MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Presidents' Council announced Tuesday the addition of SUNY Morrisville for full-time membership to begin league competition during the 2023-24 campaign.

Morrisville, along with Lesley University, will join member institutions from SUNY Canton, Cazenovia College, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Delhi, UMaine-Farmington, Husson University, Northern Vermont University - Johnson, Northern Vermont University - Lyndon, Maine Maritime Academy, SUNY Poly, UMaine-Presque Isle, and Thomas College (ME).

"This is a momentous day for SUNY Morrisville Athletics," said Athletic Director Matt Grawrock.
 
"We are privileged and honored to have been offered membership in the North Atlantic Conference. We are looking forward to renewed rivalries with fellow schools in the SUNY system as well as new opportunities with members in the East division.
 
"I want to thank NAC Commissioner Marcella Zalot for her invitation and the way she has helped us in this transition. I am grateful for President David Rogers and his vision and leadership to help us take this step to assist our student-athletes and coaches in striving for excellence in all they do. 
 
"I am confident that our student-athletes will benefit from a changing geography and conference alignment. Our coaches will have the opportunity to thrive as we allow for competitions with common ties and travel-friendly dates."

The addition of both SUNY Morrisville and Lesley University continues the NAC's ongoing strategic initiative to build membership and provide high-quality educational experiences for institutions and students. This marks the fourth league expansion in four years for the conference and brings full membership to 14.

"All of us at SUNY Morrisville are looking forward to joining the North Atlantic Conference with the onset of the 2023-2024 academic year," said SUNY Morrisville President, Dr. David Rogers.

"Our entire community, especially our student-athletes and coaches, are looking to rekindle some traditional rivalries while also forging new relationships. We are excited about joining a conference so deeply committed to values shared by NCAA DIII colleagues."

The Conference established an East and West divisional structure with the addition of six institutions over the past three years. SUNY Morrisville will join the Western Division, competing against Northern Vermont University – Lyndon, SUNY Canton, Cazenovia College, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Delhi and SUNY Polytechnic. Lesley University will become a member of the East Division.

In a statement provided from NAC Commissioner Marcella Zalot, the addition of both institutions not only brings stability, but strengthens the model of divisional membership for the league.
 
"Today we became stronger as a conference by adding two institutions, one in our East division and one in our West division," said Zalot. 
 
"Expansion is about strengthening our divisional model and the long-term stability of the NAC. We were fortunate to find two wonderful institutions to help us achieve our goals. I welcome them and look forward to working with their leadership, coaches and staffs to provide exceptional opportunities for all NAC student athletes, both present and future."
 
Morrisville sponsors 14 intercollegiate NCAA Division III sports, including 10 sponsored by the NAC - men's & women's basketball, men's & women's cross country, men's & women's lacrosse, men's & women's soccer, softball, and women's volleyball. The Mustangs also sponsor football, men's and women's ice hockey, and field hockey. They also sponsor co-ed hunt seat & western equestrian teams that compete within the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.
 
"While a move to the NAC is a wonderful opportunity for our athletics program and we are excited for the future in the conference, there is also a sadness to leave the United East," Grawrock said.
 
"This was not an easy decision and our membership in the United East has been incredibly rewarding. To step away from a conference that has provided a wonderful history for our athletics department is never simple. I am grateful to everybody in the United East. We will miss the opportunities for constant competition with all of the institutions in the league, and hopefully will have the opportunity to compete in non-conference games in the future."
 
SUNY Morrisville began membership with the United East (formally known as the North Eastern Athletic Conference) in 2009 and during its time as a full-time member, has claimed 26 league championship titles in six sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's soccer, and men's and women's basketball; alongside individual titles three times in cross country. The success of the Mustangs athletics program within the league has awarded 23 total appearances in the NCAA Division III Championship tournament, earning regional and national recognition for its student-athletes and coaches.
 
"Our future in the NAC is bright," Grawrock said. "As we recover from a challenging two years as an institution, I know that this new alignment can catapult us to stronger and more competitive teams. I look forward to the new relationships we will build with the NAC schools and teams.
 
"We look forward to the 2023-24 campaigns and our place in the conference. I am confident that this move will help everyone from our student-athletes to coaches, from athletic staff to alumni, and the entire Morrisville community attain excellence! It's a great day to be a Mustang!"
 
SUNY Morrisville's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.
 
The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2022 issue and was among the top 10 performers for social mobility, and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2022 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about SUNY Morrisville, visit www.morrisville.edu.