MILWAUKEE – The conference the Blue Angels have called home for the last two seasons, the American Collegiate Athletic Association, announced today that they will be joining the Capital Athletic Conference on June 15, 2020. The joining of the two conferences will give the Blue Angels the opportunity to earn an automatic qualifier to their respective NCAA Championships including basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball.
"By joining forces," said ACAA Commissioner Dr. Kelly J. Higgins, "it allows us to carry on the mission and vision of the ACAA; provides an enhanced championship experience for all student-athletes at our institutions; automatic qualifications for the conference champion in 11 sports; and it offers the conference the stability it needs to thrive for many years to come." (View ACAA Release)
"This is an exciting, new era for the Capital Athletic Conference," stated Dr. Gerry DiBartolo, Chair of the CAC Athletic Council and Salisbury University Athletic Director and Campus Recreation. "The addition of these six schools will provide excellent opportunities for both our institutions and our student-athletes to experience new venues and conference opponents." (View CAC Release)
MMU joined the newly formed ACAA in 2018. The Blue Angels have competed in the ACAA for the last two seasons with hopes to be a part of the multiple conference championship tournaments and eventually an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament in the respective sports.
The joining in June of 2020 means the Blue Angels will have an opportunity to earn those automatic qualifiers in basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball beginning this upcoming athletic season. This last season, the Blue Angels earned spots in the conference tournaments in basketball, softball and volleyball; the top three seeds and the host school in each ACAA sponsored sport earned spots in the tournaments.
During 2020-21, the top four CAC institutions and the top two ACAA schools will earn a spots in the respective conference tournament; the host school will get an automatic seed and will be determined prior to the season's start. Seeding for the ACAA will be based on the MaseyRating.com system that the ACAA has used since their first season while the CAC schools will use their conference standings. In 2021-22, the MaseyRating.com system will be used for the entire conference.
The current CAC consists of six members: University of Mary Washington (Va.), Christopher Newport University (Va.), Salisbury University (Md.), Southern Virginia University and St. Mary's College of Maryland. The current ACAA institutions: University of California-Santa Cruz, Finlandia University (Mich.), Mills College (Calif.), Mount Mary University, Pine Manor College (Mass.) and Pratt Institute (N.Y.).
Beginning in the 2021-22 season, Southern Virginia University, St. Mary's College of Maryland and Pine Manor College will leave the new conference leaving the conference member number at eight, with one associate member in men's soccer, Univeristy of Wisconsin Whitewater.
The new unity of the two conferences will result in a rebranding of the conference name and logo over the next few months. Check back to MtMaryAthletics.com for updates and the latest on changes to the new conference.
Listed are some frequently asked questions pertaining to the merger. Both lists were provided by the ACAA and CAC sports information offices.
Q: When will these institutions officially become members of the CAC?
A: June 15, 2020
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Q: Which sports will have automatic qualification (AQ) into the NCAA tournament?
A: Baseball, M&W Basketball, M&W Lacrosse, M&W Soccer, Softball, M&W Tennis, W Volleyball
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Q: Will member schools compete in regular-season competition?
A: No. More details, (CAC Release)
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Q: Will field hockey, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse continue to be sponsored by the CAC?
A: Yes. The incoming institutions do not sponsor these sports, but the CAC will continue to play regular season schedules and host championships for field hockey and lacrosse.
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Q: In what sports will conference championships/tournaments be held?
A: Baseball, M&W Basketball, M&W Cross Country, Field Hockey, M&W Lacrosse, M&W Soccer, Softball, M&W Tennis, M&W Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor), W Volleyball
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Q: How will championship events be conducted?
A: Championship host sites will be predetermined at the start of each year.
