State University of New York Athletic Conference
Intercollegiate athletic conference
State University of New York Athletic Conference Formerly New York State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Association NCAA Founded 1958 Commissioner Tom Di Camillo (since 2014) Sports fielded
Division Division III No. of teams 10 full, 6 affiliates Headquarters Syracuse, New York Region New York Official website sunyacsports.com
The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC ) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III , consisting of schools in the State University of New York system. It was chartered in 1958 as the New York State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference .
History
State University of New York Athletic Conference
100km
Morrisville
New Paltz
Plattsburgh
Oneonta
Potsdam
Cortland
Oswego
Fredonia
Buffalo State
Canton
Locations of SUNYAC members:
Full
Departing
Chronological timeline
1958 – On September 19, 1958, the SUNYAC was founded as the New York State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NYSIAC). Charter members included the New York State College for Teachers at Albany (now the University at Albany), the Brockport State Teachers College (now the State University of New York at Brockport), the State University College for Teachers at Buffalo (now Buffalo State University), Cortland State Teachers College (now the State University of New York at Cortland), the New York State College for Teachers at New Paltz (now the State University of New York at New Paltz), the State University College of Education at Oneonta (now the State University of New York at Oneonta), Oswego State Teachers College (now the State University of New York at Oswego), Plattsburgh State Normal and Training School (now the State University of New York at Plattsburgh) and the New York State College for Teachers at Potsdam (now the State University of New York at Potsdam), effective beginning the 1958-59 academic year.
1959 – Geneseo Normal and Training School (now the State University of New York at Geneseo) and Fredonia State Teachers College (now the State University of New York at Fredonia) joined the SUNYAC, effective in the 1959-60 academic year.
1963 – The NYSIAC has been rebranded as the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC), effective in the 1963-64 academic year.
1973 – Harpur College (now Binghamton University) joined the SUNYAC, effective in the 1973–74 academic year.
1978 – The University at Buffalo joined the SUNYAC, effective in the 1978–79 academic year.
1983 – Women's sports became part of the SUNYAC, effective in the 1983–84 academic year.
1988 – SUNY Buffalo left the SUNYAC to join the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an NCAA D-I Independent , effective after the 1987–88 academic year.
1991 – The State University of New York at Utica/Rome (now the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly)) joined the SUNYAC, effective in the 1991–92 academic year.
1995 – SUNY Albany left the SUNYAC to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent , effective 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 , effective after the 1996–97 academic year.
2007 – The State University of New York at Morrisville (also known as Morrisville State College) joined the SUNYAC, effective in the 2007–08 academic year.
2008 – SUNYIT left the SUNYAC to join the North East Athletic Conference (NEAC; now known as the United East Conference), effective after the 2007–08 academic year.
2009 – SUNY Morrisville left the SUNYAC to join the NEAC after a tenure of two seasons, effective after the 2008–09 academic year. But the school has since remained in the league as an associate member from 2009–10 on forward for the sports of field hockey and ice hockey.
2023 – SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo both announced that they would become full members of the Empire 8 starting in the 2024-25 season. [ 1]
2023 – SUNYAC announced that absorbed the NEWHL women's ice hockey league and started to sponsor the sport. 5 full members of SUNYAC were members of the NEWHL and SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville became affiliate members of SUNYAC in that sport in the 2023–24 season.[ 2]
2023 – SUNYAC announced that started to sponsor men's wrestling effective immediately in 2023-24 academic year, absorbing the remnants of the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference, 4 full members of SUNYAC sponsors the sport. SUNYAC also welcomed Ithaca, RIT, St. Johns Fisher and Utica as affiliate members in that sport. Also in the same date, SUNYAC announced that SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville will join the conference as full members starting in 2024-25.[ 3]
2025 – SUNY New Paltz announced that they would leave the SUNYAC after the conclusion of the 2025-26 season to join the New Jersey Athletic Conference .[ 4]
Member schools
Current members
The SUNYAC currently has ten full members, all are public schools:
Institution
Location[ a]
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Nickname
Joined
Colors
State University of New York Buffalo State University Buffalo
1871
Public[ b]
8,339
Bengals
1958
State University of New York at Canton Canton
1906
3,122
Roos
2024[ c]
State University of New York at Cortland Cortland
1868
6,832
Red Dragons
1958
State University of New York at Fredonia Fredonia
1826
3,780
Blue Devils
1959
State University of New York at Morrisville Morrisville
1908
2,486
Mustangs
2007;[ d]
State University of New York at New Paltz New Paltz
1828
7,489
Hawks
1958
State University of New York at Oneonta Oneonta
1889
6,733
Red Dragons
1958
State University of New York at Oswego Oswego
1861
7,636
Lakers
1958
State University of New York at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh
1889
5,257
Cardinals
1958
State University of New York at Potsdam Potsdam
1816
3,098
Bears
1958
Notes
^ All cities are located within the State of New York.
^ Part of the State University of New York System.
^ Affiliate member of the SUNYAC for women's ice hockey since 2023.
^ Full member of SUNYAC from 2007–2009; affiliate member for field hockey and men's ice hockey since 2009 and women's hockey hockey since 2023
Affiliate members
The SUNYAC currently has six affiliate members, all but two are private schools:
Notes
^ All cities are located within the State of New York.
Future affiliate members
The SUNYAC had five former full members, all were public schools:
Notes
^ All cities are located within the State of New York.
^ All cities are located within the State of New York.
^ Also known as the State University of New York at Albany.
^ Part of the State University of New York System.
^ a b c Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
^ Also known as the State University of New York at Binghamton.
^ Also known as the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Membership timeline
Conference facilities
Institution
Basketball Arena
Capacity
Football Stadium
Capacity
Ice Hockey Arena
Capacity
Buffalo State
Buffalo State Sports Arena
3,500
Coyer Field
3,000
Buffalo State Ice Arena
1,800
Cortland
Whitney T. Corey Gymnasium
3,500
SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex
6,500
Alumni Arena
2,500
Fredonia
Steele Hall Fieldhouse
3,300
Non-Football School
N/A
Steele Hall Ice Arena
1,100
New Paltz
Hawk Center
1,800
Non-Football School
N/A
Non-Ice Hockey School
N/A
Oneonta
Dewar Arena
4,000
Non-Football School
N/A
Non-Ice Hockey School
N/A
Oswego
Max Ziel Gymnasium
3,500
Non-Football School
N/A
Campus Center Ice Arena
2,500
Plattsburgh
Memorial Hall
1,000
Non-Football School
N/A
Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena
1,924
Potsdam
Jerry Welsh Gymnasium
3,600
Non-Football School
N/A
Maxcy Ice Arena
2,500
Sports
The SUNYAC sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in the following sports:
School Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming & Diving
Track & Field
Track & Field
Wrestling
Total SUNYAC Sports
Brockport Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
Buffalo State N Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N 7
Cortland Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
Fredonia Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N 8
Geneseo N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 8
New Paltz Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N N 6
Oneonta Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y 9
Oswego Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
Plattsburgh Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 8
Potsdam N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N 8
Totals 7
10
10
8+1[ a]
8
10
9
9
9
4+4[ b]
90
^ Affiliate member SUNY Morrisville.
^ Affiliate members Ithaca, RIT, St. John's Fisher and Utica.
School Basketball
Cross Country
Ice Hockey
Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming & Diving
Tennis
Track & Field
Track & Field
Volleyball
Total SUNYAC Sports
Brockport Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
Buffalo State Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y 10
Cortland Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12
Fredonia Y Y N N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 10
Geneseo Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
New Paltz Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Y 9
Oneonta Y Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11
Oswego Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 12
Plattsburgh Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y 10
Potsdam Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N Y Y Y 10
Totals 10
10
5+2[ a]
6+1[ b]
10
10
10
9
8
9
9
10
109
^ Affiliate members SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville.
^ Affiliate member SUNY Morrisville.
School Equestrian
Golf
Gymnastics
Brockport No
No
Independent
Buffalo State No
No
No
Cortland No
Independent
Independent
Geneseo Independent
Independent
No
New Paltz Independent
No
No
Oswego No
No
No
Plattsburgh No
No
No
Potsdam No
No
No
See also
References
External links
Current full members Current affiliate member Former full members
Leadership and governance Flagship campuses University centers University colleges Technology colleges Community colleges Programs Institutes Other
