PITMAN, NJ—Today marks a historic day for the New Jersey Athletic Conference, as State University of New York (SUNY) New Paltz officially becomes the conference's newest full member. The addition marks the first new full-member institution in the conference in 43 years. New Paltz also becomes the first full-member institution in the history of the conference to be located outside the State of New Jersey.
 
With today's effective date, SUNY New Paltz officially begins competition as an NJAC member, departing the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) after a two-year transition period.
 
SUNY New Paltz sponsors 16 varsity sports, and its geographic proximity to the existing NJAC full-member institutions will result in little or no overnight travel for conference regular season contests.
 
Among the key developments accompanying New Paltz's entry: the conference maintains its NCAA automatic qualification in women's tennis, maintains its men’s volleyball sport sponsorship, and men's lacrosse becomes the newest NJAC-sponsored sport.