The spring of 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the New England Small College Athletic Conference. Below is a brief history of the conference and a timeline highlighting milestone events since the NESCAC Agreement was signed in the spring of 1971.
Founded in 1971, the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is a group of eleven highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities that 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.
The formation of NESCAC originated with an agreement among Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Wesleyan University, and Williams College first drafted in 1955. Along with these four institutions, Bates College, Colby College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, and Tufts University are sustaining charter members. Connecticut College joined in 1982, bringing the Conference's membership to its current total of 11 institutions.
NESCAC members believe intercollegiate athletic programs should operate in harmony with the educational mission of each institution. The Conference is committed to establishing common boundaries to keep athletics strong but in proportion to the overall academic mission of the member institutions. In pursuit of this mission, the Presidents of each NESCAC institution control intercollegiate athletic policy. Conference tenets are usually more restrictive than those of the NCAA Division III with regard to season length, the number of contests, and postseason competition.
NESCAC institutions also believe athletic teams should be representative of the entire student body. Thus, admissions and financial policies are consistent with the NCAA Division III policies that prohibit athletic scholarships and award financial aid solely on the basis of need.
In 1999, the NESCAC formally became a playing conference and now sponsors 27 conference championship sports (13 for men and 14 for women). Member schools offer extensive and broad-based intercollegiate as well as club and intramural opportunities for both men and women. With member institutions sponsoring an average of nearly 30 varsity programs, NESCAC provides more than 7,500 opportunities for participation in intercollegiate competition at the Division III level. Teams and individuals have achieved great success on both a regional and national level. During the 2019-20 academic year, 32 teams were selected to participate in fall and winter NCAA team championships. NESCAC teams won two national team championships.
Mar. 1971 - NESCAC is Formed
The New England Small College Athletic Conference is established. The NESCAC Agreement is formally adopted by 11 institutions: Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts, Union, Wesleyan, and Williams
Oct. 1975 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Cross Country Meet
Bruce Carter of Hamilton won the inaugural NESCAC Men's Cross Country individual title at Tufts. Prior to 1983, no team scoring was recorded at the conference meet, only individual scores were recorded. All team results were considered unofficial.
Oct. 1976 - Inaugural NESCAC Women's Cross Country Meet
Ann Dunham of Wesleyan won the inaugural NESCAC Women's Cross Country individual title at Williams. Prior to 1983, no team scoring was recorded at the conference meet, only individual scores were recorded. All team results were considered unofficial.
May 1977 - Membership Change: Union Leaves the NESCAC
May 1982 - Membership Change: Connecticut College Joins the NESCAC
May 1983 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Tennis Championship
Williams won the inaugural NESCAC Men's Tennis Championship hosted by Amherst.
Apr. 1984 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Golf Championship
Williams won the inaugural NESCAC Men's Golf Championship.
Apr. 1986 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's & Women's Track & Field Championships
Colby captured the men's title, while Tufts took home the women's crown at the first NESCAC Men's & Women's Track & Field Championship.
Nov. 1990 - Inaugural NESCAC Volleyball Championship
Bates won the inaugural NESCAC Volleyball Championship.
Sept. 1992 - NESCAC-Only Football Schedule Implemented
A new scheduling format was introduced in the sport of football in the fall of 1992. A decision was made for only NESCAC institutions to play each other in football and not compete against non-conference opponents. The NESCAC continues to use this scheduling format.
Jan. 1993 - NESCAC in NCAA Championships
The NESCAC Presidents voted to allow institutions to participate in NCAA team championships. The agreement was initially a three-year experimental period starting in the fall of 1993, but was permanently adopted in 1997.
May 1995 - Senior Woman Administrators Become Part of NESCAC Governance Structure
The NESCAC Senior Woman Administrators (SWAs) were formally adopted as part of the NESCAC governance structure. The Senior Woman Administrator is the highest-ranking female in each NCAA athletics department. The purpose of the SWA designation is to promote meaningful representation of women in the leadership and management of college sports.
May 1999 - NESCAC Becomes a Playing Conference; Executive Director Selected
NESCAC institutions agreed upon full conference schedules and championships starting with the 2000-01 season. Former Middlebury President John M. McCardell, Jr. named Andrea Savage as the NESCAC Executive Director. She was the first full-time staff member and is the only Executive Director to serve the membership since the NESCAC became a playing conference.
Mar. 4, 2000 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Championship
Middlebury hosted the semifinals and final and won the first NESCAC Men's Ice Hockey Championship with a 3-2 victory in overtime against Williams.
Sept. 2000 - Conference Scheduling is Implemented
Conference scheduling is introduced and 15 additional conference championships were created. Prior to 2000, NESCAC titles were awarded in seven sports.
Sept. 2000 - NESCAC SAAC Formally Established
The NESCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) serves as the liaison between the student-athletes of NESCAC member institutions and the administrators. The committee is a voice to represent the concerns of all student-athletes and to discuss issues impacting student-athlete well-being.
Oct. 28, 2000 - Inaugural NESCAC Women's Soccer Championship
Middlebury hosted the semifinals and final and took home the inaugural NESCAC Women's Soccer title with a 2-0 win over Tufts.
Oct. 29, 2000 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Soccer Championship
Middlebury defeated Williams, 1-0, in four overtimes to win the inaugural NESCAC Men's Soccer title. The Ephs hosted the semifinals and championship game.
Nov. 5, 2000 - Inaugural NESCAC Field Hockey Championship
Bowdoin hosted the semifinals and championship game, and won the inaugural NESCAC Field Hockey title with a 2-0 victory over Williams.
Nov. 11, 2000 - NESCAC Football Champions Formally Recognized
Following the NESCAC formally becoming a playing conference, Amherst, Colby, and Middlebury each finished with 7-1 records and were recognized as 2000 NESCAC Football Tri-Champions.
Nov. 25, 2000 - Inaugural NESCAC All-Academic Team is Announced
In its current format, the all-academic teams, selected in the fall, winter, and spring seasons, honor over 2,500 NESCAC student-athletes each year.
Feb. 18, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships
Williams won the first NESCAC Women's Swiming & Diving title. The inaugural championship meet was hosted by Wesleyan.
Feb. 24, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Basketball Championship
Amherst won the first NESCAC Men's Basketball title by defeating host Trinity, 86-75.
Feb. 24, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Women's Basketball Championship
Bowdoin won the first NESCAC Women's Basketball title with a 54-41 victory over host Amherst.
Feb. 25, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Swimming & Diving Championships
Williams won the first NESCAC Men's Swimming & Diving title. The inaugural championship meet was hosted by Bowdoin.
Apr. 22, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Women's Tennis Championship
Williams won the inaugural NESCAC Women's Tennis title, which was hosted by Amherst. The tournament used a flighted format with three singles and three doubles flights.
May 6, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Lacrosse Championship
Middlebury hosted the semifinals and championship game and defeated Bowdoin, 11-5, to claim the first NESCAC Men's Lacrosse title.
May 6, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Softball Championship
Tufts hosted the inaugural double-elimination NESCAC Softball Championship, capturing the title with an 8-2 win over Bowdoin in Game 6.
May 6, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Women's Lacrosse Championship
Middlebury earned a 9-6 win over Amherst to win the first NESCAC Women's Lacrosse title and hosted the semifinals and final.
May 13, 2001 - Inaugural NESCAC Baseball Championship
Williams hosted the double-elimination NESCAC Baseball Championship and won the NESCAC title with an 8-5 victory over Tufts in Game 6.
Nov. 2001 - Tufts Men's Ice Hockey Joins NESCAC
Tufts joined the NESCAC in men's ice hockey after playing in the ECAC North/Northeast Division since it became a varsity program in 1986. The official announcement of Tufts joining the NESCAC in men's ice hockey was made on October 5, 2000.
Nov. 2001 - NESCAC Women's Ice Hockey Conference Starts
Prior to the 2001-02 season, NESCAC women's ice hockey teams competed in the ECAC Division III league. In 2001-02, the NESCAC teams left the ECAC Division III league to form their own women's ice hockey conference. In 2000-01, Middlebury was honored as the NESCAC Champion based on the final regular-season standings. Prior to the 2000-01 season, no conference champion was declared. In 2001-02, Bowdoin defeated Williams, 2-1, at Middlebury to win the first NESCAC Women's Ice Hockey Championship in a tournament format.
May 12, 2002 - Inaugural NESCAC Women's Rowing Championship
Eight NESCAC institutions competed for the inaugural women's rowing title. Races were held in conjunction with the Avaya Championship on Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J. Williams claimed the title, placing first among conference schools in the women's varsity eight race.
Jan. 25, 2004 - First NESCAC Women's Coaching Symposium Held
The inaugural NESCAC Women's Coaching Symposium, organized by the senior woman administrators from member institutions, was held on Tufts' campus. The event, which has been held nine times since 2004, is designed to increase the number of female coaches in college athletics.
May 9, 2004 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's Rowing Championship
Williams won the first NESCAC Men's Rowing title after finishing first among NESCAC schools in the varsity eight race at the ECAC/National Invitational Collegiate Regatta on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.
Jun. 2004 - NESCAC Logo Adopted
Jun. 2006 - First NESCAC Representative for NCAA Woman of the Year Selected
Elizabeth Guernsey, a Trinity women's rower, was selected as the inaugural NESCAC representative for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. Since 2006, 22 women have represented the NESCAC for the NCAA Woman of the Year honor, with 10 advancing to the Top 30 and four moving onto the Top 9 finalists.
Feb. 4, 2007 - Inaugural NESCAC Men's & Women's Squash Championships
Trinity hosted all rounds of the first NESCAC Men's and Women's Squash Championships and won both titles. The Trinity men defeated Amherst, 9-0, while the women's team posted a 7-2 win over Bowdoin.
Nov. 17, 2007 - Inaugural NESCAC All-Sportsmanship Team Announced
The All-Sportsmanship Team was created by the NESCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a group that serves as the liaison between the student-athletes of NESCAC member institutions and conference administrators. The All-Sportsmanship Team recognizes student-athletes from each conference varsity sport who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to sportsmanship. These student-athletes exhibit respect for themselves, their teammates, coaches, opponents, and spectators. The All-Sportsmanship Team is composed of one student-athlete from each institution for each NESCAC sport and is selected by the players and coaches from their respective teams for their positive contributions to sportsmanship.
Apr. 16, 2009 - Hamilton Becomes a Full-Playing Member of the NESCAC
The Hamilton men's and women's basketball, field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, and men's and women's soccer teams made the move from the Liberty League to the NESCAC. Up until April 2009, 21 of 28 Hamilton teams participated in the NESCAC.
Oct. 2012 – NESCAC Medical Aspects in Sport Committee Formed
Sept. 4, 2015 - Women's Golf Added to NESCAC Sport Sponsorship
Women's golf became the 27th sport sponsored by the NESCAC, starting in the 2015-16 academic year. On October 11, 2015, Williams hosted the inaugural NESCAC Women's Golf Championship at Taconic Golf Club and won the first title.
Oct. 7, 2018 - First NESCAC Women's Golf Team Earns NCAA Automatic Bid
Williams won the NESCAC Women's Golf Championship to earn the conference's first NCAA automatic qualifying berth. Prior to 2019, NESCAC women's golf teams needed to earn at-large bids to compete at the NCAA Championships.
Oct. 31, 2018 - Inaugural Future Leaders Forum Presented by the NESCAC Conducted
Trinity College hosted the inaugural Future Leaders Forum presented by the NESCAC in Fall 2018. The Future Leaders Forum, which is geared towards diverse and underrepresented populations in collegiate athletics, provides participants the opportunity to better understand the inner workings of Division III programs and gain valuable skills and knowledge pertaining to the recruitment, development, and growth in such positions.
June 2020 - NESCAC Coalition of Student-Athletes of Color Established
The NESCAC Coalition of Student-Athletes of Color is established. The mission of the Coalition is to encourage dialogue and solidarity around issues of race. The group serves as a network of support for student-athletes of color in the NESCAC during their college years and beyond. The Coalition also works to help NESCAC member institutions diversify their athletic departments and support student-athletes of color.
Sept. 2020 - Coaches of Color Consortium Established
The NESCAC Coaches of Color Consortium is inclusive to any and all coaches, head or assistant, for any and all varsity sports, for those identifying as a person of color.
Oct. 7, 2020 - NESCAC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Established
The NESCAC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee is established. The group aims to help address diversity, equity, and inclusion in athletics in the Conference on a consistent and ongoing basis, complementing the work being done on each campus.
April 18, 2025 - NESCAC to Begin Participating in NCAA Division III Football Championship
The NESCAC Presidents approved a proposal from the conference athletic directors to allow NESCAC Football teams to participate in the NCAA Division III Championship effective in fall 2026.
