The North Atlantic Conference has begun reversing a recent exodus from its membership, adding the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the State University of New York at Canton to its ranks as of July 1, 2018.
UMPI and SUNY Canton will begin competition as members of the NAC beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year, joining the University of Maine-Farmington, Husson University of Bangor, Johnson State College, Lyndon State College, Maine Maritime Academy of Castine and Thomas College of Waterville.
“The addition of Canton and UMPI fulfills an ongoing strategic initiative by the NAC Presidents’ Council to expand conference membership and provide the highest-quality experience for our institutions, athletic programs and student-athletes,” said council chair and UMF president Dr. Kathryn A. Foster.
The additions of UMPI and SUNY Canton will give the NAC eight full-time members, one more than the seven required by the NCAA to qualify a conference for an automatic berth to its Division III national tournaments.
The NAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament in numerous sports had been jeopardized by the decisions of four current members — Castleton University and Green Mountain College of Vermont and New Hampshire entries New England College and Colby-Sawyer University — to accept other conference affiliations beginning with 2018-2019.
Those departures alone would have left the NAC with only six full-time member schools, though the conference would have had a two-year grace period to re-stock its ranks before losing its NCAA automatic bid.
The County is pleased to feature content from our sister company, Bangor Daily News. To read the rest of “UMPI among two additions to North Atlantic Conference,” an article by contributing Bangor Daily News staff writer Ernie Clark, please follow this link to the BDN online.
