SYRACUSE, NY – The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) will welcome Salisbury University to the conference as an associate member in the sport of field hockey beginning in the fall of 2025.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, June 18, by Commissioner Tom DiCamillo following a recommendation by the SUNYAC Board of Directors (Athletic Directors) and approval by the SUNYAC Presidents Council.
"The addition of Salisbury to the SUNYAC not only secures the automatic qualifier for the league but also vastly enhances the strength of schedule for the rest of our conference teams," DiCamillo explained. "Salisbury was looking for a conference to call home and the SUNYAC was looking for a strong partner committed to supporting the sport of field hockey. We are looking forward to an exciting experience for our student-athletes."
A five-time NCAA Division III National Champion, Salisbury has a storied history in the sport of field hockey that features 38 NCAA Tournament appearances including reaching the National Semifinals 15 times, and 29 consecutive NCAA Tournament bids dating back to 1994 – the longest active streak in the NCAA.
"We are honored and excited to accept the SUNYAC's invitation to join as an associate member for field hockey," Monica Polizzi, director of athletics and campus recreation, said. "Becoming a member of the SUNYAC will greatly enhance our student-athlete experience within the sport, both in the regular season and postseason. We are thrilled to be given this opportunity to help grow and contribute to the SUNYAC field hockey brand and identity."
The Sea Gulls have been led by National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame Head Coach Dawn Chamberlin for nearly four decades. Chamberlin completed her 37th season in 2023 and has compiled a phenomenal 566-135-8 record during her tenure at Salisbury.
"I am excited to see Salisbury field hockey become the newest member of the SUNYAC," Chamberlin said. "An outstanding student-athlete experience is one of the things we value most here at Salisbury University, and this move further solidifies our commitment to that ideal. We are looking forward to competing with our new conference counterparts in 2025."
Six conference members are required to sponsor a sport for that league to receive an automatic qualifying berth to the NCAA Division III National Championship tournament. The SUNYAC will compete with five programs in 2024 – Cortland, Morrisville, New Paltz, Oneonta and Oswego – but will retain its automatic qualifier to the Division III National Championship tournament this coming fall.
When Salisbury joins the SUNYAC in 2025, the conference will meet the NCAA requirements with six sponsoring members.
This marks the sixth round of SUNYAC expansion in the last year and increases the conference associate membership to 13 institutions sponsoring 32 teams in 10 different sports beginning in 2025-26. The SUNYAC has 10 full members and sponsors championships in 22 sports.
Just over a year ago, the SUNYAC boasted one associate member competing in two sports while sponsoring 20 conference championships.
"The growth in the SUNYAC has been unprecedented and illustrates the strength of the league and its position as one of the premier NCAA Division III conferences," DiCamillo said. "There is no doubt we continue to strengthen our conference."
The expansion of the SUNYAC began on May 12, 2023, when the conference absorbed the Northeast Women's Hockey League that had operated as a separate entity and was overseen by DiCamillo.
Buffalo State, Cortland, Oswego, Plattsburgh and Potsdam brought their women's programs into the SUNYAC, while Canton and Morrisville became associate members in the sport. The SUNYAC also admitted Canton as an associate member in men's ice hockey.
Almost five months later on Oct. 5, the SUNYAC invited Canton and Morrisville to become full members, added Alfred State in men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field, and returned men's wrestling to the fold as a conference sport after roughly a three-decade absence.
SUNYAC men's wrestling featured full member institutions Brockport, Cortland, Oneonta and Oswego, and added Ithaca, RIT, St. John Fisher and Utica to round out the eight-team league. Brockport will become an associate member in the sport this coming year.
On April 10, the SUNYAC strengthened its ice hockey conference by adding Hobart – the two-time NCAA Division III National Champion – and Skidmore on the men's side, and William Smith as the eighth team for the women. The programs will begin competition in 2025-26.
Two days later on April 12, the SUNYAC admitted SUNY Delhi and Hilbert as associate members in indoor and outdoor track & field beginning this year, while Delhi's cross country programs will begin competition in the fall of 2025.
On May 14, the SUNYAC announced a partnership with the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference to bring an exciting joint league championship to Buffalo in February.
The SUNYAC-AMCC Championship will be held at the Burt Flickinger Center on the downtown campus of SUNY Erie (formerly Erie Community College) Feb. 19-22 and will feature 10 institutions sponsoring 20 men's and women's programs all competing for a conference title, individual medals, and an opportunity to secure NCAA Division III National Championship Qualifying Times.
The 10 participating programs are all public institutions. The SUNYAC will be represented by six universities (Cortland, Fredonia, New Paltz, Oneonta, Oswego and Potsdam), while Alfred State, Penn State Altoona, Penn State Behrend and Pitt-Bradford will represent the AMCC.
