Emerson joins NEWMAC athletic conference

On Feb. 28, Emerson College became the 11th member of the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). The NEWMAC Presidents’ Council voted unanimously to extend an invitation for membership to Emerson, marking the first expansion of its membership in 14 years. The College will join NEWMAC for the 2013-14 academic year, sponsoring teams in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and women’s volleyball.

“On behalf of the Emerson College community, it gives me great pleasure to accept the invitation to join the NEWMAC as its 11^th member,” said Emerson College President Lee Pelton. “We are proud to be counted among such distinctive academic institutions and the opportunities our association with them will offer to our student athletes to develop the capacities for leadership, excellence, and collaboration that are so important to succeed in life.”

“On behalf of the NEWMAC Presidents’ Council, I am thrilled to welcome Emerson into our conference,” said Lynn Pasquerella, President of Mount Holyoke College and chair of the council. “Emerson College clearly demonstrates the commitment to academic and athletic excellence that is at the center of the NEWMAC’s mission.”

The NEWMAC grew out of a women’s athletic conference established in the mid-1980s, which began life as the NEW 6 conference and later expanded to the NEW 8. In 1998, the conference expanded its membership to include Springfield College and the United States Coast Guard Academy, changed its name to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference, and began sponsoring regular season and championship competitions for men.

Emerson Athletic Director, Kristen Parnell, remarked “This is truly an exciting opportunity for Emerson Athletics, as we feel the NEWMAC offers Emerson an elite level of competition and academic excellence that pairs perfectly with the mission of both the College and the Athletic Department.”

Learn more about Emerson College’s athletics programs on their website, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.