EDISON, NJ (Oct. 23, 2023) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced today the addition of Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University as its newest member institutions effective July 1, 2024.
Merrimack and Sacred Heart will join Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University and Siena College as full member institutions in the MAAC. The addition of these two institutions will propel the conference to an all-time membership high of 13 for the 2024-25 academic year.
"This is a significant and exciting day for the MAAC as we welcome two outstanding institutions to our conference,” said MAAC Commissioner Travis Tellitocci. “The addition of both schools extends our presence in major metropolitan areas, elevates our brand and enriches our conference. We are proud to welcome the Merrimack and Sacred Heart student-athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni and fans to the MAAC.”
“Merrimack and Sacred Heart are two institutions that share our emphasis on the overall well-being of our student-athletes,” said MAAC President and Quinnipiac University President Judy Olian. “We’re a conference that has always prided itself on the academic focus of our student-athletes, their character, alongside their athletic distinctions. All of us in the MAAC are enthusiastic to expand the conference with these two schools as they share our values and commitment to the academic, athletic and personal growth of our students.”
Merrimack College sponsors an expansive athletics program of 28 teams, 16 for women and 12 for men. Merrimack is in its first year of full Division I eligibility following its recent four-year reclassification process. Merrimack enjoyed unprecedented success during the transition, winning multiple Northeast Conference championships, including regular season men’s basketball championships in 2019-20 and 2022-23 and the tournament championship in March 2023.
“Merrimack College’s strategic plan, the
Agenda for Future, guides our institution’s ambition as a nationally-recognized Catholic research university and calls for excellence in academics, research and athletics,” said Merrimack College President Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D. “We are pleased that our record of achievement and growth has resulted in this invitation to compete in the MAAC and partner with its outstanding member institutions whose values of academic integrity, athletic achievement, inclusive excellence and community engagement align with our Catholic Augustinian mission. I want to thank the MAAC Council of Presidents and Commissioner Tellitocci for their support and confidence in Merrimack.”
Sacred Heart University is home to 33 varsity sports and over 1,000 student-athletes. The Pioneers have captured 73 Northeast Conference team championships and a league-best nine Commissioner's Cups for overall league supremacy since joining the league in 1999. Sacred Heart student-athletes have also been prolific in the classroom, winning four NEC institutional academic awards. Pioneer teams, which earned four NCAA Tournament bids in 2022-23, have accumulated five national championships, while SHU notched the NEC’s first women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament victory in March of 2023.
“This is an exciting day for Sacred Heart University,” said Sacred Heart University President John J. Petillo, Ph.D. “As one of the fastest growing Catholic universities in the country, we have many accomplishments to be proud of. As we look to continue our rise, the student experience remains at the forefront of our strategic initiatives. The invitation to join the MAAC aligns with our institutional goals allowing us to provide an exceptional competitive environment for our student-athletes, as well as associating ourselves with a group of like-minded institutions. We are excited for all MAAC members to experience our campus and our community.”
Founded in 1980, the MAAC began its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year and is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. The MAAC’s geographic footprint will extend into the state of Massachusetts with the addition of Merrimack. Located in the suburbs of Boston, Merrimack places the conference squarely within one of the nation's Top 10 media markets. The addition of Sacred Heart strengthens the MAAC footprint by joining Fairfield and Quinnipiac as the conference’s third member institution in the state of Connecticut. With these two additions, the conference is now comprised of 13 schools spanning five states – Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.
The MAAC currently sponsors 23 NCAA Division I sports and championships with the MAAC champions earning automatic berths 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 golf, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, 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 23 NCAA Division I sports, the conference also sponsors Esports, which includes four Esports Championships.
About Merrimack College:
One of only two Catholic Augustinian colleges in the United States, Merrimack College is a rising institution with a decade-long trajectory of growth and innovation. Merrimack is a selective, research-oriented, master’s comprehensive institution with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and graduate students from 34 states and 36 countries, comprising schools of arts and sciences, engineering and computational sciences, nursing and health sciences, education and social policy, and business. The college’s 220-acre campus is just north of Boston in North Andover, Mass.
About Sacred Heart University:
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers nearly 90 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. More than 10,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Social Work; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 389 Colleges: 2024 Edition, and Best Business Schools: 2023 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With institutions strongly bound by the principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. The addition of Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will elevate the conference from 11 to 13 full members for the 2024-25 academic year. For more information, visit MAACsports.com and follow @MAACSports on Instagram, Twitter and on Facebook (facebook.com/MAACSports).