New England Small College Athletic Conference
| New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) |
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|---|---|
| New England Small College Athletic Conference logo | |
| Established | 1971 |
| Association | NCAA |
| Division | Division III |
| Members | 11 |
| Sports fielded | 26 (men's: 13; women's: 13) |
| Region | New England |
| Headquarters | Hadley, Massachusetts |
| Commissioner | Andrea Savage (since 1999) |
| Website | nescac.com |
| Locations | |
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The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is an NCAA Division III athletic conference, consisting of eleven highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities located in New England and New York. Often referred to as the "Little Ivies", most of the schools have competed against one another since the 19th century.
The idea for such an athletic conference originated with an agreement among Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Wesleyan University and Williams College drafted in 1955.[1] In 1971, Bates College, Colby College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, Tufts University and Union College joined on and NESCAC was officially formed. Today's sustaining members include all the original members but Union, which withdrew in 1977[2] and was replaced by Connecticut College in 1982.
Contents
Mission
NESCAC schools share a similar philosophy for intercollegiate athletics. 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.[1] 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.
NESCAC 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.
The schools are all well-regarded academically. The numbers in the table below represent the rank of the institution in the U.S. News & World Report list of "National Liberal Arts Colleges". It should be noted, however, that Tufts' rank represents its standing among the USNWR "National Universities" list.
| Institution | USNWR Category | USNWR Rank | Class of 2019 Acceptance Rate[3][4] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst College | Liberal Arts | 2 | 13.7% |
| Bates College | Liberal Arts | 25 | 21.4% |
| Bowdoin College | Liberal Arts | 4 | 14.9% |
| Colby College | Liberal Arts | 19 | 22.5% |
| Connecticut College | Liberal Arts | 48 | 40.0% |
| Hamilton College | Liberal Arts | 14 | 23.9% |
| Middlebury College | Liberal Arts | 4 | 19.9% |
| Trinity College | Liberal Arts | 43 | 27.0% |
| Tufts University | University | 27* | 15.8% |
| Wesleyan University | Liberal Arts | 14 | 21.9% |
| Williams College | Liberal Arts | 1 | 16.8% |
- This number represents the standing of Tufts among 'national universities' as defined by USNWR.
Member schools
Current members
The league currently has 11 full members:
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Founding Religious Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst College | Amherst, Massachusetts | Lord Jeffs[5] | 1821 | Congregationalist | 1,817 | 1971 |
| Bates College | Lewiston, Maine | Bobcats | 1855 | Free Will Baptist | 1,773 | 1971 |
| Bowdoin College | Brunswick, Maine | Polar Bears | 1794 | Congregationalist | 1,777 | 1971 |
| Colby College | Waterville, Maine | White Mules | 1813 | Northern Baptist | 1,838 | 1971 |
| Connecticut College | New London, Connecticut | Camels | 1911 | Methodist | 1,911 | 1982 |
| Hamilton College | Clinton, New York | Continentals | 1793 | Presbyterian | 1,864 | 1971 |
| Middlebury College | Middlebury, Vermont | Panthers | 1800 | Congregationalist | 2,507 | 1971 |
| Trinity College | Hartford, Connecticut | Bantams | 1823 | Episcopalian | 2,344 | 1971 |
| Tufts University | Medford, Massachusetts | Jumbos | 1852 | Universalist | 5,138 | 1971 |
| Wesleyan University | Middletown, Connecticut | Cardinals | 1831 | Methodist | 2,870 | 1971 |
| Williams College | Williamstown, Massachusetts | Ephs | 1793 | Congregationalist | 2,124 | 1971 |
Former members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Founding Religious Affiliation |
Enrollment | Joined | Left | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union College | Schenectady, New York | Dutchmen (men's) Dutchwomen (women's) |
1795 | Dutch Reformed | 2,220 | 1971 | 1977 | Liberty |
Membership timeline
Conference championships
The NESCAC holds conference championships in the following sports:
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
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| Baseball |
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| Basketball |
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| Cross Country |
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| Field hockey |
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| Football |
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| Golf |
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| Ice hockey |
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| Lacrosse |
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| Rowing |
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| Soccer |
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| Softball |
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| Squash |
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| Swimming & Diving |
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| Tennis |
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| Track and field |
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| Volleyball |
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Football Scheduling
Due to the fact that there are 10 football-playing schools in the NESCAC, but only 8 regular season games, NESCAC football teams rotate their opening opponents on a two-year cycle.[6]
| School | Opponent (Even Years) | Opponent (Odd Years) |
|---|---|---|
| Amherst | Bates | Hamilton |
| Bates | Amherst | Trinity |
| Bowdoin | Williams | Middlebury |
| Colby | Trinity | Williams |
| Hamilton | Tufts | Amherst |
| Middlebury | Wesleyan | Bowdoin |
| Trinity | Colby | Bates |
| Tufts | Hamilton | Wesleyan |
| Wesleyan | Middlebury | Tufts |
| Williams | Bowdoin | Colby |
NESCAC schools always end the year against the same opponent, typically their biggest rival. These five matchups (listed with the home team in odd years first) are: Hamilton-Bates, Tufts-Middlebury [1], Trinity-Wesleyan [2] Bowdoin-Colby [3], and Williams-Amherst.
NCAA Division III competition
Four NESCAC institutions are among the 39 that founded the NCAA in 1905: Amherst, Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams.[7]
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).[8]
In addition to the ban on post-season 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 conference games.
Middlebury leads NESCAC in total National Championship teams, winning 32 titles since the conference lifted its ban on NCAA play. Williams is second with 25 NCAA championships, Tufts next at 21.[9]
Conference venues
| School | Football | Basketball | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Capacity | Arena | Capacity | |
| Amherst | Pratt Field | 8,000 | LeFrak Gymnasium | 2,450 |
| Bates | Garcelon Field | 3,000 | Alumni Gymnasium | 750 |
| Bowdoin | Whittier Field | 9,000 | Morrell Gymnasium | 2,000 |
| Colby | Harold Alfond Stadium | 5,000 | Wadsworth Gymnasium | 2,500 |
| Connecticut | Non-football school | N/A | Luce Fieldhouse | 800 |
| Hamilton | Steuben Field | 2,500 | Margaret Bundy Scott Field House | 2,500 |
| Middlebury | Youngman Field at Alumni Stadium | 3,500 | Pepin Gymnasium | 1,200 |
| Trinity | Jessee/Miller Field | 6,500 | Oosting Gym | 2,000 |
| Tufts | Ellis Oval | 6,000 | Cousens Gym | 1,000 |
| Wesleyan | Andrus Field | 5,000 | Silloway Gymnasium | 1,200 |
| Williams | Weston Field | 10,000 | Chandler Gymnasium | 2,900 |
Athletic spending
The U. S. Department of Education publishes statistics on athletic spending by colleges.[10] In 2013–14, athletic spending by NESCAC schools was as follows (note: there are 421 schools in Division III):
| School | Athletic Spending | Div III rank | Amount per (Unduplicated) Athlete | Div III rank | # (Unduplicated) Varsity Athletes | Div III rank | Amount per Undergraduate student | Div III rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst | $5,822,492 | 12 | $10,324 | 27 | 564 | 41 | $3,262 | 10 |
| Bates | $5,181,170 | 21 | $7,631 | 105 | 679 | 15 | $2,893 | 16 |
| Bowdoin | $5,905,648 | 10 | $9,072 | 54 | 651 | 18 | $3,303 | 9 |
| Colby | $5,149,582 | 22 | $8,110 | 84 | 635 | 19 | $2,829 | 18 |
| Connecticut | $3,756,307 | 61 | $7,322 | 128 | 513 | 66 | $2,006 | 67 |
| Hamilton | $4,869,188 | 24 | $8,618 | 72 | 565 | 38 | $2,557 | 25 |
| Middlebury | $5,235,614 | 20 | $7,588 | 113 | 690 | 13 | $2,132 | 53 |
| Trinity | $5,885,489 | 11 | $8,945 | 60 | 658 | 16 | $2,752 | 19 |
| Tufts | $4,342,883 | 30 | $5,752 | 266 | 755 | 4 | $849 | 282 |
| Wesleyan | $5,379,896 | 17 | $9,134 | 51 | 589 | 24 | $1,863 | 89 |
| Williams | $7,276,419 | 6 | $9,780 | 36 | 744 | 5 | $3,548 | 6 |
Nine (out of eleven) NESCAC schools rank in the top 25 of Division III for total athletic spending. With the exception of Connecticut College, all NESCAC schools rank in the top 10% of Division III for # of varsity athletes. Connecticut College athletic spending and # of varsity athletes are lowest because it does not have a football team. Tufts per-student athletic spending is low because it has nearly double the undergraduate population (5,100) of its nearest NESCAC rival (Wesleyan, with 2,800).
Related athletic divisions, conferences and rivalries
In certain sports, NESCAC teams play primarily within either an East or West Division. East Division teams consist of Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Trinity and Tufts; West Division teams consist of Amherst, Hamilton, Middlebury, Wesleyan and Williams. Amherst, Wesleyan and Williams are also the members of the unofficial Little Three conference. Bates, Bowdoin and Colby are also the participants in the CBB rivalry. Hamilton and Middlebury contest the Old Rocking Chair annually in football.
Notable alumni
Baseball
NESCAC schools currently count four Major League Baseball general managers among their collective alumni.
- Ben Cherington (Amherst '96): General Manager of the Boston Red Sox
- Dan Duquette (Amherst '80): Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for the Baltimore Orioles
- Jed Hoyer (Wesleyan '96): Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Chicago Cubs, former General Manager of the San Diego Padres, and former Assistant General Manager of the Boston Red Sox
- Neal Huntington (Amherst '91): General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Bill Smith (Hamilton '80): former General Manager of the Minnesota Twins
Football
- Bill Belichick (Wesleyan '75): Head coach of four Super Bowl–winning New England Patriots teams
- John Bello (Tufts '68): Former President of NFL Properties, the marketing and commercial arm of the National Football League from 1979 to 1993. Named one of the most powerful people in sports by The Sporting News in 1992 (#46)
- Ethan Brooks (Williams '96): Professional football player (offensive tackle) for a number of teams until his retirement in 2005, and achieved his greatest success as a starter for the Baltimore Ravens
- Eric DeCosta (Colby '93): Assistant General Manager for the Baltimore Ravens, captain of the Colby football team during his senior year (and later received a M.A. from Trinity, where he coached football from 1993 to 1995).
- Jean Fugett (Amherst '72): Former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins
- Steven Hauschka (Middlebury '07): Placekicker with the Seattle Seahawks
- Eric Mangini (Wesleyan '94): Current NFL analyst for ESPN, former head coach of the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, and former defensive coordinator for the Patriots
- Jeff Wilner (Wesleyan '94): Former tight end for the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos
Hockey
- Guy Hebert (Hamilton '89): Professional ice hockey goaltender for the St. Louis Blues, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and New York Rangers. In addition to his NHL career, Hebert was a member of the 1998 Olympic hockey team which represented the United States in Nagano, Japan.
- Tom Stillman (Middlebury '74): Chairman and CEO of the St. Louis Blues.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.union.edu/Presidents/bonner.php, retrieved October 1, 2008. "[I]n March 1977, a letter from the president of Williams College brought to light evidence that, a year earlier, Harkness had violated the NESCAC recruiting rules and then lied about the matter when confronted by President Bonner. Bonner immediately suspended Harkness, and offered his own resignation to the Board of Trustees at its April meeting. The trustees reinstated Harkness, refused to accept the president's resignation—reappointing him for one year—and voted to terminate Union's membership in NESCAC."
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Amherst College#Mascot
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/NCAANewsArchive/2006/Membership+Information/founding%2Bmembers%2Bhold%2Btrue%2Bto%2Bncaa%2Beducational%2Bmission.html
- ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nacda/sports/directorscup/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/june6DIIIupdated.pdf
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
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| Women |
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| NCAA |
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