Misplaced Pages

New England Small College Athletic Conference

Association	NCAA
Founded	1971; 53 years ago (1971)
Commissioner	Andrea Savage (since 1999)
Sports fielded	27 men's: 13 women's: 14
Division	Division III
No. of teams	11
Headquarters	Hadley, Massachusetts
Region	Northeastern New England Mid-Atlantic
Official website	nescac.com
Locations

The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III comprising sports teams from eleven highly selective liberal arts institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The eleven institutions are Amherst College, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, Connecticut College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Tufts University, Trinity College, Wesleyan University, and Williams College.

The conference originated with an agreement among Amherst, Bowdoin, Wesleyan and Williams in 1955. In 1971, Bates, Colby, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts, and Union College joined on and the NESCAC was officially formed. Union withdrew in 1977 and was replaced by Connecticut College in 1982. Members of the conference have some of the largest financial endowments of any liberal arts colleges in the world, with Williams College's $3.89 billion being the largest. Undergraduate enrollment at the schools ranges from about 1,800 (several institutions) to 6,000 (Tufts).

History

Williams began its inaugural football season in 1881 and its rivalry with Amherst College is one of the longest at any level of college football. Bates and Bowdoin have competed against each other athletically since the 1870s and subsequently share one of the ten oldest NCAA Division III football rivalries, in the United States, there is a long history of athletic competition between the two colleges and Colby. Colby began its now most notable hockey rivalry, with Bowdoin in 1922.

In 1899, Amherst, Wesleyan and Williams schools first began to compete together as the "Triangular League". Since then they have continued to play each other in most sports on a regular basis. The conference originated with an agreement among Amherst, Bowdoin, Wesleyan and Williams in 1955. Later, Bates, Colby, Connecticut College, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts joined and the NESCAC was officially formed. The Conference was created out of a concern for the direction of intercollegiate athletic programs and remains committed to keeping a proper perspective on the role of sport in higher education.

Member institutions believe athletic teams should be representative of school's entire student bodies and hew to NCAA Division III admissions and financial policies prohibiting athletic scholarships while awarding financial aid solely on the basis of need. Due to the prestigious reputations of its member schools, the NESCAC is able to attract many of the most athletically and intellectually gifted student-athletes in the country. Members stress that intercollegiate athletic programs should operate in harmony with the educational mission of each institution. Schools are committed to maintaining common boundaries to keep athletics strong yet in proportion to their overall academic mission. Presidents of each NESCAC institution control intercollegiate athletic policy. Conference tenets are usually more restrictive than those of the NCAA Division III regarding season length, number of contests and post-season competition.

Four NESCAC institutions are among the 39 that founded the NCAA in 1905: Amherst, Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams. Prior to 1993 NESCAC generally did not allow member schools to send teams to NCAA championships. Since then all sports except football have had this freedom, many excelling in the NCAA Division III championships. The NACDA Directors' Cup, awarded since 1996 to the college or university in each NCAA Division that wins the most college championships, has been claimed at the Division III level by a NESCAC institution every year except 1998. In the 2012–13 season, four of the top ten NACDA Director's Cup institutions were from NESCAC: Williams (1), Middlebury (3), Amherst (6), and Tufts (8).

Chronological timeline

• 1971: The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) was founded. Charter members included Amherst College, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, Tufts University, Union College, Wesleyan University and Williams College, effective beginning the 1971–72 academic year.
• 1977: Union left the NESCAC, effective after 1976–77 academic year.
• 1982: Connecticut College joined the NESCAC, effective in the 1982–83 academic year.

Member schools

Member colleges of the athletic conference possesses some of the largest financial endowments in the world. As of the 2021-2022 academic year, Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, has the largest endowment of any college in the conference, followed closely by Amherst, and then Bowdoin and Tufts respectively. Admission to NESCAC institutions is often highly competitive, with most member schools touting acceptance rates lower than 15 percent as of the 2020-2021 admissions cycle. Many NESCAC schools are also some of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States, with Williams, Bowdoin and Middlebury being among the 40 oldest institutions in the country.

Current members

The NESCAC currently has 11 full members; all are private schools. Every institution fields a football team except for Connecticut College.

Notes

1. Hamilton also competed in the Liberty League from 1995–96 to 2010–11 before leaving the Liberty in order to fully align with the NESCAC. The school previously held dual membership with both the Liberty and NESCAC conferences.

Former member

Membership timeline

Academics

Many schools in the New England Small College Athletic Conference are known for low grade inflation, grade deflation, and rigorous academic standards. Some members have received limited media coverage over perceived grade inflation and deflation.

The colleges are also known for a range of high and relatively low tuition rates and comprehensive fees. Some of the colleges have been named the most expensive in the United States.

Association of American Universities

Tufts University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities.

Geographic distribution

Most applicants to schools in the NESCAC come from the Northeast, largely from the New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia areas. As all NESCAC schools are located on the East Coast, and all but one are in New England, most graduates end up working and residing in the Northeast after graduation.

Spending and revenue

Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights/licensing, student fees, school funds, and all other sources including TV income, camp income, food, and novelties. Total expenses includes coaching/staff, buildings/grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, and all other costs including recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance costs.

Facilities

Culture

Many colleges banned fraternities and sororities on the grounds of unwarranted exclusivity, and provided on-campus social houses for all students to engage with. Williams College displaced their fraternity system in the 1960s due to high levels of racial and religious discrimination. Williams College President Chandler stated, "there remained the system of blackballing and secret agreements between some fraternities and their national bodies to exclude blacks and Jews... it was essentially a caste system based on socioeconomic status as perceived by students."

Bates rejected the fraternity system in 1855, when it was founded. Colby disbanded its fraternities and sororities in 1984. At Bowdoin, fraternities were phased out in 2000. Despite the lack of Greek life, NESCAC schools are widely known for a prominent drinking culture.

Schools within the NESCAC conference have made institutional efforts to diversify student body, and attract and wide range of students to their institutions. Many schools in the NESCAC provide significant financial aid to help increase the enrollment of lower income and middle class students.

Notable alumni

Schools in the New England Small College Athletic Conference have graduated three U.S. presidents. The first president to graduate from the athletic conference was Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, a Bowdoin graduate of 1824. The 20th president, James A. Garfield, graduated from Williams College in 1856. The third U.S. president to graduate from a NESCAC institution was Calvin Coolidge, who graduated from Amherst College in 1895. President Chester Arthur was an 1848 graduate of Union College, a former NESCAC member, and President Woodrow Wilson was a professor at Wesleyan from 1888 to 1890.

Sports

The New England Small College Athletic Conference sponsors championship competition in 13 men's and 14 women's NCAA sanctioned sports.

Men's sponsored sports by school

School	Base­ball	Basket­ball	Cross Country	Football	Golf	Ice Hockey	Lac­rosse	Rowing	Soccer	Squash	Swimming & Diving	Tennis	Track & Field (outdoor)	Total
Amherst	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	12
Bates	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	12
Bowdoin	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Colby	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Connecticut College	N	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	10
Hamilton	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Middlebury	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	12
Trinity	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	13
Tufts	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Wesleyan	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Williams	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Totals	10	11	11	10	10	10	11	9	11	11	11	11	11	136

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the New England Small College Athletic Conference that are played by NESCAC schools

Notes

1. Not governed or recognized by the NCAA.

Women's sponsored sports by school

School	Basket­ball	Cross Country	Field hockey	Golf	Ice Hockey	Lac­rosse	Rowing	Soccer	Soft­ball	Squash	Swimming & Diving	Tennis	Track & Field (outdoor)	Volley­ball	Total
Amherst	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Bates	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Bowdoin	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	14
Colby	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Connecticut College	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	12
Hamilton	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	14
Middlebury	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	13
Trinity	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	14
Tufts	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	12
Wesleyan	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	14
Williams	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	14
Totals	11	11	11	8	9	11	9	11	10	11	11	11	11	11	145

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the New England Small College Athletic Conference that are played by NESCAC schools

Notes

1. ^ Not governed or recognized by the NCAA.

Football

Until the 2017 season, the 10 football-playing NESCAC schools only played 8 regular season games. On April 27, 2017, the NESCAC announced that it would adopt a full 9-game round robin schedule.

In addition to the ban on postseason play, the NESCAC football league is notable for member teams playing conference games only. While some Division II and Division III teams play only conference schedules, NESCAC is unique in all of its members playing only within conference games.

Baseball

NESCAC Baseball is the only men's sport to utilize divisions. Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Tufts, and Trinity compete in the East Division, while Amherst, Hamilton, Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Williams compete in the West Division. Connecticut College does not sponsor baseball.

The NESCAC has won the College World Series once: by the Trinity Bantams in 2008. Current member schools have appeared in the College World Series a combined total of 5 times.

Notes

1. Tufts made the 1950 College World Series; however, for the purpose of this list only NCAA Division III statistics are included.

NCAA team championships

The Middlebury Panthers lead the NESCAC in NCAA men's titles with 15, while the Williams Ephs lead in women's titles with 30 and in overall NCAA titles with 38. Excluded from this list are all national championships earned outside the scope of NCAA competition, including women's AIAW championships.

The following is a list of NCAA-recognized national team championships by NESCAC schools.

Baseball (1):

• 2008 – Trinity

Men's basketball (3):

• 2003 – Williams
• 2007 – Amherst
• 2013 – Amherst

Women's basketball (3):

• 2011 – Amherst
• 2017 – Amherst
• 2018 – Amherst

Men's cross country (2):

• 1994 – Williams
• 1995 – Williams

Women's cross country (10):

• 2000 – Middlebury
• 2001 – Middlebury
• 2002 – Williams
• 2003 – Middlebury
• 2004 – Williams
• 2006 – Middlebury
• 2007 – Amherst
• 2008 – Middlebury
• 2010 – Middlebury
• 2015 – Williams

Field hockey (10):

• 1998 – Middlebury
• 2007 – Bowdoin
• 2008 – Bowdoin
• 2010 – Bowdoin
• 2012 – Tufts
• 2013 – Bowdoin
• 2015 – Middlebury
• 2017 – Middlebury
• 2018 – Middlebury
• 2019 – Middlebury

Women's golf (1):

• 2015 – Williams

Men's ice hockey (9):

• 1995 – Middlebury
• 1996 – Middlebury
• 1997 – Middlebury
• 1998 – Middlebury
• 1999 – Middlebury
• 2004 – Middlebury
• 2005 – Middlebury
• 2006 – Middlebury
• 2015 – Trinity

Women's ice hockey (5):

• 2004 – Middlebury
• 2005 – Middlebury
• 2006 – Middlebury
• 2009 – Amherst
• 2010 – Amherst
• 2022 - Middlebury

Men's lacrosse (7):

• 2000 – Middlebury
• 2001 – Middlebury
• 2002 – Middlebury
• 2010 – Tufts
• 2014 – Tufts
• 2015 – Tufts
• 2018 – Wesleyan

Women's lacrosse (10):

• 1997 – Middlebury
• 1999 – Middlebury
• 2001 – Middlebury
• 2002 – Middlebury
• 2003 – Amherst
• 2004 – Middlebury
• 2008 – Hamilton
• 2012 – Trinity
• 2016 – Middlebury
• 2019 – Middlebury

Women's rowing (15)

• 2002 – Williams
• 2003 – Colby
• 2006 – Williams
• 2007 – Williams
• 2008 – Williams
• 2009 – Williams
• 2010 – Williams
• 2011 – Williams
• 2012 – Williams
• 2013 – Williams
• 2014 - Trinity
• 2015 – Bates
• 2017 – Bates
• 2018 – Bates
• 2019 – Bates
• 2021 – Bates

Men's soccer (7):

• 1995 – Williams
• 2007 – Middlebury
• 2014 – Tufts
• 2015 – Amherst
• 2016 – Tufts
• 2018 – Tufts
• 2019 – Tufts
• 2021 – Connecticut College

Women's soccer (3):

• 2015 – Williams
• 2017 – Williams
• 2018 – Williams

Softball (3):

• 2013 – Tufts
• 2014 – Tufts
• 2015 – Tufts

Women's swimming & diving (2):

• 1982 – Williams
• 1983 – Williams

Men's tennis (10):

• 1999 – Williams
• 2001 – Williams
• 2002 – Williams
• 2004 – Middlebury
• 2010 – Middlebury
• 2011 – Amherst
• 2013 – Williams
• 2014 – Amherst
• 2016 – Bowdoin
• 2018 – Middlebury

Women's tennis (12):

• 1999 – Amherst
• 2001 – Williams
• 2002 – Williams
• 2008 – Williams
• 2009 – Williams
• 2010 – Williams
• 2011 – Williams
• 2012 – Williams
• 2013 – Williams
• 2015 – Williams
• 2017 – Williams
• 2019 – Wesleyan

Women's indoor track (2):

• 2007 – Williams
• 2019 – Williams

See also

• The Little Ivies: a grouping of small liberal arts colleges, also in the Northeastern United States, comparable to Ivy League universities
• The Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium: three small liberal arts colleges known as the "Maine Big Three"
• The Little Three: three small liberal arts colleges in Massachusetts and Connecticut comparable to the "Big Three"

References

1. "Williams". ephsports.williams.edu. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
2. Nevin, David (1970). Muskie of Maine. Ladd Library, Bates College: Random House, New York. p. 99.
3. Woz, Markus (2002). Traditionally Unconventional. Ladd Library, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine: Bates College. p. 6.
4. Klein, Jeff Z. (November 30, 2012). "Want a Real Rivalry? Try Bowdoin-Colby". Slap Shot. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
5. Duckworth, Henry E. (2000). One version of the facts: my life in ... - Henry Edmison Duckworth - Google Books. Univ. of Manitoba Press. ISBN 9780887553523. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
6. "The Global Language Monitor » Blog Archive » 2011 Top 300 Colleges and Universities Ranked by Internet 'Brand Equity'". Languagemonitor.com. Archived from the original on November 24, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
7. "Around the Courts: College Squash Weekend Highlights (1/30/2011)". College Squash Association. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
8. "M. Squash | Big tuneups versus 'Little Three'". The Daily Pennsylvanian. January 16, 2009. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
9. ^ "NESCAC". nescac.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
10. "NCAA News Archive - Founding members hold true to NCAA educational mission". November 4, 2013. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013.
11. "Williams Reclaims Division III #LSDC Title" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
12. Convey, Eric (November 10, 2015). "Williams College's financial muscle grows with impressive endowment return". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
13. "Williams College Endowment Fund". endowments.com. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
14. "Oldest Universities in the United States | by foundation year".
15. "Class of 2026 Admission Results".
16. "Amherst College to end legacy admissions, expand financial aid".
17. ^ "Class of 2026 Admission Results". College Kickstart.
18. "Bates College - Financial Statements" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
19. "About the Class of 2025".
20. "Bowdoin Releases FY 2021 Endowment Results". News.
21. "Class of 2026 Admitted to Colby - Colby News". Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
22. "Deborah Shufrin Named Chief Investment Officer - Colby News". Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
23. "Admissions Statistics for the Class of 2027". Connecticut College - Admissions Statistics. April 12, 2024. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
24. "CONNECTICUT COLLEGE FY 2023 Financial Statements" (PDF). Office of the Controller Financial Reports. June 30, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
25. "Endowment".
26. "Middlebury Admits Students to the Class of 2026 from Record-Breaking Applicant Pool". April 4, 2022.
27. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change* in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 - PDF Free Download". docplayer.net.
28. "Trinity Community Celebrates the Enrollment of the Class of 2025".
29. "Board of Trustees Hold October Meeting: Endowment Rises to $783 Million, Berger-Sweeney's Contract Extended to 2025". October 26, 2021.
30. "An Early Look at the Undergraduate Class of 2026". March 29, 2022.
31. "Tufts University - Annual Financial Statement 2021" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
32. "Class of 2026 Admissions Results: University Sees Lowest Acceptance Rate on Record". April 4, 2022.
33. "Wesleyan University ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT" (PDF).
34. "College acceptance rate lowers to 8 percent for Class of 2025".
35. "Williams College, Consolidated Financial Statements, June 30, 2021 & 2020" (PDF).
36. ^ Schimler, Stuart (2005). Reaching the Ivory Tower: College Admissions and Beyond. Empire Publishing, Inc. ISBN 9780976624608.
37. "Amherst Mag - When It Comes to Grade Inflation, Think "When in Rome..."". Retrieved November 10, 2018.
38. "The Amherst Student Opinion Grade Inflation Devalues Education". amherststudent-archive.amherst.edu. Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
39. "Grade Inflation : EphBlog". ephblog.com. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
40. Staley, Oliver (June 30, 2011). "Bates Charging $51,300 Leads Expensive U.S. Colleges List". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
41. "Member Institutions and Years of Admission". Association of American Universities. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
42. Clark, Charles E. (2005). Bates Through the Years: an Illustrated History. Edmund Muskie Archives: Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. p. 37.
43. ^ "Equity in Athletics". ope.ed.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
44. Schonfeld, Zach (March 10, 2014). "Inside the Colleges that killed Frats for Good". Newsweek.
45. digitalcommons.colby.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=... Retrieved 2016-04-15
46. "Retrieved 2016-04-15". Archived from the original on April 6, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
47. "BSG discusses NESCAC alcohol survey, printing plan — The Bowdoin Orient". The Bowdoin Orient. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
48. "NESCAC Schools Survey Alcohol Use". The Middlebury Campus. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
49. Zach (September 21, 2011). "NESCAC NEWS: Over 50 Colby Students Facing Alcohol Charges". Wesleying. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
50. "Let's Talk About Booze Part 3". Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
51. "Student Financial Services, Bates College". www.bates.edu. October 4, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
52. "Financial Aid". finaid.williams.edu. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
53. "Franklin Pierce: Life Before the Presidency". Miller Center. March 10, 2016. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
54. "James A. Garfield - U.S. Presidents". HISTORY. October 29, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
55. "Calvin Coolidge: Life Before the Presidency". Miller Center. Archived from the original on January 24, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
56. "Former U.S. President Chester Arthur, Class of 1848, honored on birthday". Union College News Archives. October 5, 2009. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
57. David B. Potts, Wesleyan University, 1831–1910: Collegiate Enterprise in New ... (1999)
58. "New England Small College Athletic Conference". New England Small College Athletic Conference. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
59. "NESCAC Football Moves to Full Round-Robin Schedule". www.nescac.com. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
60. "NESCAC". nescac.com.
61. ^ "CHAMPIONSHIPS YEAR-BY-YEAR SUMMARY" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved October 21, 2021.

External links

• Official website

v t e NCAA Division III ice hockey conferences
Men	Conference of New England Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Middle Atlantic Conferences Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference New England Hockey Conference New England Small College Athletic Conference Northern Collegiate Hockey Association State University of New York Athletic Conference United Collegiate Hockey Conference Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Independents
Women	Conference of New England Middle Atlantic Conferences Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference New England Hockey Conference New England Small College Athletic Conference Northern Collegiate Hockey Association State University of New York Athletic Conference United Collegiate Hockey Conference Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA	College ice hockey NCAA Division III Championships: Men / Women
Former	Colonial Hockey Conference ECAC West ECAC Northeast Northeast Women's Hockey League

• New England Small College Athletic Conference
• Hadley, Massachusetts
• Organizations based in Massachusetts
• Sports leagues established in 1971
• Sports in New England
• College sports in Massachusetts
• College sports in Connecticut
• College sports in Maine
• College sports in Vermont
• College sports in New York (state)
• NCAA Division III ice hockey conferences