|
| SUNY-Delhi athletics photo |
The North Atlantic Conference announced it will add SUNY-Delhi as an associate member in six sports, as confirmed by the NAC President’s Council. The Broncos will begin competition under the NAC banner this spring, competing in the 2018 Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Championship.
Along with participation in track and field, Delhi will join the NAC in men’s golf, men’s lacrosse, and men’s tennis in 2018-19, while also participating in women’s tennis in the 2019-20 season.
"We are thrilled to have SUNY Delhi join the North Atlantic Conference as an associate member, said NAC Commissioner Marcella Zalot. “Delhi is a good competitive fit for the NAC. They will assist the conference by solidifying our numbers in several sports and will enhance the quality of competition in these sports. The NAC in turn will help SUNY Delhi by providing a quality athletic conference for a number of their programs. It has truly been a pleasure getting to know their leadership and I welcome their student athletes and coaches into the conference.”
SUNY Delhi will retain its full-time membership with the American Collegiate Athletic Association for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s volleyball and softball. This move is the latest development in the Broncos’ transition to NCAA Division III, where they were accepted as provisional members starting next year. Full-time membership would be slated for 2021-22.
The addition of SUNY Delhi to men’s and women’s track and field this spring will increase the number of participating teams to eight for both genders, while the Broncos will compete as the 11th team in the 2018 Men’s Golf Championship next fall. Delhi will contend against six other team’s in men’s lacrosse and four other men’s tennis teams next spring. In 2019-20, the Broncos will be the seventh NAC women’s tennis program.
"SUNY Delhi Athletics would like to thank Commissioner Zalot and the conference membership for the official acceptance into the North Atlantic Conference,” Delhi athletic director Robert Backus said. “We are very pleased and excited to join the North Atlantic Conference as an associate member. This affiliation will provide an excellent opportunity for several of our sponsored athletics programs to compete at the NCAA Division III level. More importantly, this will benefit our student-athletes overall and allow them the opportunity to compete on a level playing field against conference member institutions."