EMMITSBURG, Md. (WDVM) – Mount St. Mary’s has officially left the Northeast Conference for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, the University announced on Monday.

“Today is a great day in the history of Mount St. Mary’s University,” said Mount St. Mary’s President Dr. Timothy Trainor in a press release. “In joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, the Mount gains the opportunity to compete with some of the finest Catholic colleges in the Northeast, elevating the university’s brand as well as the level of competition for our nearly 600 student-athletes and coaches. I expect basketball games on the Jim Phelan Court to draw even larger crowds and be louder than ever as we face off against excellent competition.”

Effective July 1, and beginning for the 2022-23 season, the Mount will compete in the MAAC for men’s and women’s soccer, cross country, golf, tennis, swimming & diving, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s water polo, track & field, men’s and women’s lacrosse, softball, and baseball.

Mount Men’s water polo (Mid-Atlantic Water Polo) and women’s rugby (NIRA) will not join the MAAC and will remain in their current conferences, while Bowling is looking for a new conference alignment as it is not currently sponsored by the MAAC. An announcement on that is expected soon.

“We are honored to join this group of outstanding universities who all have strong traditions and proven commitment to academic excellence and student-athlete success,” said Mount Director of Athletics Lynne Robinson. “Joining the MAAC will no doubt energize the entire Mount community and enhance the experience of our student-athletes. We are eager to build upon our strong foundation of academic and athletic success, as we begin this new chapter for Mount Athletics.”

Mount’s move to the MAAC ends a 33-year run in the NEC in which Mount had 49 championship teams, including seven from women’s tennis, six from men’s cross country and men’s basketball and five from women’s basketball and women’s outdoor track & field.