynx	1996; 2023 [b]
University of Maine at Farmington	Farmington, Maine	1863	Public [c]	1,861	Beavers	2003
University of Maine at Presque Isle	Presque Isle, Maine	1903		1,469	Owls	2018
Maine Maritime Academy	Castine, Maine	1941	Public	941	Mariners	1996
State University of New York at Cobleskill (SUNY Cobleskill)	Cobleskill, New York	1911	Public [d]	2,087	Fighting Tigers	2020
State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi)	Delhi, New York	1913		3,088	Broncos	2019 [e]
Thomas College	Waterville, Maine	1894	Nonsectarian	1,949	Terriers	2003
Vermont State University–Johnson [f]	Johnson, Vermont	1881	Public [g]	1,803	Badgers	2001
Vermont State University–Lyndon [f]	Lyndon, Vermont	1911		1,519	Hornets	2008

Notes

1. This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (Lesley since 2005–06).
2. Lesley initially left the NAC after the 2007–08 school year, but later rejoined before the 2023–24 school year.
3. Part of the University of Maine System.
4. Part of the State University of New York System.
5. Before becoming a full member in the 2019–20 school year, SUNY Delhi had been an associate member in six sports. Men's and women's track joined in 2017–18, while men's golf, men's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis joined in 2018–19. Men's and women's basketball and softball would later join in 2020–21, a year after becoming a full member of the NAC. ^[14]
6. The former Johnson State and Lyndon State Colleges were merged into Northern Vermont University effective July 1, 2018. Both former institutions remain separate campuses, with their own athletic programs. The schools were subsequently merged with Castleton University and Vermont Technical College to become Vermont State University on July 1, 2023.
7. Part of the Vermont State Colleges System.

Associate member

The NAC currently has one associate member, which is also a public school:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Colors	Primary conference	NAC sport(s)
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)	North Adams, Massachusetts	1894	Public	1,202	Trailblazers	2012m.ten.; 2012w.ten.; 2012m.lax.		Massachusetts (MASCAC)	men's tennis; women's tennis; men's lacrosse

Notes

Former members

The NAC has thirteen former full members, all but one were private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Left	Current conference
Bay Path College [a] [b]	Longmeadow, Massachusetts	1897	Nonsectarian	1,400	Wildcats	1996	2008	N/A (USCAA)
Becker College	Worcester, Massachusetts	1784		N/A	Hawks	1999		Closed in 2021
Vermont State University–Castleton [c]	Castleton, Vermont	1787	Public [d]	2,130	Spartans	2001	2018	Little East (LEC)
Cazenovia College	Cazenovia, New York	1913	Nonsectarian	800	Wildcats	2020	2023	Closed in 2023
Colby–Sawyer College	New London, New Hampshire	1837		1,415	Chargers	2011	2018	Great Northeast (GNAC)
Eastern Nazarene College	Quincy, Massachusetts	1900	Nazarene	772	Lions	2023	2024	Closed in 2024
Elms College [e]	Chicopee, Massachusetts	1928	Catholic (S.S.J.)	1,118	Blazers	1999	2008	Great Northeast (GNAC)
Green Mountain College	Poultney, Vermont	1834	United Methodist	N/A	Eagles	2008	2018	Closed in 2019
Lasell College [e] [f]	Newton, Massachusetts	1851	Nonsectarian	1,800	Lasers	1996	2007	Great Northeast (GNAC)
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences	Boston, Massachusetts	1823		6,010	Cardinals		1999	N/A [g]
Mount Ida College	Newton, Massachusetts	1899		N/A	Mustangs	1999	2007	Closed in 2018
New England College	Henniker, New Hampshire	1946		2,000	Pilgrims	2011	2018	Great Northeast (GNAC)
State University of New York at Canton (SUNY Canton)	Canton, New York	1906	Public [h]	3,122	Roos	2018	2024	S.U. New York (SUNYAC)
State University of New York at Morrisville (SUNY Morrisville)	Morrisville, New York	1908		2,486	Mustangs	2023	2024	S.U. New York (SUNYAC)
State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)	Marcy, New York	1913		3,061	Wildcats	2020	2024	Empire 8 (E8)
Wheelock College	Boston, Massachusetts	1888	Nonsectarian	1,237	Wildcats	1996	2008	N/A [i]

Notes

1. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
2. Currently known as Bay Path University since 2014.
3. Castleton University merged with Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College to become Vermont State University on July 1, 2023.
4. Part of the Vermont State Colleges System.
5. This institution is a former women's college, it has since become a co-educational college (Elms since 1998–99, Lesley since 1997–98, Lesley since 2005–06).
6. Currently known as Lasell University since 2019.
7. Mass Pharmacy discontinued its athletics program after the 1998–99 school year.
8. Part of the State University of New York System.
9. Wheelock was merged into Boston University after the school closed in 2018.

Former associate members

The NAC had ten former associate members, all but two were private schools. This list includes only associate members that have completely departed the NAC. Current full members that had previously housed select sports in the NAC, such as SUNY Delhi, are not included.

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Left	Primary conference	NAC sport
Daniel Webster College	Nashua, New Hampshire	1965	For-profit	1,200	Eagles	2004	2008	Closed in 2017	men's lacrosse
Emerson College	Boston, Massachusetts	1880	Nonsectarian	4,113	Lions	2004	2010	New England (NEWMAC)	men's lacrosse
Lasell College [a] [b]	Newton, Massachusetts	1851	Private	1,800	Lasers	2007	2014	Great Northeast (GNAC)	field hockey
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)	North Adams, Massachusetts	1894	Public	1,202	Trailblazers	2012	2020	Massachusetts (MASCAC)	men's golf
Mount Ida College [c]	Newton, Massachusetts	1899	Nonsectarian	1,300	Mustangs	2007	2010	Closed in 2018	men's lacrosse
Rivier University	Nashua, New Hampshire	1933	Catholic (S.P.M.)	2,300	Raiders	2009	2014	Great Northeast (GNAC)	field hockey
Salem State University	Salem, Massachusetts	1854	Public	7,242	Vikings	2011	2020	Massachusetts (MASCAC)	men's golf
Simmons College [d]	Boston, Massachusetts	1899	Nonsectarian	4,933	Sharks	2000	2014	Great Northeast (GNAC)	field hockey
Saint Joseph's College of Maine	Standish, Maine	1912	Catholic (R.S.M.)	1,000	Monks	2004bs., 2008f.h., 2008m.lax.	2007bs., 2014f.h., 2010m.lax.	Great Northeast (GNAC)	baseball, field hockey, men's lacrosse
Western New England University	Springfield, Massachusetts	1919	Nonsectarian	3,657	Golden Bears	2001	2007	Commonwealth Coast (CCC)	field hockey

Notes

1. Lasell was a full member of the NAC from 1996–97 to 2006–07.
2. Currently known as Lasell University since 2019.
3. Mount Ida was a full member of the NAC from 1999–2000 to 2006–07.
4. Currently known as Simmons University since 2018.

Membership timeline

Sports

A divisional format is used for baseball, basketball (M / W), softball, and volleyball (W).
East Husson Maine–Farmington Maine–Presque Isle Maine Maritime Thomas	West Lesley SUNY Cobleskill SUNY Delhi Vermont State–Johnson Vermont State–Lyndon

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Golf	Y
Lacrosse	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Tennis		Y
Track & Field (Outdoor)	Y	Y
Volleyball		Y

Men's Sports

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Lacrosse	Soccer	Track & Field (Outdoor)	Total NAC Sports
Husson	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Johnson State	N	Y	N	Y	N	Y	Y	4
Lesley	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	6
Lyndon State	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	N	4
Maine–Farmington	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	6
Maine Maritime	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	5
Maine–Presque Isle	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	6
SUNY Cobleskill	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
SUNY Delhi	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	6
Thomas	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	6
Totals	7	10	9	8	5+2	10	8	57+2
Associate Members
Anna Maria					Y			1
MCLA					Y			1

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the NAC

School	Alpine Skiing	Equestrian	Football	Nordic Skiing	Rugby	Sailing	Snowboard	Swimming & Diving	Tennis	Volleyball	Wrestling
Husson			CNE					LEC
Johnson State									E8	NEVC
Lesley									E8
Lyndon State									E8
Maine–Farmington	USCSA			USCSA			USCSA
Maine Maritime			CNE			Y		LEC			NEWA
SUNY Cobleskill		IHSA
SUNY Delhi								LEC	E8
Thomas					NCR				E8

Women's Sports

School	Basketball	Cross Country	Lacrosse	Soccer	Softball	Tennis	Track & Field (Outdoor)	Volleyball	Total NAC Sports
Husson	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Johnson State	Y	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	6
Lesley	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Lyndon State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	7
Maine–Farmington	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	N	6
Maine Maritime	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	5
Maine–Presque Isle	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	6
SUNY Cobleskill	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	6
SUNY Delhi	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Thomas	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Totals	10	9	5	10	9	6	8	9	66

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the NAC

School	Alpine Skiing	Equestrian	Field Hockey	Golf	Nordic Skiing	Rugby	Sailing	Snowboard	Swimming & Diving	Wrestling
Husson			CMCFHC	NWGC					LEC
Maine–Farmington	USCSA		CMCFHC		USCSA			USCSA
Maine Maritime							Y		LEC	IND
SUNY Cobleskill		IHSA		NWGC
SUNY Delhi									LEC
Thomas			CMCFHC			NIRA

Championships

See also: North Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball Championship

The NAC holds championships in the following sports:

• Fall season: men's and women's cross country, field hockey, golf, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis, women's volleyball
• Winter season: men's and women's basketball
• Spring season: baseball, men's lacrosse, softball, men's tennis

References

1. "North Atlantic Conference - NAC". www.nacathletics.com. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
2. NAC Timeline
3. "Colby-Sawyer and Regis to Join GNAC as Full Members" (Press release). Great Northeast Athletic Conference. June 9, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
4. "Castleton to Join Little East Conference in 2018-19" (Press release). Castleton Spartans. May 4, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
5. "Green Mountain to leave NCAA". Rutland Herald . Rutland, VT. June 13, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
6. "New England College to Join the NECC in 2018-2019" (Press release). New England Collegiate Conference. July 31, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
7. "UMPI among two additions to North Atlantic Conference". November 27, 2017.
8. "SUNY Delhi to Join the NAC in 2019" (Press release). North Atlantic Conference. November 30, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
9. "North Atlantic Conference Expands with Three New Members in 2020–21" (Press release). North Atlantic Conference. August 20, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
10. "NAC expands to 12 members - D3sports". 25 August 2019.
11. "SUNYAC Adds 2 Full-Time Members, 5 Associates & Men's Wrestling". 5 October 2023.
12. "SUNY Polytechnic Institute to Join Empire 8 as 12th Full Member in Fall of 2024 - Empire 8 Athletic Conference". November 21, 1023.
13. "SUNYAC adds full members Alfred State, SUNY Cobleskill & SUNY Delhi, 4 associates". 5 October 2023.
14. "SUNY Delhi to Join the North Atlantic Conference as Associate Member in Six Sports" (Press release). North Atlantic Conference. April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018.

External links

• Official website