SUNY Canton to Join SUNYAC for 2024-25 Academic Year

SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville have been accepted to join the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) as full members beginning with the 2024-25 academic year, as announced by the SUNYAC league office on October 5th.

"We are honored to be joining such a prestigious conference with a tremendous history and reputation of athletic and academic success," SUNY Canton President Dr. Zvi Szafran said. "This represents a great opportunity for our institution, our athletic department, our teams, and our students. Thank you to our fellow SUNY schools who have welcomed us to the conference and thank you to the outstanding schools and administrators in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) who have been exceptional partners and colleagues for the past several years."

SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville will join Buffalo State, SUNY Cortland, Fredonia State, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta, Oswego State, Plattsburgh State and SUNY Potsdam as member institutions of the SUNYAC beginning in fall 2024. The move to the SUNYAC will mean the Roos will compete in conference play against schools solely from New York State.

"This is a big step for SUNY Canton and our teams," SUNY Canton Athletic Director Randy Sieminski said. "We feel our core values and mission align well with our fellow SUNYAC schools. Having all our conference games in-state will help reduce travel time and costs. Our students can now spend more time in the classroom instead of in transit to distant games. We are looking forward to competing in the SUNYAC next year."

SUNY Canton became a full-time member of NCAA Division III on September 1, 2015 and joined the NAC on July 1, 2018. Canton will compete in 13 of the SUNYAC's 22 conference championship sports, including baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's ice hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball and women's volleyball.

"SUNY Canton provides a strong athletic program with proven leadership in the geographic footprint of the North Country that is a tremendous fit for many of our current member institutions," DiCamillo said. "Like Morrisville, inviting Canton to move from associate member in two sports to a full-time member of the conference was a natural step for its competitive and growing athletic programs."

"It's been the privilege of a lifetime to work with NAC Commissioner Marcella Zalot, her past and present staff, and my fellow NAC conference athletic directors, staff members and coaches," Sieminski added. "They include some of the finest people I've ever met, and I can't thank them enough for all they have done for the NAC, SUNY Canton and our student athletes. They have been tremendous partners and friends."