Eastern Nazarene College Accepts Invitation to Join North Atlantic Conference
WATERVILLE, Maine -- The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) will welcome Eastern Nazarene College as a full conference member starting July 1, 2023, as the NAC expands to 14 institutions for the 2023-24 academic year.
"The invitation to join the NAC is one that ENC Athletics eagerly accepted and we look forward to working alongside member schools immediately in 2023-24," said Dr. Brad Zarges, Eastern Nazarene's Director of Athletics. "Among a long list of reasons that membership in the NAC became so appealing, two stand out: first, Commissioner Zalot's leadership, along with the collegiality of the athletic administrators, has established clear vision for the conference that is student-athlete centered. Second, the alignment of sport sponsorship allows all but one of our programs to compete in the NAC, allowing ENC to move forward with our strategic goal of comprehensive competitiveness."
Eastern Nazarene will join the conference for 2023-24 along with previously added new members Lesley University and SUNY Morrisville, combining with current members SUNY Canton, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Delhi, UMaine-Farmington, Husson University, Northern Vermont University-Johnson, Northern Vermont University-Lyndon, Maine Maritime Academy, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, UMaine-Presque Isle, and Thomas College (Maine).
"We are thrilled to add Eastern Nazarene College to the NAC in what I see as a mutually beneficial partnership for both the institution and the conference," said Marcella Zalot, NAC Commissioner. "The addition of Eastern Nazarene aligns with the NAC's strategic goals by stabilizing our sport sponsorship as we move forward with 14 member institutions, while adding another member school within our current geographical footprint and in proximity to other NAC institutions."
"Moreover, as I got to know the people at Eastern Nazarene as well as the place, the more I came to believe they would be an ideal match for the North Atlantic Conference. You can accomplish a great deal by working with good people, and I am confident that, as our current members engage with the student-athletes, staff, and administrators at Eastern Nazarene, they will appreciate the shared values and competitive drive in ENC Athletics," added Zalot.
"Eastern Nazarene College is pleased and honored to be joining the North Atlantic Conference. The NAC has a 25-year tradition of athletic excellence, and I believe there is remarkable alignment between the values of the Conference and those of ENC. All of us at ENC look forward to a long and mutually-beneficial partnership with our new sister institutions," said Dr. Jack Connell, Eastern Nazarene College president.
Eastern Nazarene College sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, including 13 sponsored by the NAC - baseball, men's & women's basketball, men's & women's cross country, men's golf, men's & women's lacrosse, men's & women's soccer, softball, men's & women's tennis, and women's volleyball. The Lions' men's volleyball team will remain a member of the New England Collegiate Conference.
"On behalf of ENC, our athletes, coaches, and staff, we thank Commissioner Zalot and the NAC presidents and athletic directors for the opportunity to join with you for years to come," added Zarges.
The North Atlantic Conference was founded in 1997 as the North Atlantic Women's Conference (NAWC) to provide opportunities for female student athletes to compete in postseason tournaments. The NAWC added men's sports and was renamed the North Atlantic Conference in 1999. The NAC currently sponsors 18 men's and women's championships as members of NCAA Division III, including baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track & field, and women's volleyball. The NAC celebrated its 25th anniversary during the 2021-22 academic year.