Atlantic East Conference

The Atlantic East Conference is a newly founded NCAA Division III collegiate athletic conference in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.[1]

Atlantic East Conference
Established2018
AssociationNCAA
DivisionDivision III
Members7 (6 in 2021)
Sports fielded
  • 20
RegionMid-Atlantic
HeadquartersLancaster, Pennsylvania
CommissionerJessica Huntley (since July 2018)
Websiteatlanticeast.com

History
Atlantic East Conference
Location of AEC members: full and departing

Beginning play in July 2018, the league consists of seven private universities, each former members of either the Capital Athletic Conference, since renamed the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference, or the Colonial States Athletic Conference.[2] The charter members consisted of Cabrini University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Immaculata University, Marymount University, Marywood University, Neumann University and Wesley College.

On May 31, 2018, Jessica Huntley was named the inaugural commissioner of the Atlantic East.[3]

On September 16, 2019, the AEC announced its first affiliate member, St. Mary's College of Maryland, who would participate in field hockey starting in the 2020–21 season..[4] This will ultimately be St. Mary's only season in AEC field hockey, as that school will join the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC), which sponsors that sport, for 2021–22 and beyond.[5]

On November 19, 2019, it was announced that William Paterson University will become an affiliate member in men's golf starting in the 2019–20 season. [6]

On January 12, 2020, it was announce that Cedar Crest College would join the AEC as an affiliate member in women's swimming & diving. [7]

On August 17, 2020, it was announced that Gallaudet University would also become an affiliate member in men's and women's swimming and diving.[8] In addition, on August 19, 2020, it was announced that St. Mary's College of Maryland would also be an affiliate member in men's and women's swimming and diving starting in the 2020–21 season. Since St. Mary's future home of the NEAC does not sponsor that sport for either sex, it will presumably remain an AEC affiliate in that sport for the foreseeable future.[9]

On July 9, 2020, Delaware State University announced that it would acquire Wesley College starting in the 2021–22 school year, due to the financial struggles Wesley College has faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [10]

Member schools

Full members
Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined
Cabrini University Radnor, Pennsylvania Cavaliers 1957 Private/Catholic 1,759 2018
Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania Griffins 1948 Private/Catholic 2,017 2018
Immaculata University Immaculata, Pennsylvania Mighty Macs 1940 Private/Catholic 1,043 2018
Marymount University Arlington, Virginia Saints 1950 Private/Catholic 3,684 2018
Marywood University Scranton, Pennsylvania Pacers 1915 Private/Catholic 2,470 2018
Neumann University Aston, Pennsylvania Knights 1965 Private/Catholic 3,000 2018
Wesley College Dover, Delaware Wolverines 1873 Private/United Methodist 2,400 2018
  • Departing member is highlighted in red.

Associate members
Institution Location Nickname Founded Type Enrollment Joined Primary
Conference		 AEC
Sport
Cedar Crest College Allentown, Pennsylvania Falcons 1867 Private 1,885 2020–21 CSAC Women's Swimming
Gallaudet University Washington, D.C. Bison 1864 Private/Quasigovernmental 1,740 2020–21 NEAC Men's & Women's Swimming
St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City, Maryland Seahawks 1840 Public 1,950 2020–21 C2C
(NEAC in July 2021)		 Men's & Women's Swimming
Field Hockey
William Paterson University Wayne, New Jersey Pioneers 1855 Public 10,970 2019–20 NJAC Men's Golf

St. Mary's field hockey will leave the Atlantic East in July 2021 when it joins the North Eastern Athletic Conference, which sponsors that sport. It will remain an AEC swimming member.

Membership timeline
St. Mary's College of MarylandCedar Crest CollegeWilliam Paterson UniversityWesley WolverinesNeumann KnightsMarywood PacersMarymount SaintsImmaculata Mighty MacsGwynedd Mercy GriffinsCabrini Cavaliers

Sports

The Atlantic East sponsored 20 sports at its launch—nine for men and 11 for women.

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballY
BasketballYY
Cross countryYY
Field hockeyY
GolfYY
LacrosseYY
SoccerYY
SoftballY
Swimming & divingYY
TennisYY
Track & field (outdoor)YY
VolleyballY

Men's sponsored sports by school
School Baseball Basketball Cross
country		 Golf Lacrosse Soccer Swimming
& diving		 Tennis Track
& field
(outdoor)		 Total
AEC
Sports
Cabrini Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8
Gwynedd Mercy Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7
Immaculata Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
Marymount Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
Marywood Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
Neumann Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
Wesley Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7
Totals 7 7 7 6+1 7 7 5+2 6 6 58+3
Gallaudet Y 1
St. Mary's Y 1
William Paterson Y 1

    Women's sponsored sports by school
    School Basketball Cross
    country    		 Field
    hockey    		 Golf Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming
    & diving    		 Tennis Track
    & field
    (outdoor)    		 Volleyball Total
    AEC
    Sports
    Cabrini Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
    Gwynedd Mercy Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
    Immaculata Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
    Marymount Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
    Marywood Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
    Neumann Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
    Wesley Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
    Totals 7 7 6+1 6 7 7 6 5+3 6 6 7 70+4
    Cedar Crest Y 1
    Gallaudet Y 1
    St. Mary's Y Y 2

    Current Champions
    Season Sport Women's Champion Mens Champion
    Fall 2019 Cross Country Marywood (X2) Marywood (X2)
    Field Hockey Marywood (X1) N/A
    Soccer Cabrini (X1) Immaculata (X1)
    Volleyball Marymount (X2) N/A
    Winter 2019-20 Basketball Marymount (X2) Wesley (X1)
    Swimming Carbini (X2) Cabrini (X2)
    Spring 2019 Baseball N/A Gwynedd Mercy (X1)
    Golf Marymount (X1) Cabrini (X1)
    Lacrosse Cabrini (X1) Cabrini (X1)
    Softball Neumann (X1) N/A
    Tennis Immaculata (X1) Cabrini (X1)
    Outdoor Track and Field Marywood (X1) Marywood (X1)

    References
    1. "Atlantic East has name, formal announcement". D3sports.com. March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
    2. "A new conference shuffle coming". D3sports.com. June 6, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
    3. "Huntley Named Atlantic East Conference Founding Commissioner". D3sports.com. May 31, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
    4. "St. Mary's College (Md.) to Join Atlantic East as Field Hockey Affiliate". marywoodpacers.com. September 16, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
    5. "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.
    6. "ATLANTIC EAST WELCOMES WILLIAM PATERSON AS MEN'S GOLF AFFILIATE, EFFECTIVE SPRING 2020". atlanticeast.com. November 19, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
    7. "ATLANTIC EAST WELCOMES CEDAR CREST AS WOMEN'S SWIM AND DIVE AFFILIATE, EFFECTIVE FALL 2020". atlanticeast.com. January 12, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
    8. "GALLAUDET TO JOIN ATLANTIC EAST AS ASSOCIATE MEMBER IN MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING, EFFECTIVE FALL 2020". atlanticeast.com. August 17, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
    9. "Atlantic East Welcomes St. Mary's College of Maryland as Men's and Women's Swimming Affiliate, Effective Fall 2020". atlanticeast.com. August 19, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
    10. "University announces an agreement to acquire Wesley College". desu.edu. July 9, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
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