WELLESLEY, Mass. (Feb. 28, 2012) – The
New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference
(NEWMAC) Presidents' Council announced today the addition of
Emerson College as the conference’s 11th member, marking
the first expansion of conference membership in 14 years. The
Presidents' Council voted unanimously to extend an invitation for
membership to Emerson, and the College will join the NEWMAC for the
2013-14 academic year, sponsoring teams in baseball, men’s
and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, women's
lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's
tennis and women's volleyball.
"On behalf of the NEWMAC Presidents' Council, I am thrilled to
welcome Emerson College into our conference," said Lynn Pasquerella, President of Mount Holyoke
College and chair of the NEWMAC Presidents' Council. "Emerson
clearly demonstrates the commitment to academic and athletic
excellence that is at the center of the NEWMAC's mission,"
President Pasquerella added.
"On behalf of the Emerson College community, it gives me great
pleasure to accept the invitation to join the NEWMAC as its
11th member," said Emerson College President Lee Pelton. "We are proud to be
counted among such distinctive academic institutions and the
opportunities our association with them will offer to our student
athletes to develop the capacities for leadership, excellence, and
collaboration that are so important to succeed in life."
The addition of Emerson fulfills an ongoing strategic initiative
by the NEWMAC Presidents' Council to expand conference membership
in order to provide the highest-quality experience for its
institutions, athletic programs and student-athletes. The College's
mission and values are consistent with those of the NEWMAC and its
academic uniqueness and standards and geographic proximity to the
current NEWMAC members fit the expectations of the conference.
NEWMAC President and Mount Holyoke Director of Athletics,
Laurie Priest, added, "The NEWMAC supports the
highest standards of excellence in Division III athletics, and
Emerson College clearly shares all of the NEWMAC's core values
including excellence, integrity, commitment, equity and diversity.
We are delighted to welcome Emerson into the NEWMAC and know they
will enhance the competitive opportunities for our
student-athletes."
Emerson Athletic Director, Kristen Parnell, remarked, "This is
truly an exciting opportunity for Emerson Athletics, as we feel the
NEWMAC offers Emerson an elite level of competition and academic
excellence that pairs perfectly with the mission of both the
College and the Athletic Department."
Emerson becomes the NEWMAC’s first new member since the
addition of Springfield College and the United States Coast Guard
Academy in 1998, which coincided with the establishment of the
conference in its current form, as the former New England
Women’s 8 Conference (NEW 8) began sponsoring regular season
and championship competition for men.
The NEW 8 began play in 1985-86 as the New England Women's 6
Conference (NEW 6). Its charter members were Babson College,
Brandeis University, MIT, Smith College, Wellesley College and
Wheaton College. Mount Holyoke College and WPI joined in 1988, and
the name was changed to the NEW 8 Conference. At the conclusion of
the 1994-95 academic year, Brandeis University withdrew from the
NEW 8 to join the University Athletic Association, and Clark
University accepted membership, keeping the NEW 8's membership at
eight institutions.
About the NEWMAC: The New England Women's and
Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) is an association of 10
selective academic institutions that are committed to providing
high quality competitive athletic opportunities for
student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment
that embodies the NCAA Division III philosophy.
About Emerson College: Located in Boston, Massachusetts, opposite the historic Boston Common and in the heart of the city’s Theatre District, Emerson College educates individuals who will solve problems and change the world through engaged leadership in communication and the arts, a mission informed by liberal learning. The College has 3,453 undergraduates and 837 graduate students from across the United States and 50 countries. Supported by state-of-the-art facilities and a renowned faculty, students participate in more than 80 student organizations and performance groups, 14 NCAA teams, student publications, honor societies, television stations including the Emerson Channel, and WERS-FM, the nation’s highest rated student-run radio station. Emerson is internationally known for its study and internship programs in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., the Netherlands, London, China and the Czech Republic.
Conference Timeline
1984-85 | The New England Women's 6 Athletic Conference (NEW6) is formed. The charter members are: Babson College, Brandeis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Smith College, Wheaton College and Wellesley College. |
1985-86 | First year of NEW 6 regular season and championship competition in cross country and basketball. |
1986-87 | First year of regular season competition in volleyball. |
1987-88 | With the addition of Mount Holyoke College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), the conference changes its name to the New England Women's 8 (NEW 8). First year of regular season and championship competition in field hockey, soccer, tennis and softball. First year of championship in volleyball. |
1990-91 | First year of regular season competition in lacrosse. |
1991-92 | First year of championship in rowing. |
1992-93 | First year of championship in lacrosse. |
1993-94 | First year of track and field championship. |
1995-96 | Clark University joins the NEW 8. First year of championship in swimming and diving. |
1998-99 | The NEW 8 expands its membership to include Springfield College and the United States Coast Guard Academy. The conference changes its name to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference. NEWMAC begins sponsoring regular season and championship competitions for men. |
2003-04 | The NEWMAC establishes a conference office in September, 2003. |
2011-12 | Emerson College joins the NEWMAC as a full member beginning in the 2013-14 academic year. |