As conference shifts shake up collegiate athletics nationally, Salve Regina finds new home
NEWPORT — Say goodbye to the traditional conference rivalry games with Roger Williams, Endicott and Western New England. Say hello to new ones against the likes of Babson, Springfield and Wheaton.
Salve Regina University on Wednesday announced its plan to move from the Commonwealth Coast Conference to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference effective July 1, 2023.
The Seahawks will be the 12th core member of the NEWMAC and will begin participating in conference play at the start of the 2023-2024 academic year. In addition to the aforementioned schools, other core members are: Clark, Emerson, MIT, the Coast Guard Academy, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Wellesley, and WPI.
Salve Regina will participate in 16 of the NEWMAC's 20 sports, increasing team sponsorship and championship field size while bolstering the competitiveness within the conference, regionally and nationally in Division III, the university said in a press release.
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"Becoming a member of the NEWMAC is a wonderful opportunity for our student-athletes and staff to grow and succeed regionally and nationally," Salve Regina Athletic Director Jody Mooradian said in a prepared statement. "While we have had great success in our current conference and enjoy the relationships we have there, we look forward to collaborating with a new set of administrators, coaches and student athletes."
According to its website, NEWMAC was established in 1998, when the former New England Women's 8 Conference voted to begin sponsoring conference play and championships for men.
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At that time, the conference expanded its membership to include Springfield College and the United States Coast Guard Academy. Emerson College became the 11th full-time member of the conference in 2013.
The Seahawks will compete in the NEWMAC in the following sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, women's track and field and volleyball.
Salve Regina College, along with Anna Maria College, Curry College, Emerson College, Hellenic College and Wentworth Institute of Technology, was a charter member of the CCC when it was established for the 1984-85 academic year.
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The NEWMAC conference office will begin work immediately to develop conference schedules for the 2023-2024 season and beyond, as conference play in fall of 2023 will begin mid-September.
"As our conference continues to emerge out of the pandemic stronger than ever, I'm confident that Salve Regina's addition to the NEWMAC provides strength, stability, and opportunity," said Mary-Beth Cooper, Springfield College president and chair of the NEWMAC Presidents Council, Mary-Beth Cooper.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Salve Regina University athletics to play in NEWMAC starting in 2023
