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Coastal Athletic Association

The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA),[1] formerly the ECAC South Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association, is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I whose full members are located in East Coast states, from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Most of its members are public universities, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond. The CAA was historically a Southern conference until the addition of four schools in the Northeastern United States (of five that joined from rival conference America East) after the turn of the 21st century, which added geographic balance to the conference.

The CAA was founded in 1979 as the ECAC South Conference, made up of independent schools which played basketball in the Eastern College Athletic Conference's South Region Division I men's basketball tournament. During its first two seasons, its members continued to play basketball as independents during the regular season and take part in the ECAC's South Region tournament for independents, but it began conference play in basketball in the 1981–1982 season. It was renamed the Colonial Athletic Association in 1985 when it added championships in other sports (although a number of members maintain ECAC affiliation in some sports). As of 2006, it organizes championships in 21 men's and women's sports. The addition of Northeastern University in 2005 gave the conference the NCAA minimum of six football programs needed to sponsor football. For the 2007 football season, all of the Atlantic 10 Conference's football programs joined the CAA football conference, as agreed in May 2005. The football league operates under CAA administration as the legally separate entity of CAA Football.

The most recent changes to the conference membership took place in 2022 and 2023. First, Hampton University, Monmouth University, North Carolina A&T State University, and Stony Brook University joined in 2022. Stony Brook, already a member of CAA Football, joined in other sports at that time; Hampton and Monmouth joined both the all-sports CAA and CAA Football; and NC A&T joined the all-sports CAA in 2022 and joined CAA Football in 2023.[2][3] This was followed by Campbell University joining both sides of the league in 2023.[4] The conference renamed itself the Coastal Athletic Conference in 2023.

History

Logo used until 2013
Coastal Athletic Association
200km
125miles
Charleston
Campbell
North Carolina A&T
Stony Brook
Hampton
Monmouth
William & Mary
UNC Wilmington
Towson
Northeastern
Hofstra
Elon
Drexel
.
Delaware
Location of CAA members:
full member
departing member

The CAA has expanded in recent years, following the exits of longtime members such as the United States Naval Academy, the University of Richmond, East Carolina University, and American University. In 2001, the six-member conference added four additional universities: Towson University, Drexel University, Hofstra University, and the University of Delaware. Four years later the league expanded again when Georgia State University and Northeastern University joined, further enlarging the conference footprint. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) left for the Atlantic 10 Conference in July 2012.[5] More changes came in 2013: Old Dominion University left for Conference USA,[6] Georgia State joined the Sun Belt Conference,[7] and the College of Charleston joined the CAA from the Southern Conference.[8]

On the playing field, the CAA has produced 16 national team champions in six different sports (the most recent being the James Madison University Dukes who won the 2018 Division I Women's Lacrosse championship), 33 individual national champions, 11 national coaches of the year, 11 national players of the year and 12 Honda Award winners. In 2006, George Mason became the first CAA team to reach the Final Four. In 2011, the VCU Rams became the second CAA team to reach the Final Four, as well as the first team to win five games en route, due to their participation in the First Four round.

On March 25, 2013, George Mason University left the CAA to join the Atlantic 10 Conference.[9] Shortly after, the CAA ceased sponsorship of wrestling due to the lack of teams.

The 2015–16 basketball season saw the conference RPI reach its highest rating when it finished the season ranked 9th in the nation.

During another phase of realignment that started in 2021, the CAA was affected when longtime member James Madison University announced it would leave the CAA, transition its football program to the Football Bowl Subdivision, and join the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). Initially, JMU was to join the SBC in July 2023.[10] However, the timeline changed when the CAA chose to ban JMU from subsequent championship events, citing a conference bylaw that allows it to impose such a ban on a departing member. Thus, JMU officially joined the Sun Belt in July 2022 instead (at which time it was counted as an FBS member for scheduling purposes after meeting an NCAA minimum requirement of five FBS opponents at home), housing all of its sports in that league, including men's soccer, which would be sponsored by the SBC again, but one season earlier.[11][12]

Shortly before JMU announced its departure, it was reported that the CAA sought to expand by several schools, allowing it to split into a divisional format for most of its sports in order to reduce travel costs for its members. Among the schools named as possible candidates were Fairfield University, Howard University, Monmouth University, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.[13][14] In January 2022, reports emerged that Hampton University, a historically black institution that had been working toward a CAA move since at least 1995, would likely join the CAA that July. Monmouth was again named as a potential CAA expansion candidate. Also, Stony Brook University, already a member of CAA Football, was named as a candidate for membership in the all-sports CAA.[15] On January 18, local media in Monmouth's home of New Jersey reported that a CAA invitation to that school was imminent.[16]

The CAA later announced on January 25 that Hampton, Monmouth, and Stony Brook would become members of the all-sports CAA that July, with Hampton and Monmouth joining Stony Brook in CAA Football.[17] On February 22, the CAA announced that North Carolina A&T State University would join the all-sports CAA that July and CAA Football in 2023.[3] Still later, Campbell University was announced as a new member of both sides of the league effective in 2023.[4]

On July 20, 2023, the Colonial Athletic Association rebranded as the Coastal Athletic Association, citing the expansion of the conference footprint throughout the east coast for the change in name; however, the current logo was unchanged.[18]

On November 28, 2023, Delaware announced its departure from the CAA and transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) joining Conference USA on July 1, 2025.[19]

Commissioners

Joe D'Antonio

Member schools

Full members

Current full members

Notes
  1. ^ Delaware will depart the CAA for CUSA on July 1st, 2025.
  2. ^ Delaware is legally chartered as a "privately governed, state-assisted" institution. This status is broadly similar to that of New York's statutory colleges, mostly housed at Cornell University, or institutions in Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education.
  3. ^ North Carolina A&T joined CAA Football in 2023.
  4. ^ Stony Brook has been a member of CAA Football since 2013.
  5. ^ Towson joined the league as a charter member in the 1979–80 season, left after the 1980–81 season to join the ECAC-Metro Conference (now known as the Northeast Conference), and rejoined the CAA effective the 2001–02 season.

Former full members

Notes
  1. ^ University of Baltimore dropped intercollegiate athletics after the 1982–83 academic year.
  2. ^ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  3. ^ The main George Mason campus has a Fairfax mailing address, but lies in an area of unincorporated Fairfax County designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as George Mason, Virginia.

Associate members

In all tables below, dates of joining and departure reflect the calendar years these moves took effect. For spring sports, the year of arrival is the calendar year before the first season of competition. For fall sports, the year of departure is the calendar year after the final season of competition.

Current associate members

Notes
  1. ^ La Jolla is a neighborhood of San Diego that has its own postal identity.
  2. ^ While the CAA officially announced UC San Diego's entry into CAA rowing in March 2021, the Tritons competed during the spring 2021 season, part of the 2020–21 school year.[20]
  3. ^ UConn planned to drop women's rowing after the 2020–21 season,[22] but after a federal judge issued a restraining order against the university in a Title IX lawsuit brought by team members, the university announced that it would reinstate the sport for a minimum of two years.[23]

Former associate members

Notes
  1. ^ Mailing address is Binghamton.
  2. ^ Boston University dropped wrestling after the 2013–14 school year.
  3. ^ The mailing address is Buffalo, but virtually all of the main campus is in the adjacent town of Amherst.
  4. ^ Buffalo dropped women's rowing after the 2016–17 school year.
  5. ^ Liberty dropped wrestling after the 2010–11 school year.
  6. ^ UNC Greensboro dropped wrestling after the 2010–11 school year.
  7. ^ Villanova men's lacrosse left the CAA once the Big East began sponsoring the sport in the 2009–10 school year. Villanova has been a CAA women's rowing member since 2015–16, and is also a CAA Football member.
  8. ^ Wagner dropped wrestling after the 2008–09 school year.

Membership timeline

Campbell UniversityBig South ConferenceASUN ConferenceASUN ConferenceBig South ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsStony Brook UniversityAmerica East ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsNew England Collegiate Conference (Division II)NCAA Division III independent schoolsSkyline ConferenceNCAA Division III independent schoolsNorth Carolina A&T State UniversityBig South ConferenceMid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceMonmouth UniversityMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceNortheast ConferenceHampton UniversityBig South ConferenceMid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceCentral Intercollegiate Athletic AssociationElon UniversitySouthern ConferenceBig South ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsSouth Atlantic ConferenceConference CarolinasCollege of CharlestonSouthern ConferenceASUN ConferenceNAIA independent schoolsNortheastern UniversityAmerica East ConferenceAmerica East ConferenceAmerica East ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsSun Belt ConferenceGeorgia State UniversityASUN ConferenceASUN ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsSun Belt ConferenceHofstra UniversityAmerica East ConferenceAmerica East ConferenceEast Coast Conference (Division I)Drexel UniversityAmerica East ConferenceAmerica East ConferenceEast Coast Conference (Division I)Conference USAUniversity of DelawareAmerica East ConferenceAmerica East ConferenceEast Coast Conference (Division I)Atlantic 10 ConferenceVirginia Commonwealth UniversityMetro ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceUniversity of North Carolina at WilmingtonNCAA Division I FBS independent schoolsPatriot LeagueAmerican UniversityEast Coast Conference (Division I)American Athletic Conference USAConference USAEast Carolina UniversityNCAA Division I FBS independent schoolsCollege of William & MarySun Belt ConferenceJames Madison UniversityAtlantic 10 ConferenceGeorge Mason UniversityAtlantic 10 ConferenceUniversity of RichmondPatriot LeagueUnited States Naval AcademySun Belt ConferenceConference USASun Belt ConferenceOld Dominion UniversityTowson UniversityAmerica East ConferenceBig South ConferenceEast Coast Conference (Division I)Northeast ConferenceTowson UniversityNortheast ConferenceSaint Francis University (Pennsylvania)Landmark ConferenceCapital Athletic ConferenceOld Dominion Athletic ConferenceThe Catholic University of AmericaUniversity of Baltimore

Full members (non-football)  Other Conference  Other Conference 

Sports

The CAA sponsors championship competitions in ten men's and thirteen women's NCAA sanctioned sports. Eleven schools are associate members in three sports.[24] This does not include football, administered by the CAA through the separate entity of CAA Football.

Men's sponsored sports by school

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the CAA which are played by CAA schools
Notes
  1. ^ Sailing is a coeducational sport sanctioned by the Intercollegiate Sailing Association and not the NCAA.
  2. ^ Squash is a coeducational sport that is not sanctioned by the NCAA.

Women's sponsored sports by school

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the CAA which are played by CAA schools
Notes
  1. ^ Equestrianism is part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, but the national championship is sanctioned by the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and not the NCAA. While several conferences exist under the IHSA umbrella, the NCAA treats all women's equestrian teams that do not compete within a recognized NCAA conference as independents.
  2. ^ Sailing is a coeducational sport sanctioned by the Intercollegiate Sailing Association and not the NCAA.
  3. ^ Squash is a coeducational sport that is not sanctioned by the NCAA.
  4. ^ Triathlon is part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, but the national championship is sanctioned by the sport's national governing body, USA Triathlon, and not the NCAA. No NCAA conference in any division currently sponsors this sport.
  5. ^ Delaware plays women's ice hockey at club level in the ACHA, but treats this club as a varsity team. Delaware announced they will begin women's ice hockey as an NCAA varsity sport in 2025 and the team will play in Atlantic Hockey America.

In addition to the above, Charleston counts its female cheerleaders (though not its male cheerleaders) and all-female dance team as varsity teams. Neither cheerleading nor dance team competitions are sponsored by the NCAA.

Current champions

RS = regular-season champion; T = tournament champion

Men's basketball

Regular season champions

Note: The conference was known as the ECAC South from 1979 to 1985.

History of the tournament final

Men's CAA tournament championships and finalists

Former member of the CAA

Broadcasters

Women's basketball

Regular season champions

History of the tournament finals

Women's CAA tournament championships and finalists

Former member of the CAA

Football

Men's soccer

Regular season champions

Note: The conference was known as the ECAC South from 1983 to 1985.

List of CAA regular season champions.[25]

All-time conference championships

Note: In the 2020–21 season, impacted by COVID-10, the CAA split into North and South Divisions, with conference play solely within each division, for that season only. No champion is included for this season.

Facilities

Departing member indicated in pink.

References

  1. ^ Washburn, Rob (July 20, 2023). "CAA Changes Official Conference Name To Coastal Athletic Association". Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "CAA adding three new schools to conference". ESPN.com. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "CAA Welcomes North Carolina A&T as Newest Member of the Conference" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Campbell University Accepts Invitation To Join The CAA In 2023" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  5. ^ "Atlantic 10 Conference Adds VCU as Full Member" (Press release). Atlantic 10 Conference. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on May 19, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  6. ^ McMurphy, Brett (May 17, 2012). "ODU will join C-USA in 2013". CBS Sports. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  7. ^ McMurphy, Brett (April 7, 2012). "Sun Belt adding Georgia State". College Football Insider. CBS Sports. Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  8. ^ "College of Charleston Accepts Invitation to Join the CAA in 2013" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. November 30, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  9. ^ Goff, Steven (March 25, 2013). "George Mason to join Atlantic 10 in July, leaving CAA". The Washington Post.
  10. ^ "James Madison Joins Sun Belt Conference" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  11. ^ "James Madison to Compete in Sun Belt Conference in 2022-2023" (Press release). James Madison University Athletics. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  12. ^ "Sun Belt Conference Announces Return of Men's Soccer This Fall" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. April 6, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  13. ^ O'Connor, John (October 26, 2021). "CAA exploring expansion, two-division setup that would reduce travel costs". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  14. ^ Gaither, Steven J. (October 26, 2021). "Could HBCUs be in play for new-look CAA?". HBCU Gameday. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  15. ^ "Hampton University, CAA look to finally make it happen". HBCU Gameday. January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  16. ^ Zagoria, Adam (January 18, 2022). "Monmouth is leaving MAAC, Big South for Colonial Athletic Association". nj.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  17. ^ "CAA Welcomes Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as New Members" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  18. ^ "CAA Changes Official Conference Name To Coastal Athletic Association" (Press release). Coastal Athletic Association. July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  19. ^ "CUSA Adds Delaware, Blue Hens to join in 2025" (Press release). Conference USA. November 28, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  20. ^ "UC San Diego Joins the CAA as an Associate Member in Women's Rowing" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. March 26, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  21. ^ "UConn to Join the CAA as an Associate Member in Women's Rowing" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. December 4, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  22. ^ "UConn Announces Changes to Division of Athletics" (Press release). UConn Huskies. June 24, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  23. ^ "UConn Huskies reinstate women's rowing team after Title IX challenge to cut". ESPN. Associated Press. July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  24. ^ "CAASports.com—Official Web Site of the Colonial Athletic Association". Colonial Athletic Association. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  25. ^ "2023 CAA Men's Soccer Record Book" (PDF). Colonial Athletic Association. January 4, 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2023.

External links