Capital Athletic Conference

The Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located throughout the United States in the states of California, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Capital Athletic Conference
CAC
Established1989
AssociationNCAA
DivisionDivision III
Members11 (8 in 2021)
Sports fielded
  • 20
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 11
RegionMid-Atlantic
HeadquartersFredericksburg, Virginia
CommissionerChris Roekle (since 2020)
Websitewww.cacsports.com
Locations

History

Formed in 1989, the charter members were The Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, the University of Mary Washington, Marymount University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and York College of Pennsylvania. Goucher College joined the CAC in 1991, followed by Salisbury University in 1993. Hood College, Stevenson University, and Wesley College all formally joined the conference for the 2007–08 season, although Hood and Stevenson had already joined for some sports in the 2006–07 season. CUA and Goucher College left the conference in 2007–08 to become members of the new Landmark Conference. Gallaudet left the conference after the 2009-10 season for the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) for some sports. Stevenson and Hood left the CAC for the Middle Atlantic Conferences effective July 1, 2012.[1] The CAC added three members on July 1, 2013: Christopher Newport University, Penn State Harrisburg, and Southern Virginia University. Southern Virginia transitioned from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and became eligible for conference championships in the 2014–15 season.[2]

The CAC lost two members at the end of the 2017–18 school year with Marymount and Wesley leaving to become charter members of the new Atlantic East Conference.[3] Two more members are set to leave after the 2018–19 school year. Frostburg State announced that it planned to transition to NCAA Division II and join the Mountain East Conference, pending NCAA approval.[4] Penn State Harrisburg, which left the NEAC to join the CAC in 2013, will return to its prior conference home.[5] The CAC will lose another member in 2019–20 when York leaves for the MAC Commonwealth Conference.[6]

Later changes to the Capital Athletic Conference membership were announced in December 2019 with the departures of Southern Virginia University and St. Mary's College of Maryland, respectively set to join the USA South Athletic Conference and North Eastern Athletic Conference in the 2021–22 academic year.[7][8]

On April 30, 2020 and May 20, 2020 the University of Mary Washington and Salisbury University respectively announced that they would join the Metropolitan Swimming Conference starting in the 2020-21 school year.[9][10] St. Mary's College of Maryland, joined the Atlantic East Conference as an associate member for men's and women's swimming and diving. After these transitions and the loss of York College of Pennsylvania swimming will no longer be sponsored by the CAC.

On May 26, 2020, it was announced that the American Collegiate Athletic Association would merge with the Capital Athletic Conference. The ACAA will have all of its full members join the CAC in the 2020–21 school year, and the expanded CAC is planning to adopt a new name. Pine Manor College, which recently entered into a partnership with Boston College, will participate in the Conference for the 2020-21 academic year only in four sports: men's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball and baseball. The post-merger conference will not conduct regular-season competition in any sports; members will establish their own schedules, with NCAA championship bids handed out in conference tournaments or championship meets, depending on the sport.[11][12]

Member schools

Current members

The league currently has eleven full members. Departing members are highlighted in red.

Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined
University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, California Banana Slugs 1965 Public 19,700 2020-21
Christopher Newport University Newport News, Virginia Captains 1961 Public 5,186 2013–14
Finlandia University Hancock, Michigan Lions 1896 Private/Lutheran 507 2020-21
University of Mary Washington Fredericksburg, Virginia Eagles 1908 Public 4,862 1989–90
Mills College† Oakland, California Cyclones 1852 Private 1,345 2020-21
Mount Mary University† Milwaukee, Wisconsin Blue Angels 1913 Private/Catholic 1,209 2020-21
Pine Manor College Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts Gators 1911 Private 419 2020-21
Pratt Institute Brooklyn, New York Cannoneers 1877 Private 4,829 2020-21
St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City, Maryland Seahawks 1840 Public 1,950 1989-90
Salisbury University Salisbury, Maryland Sea Gulls 1925 Public 7,383 1993–94
Southern Virginia University Buena Vista, Virginia Knights 1867 Private/LDS 1,106 2013–14

† - Women's college, therefore not competing in men's sports.

Associate members
Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined Primary Conference CAC Sport
New Jersey City University Jersey City, New Jersey Gothic Knights 1929 Public 7,300 2013–14 NJAC men's golf
William Paterson University Wayne, New Jersey Pioneers 1855 Public 10,970 2013–14 NJAC men's golf

Former members
Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined Left Current Conference
The Catholic University of America Washington, D.C. Cardinals 1887 Private 6,705 1989–90 2006–07 Landmark
Frostburg State University Frostburg, Maryland Bobcats 1898 Public 5,215 2010-11 2018–19 MEC (D-II)
Gallaudet University Washington, D.C. Bison 1864 Private 2,340 1989–90 2009–10 NEAC
Goucher College Towson, Maryland Gophers 1885 Private 2,375 1989–90 2006–07 Landmark
Hood College Frederick, Maryland Blazers 1893 Private 3,856 2007–08 2011–12 MAC Commonwealth
Marymount University Arlington, Virginia Saints 1950 Private 3,684 1989–90 2017–18 AEC
Penn State-Harrisburg Lower Swatara, Pennsylvania Lions 1966 Public 3,441 2013–14 2018–19 NEAC
Stevenson University Stevenson, Maryland Mustangs 1947 Private 3,929 2007–08 2011–12 MAC Commonwealth
Wesley College Dover, Delaware Wolverines 1873 Private 2,400 2007–08 2017–18 AEC
York College of Pennsylvania York, Pennsylvania Spartans 1787 Private/Nonsectarian 5,367 1989–90 2019-20 MAC Commonwealth

Membership timeline
Pratt InstitutePine Manor CollegeMount Mary UniversityMills CollegeFinlandia UniversityUniversity of California, Santa CruzSouthern Virginia UniversityPenn State HarrisburgChristopher Newport UniversityFrostburg State UniversityWesley College (Delaware)Stevenson UniversityHood CollegeSalisbury UniversityGoucher CollegeYork College of PennsylvaniaSt. Mary's College of MarylandMarymount UniversityUniversity of Mary WashingtonGallaudet University

Sports

The CAC sponsors championships in the following sports:

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
Y
Basketball
Y
Y
Cross Country
Y
Y
Field Hockey
Y
Golf
Y
Y
Lacrosse
Y
Y
Soccer
Y
Y
Softball
Y
Tennis
Y
Y
Track and field (indoor)
Y
Y
Track and field (outdoor)
Y
Y
Volleyball
Y

References
  1. "Stevenson and Hood to Join MAC". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 2012-08-13. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  2. "Capital Athletic Conference Adds Penn State-Harrisburg; The Lions Join CNU & SVU As New Full Members In 2013-14" (Press release). Capital Athletic Conference. July 26, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2012.
  3. "Atlantic East has name, formal announcement". D3sports.com. March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  4. "Frostburg State Set To Join Mountain East Conference" (Press release). Bridgeport, West Virginia: Mountain East Conference. July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  5. "NEAC Welcomes Penn State Harrisburg for 2019-20" (Press release). North Eastern Athletic Conference. July 9, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  6. "MAC to Add York (Pa.) as 18th Member Beginning in 2020-21" (Press release). Middle Atlantic Conferences. April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  7. "Southern Virginia Set to Join USA South" (Press release). Southern Virginia University Athletics. December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  8. "St. Mary's College of Maryland to Join North Eastern Athletic Conference in 2021" (Press release). North Eastern Athletic Conference. December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  9. "UMW Men's & Women's Swimming Accepts Membership in Metropolitan Collegiate Swimming Conference" (Press release). UMW Athletics. April 30, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  10. "Salisbury Swimming accepts membership in Metropolitan Collegiate Swimming and Diving Conference" (Press release). Salisisbury Eagles Athletics. May 20, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  11. "ACAA and Capital Athletic Conference Join Forces" (Press release). American Collegiate Athletic Association. May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  12. "CAC Announces Conference Expansion; Adds Six Member Institutions" (Press release). Capital Athletic Conference. May 26, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
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