The Centennial Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Chartered member teams are located in Maryland and Pennsylvania; associate members are also located in New York and Virginia.
Eleven private colleges compose the chartered member teams of the Centennial Conference. Five of its 11 members rank among the top 50 national liberal arts colleges and Johns Hopkins University is ranked sixth among national universities.
On average, Centennial members sponsor 19 varsity teams. Conference members have won seventeen NCAA team titles: Johns Hopkins women's cross country (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021), Gettysburg women's lacrosse (2011, 2017, 2018), Haverford men's cross country (2010), Franklin & Marshall women's lacrosse (2007, 2009), Ursinus field hockey (2006), Washington men's lacrosse (1998), and Washington men's tennis (1994, 1997).
History
According to the Centennial Conference's website, "On June 4, 1981, Keith Spalding, then-president of Franklin & Marshall College, made the announcement that "eight private colleges found it timely and appropriate to form a round-robin football schedule among institutions with similar attitudes and practices in intercollegiate football competition." With that statement, the Centennial Conference was born. Those private colleges were Dickinson College, Franklin & Marshall College, Gettysburg College, Johns Hopkins University, Muhlenberg College, Swarthmore College, Ursinus College, and Western Maryland College, later renamed and now known as McDaniel College.
The conference moved from a football-only conference to an all-sports conference after a 1991 feasibility study. The study also recommended to expand from eight schools to eleven. The other schools recommended were Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and Washington College. Those three schools accepted and became charter members in 1992 as the conference expanded its sports offerings.
All of the charter members defected from the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). Johns Hopkins and McDaniel College both played in the Mason–Dixon Conference prior to entering the MAC in 1975.
Recent changes On August 21, 2019, Cabrini University joined the Centennial as an affiliate member for women's golf to replace Neumann University's spot, effective in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year).
On August 31, 2022, football affiliates Juniata College, Moravian University and Susquehanna University departed for a new football league in the Landmark Conference, beginning the 2023 fall season (2022–23 academic year).
On August 6, 2024, Carnegie Mellon University will join the Centennial as an associate football member, effective beginning the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year).
Chronological timeline 1981 – On June 4, 1981, the Centennial Conference was founded as a football-only league, then known as the Centennial Football Conference. Charter members included Dickinson College, Franklin & Marshall College, Gettysburg College, Johns Hopkins University, Muhlenberg College, Swarthmore College, Ursinus College, and Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), beginning the 1981 fall season (1981–82 academic year). 1992 – The Centennial Football Conference was rebranded as the Centennial Conference when the conference expanded to add other sports, beginning the 1992–93 academic year. Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College and Washington College also joined the newly-formed all-sports conference. 1998 – Washington and Lee University joined the Centennial as an affiliate member for men's wrestling in the 1998–99 academic year. 2001 – Johns Hopkins left the University Athletic Association (UAA) to fully align with the Centennial Conference for all the sports being sponsored in the 2001–02 academic year. 2004 – The United States Merchant Marine Academy (Merchant Marine) and Stevens Institute of Technology (Stevens or Stevens Tech) joined the Centennial as affiliate members for men's wrestling in the 2004-05 academic year. 2007 – Juniata College and Moravian College (now Moravian University) joined the Centennial as affiliate members for football in the 2007 fall season (2007–08 academic year). 2009 – Susquehanna University joined the Centennial as an affiliate member for women's golf in the 2010 spring season (2009–10 academic year). 2010 – Susquehanna added football into its Centennial affiliate membership in the 2010 fall season (2010–11 academic year). 2012 – New York University joined the Centennial as an affiliate member for men's wrestling in the 2012–13 academic year. 2016 – NYU left the Centennial as an affiliate member for wrestling after the 2015–16 academic year. 2017: Susquehanna left the Centennial as an affiliate member for women's golf after the 2017 spring season (2016–17 academic year). Marymount University and Neumann University joined the Centennial as affiliate members for women's golf in the 2018 spring season (2017–18 academic year). 2019: Two institutions left the Centennial as affiliate members, both effective after the 2018–19 academic year: Neumann for women's golf and Stevens for men's wrestling Cabrini University joined the Centennial as an affiliate member for women's golf to replace Neumann's spot in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). 2022 – Washington and Lee University left as an affiliate member in wrestling for their primary conference home, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), after the 2021–22 academic year. 2023 – Juniata, Moravian and Susquehanna left the Centennial as football affiliates for a new football league within their primary conference home, the Landmark Conference, after the 2022 fall season (2022–23 academic year). 2024 – Cabrini left the Centennial as an affiliate member for women's golf after the 2024 spring season (2024–25 academic year); as the school ceased operations in June 2024. 2025 – Carnegie Mellon University joined the Centennial as an associate football member, beginning the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year).
Member schools Current members The Centennial currently has 11 full members, all are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment AcceptanceRate Nickname Colors Joined Football Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 1885 Nonsectarian 1,381 38% Owls 1992 No Dickinson College Carlisle, Pennsylvania 1783 Nonsectarian 2,420 35% Red Devils 1981 Yes Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster, Pennsylvania 1787 Nonsectarian 1,911 28% Diplomats 1981 Yes Gettysburg College Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 1832 Lutheran ELCA 2,384 56% Bullets 1981 Yes Haverford College Haverford, Pennsylvania 1833 Nonsectarian 1,268 12.9% Fords 1992 No Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland 1876 Nonsectarian 20,174 6.5% Blue Jays 1981 Yes McDaniel College Westminster, Maryland 1867 Nonsectarian 1,559 70% Green Terror 1981 Yes Muhlenberg College Allentown, Pennsylvania 1848 Lutheran ELCA 2,408 68% Mules 1981 Yes Swarthmore College Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 1864 Nonsectarian 1,543 8% Garnet 1981 No Ursinus College Collegeville, Pennsylvania 1869 Secular 1,556 80% Bears 1981 Yes Washington College Chestertown, Maryland 1782 Nonsectarian 1,479 57% Shoremen &Shorewomen 1992 No
Notes
Affiliate members The Centennial currently has three affiliate members, two private schools and a public school:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Centennialsport Primaryconference Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1900 Nonsectarian 10,875 Tartans 2025 football University (UAA) Marymount University Arlington, Virginia 1950 Catholic 3,684 Saints 2017 women's golf Atlantic East (AEC) (Merchant Marine) Kings Point, New York 1943 Federal 1,011 Mariners 2004 wrestling Skyline
Notes
Former affiliate members The Centennial had eight former affiliate members, all were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Centennialsport Primaryconference Cabrini University Radnor, Pennsylvania 1957 Catholic 1,759 Cavaliers 2019 2024 women's golf N/A Juniata College Huntingdon, Pennsylvania 1876 Church ofthe Brethren 1,568 Eagles 2007 2023 football Landmark Moravian University Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 1742 Moravian 1,568 Greyhounds 2007 2023 football Landmark Neumann University Aston, Pennsylvania 1965 Catholic 3,000 Knights 2017 2019 women's golf Atlantic East (AEC) New York University New York City 1832 Nonsectarian 22,280 Violets 2011 2016 wrestling University (UAA) Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, New Jersey 1870 Nonsectarian 5,260 Ducks 2004 2019 wrestling MAC Freedom Susquehanna University Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania 1858 Lutheran ELCA 2,195 River Hawks 2009 2017 women's golf Landmark 2010 2023 football Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia 1749 Nonsectarian 1,830 Generals 1998 2022 wrestling Old Dominion (ODAC)
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports A divisional format was used for basketball (M / W) from 1992–93 to 2002–03. Bryn Mawr Haverford Muhlenberg Swarthmore Ursinus Washington Dickinson Franklin & Marshall Gettysburg Johns Hopkins McDaniel
The Centennial Conference sponsors championships in the following sports:
+ Conference sportsSportMen'sWomen'sBaseballBasketballCross countryField hockey FootballGolfLacrosseSoccerSoftball SwimmingTennisTrack and field (indoor)Track and field (outdoor)Volleyball Wrestling
Men's sponsored sports by school School Baseball Basketball Cross country Football Golf Lacrosse Soccer Swimming Tennis Track & Field(indoor) Track & Field(outdoor) Wrestling Total Dickinson 11 Franklin& Marshall 11 Gettysburg 12 Haverford 9 Johns Hopkins 9 McDaniel 12 Muhlenberg 11 Swarthmore 10 Ursinus 12 Washington 6 Totals 10 10 9 7+1 7 9 10 8 10 9 9 5+1 104+2 Merchant Marine 1 Carnegie Mellon 1
Notes
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Centennial Conference that are played by Centennial schools School Fencing Rowing Sailing Squash Trap & Skeet Water Polo Dickinson MASC Franklin & Marshall MARC MASC Haverford MACFA CSA Johns Hopkins MACFA MAWPC Washington MARC MAISA ACUI
Women's sponsored sports by school School Basketball Cross country FieldHockey Golf Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming Tennis Track & Field(indoor) Track & Field(outdoor) Volleyball Total Bryn Mawr 10 Dickinson 12 Franklin& Marshall 12 Gettysburg 12 Haverford 10 Johns Hopkins 8 McDaniel 12 Muhlenberg 11 Swarthmore 11 Ursinus 12 Washington 8 Totals 11 10 11 6+1 10 11 9 9 11 10 10 11 118+1 Marymount 1
Notes
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Centennial Conference that are played by Centennial schools School Badminton Fencing Gymnastics Rowing Sailing Squash Trap & Skeet Bryn Mawr Independent MARC Dickinson MASC Franklin & Marshall MARC MASC Haverford EWFC/NIWFA CSA Johns Hopkins MACFA Swarthmore Independent Ursinus NCGA Washington MARC MAISA ACUI
Current champions Season Sport Women's Champion Men's Champion Fall 2025 Cross Country Johns Hopkins (X17) Johns Hopkins (X6) Field Hockey Johns Hopkins (X11) rowspan="2" Football rowspan="2" Franklin & Marshall (X8) Soccer Johns Hopkins (X18) Dickinson (X2) Volleyball Johns Hopkins (X12) rowspan="2" Winter 2025–26 Basketball Gettysburg (X6) Gettysburg (x4) Swimming Swarthmore (X7) Johns Hopkins (X1) Indoor Track & Field Johns Hopkins (X15) Johns Hopkins (X13) Wrestling rowspan="2" Ursinus (X14) Spring 2026 Baseball rowspan="2" Johns Hopkins (x20) Golf Marymount (X4) Franklin & Marshall (X15) Lacrosse Franklin & Marshall (X11) Gettysburg (X11) Softball Swarthmore (X3) rowspan="2" Tennis Swarthmore (X7) Swarthmore (X4) Outdoor Track and Field Johns Hopkins (X16) Johns Hopkins (X9)
See also Centennial Conference football Centennial Conference men's basketball tournament
References
External links