BARD COLLEGE JOINS NEW NORTH EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. ― Bard College has signed on as a charter member of the newly formed North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC). The new conference, comprising 12 NCAA Division III colleges from New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, will begin conference play in the 2004-05 season.
"Our move to the NEAC is timely," said Kristen Hall, Bard's director of athletics. "Out student athletes and coaches are excited about the new relationships we will make with other conference members." Bard, which has been a member of the NCAA Division III since 1991, has also been a member of the Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference for seven years and the Hudson Valley Men's Athletic Conference for three years. "Our student athletes are very focused on continuing to enhance their experiences with other NCAA institutions, and our membership in the NEAC will bring them new challenges and new opportunities," Hall said. James Brudvig, Bard's vice president for administration, added, "Bard's move into the new NEAC is a testament to the success of our athletic program."
Bard currently sponsors 11 varsity programs: men's and women's basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and men's squash.
With nine full NCAA Division III members, the NEAC will be eligible for NCAA recognition immediately and automatic Division III tournament qualifier status from the NCAA in 2006-2007, according to David Sweet, acting NEAC commissioner and athletic director at Keuka College. Conference members include: Keuka College (Keuka Park, NY), Cazenovia College (Cazenovia, NY), Baptist Bible College (Clarks Summit, PA), Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson, NY), Chestnut Hill College (Philadelphia, PA), D'Youville College (Buffalo, NY), Keystone College (La Plume, PA), Pennsylvania State University-Berks (Reading, PA), Philadelphia Biblical University (Langhorne, PA), Polytechnic University (Brooklyn, NY), Purchase College (Purchcase, NY), and Villa Julie College (Stevenson, MD).
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