# New Jersey Athletic Conference

The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), formerly the New Jersey State Athletic Conference, is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. All of its current full members are public universities in New Jersey, although it will add one new full member from New York in 2026. Affiliate members (track-only, or football-only) are located in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

## History
### Chronological timeline

* 1957 - In 1957, the NJAC was founded as the New Jersey State Athletic Conference (NJSAC). Charter members included Glassboro State College (now Rowan University), Montclair State College (now Montclair State University), Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University), Newark State College (now Kean University), Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey), and William Paterson College (now William Paterson University), effective beginning the 1957-58 academic year.
* 1976 - Ramapo College of New Jersey joined the NJSAC, effective in the 1976-77 academic year.
* 1977 - Stockton State College (now Stockton University) joined the NJSAC, effective in the 1977-78 academic year.
* 1985 - Women's programs became part of the NJSAC, when the Jersey Athletic Conference (a women's sports athletic conference) was merged into the NJSAC. Therefore it was rebranded as the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), effective in the 1985-86 academic year.
* 1985 - Rutgers University at Camden and Rutgers University at Newark joined the NJAC, effective in the 1985-86 academic year.
* 2000 - The State University of New York at Cortland joined the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective in the 2000 fall season (2000-01 academic year).
* 2004 - New Jersey City left the NJAC to become an NCAA D-III Independent, effective after the 2003-04 academic year.
* 2004 - Western Connecticut State University joined the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective in the 2004 fall season (2004-05 academic year).
* 2005 - New Jersey City re-joined back to the NJAC after spending one season as an NCAA Division III Independent school, effective in the 2005-06 academic year.
* 2006 - Buffalo State College (now a university) joined the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective in the 2006 fall season (2006-07 academic year).
* 2008 - The State University of New York at Brockport and the State University of New York at Morrisville joined the NJAC as associate members for football, effective in the 2008 fall season (2008-09 academic year).
* 2011 - The State University of New York at Farmingdale (Farmingdale State College) and St. Joseph's College–Long Island (now a university) joined the NJAC as associate members for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field, effective in the 2011-12 academic year).
* 2012 - Buffalo State left the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective after the 2011 fall season (2011-12 academic year).
* 2013 - Western Connecticut State left the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective after the 2012 fall season (2012-13 academic year).
* 2014 - SUNY Brockport left the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective after the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
* 2014 - Southern Virginia University joined the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective in the 2014 fall season (2014-15 academic year).
* 2015 - SUNY Cortland and SUNY Morrisville left the NJAC as associate members for football, effective after the 2014 fall season (2014-15 academic year).
* 2015 - Christopher Newport University, Frostburg State University, Salisbury University and Wesley College joined the NJAC as associate members for football, all effective in the 2015 fall season (2015-16 academic year).
* 2019 - Frostburg State and Southern Virginia left the NJAC as associate members for football, effective after the 2018 fall season (2018-19 academic year).
* 2019 - Five institutions joined the NJAC as associate members: Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field, and the State University of New York at Oneonta, the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater for men's tennis, all effective in the 2019-20 academic year.
* 2021 - Wesley (Del.) left the NJAC as an associate member for football after the school closed down to later be acquired by Delaware State University, effective after the 2020 fall season (2020-21 academic year).
* 2025 - Vermont State University–Castleton will join the NJAC as an associate member for football, effective in the 2025 fall season (2025-26 academic year).
* 2026 – SUNY New Paltz will join the NJAC as a full member, becoming the NJAC's first-ever full member located outside of the state of New Jersey.

## Member schools
### Current members

The NJAC currently has ten full members, all are public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Football |
| North Division |||||||||
| Montclair State University | Upper Montclair, New Jersey | 1908 | Public | 16,660 | Red Hawks | 1957 | Yes |
| New Jersey City University | Jersey City, New Jersey | 1929 | Public | 7,300 | Gothic Knights | 1957; 2005 | No |
| Ramapo College | Mahwah, New Jersey | 1969 | Public | 5,233 | Roadrunners | 1976 | No |
| Rutgers University–Newark | Newark, New Jersey | 1945 | Public | 10,500 | Scarlet Raiders | 1985 | No |
| William Paterson University | Wayne, New Jersey | 1855 | Public | 10,970 | Pioneers | 1957 | Yes |
| South Division |||||||||
| Kean University | Union, New Jersey | 1855 | Public | 15,000 | Cougars | 1957 | Yes |
| Rowan University | Glassboro, New Jersey | 1923 | Public | 18,500 | Profs | 1957 | Yes |
| Rutgers University–Camden | Camden, New Jersey | 1950 | Public | 5,450 | Scarlet Raptors | 1985 | No |
| Stockton University | Galloway, New Jersey | 1969 | Public | 7,450 | Ospreys | 1977 | No |
| The College of New Jersey | Ewing, New Jersey | 1855 | Public | 7,400 | Lions | 1957 | Yes |

#### Notes

* ↑ New Jersey City left the NJAC after the 2003–04 school year to compete as an NCAA D-III Independent; which would later re-join back, effective in the 2005–06 school year.

### Future full members

| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joining | Previous Conference | Colors |
| State University of New York at New Paltz | New Paltz, New York | 1828 | Public | 7,489 | Hawks | 2026–27 | SUNYAC | |

#### Notes

* ↑ Part of the State University of New York System.

### Affiliate members

The NJAC currently has five affiliate members, all but one are public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Primary conference | NJAC sport |
| Christopher Newport University | Newport News, Virginia | 1961 | Public | 5,186 | Captains | 2015–16 | Coast to Coast (C2C) | football |
| Farmingdale State College | East Farmingdale, New York | 1912 | Public | 7,000 | Rams | 2011–12$^{m.i.t.f.}$ 2011–12$^{m.o.t.f.}$ 2011–12$^{w.i.t.f.}$ 2011–12$^{w.o.t.f.}$ | Skyline | men's indoor track & field men's outdoor track & field women's indoor track & field women's outdoor track & field |
| Penn State–Harrisburg | Lower Swatara, Pennsylvania | 1966 | Public | 5,046 | Lions | 2019–20$^{m.i.t.f.}$ 2019–20$^{m.o.t.f.}$ 2019–20$^{w.i.t.f.}$ 2019–20$^{w.o.t.f.}$ | United East (UEC) | men's indoor track & field men's outdoor track & field women's indoor track & field women's outdoor track & field |
| St. Joseph's University –Long Island | Patchogue, New York | 1916 | Private | 3,810 | Golden Eagles | 2011–12$^{m.i.t.f.}$ 2011–12$^{m.o.t.f.}$ 2011–12$^{w.i.t.f.}$ 2011–12$^{w.o.t.f.}$ | Skyline | men's indoor track & field men's outdoor track & field women's indoor track & field women's outdoor track & field |
| Salisbury University | Salisbury, Maryland | 1925 | Public | 8,657 | Sea Gulls | 2015–16 | Coast to Coast (C2C) | football |

### Future affiliate members

The NJAC will have one new affiliate member, a public school:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joining | Primary conference | NJAC sport |
| Vermont State University at Castleton | Castleton, Vermont | 1787 | Public | 2,363 | Spartans | 2025–26 | Little East (LEC) | football |
* ↑ Part of the Vermont State Colleges System.

### Former affiliate members

The NJAC has twelve former affiliate members, all but two were public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Primary conference | NJAC sport |
| Buffalo State College | Buffalo, New York | 1871 | Public | 11,000 | Bengals | 2006–07 | 2011–12 | New York (SUNYAC) | football |
| Frostburg State University | Frostburg, Maryland | 1898 | Public | 5,215 | Bobcats | 2015–16 | 2018–19 | Mountain East (MEC) | football |
| Southern Virginia University | Buena Vista, Virginia | 1867 | LDS Church | 1,106 | Knights | 2014–15 | 2018–19 | USA South | football |
| State University of New York at Brockport | Brockport, New York | 1867 | Public | 6,962 | Golden Eagles | 2008–09 | 2013–14 | New York (SUNYAC) | football |
| State University of New York at Cortland | Cortland, New York | 1868 | Public | 6,199 | Red Dragons | 2000–01 | 2014–15 | New York (SUNYAC) | football |
| State University of New York at Morrisville | Morrisville, New York | 1908 | Public | 3,356 | Mustangs | 2008–09 | 2014–15 | United East (UEC) | football |
| Wesley College | Dover, Delaware | 1873 | United Methodist | 2,320 | Wolverines | 2015–16 | 2020–21 | N/A | football |
| Western Connecticut State University | Danbury, Connecticut | 1903 | Public | 6,000 | Colonials | 2004–05 | 2012–13 | Little East (LEC) | football |
| State University of New York at Oneonta | Oneonta, New York | 1889 | Public | 6,543 | Red Dragons | 2019–20 | 2023–24 | New York State (SUNYAC) | men's tennis |
| University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire | Eau Claire, Wisconsin | 1916 | Public | 10,737 | Blugolds | 2019–20 | 2023–24 | Wisconsin (WIAC) | men's tennis |
| University of Wisconsin–La Crosse | La Crosse, Wisconsin | 1909 | Public | 10,679 | Eagles | 2019–20 | 2023–24 | Wisconsin (WIAC) | men's tennis |
| University of Wisconsin–Whitewater | Whitewater, Wisconsin | 1868 | Public | 12,346 | Warhawks | 2019–20 | 2023–24 | Wisconsin (WIAC) | men's tennis |

#### Notes

* ↑ Buffalo State left the NJAC for the Empire 8 after the 2011 football season (2011–12 school year). Currently a university since 2023.
* ↑ Frostburg State left the NJAC to begin a transition to NCAA Division II and joined the Mountain East Conference after the 2018 football season (2018–19 school year).
* ↑ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
* ↑ Southern Virginia left the NJAC to join the Old Dominion Athletic Conference after the 2018 football season (2018–19 school year), and would later become an all-sports member of the USA South Athletic Conference, effective in the 2021–22 school year.
* ↑ SUNY Brockport left the NJAC for the Empire 8 after the 2013 football season (2013–14 school year).
* 1 2 SUNY Cortland and SUNY Morrisville left the NJAC to join the Empire 8 after the 2014 football season (2014–15 school year).
* ↑ Wesley was acquired by Delaware State University after the 2020–21 school year.
* ↑ Western Connecticut left the NJAC to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) after the 2012 football season (2012–13 school year).

### Membership timeline
## Sports

The NJAC sponsors championships in the following sports:
Conference sports :
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
| Baseball | Y | |
| Basketball | Y | Y |
| Cross Country | Y | Y |
| Field Hockey | | Y |
| Football | Y | |
| Lacrosse | | Y |
| Soccer | Y | Y |
| Softball | | Y |
| Swimming | Y | Y |
| Tennis | | Y |
| Track and field (indoor) | Y | Y |
| Track and field (outdoor) | Y | Y |
| Volleyball | Y | Y |
* ↑ In 2022, NJAC and Coast to Coast Athletic Conference announced the creation of the Coastal Lacrosse Conference, an NCAA Division III single-sport men's lacrosse conference between members from the two conferences.

## National championship teams

Since the NCAA established the three division system in 1973, NJAC members have won a total of 63 team championships.
* Baseball
Kean: 2007 Montclair State: 1987, 1993, 2000 Ramapo: 1984 Rowan: 1978, 1979 William Paterson: 1992, 1996
* Men's Basketball
Rowan: 1996
* Field Hockey
Rowan: 2002 TCNJ: 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2011
* Men's Golf
Ramapo: 1982
* Women's Lacrosse
TCNJ: 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006
* Men's Soccer
Kean: 1992 Richard Stockton: 2001 Rowan: 1981, 1990 TCNJ: 1996
* Women's Soccer
TCNJ: 1993, 1994, 2000
* Softball
Rutgers-Camden: 2006 TCNJ: 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996
* Women's Tennis
TCNJ: 1986
* Men's Outdoor Track
Rowan: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984
* Wrestling
Montclair State: 1976, 1986 TCNJ: 1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987