Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

History

The conference 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 officially began the next year, in the sports of men’s cross-country and men’s soccer.

Competition in men's and women's basketball began in the 1981-1982 season. In 1984, the MAAC received an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, where Iona was the first team to represent the MAAC on the men's side. In 1982, Saint Peter's was the first women's basketball team to represent the MAAC in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.

The conference currently possesses 15 automatic bids to NCAA Championships. In 2012–13, the MAAC became eligible for its 15th NCAA Championship when Women's Rowing fulfilled qualifying requirements.

The league added football in 1993, discontinuing it following the 2007 season.

From 1997 to 2003, the MAAC sponsored ice hockey. At that time, the hockey league split from the MAAC and changed its name to Atlantic Hockey. Also in 1997, Marist College and Rider University moved the majority of their intercollegiate athletic programs to the MAAC with the intent the MAAC would enhance media exposure and competition to their men's and women's Division I basketball programs.

In September 2011, the conference announced the launch of MAAC.TV, the league's first broadband network. The MAAC is also in the midst of a three-year agreement to have their March men's and women's basketball conference tournaments held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In March 2012, for the first time in 16 years, the MAAC had two teams advance to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, with Loyola earning the league's automatic bid and Iona garnering an at-large bid.

In July 2013 Quinnipiac University and Monmouth University joined the MAAC to replace Loyola University Maryland, which departed to join the Patriot League. Also in 2013 the MAAC announced that it would add field hockey as its 25th sport with league play beginning in the 2013-14 academic year.

Over the conference's history MAAC teams have achieved national and international acclaim in many sports. In the summer of 2002 the Marist men's varsity eight boat advanced to the semifinals of the Temple Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta. In 2007, the Marist women's basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship. The Red Foxes have recorded five NCAA wins since their run in 2007. In the fall of 2011, the Iona men's cross country team finished tied for ninth place at the NCAA Championship race, extended the Gaels' streak to 10 straight Top 10 national finishes. In basketball MAAC teams have made a total of 80 NIT appearances and 50 NCAA basketball tournament appearances.

Notable MAAC student athletes include Mary Beth Riley, a 1991 graduate of Canisius, who was the first recipient of the NCAA Woman of the Year Award and Erin Whalen, a member of the Iona women's rowing team, who in the fall of 1998, was awarded one of the nation's 32 Rhodes Scholarships for academic achievement and civic leadership.

Full member institutions

The MAAC currently has 11 member institutions.

Former associate member institutions

1. - Robert Morris remains an affiliate in women's rowing.
2. - Rider is now a full member of the MAAC.
3. - Jacksonville remains an affiliate in men's and women's rowing.
4. - Marist is now a full member of the MAAC.
5. - Quinnipiac is now a full member of the MAAC.
6. - Sacred Heart remains an affiliate in field hockey.
7. - VMI remains an affiliate in women's water polo.

Sports

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference sponsors championship competition in ten men's and fourteen women's NCAA sanctioned sports. The conference also sponsors a championship in men's rowing, which is not currently sanctioned by the NCAA.

Men's sponsored sports by school

^¿ = Fairfield's men's lacrosse team does not participate in the MAAC; it currently plays in the Colonial Athletic Association.

^# = Affiliate member Detroit.

^‡ = Affiliate member Jacksonville.

^† = Affiliate member Bryant.

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference which are played by MAAC schools:

Women's sponsored sports by school

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference which are played by MAAC schools:

Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament at-large bids

In 2012, Iona, who is inspired by the all around best player and in the MAAC, Sean Armand, which had lost in the semifinals of that year's MAAC tournament, received a NCAA at-large tournament bid. This was the second time the conference was awarded multiple men's NCAA bids.

After St. Peter’s won the 1995 MAAC tournament, the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament selection committee awarded Manhattan College an at large bid. The Jaspers proved the committee correct by defeating Oklahoma in the first round.

However, the same first-round success Manhattan enjoyed in the 1995 NCAA tournament could not be matched by Iona. In the 2012 NCAAs, the Gaels unexpectedly relinquished a 25-point, first-half lead to the BYU Cougars, falling 78-72 in Dayton, Ohio. Further, Iona's offense, the highest-scoring (per game) in the nation, managed just 17 points in the second half of that upset.

It was the largest comeback in NCAA tournament history, besting the 22-point hole the Duke Blue Devils rallied from to defeat the Maryland Terrapins in the Final Four of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

Football

The MAAC Football League was formed before the 1993 season and folded after the 2007 season.

At its peak in 1997, it consisted of 10 teams:

Champions

Notable sports figures

Some of the notable sport figures who played collegiately and/or graduated from a MAAC school, include: