EDISON, NJ (May 2, 2022) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) today announced the addition of Mount St. Mary’s University as its newest member institution. The Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers will become a full conference member at the start of the 2022-23 academic year. The MAAC Council of Presidents unanimously voted to accept Mount St. Mary’s on April 22, with their membership officially effective on July 1, 2022.
“On behalf of the MAAC Council of Presidents and the Committee on Athletic Administration, I am pleased to announce that Mount St. Mary’s University has been offered and has accepted membership in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, effective on July 1, 2022,” said MAAC Commissioner, Rich Ensor. “The MAAC membership has sought to maintain a brand that stresses excellence in academics and athletics and Mount St. Mary’s fully meets those criteria. I want to thank Dr. Timothy Trainor, President of Mount St. Mary’s and Director of Athletic Lynne Robinson, for their interest in the MAAC and hard work throughout the process. I also want to welcome the Mountaineers coaches, student-athletes and staff to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.”
“We are extremely pleased to welcome the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers into the MAAC, and expand the footprint of the conference into Maryland and the Capitol region,” Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., Niagara University President said. “Having an existing Division I school deeply interested in joining our membership is a sign of strength for the entire conference. I would like to recognize not only Commissioner Rich Ensor for his leadership, but particularly the conference’s board of presidents for their vision and guidance as we worked towards this point in our history.”
Mount St. Mary’s sponsors 24 NCAA Division I athletic programs. The Mount has a storied men’s basketball tradition, including six NCAA Tournament appearances since 1995, the most in the Northeast Conference over that span. Overall, the Mount St. Mary’s athletic department has been on the rise recently, tallying a total of 15 conference championships and eight NCAA appearances since 2016. In 2021-22, the Mount had a pair of NCAA bids (women’s basketball and women’s bowling), after the Mount had five NCAA appearances, including both the men’s and women’s basketball programs in 2020-21. Conference winning teams since 2016 include men’s basketball, women’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, men’s lacrosse, men’s outdoor track and field, women’s indoor track and field, men’s cross country and women’s rugby. Mount St. Mary’s also sponsors Esports, with its 25 athletes competing in League of Legends, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Rocket League, and Valorant. The Esports program has a dedicated space in Purcell Hall, with over 2,200 square feet of floor space. In addition to gaming PCs, there are a number of consoles set up, as well as a booth for casting and streaming.
“What an exciting time for Mount St. Mary’s University.” Director of Athletics Lynne Robinson said. “I want to thank the MAAC Council of Presidents, the Committee on Athletic Administration, and Commissioner Rich Ensor for giving us this tremendous opportunity to become a member of the MAAC. We are honored to join this group of outstanding universities who all have strong traditions and proven commitment to academic excellence and student-athlete success. Joining the MAAC will no doubt energize the entire Mount community and enhance the experience of our student-athletes. We are eager to build upon our strong foundation of academic and athletic success, as we begin this new chapter for Mount Athletics.”
“Today is a great day in the history of Mount St. Mary's University,” said Mount St. Mary’s President, Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D. “In joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, the Mount gains the opportunity to compete with some of the finest Catholic colleges in the Northeast, elevating the university's brand as well as the level of competition for our nearly 600 student-athletes and coaches. I expect basketball games on the Jim Phelan Court to draw even larger crowds and be louder than ever as we face off against excellent competition.”
The MAAC’s geographic footprint will once again extend outside of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with Mount St. Mary’s acceptance. The conference will have a member school in the state of Maryland for the first time since Loyola University Maryland (1989-2013). The addition of Mount St. Mary’s will keep the MAAC membership quantity at 11 institutions in 2022-23 with the departure of Monmouth University. The Mountaineers will join Current conference members Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College on July 1, 2022.
The MAAC will continue to sponsor 24 NCAA Division I sports and championships with the MAAC champions earning automatic qualification to the NCAA Championship in 15 sports. The conference sponsors baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s outdoor track & field, women’s rowing, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s volleyball, and women’s water polo. In addition to the 24 NCAA sports, the league also sponsors Esports and four Esports Championships.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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About Mount St. Mary’s University
Mount St. Mary’s University is a private, liberal arts, Catholic university in the Catoctin Mountains near historic Emmitsburg, Maryland, with a satellite campus in Frederick, Maryland’s second largest city. The university offers more than 80 majors, minors, concentrations and special programs for traditional undergraduate students, and in excess of 20 adult undergraduate and graduate level programs as well as 24 NCAA Division I athletic programs. The Emmitsburg campus is also home to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, the second oldest in the United States, and the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, an idyllic shrine for spiritual reflection located on the hill above the university.