SUNY COBLESKILL TO JOIN THE NCAA AND NEAC CONFERENCE IN 2008-09

The State University of New York at Cobleskill announced today that it has been accepted as a provisional member of the North East Athletic Conference (NEAC) for the 2008-09 academic year. The NEAC sponsors conference championships at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level in the men’s sports: baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis golf and cross country, and in the women’s sports: basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

While Cobleskill has been accepted as a provisional member of the NEAC, it will still have the privilege of competing for conference championships during its inaugural year.   Members in NEAC include institutions from New York and Pennsylvania, both public and private:  Penn State-Berks, Penn State-Harrisburg, Keuka, Wells, Philadelphia Biblical, Keystone State, Cazenovia, D’Youville, Wilson and Baptist Bible. In addition to SUNY Cobleskill being accepted into the NEAC, SUNY IT has been accepted as well.  Cobleskill already has scheduled competitions with several colleges in the NEAC for 2007-08 as well as with other NCAA DIII institutions in preparation for their first year of provisional status in NCAA.

“The college and athletic department are excited about our impending move to the NEAC and NCAA; now we as a staff will work diligently to see that the transition is made in an expedient and orderly fashion,” said Cobleskill Athletic Director Kevin McCarthy.  Provost and Officer in Charge Anne Myers adds: "We are all excited about the transition to NCAA DIII and NEAC and are looking forward to working with the other colleges in the Conference.  The NEAC  is a great match for us both in sports and in philosophy; we have been impressed by the commitment of their Athletic Directors, their Presidents and their Commissioner to high standards and good sportsmanship."

 The move to NCAA DIII has been and integral part of the colleges Strategic Plan to increase its visibility as a baccalaureate degree granting campus.  SUNY Cobleskill is a fully accredited, comprehensive undergraduate residential college enrolling nearly 2,500 students in 18 bachelor degree programs, and 43 two year programs. Academic programs are divided into three Schools: Agriculture and Natural Resources; Business (which includes both Information Technologies and Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism, and Liberal Arts and Sciences, which includes Early Childhood.

The college’s 750-acre campus is located in New York's Schoharie County, a picturesque and historic area approximately 160 miles northwest of New York City and midway between Albany and Oneonta in Schoharie County directly off Interstate 88.  In four years, 2011, the college will celebrate the 100th year of its charter, and, according to the Provost “Being accepted into the NEAC will help lead the way to a great celebration”