HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY
The New Jersey Athletic Conference was founded in 1985 when the New Jersey State Athletic Conference, a men’s sports conference, merged with their corresponding institutions in the Jersey Athletic Conference, a women’s sports conference. The 10 founding member institutions were Kean College (now University), Montclair State College (now University), Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University), Glassboro State College (now Rowan University), Ramapo College, Rutgers University-Camden, Rutgers University-Newark, Stockton State College (now Richard Stockton College), Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey), and William Paterson College (now University).
While meeting as a joint body to vote on broader policy and procedure matters, the conference continued to operate with separate legislative divisions governing men’s and women’s sports. Throughout its evolution, the conference has been guided by the following operating principles:
· To legislate through bylaws, policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines the administration of the intercollegiate athletic programs of conference members.
· To promote intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the total education program.
· To protect the welfare of the student-athlete.
· To foster and uphold the highest standards of athletic competition and academic integrity.
· To support the principles and practices of Title IX and gender equity.
· To encourage allied membership in appropriate state, regional and national organizations.
· To cooperate with other amateur athletic organizations in promoting intercollegiate athletics.
Championships were originally offered in twelve sports. Today, the NJAC hosts 19 championships, 11 for women (soccer, field hockey, volleyball, tennis, cross country, swimming & diving, basketball, indoor track & field, softball, outdoor track & field, and lacrosse) and eight for men (football, soccer, cross country, swimming & diving, basketball, indoor track & field, baseball, and outdoor track & field) The conference ranks as one of the strongest in NCAA Division III, with member schools capturing 43 national championships over the past 15 years.
In 1999, the New Jersey Athletic Conference added three new chapters to its history. In May, it hired its first Commissioner in Donna Ledwin. In September, the conference amended its constitution to allow affiliate members on a sport-by-sport basis and accepted the State University of New York at Cortland as its first affiliate member for the sport of football. And in October, it revised its constitution and bylaws to merge the men’s and women’s sports divisions into a single decision-making body; to create committees which more directly addressed the needs and interests of the student-athletes and faculty athletic representatives; and to strengthen the partnership between the office of the president and the department of athletics on each of its member’s campuses.
In 2002, the conference named its second Commissioner in Terry Small.
In 2003, historical changes included the expansion of the conference women’s and men’s soccer tournaments to six-team fields; the implementation of divisional play in women’s and men’s basketball; and the expansion of both postseason basketball tournaments to six-team fields.
In 2004, the conference added its second affiliate football member in Western Connecticut State University. Other historical changes in 2004 included the withdrawal of New Jersey City University as a full member; the return to a single-division format for women’s and men’s basketball; and the expansion of the conference baseball tournament to a six-team field.
In 2005, the conference welcomed the return of New Jersey City University back as a full member. In addition, the league softball tournament was expanded to a six-team field.
In 2006, the conference added its third affiliate football member in Buffalo State College. In addition, the league returned to divisional play in women’s and men’s basketball.
In 2008, the conference added Morrisville State College and The College at Brockport as its fourth and fifth affiliate football members respectively. In addition, the conference sponsored women’s and men’s swimming & diving as varsity sports for the first time since 2003 and 1995 respectively. The conference also sponsored women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport for the first time in league history.
In 2009, the conference launched a new interactive web site: www.njacsports.com
NEW JERSEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CONTACT INFORMATION:
Commissioner:
Terry Small
528 Alcyon Boulevard
Pitman, NJ 08071