Dec. 16, 2012
News broke late last week that Monmouth and Quinnipiac accepted invitations to join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in the summer of 2013, expanding the league's membership to 11 full-time members.
MAAC commissioner Rich Ensor said in a statement that expansion discussions have been ongoing for the past five years since the league issued a Strategic Plan that called for a goal of a 12-school conference. Loyola Maryland's departure in late August left the membership at nine schools.
"I think it's a good addition for our league," Siena athletic director John D'Argenio said in an interview with the Times Union. "They're both certainly progressive thinkers about athletics and view it strategically. I think that both of them are going to bring a lot to us from a basketball perspective and from an all-sportsperspective."
Quinnipiac, a private school in Hamden, Conn. with an undergraduate enrollment of 6,262, has one of the finest multi-purpose athletic facilities in the New England region in the $52 million TD Bank SportsCenter, a five-year old facility that seats 3,750 for basketball. The Bobcats have won at least 18 games each of the past three seasons in men's basketball.
"We are delighted to be joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference that will continue to advance us both athletically and academically," Quinnipiac University President John L. Lahey said in a statement.
Monmouth, in West Long Branch, N.J., is a private school with an undergraduate enrollment of 4,700. It opened the $57 million Multipurpose Activity Center in 2009 to help increase exposure of the school and its athletic programs. Monmouth, which joined the Northeast Conference in 1985-86, won a total of 63 Northeast Conference Championships, 35 NEC Regular Season titles, and made 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances as a member of the league. The Hawks also captured five Commissioner's Cup trophies since 1997-98, nine men's sports commissioner's cup titles and finished in the top-two in 14 of the 15 years.
"Monmouth is flattered by the invitation to join the MAAC. I thank the Council of Presidents for having confidence in us," Monmouth President Paul G. Gaffney said in a statement.
The MAAC's announcement came just one day before the seven catholic members of the Big East announced they would be leaving the conference.
"Earlier today we voted unanimously to pursue an orderly evolution to a foundation of basketball schools that honors the history and tradition on which the Big East was established," the seven presidents said in a joint statement. The conference realignment frenzy that began in December of 2009 has changed the landscape of college athletics forever, and left league's like the MAAC scurrying for stability. The addition of Monmouth and Quinnipiac provides that. "I think they both have been successful in the past," D'Argenio said. "Certainly, they've shown they're committed to (men's basketball), and they both have really fantastic facilities as well to help our league. It's always nice to have schools with goodfacilities."
Ensor said the MAAC could still add a 12th member, but not for 2013-14.
"I think the 12th slot is still on the table," Ensortold the Times Union.
The MAAC athletic directors will meet in the near future to hash out the scheduling details of the new-look MAAC.
