2008-2009

With 10 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is in its 28^th year of competition during the 2008-2009 academic year.

The MAAC was founded in 1980 by six charter members: the U.S. Military Academy, Fairfield University, Fordham University, Iona College, Manhattan College and Saint Peter’s College. Competition followed one year later in the fall of 1981 with members competing in the sports of men’s cross country and men’s soccer. On January 2, 1982, Army traveled to Iona for the first MAAC men’s basketball game and the MAAC story had begun.

Today, Conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Loyola College (Md.), Manhattan College, Marist College, Niagara University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s College, and Siena College. In addition, associate members Mount St. Mary’s University, Providence College, Saint Joseph’s University, Virginia Military Institute and Wagner College compete in men’s lacrosse.  St. Francis (N.Y.) College, Villanova University and Wagner College are all associate members of the MAAC Women’s Water Polo League. The MAAC will support 24 sports and championships during the 2008-2009 academic year.

The MAAC Basketball Championships return to the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, for 2009 and 2010, with Bridgeport’s Arena at Harbor Yard preparing to host the 2011 championship.  By having an excellent working relationship with various facilities, the MAAC has been able to attract a number of NCAA Championship events.  Most recently, the MAAC, Canisius College and Niagara University successfully hosted the 2004 and 2007 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York.  All three parties will host that event again in 2010.  The MAAC and Rider University will co-host the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Regional at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J., after recording the third highest attendance figure for the women’s championship with the First and Second Rounds in 2006.

MAAC Associate Sports

In June of 1995, the MAAC continued to develop opportunities for student-athletes as the conference announced the formation of the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Leagues.  The men’s league began competition in the spring of 1996, while the women’s league commenced in the spring of 1997.  The men’s league consists of four MAAC schools -- Canisius, Manhattan, Marist, and Siena – and five associate members – Mount St. Mary’s, Providence, Saint Joseph’s, Virginia Military Institute and Wagner.  The women’s league consists of MAAC institutions Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Manhattan, Marist, Niagara and Siena.

In 2002, the MAAC added the MAAC Women’s Water Polo League.  The league is made up of three MAAC schools – Iona, Marist and Siena – as well as three associate members, St. Francis (N.Y.), Villanova and Wagner.

Academics and Athletics

The MAAC prides itself on the accomplishments of its student-athletes in the classroom, as well as on the field. Mary Beth Riley, a 1991 graduate of Canisius, was the first recipient of the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. In the fall of 1998, Erin Whalen, a member of the Iona women’s rowing team, was awarded one of the nation’s 32 Rhodes Scholarships for academic achievement and civic leadership.  Jose Vargas, a Loyola student, was also awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1999.

First-class facilities are the rule with MAAC schools, as teams regularly play in top-notch arenas, such as Madison Square Garden, the IZOD Center, HSBC Arena, Times Union Center, the Arena at Harbor Yard and Sovereign Bank Arena.  The other MAAC championships boast their share of outstanding locales as well, such as the fabled Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, where the cross country championships are contested, and Waterfront Park in Trenton, home of the baseball championship.  This year, the MAAC will take its Cross Country Championships to Orlando, Florida, where it will conduct its post-season championships at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.  In 2009, the MAAC Women’s Soccer Championship will be at Walt Disney World.  The MAAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships will move to Celebration Golf Club, located in Celebration, Florida, beginning in 2009.

In the past several years, a number of the MAAC schools have also enjoyed success in NCAA Championships.  MAAC schools have made a total of 72 NIT appearances and 41 NCAA appearances.  In addition, Rider University represented the league last season in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational (CBI).  Combined with recent bracket expansion in several sports, the MAAC possesses 12 automatic bids in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s water polo and men’s lacrosse.  In 2007, the Marist women’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 before falling to the eventual National Champion, the University of Tennessee.  Last fall, the Iona College men’s cross country team finished second at the 2007 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.  Canisius softball, Manhattan track, Manhattan and Marist baseball and Loyola soccer and lacrosse have also flourished on the national stage.

The MAAC has also been a leader in the forefront of technology, expanding the notoriety of the league into cyberspace.  In 2007, the league retained XOS Technologies, Inc., to sponsor the MAAC web page.  Launched in November 1999, www.maacsports.com has been a great success, providing fans with up-to-date contest results, fan polls and an online merchandise store.

The MAAC President for the 2008-2009 academic year is Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J., the President of Loyola College.  The Vice-President is Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., the President of Fairfield University.  Pat Lyons, Director of Athletics at Iona College, will chair the Committee on Athletic Administration, and Sandra Taylor, Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator at Manhattan College will serve as Vice Chair.