State University of New York Athletic Conference

History

Recent changes

Chronological timeline

• 1958 – On September 19, 1958, the SUNYAC was founded as the New York State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Charter members included the Albany, SUNY|New York State College for Teachers at Albany], the Brockport State Teachers College, the State University College for Teachers at Buffalo, State [University of New York College at Cortland|Cortland State Teachers College], the New York State College for Teachers at New Paltz, the State University College of Education at Oneonta, Oswego State Teachers College, Plattsburgh State Normal and Training School and the New York State College for Teachers at Potsdam, beginning the 1958–59 academic year.
• 1959 – Geneseo Normal and Training School and Fredonia State Teachers College joined the SUNYAC in the 1959–60 academic year.
• 1963 – The NYSIAC was rebranded as the State University of New York Athletic Conference in the 1963–64 academic year.
• 1973 – Harpur College joined the SUNYAC in the 1973–74 academic year.
• 1978 – The University at Buffalo joined the SUNYAC in the 1978–79 academic year.
• 1983 – Women's sports became part of the SUNYAC in the 1983–84 academic year.
• 1988 – SUNY Buffalo left the SUNYAC to join the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as an Division I independent schools|NCAA D-I Independent] after the 1987–88 academic year.
• 1991 – The State University of New York at Utica/Rome joined the SUNYAC in the 1991–92 academic year.
• 1995 – SUNY Albany left the SUNYAC to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA [Division II independent schools|NCAA D-II Independent] after the 1994–95 academic year.
• 1997 – SUNY Binghamton left the SUNYAC to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent after the 1996–97 academic year.
• 2007 – The State University of New York at Morrisville joined the SUNYAC in the 2007–08 academic year.
• 2008 – SUNYIT left the SUNYAC to join the North East Athletic Conference after the 2007–08 academic year.
• 2009 – SUNY Morrisville left the SUNYAC to join the NEAC at the end of the 2008–09 academic year; while the school has since remained in the league as an associate member from 2009–10 on forward for field hockey and men's ice hockey.
• 2023:
• * Six institutions joined the SUNYAC as associate members, all effective in the 2023–24 academic year:
• ** Ithaca College, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. John Fisher University and Utica University for men's wrestling; all coming from the defunct wrestling-only Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference
• ** and the State University of New York at Canton and former full member SUNY Morrisville for women's ice hockey; both coming from the defunct ice hockey-only Northeast Women's Hockey League
• 2024:
• * SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo left the SUNYAC to join the Empire 8 Athletic Conference after the 2023–24 academic year; while SUNY Brockport remained in the league as an associate member for men's wrestling.
• * SUNY Canton upgraded as a full member for all sports in the 2024–25 academic year.
• * Five institutions joined the SUNYAC as associate members, all effective in the 2024–25 academic year:
• ** Alfred State College, Hilbert College and Pennsylvania State University at Erie, The Behrend College and the State University of New York at Cobleskill for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field
• ** and the State University of New York at Delhi for men's and women's indoor track & field
• 2025:
• * Ten institutions will join the SUNYAC as associate members, all effective in the 2025–26 academic year:
• ** Elmira College for men's wrestling
• ** Hobart College and Skidmore College for men's ice hockey
• ** Pennsylvania State University at Altoona, Penn State–Behrend and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford for men's and women's swimming & diving
• ** Salisbury University for field hockey
• ** SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi for men's and women's cross country
• ** and William Smith College for women's ice hockey
• 2026:
• * SUNY New Paltz will leave the SUNYAC to join the New Jersey Athletic Conference at the end of the 2025–26 academic year.
• * Alfred State, SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi will upgrade as full members of the SUNYAC for all sports, beginning the 2026–27 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

Future full members

Affiliate members

Former members

Membership timeline

• Buffalo left to join the East Coast Conference while reclassifying to Division I and the Mid-American Conference
• Albany and Binghamton left to join the New England Collegiate Conference while reclassifying to Division I and the America East Conference
• SUNYIT left to join the North Eastern Athletic Conference
• Morrisville State left to join the North Eastern Athletic Conference

Sports