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| Colonial Athletic Association | |
|---|---|
| Data | |
| Established | 1985 |
| Members | 12 |
| Sports fielded | 21 (10 men's, 11 women's) |
| Region | East Coast |
| States | 8 - Virginia, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania |
| Past names | ECAC South |
| Headquarters | Richmond, Virginia |
The CAA, which was founded in 1985 from the short-lived ECAC South basketball league, currently organizes championships in 21 men's and women's sports. Though it does not currently sponsor football, the recent addition of Northeastern University gave the conference the NCAA minimum of six football programs needed to sponsor the sport. For the 2007 football season, all of the Atlantic Ten Conference's football programs will join the CAA football conference, as agreed to in May 2005.
The CAA has expanded in recent years, following the exits of schools such as the United States Naval Academy, University of Richmond, East Carolina University and American University. In 2001 the 6 member conference added Towson University, Drexel University, Hofstra University, and the University of Delaware. Four years later the league expanded again when Georgia State and Northeastern were added.
On the playing field, the CAA has produced 16 national team champions in five different sports, 33 individual national champions, 11 national coaches of the year, 11 national players of the year and 12 Honda Award winners.
The CAA plays its men's basketball championship in the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. The 2006 Champions were the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks, who defeated the Hofstra Pride in the final. The last CAA team to win a game in the NCAA Tournament was George Mason in 2006 when they reached the Final Four after defeating Michigan State in the first round, North Carolina in second round, Wichita State in the Sweet 16, and Connecticut in the Elite 8. In doing so, George Mason not only became the first team from the CAA to advance to the Final Four, but the first team designated as a true mid-major to make it that far since the tournament expanded to 64 teams. Many consider David Robinson to be the best CAA participant ever, playing in the conference during his time at Navy.
Members
The league currently has 12 full members:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Year Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware | 1743 | Public | 19,067 | 2001 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1891 | Private/Non-sectarian | 17,000 | 2001 |
| George Mason University | Fairfax, Virginia | 1957 | Public | 29,728 | 1985 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia | 1913 | Public | 27,267 | 2005 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead, New York | 1935 | Private/Non-sectarian | 13,000 | 2001 |
| James Madison University | Harrisonburg, Virginia | 1908 | Public | 16,241 | 1985 |
| Northeastern University | Boston, Massachusetts | 1898 | Private/Non-sectarian | 22,942 | 2005 |
| Old Dominion University | Norfolk, Virginia | 1930 | Public | 20,802 | 1991 |
| Towson University | Towson, Maryland | 1866 | Public | 18,111 | 2001 |
| University of North Carolina at Wilmington | Wilmington, North Carolina | 1947 | Public | 11,300 | 1985 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, Virginia | 1838 | Public | 28,303 | 1995 |
| College of William and Mary | Williamsburg, Virginia | 1693 | Public | 7,700 | 1985 |
By 2007, the CAA will have 17 associate members:
- Binghamton University (wrestling)
- Boston University (wrestling)
- Campbell University (wrestling)
- College of Charleston (swimming & diving)
- Davidson College (swimming & diving)
- University of Dayton (women's golf)
- University of Maine (football)
- University of Massachusetts (football)
- University of New Hampshire (football)
- University of Rhode Island (football)
- University of Richmond (women's golf, football)
- Rider University (wrestling)
- Robert Morris University (men's lacrosse)
- Sacred Heart University (men's lacrosse, wrestling)
- Villanova University (men's lacrosse, football)
- Wagner College (wrestling)
- Xavier University (women's golf)
Men's Basketball Champions
| Season | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | William & Mary (9-0) | James Madison | |
| 1984 | Richmond (7-3) | Richmond | |
| 1985 | Navy (11-3) | Navy | |
| 1986 | Navy (13-1) | Navy | |
| 1987 | Navy (13-1) | Navy | |
| 1988 | Richmond (11-3) | Richmond | |
| 1989 | Richmond (13-1) | George Mason | |
| 1990 | James Madison (11-3) | Richmond | |
| 1991 | James Madison (12-2) | Richmond | |
| 1992 | Richmond (12-2) | Old Dominion | |
| 1993 | James Madison (11-3) | East Carolina | |
| 1994 | Old Dominion (10-4) | James Madison | |
| 1995 | Old Dominion (12-2) | Old Dominion | |
| 1996 | Virginia Commonwealth (14-2) | Virginia Commonwealth | |
| 1997 | Old Dominion (10-6) | Old Dominion | |
| 1998 | UNC-Wilmington (13-3) | Richmond | |
| 1999 | George Mason (13-3) | George Mason | |
| 2000 | George Mason (12-4) | UNC-Wilmington | |
| 2001 | Richmond (12-4) | George Mason | |
| 2002 | UNC-Wilmington (14-4) | UNC-Wilmington | |
| 2003 | UNC-Wilmington (15-3) | UNC-Wilmington | |
| 2004 | Virginia Commonwealth (14-4) | Virginia Commonwealth | |
| 2005 | Old Dominion (15-3) | Old Dominion | |
| 2006 | UNC-Wilmington/George Mason (15-3) | UNC-Wilmington |
The CAA tournament has been contested at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia, since 1990. Prior hosts include:
- Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia: 1987-1989
- Patriot Center, Fairfax, Virginia: 1986
- William and Mary Hall, Williamsburg, Virginia: 1985
- Convocation Center, Harrisonburg, Virginia: 1984
- Robins Center, Richmond: 1983
Football conference
After Northeastern accepted the CAA's offer of membership, the CAA invited the University of Richmond to become a football-only member in 2007. Once UR accepted the offer, this left the Atlantic 10 football conference with only five members, less than the six required under NCAA rules. As a result, the remaining A-10 football programs all decided to join the CAA on a football-only basis, spelling the end of the A-10 football conference.
The new CAA football conference will have the following members:
Northern Division
Southern Division
On June 14, 2005, Old Dominion's Board of Visitors approved the creation of a football team by a 14-0 vote. The team is expected to begin play in 2009. As a division of William & Mary, Old Dominion once had a football program but dropped it in 1941. George Mason, Georgia State, & UNC-Wilmington are in the process of gauging support for football programs as well.
Conference Venues
| School | Football stadium | Stadium capacity | Basketball arena | Arena capacity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium | 22,000 | Bob Carpenter Center | 5,000 | |
| Drexel | Non-Football School | N/A | Daskalakis Athletic Center (The "DAC") | 2,300 | |
| George Mason | Non-Football School | N/A | Patriot Center (The "Pat Dome") | 10,000 | |
| Georgia State | Non-Football School | N/A | GSU Sports Arena | 4,500 | |
| Hofstra | James M. Shuart Stadium | 15,000 | Hofstra Arena | 5,124 | |
| James Madison | Bridgeforth Stadium | 14,000 | JMU Convocation Center (The "Convo") | 7,156 | |
| Northeastern | Parsons Field | 7,000 | Matthews Arena | 6,000 | |
| Old Dominion | Foreman Field | 20,000 | Ted Constant Convocation Center (The "Ted") | 8,650 | |
| Towson | Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas Stadium | 11,198 | Towson Center | 5,000 | |
| UNC-Wilmington | Non-Football School | N/A | Trask Coliseum | 6,100 | |
| Virginia Commonwealth | Non-Football School | N/A | ALLTEL Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center | 7,500 | |
| William & Mary | Walter J. Zable Stadium at Cary Field | 12,259 | Kaplan Arena | 8,600 |
Note: Old Dominion will not reinstate its football program until 2009, but already has a suitable on-campus stadium. The school currently uses it for its women's field hockey program.
External links
College athletics conferences | Richmond, Virginia | Sports in Richmond, Virginia | Colonial Athletic Association
"Colonial Athletic Association"