The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNY Athletic Conference or CUNYAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Its member institutions are all located in New York City and are campuses of the City University of New York. The CUNYAC also has a community college division, affiliated with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
History
Recent additions On April 16, 2025, New Jersey City University announced it would return to the CUNYAC, first as a men's volleyball affiliate beginning in the 2026 spring season (2025–26 academic year), followed by multi-sport affiliation beginning in the 2026–27 academic year, and finally full membership beginning in the 2027–28 academic year, becoming the first full member outside of the City University of New York system. In CUNYAC's official announcement, the conference stated that NJCU was "the first of several" new members. NJCU's official announcement stated that it expected to "become a founding member of a new reconstituted, relaunched, and rebranded league for an anticipated start on July 1, 2027." However, NJCU later announced they would instead merge with Kean University following the 2025–26 academic year, greatly downsizing their athletic department and seeking affiliation outside of the NCAA in the process.
On February 25, 2026, the CUNYAC announced that Pratt Institute would join the CUNYAC beginning in the 2027–28 academic year, taking NJCU's place as the first new member in the relaunched league. One month later, the CUNYAC announced that Saint Elizabeth University would also join the rebranded CUNYAC in the 2027–28 academic year as well.
Chronological timeline NCAA Division III (Senior college division) 1978 – The CUNYAC was founded as the CUNY Athletic Directions Association (CUNYADA). Charter members included Baruch College, Brooklyn College, the City College of New York (CCNY), Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Lehman College, Medgar Evers College, Queens College, the College of Staten Island and York College, beginning the 1978–79 academic year. 1980 – Two institutions left the CUNYAC to join their respective new home primary conferences, both effective after the 1979–80 academic year: Brooklyn to join the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an NCAA D-I Independent and Queens to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent 1987 – The CUNYADA has rebranded as the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) in the 1987–88 academic year. 1996 – Brooklyn rejoined the CUNYAC in the 1996–97 academic year. 1999 – New York City College of Technology (New York City Tech) joined the senior college ranks of the CUNYAC in the 1999–2000 academic year. 2003 – New Jersey City University (NJCU) joined the CUNYAC as an affiliate member for baseball in the 2004 spring season (2003–04 academic year). 2004 – New Jersey City (NJCU) left the CUNYAC as an affiliate member for baseball after the 2004 spring season (2003–04 academic year). 2011 – New York City Tech left the CUNYAC to put its athletic program on hiatus after the 2010–11 academic year. 2015 – The University of Maine at Presque Isle (Maine–Presque Isle or UMPI) joined the CUNYAC as an affiliate member for baseball during the 2016 spring season (2015–16 academic year). 2017 – Finlandia University joined the CUNYAC as an affiliate member for baseball in the 2018 spring season (2017–18 academic year). 2018 – Finlandia and Maine–Presque Isle (UMPI) left the CUNYAC as affiliate members for baseball after the 2018 spring season (2017–18 academic year). 2019 – Staten Island left the CUNYAC to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the East Coast Conference (ECC) after the 2018–19 academic year. 2025 – New Jersey City (NJCU) joined the CUNYAC as an affiliate member for men's volleyball, beginning in the 2026 spring season (2025–26 academic year). 2026 – New Jersey City (NJCU) left the CUNYAC as an affiliate member for men's volleyball after the 2026 spring season (2025–26 academic year). 2027 – Pratt Institute and Saint Elizabeth University will both join the CUNYAC beginning in the 2027–28 academic year; thus becoming the first full members outside of the City University of New York System.
NJCAA (Community college division) 1987 – The community college division of the CUNYAC was founded. Charter members included Bronx Community College, the Borough of Manhattan Community College, Kingsborough Community College, the New York City College of Technology (New York City Tech) and Queensborough Community College, beginning the 1987–88 academic year. 1999 – New York City Tech left the community college division of the CUNYAC to join the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the senior college division of the CUNYAC after the 1998–99 academic year. 2002 – Hostos Community College joined the community college division of the CUNYAC in the 2002–03 academic year. 2013 – LaGuardia Community College joined the community college division of the CUNYAC in the 2002–03 academic year. 2017 – LaGuardia left the community college division of the CUNYAC to put its athletic program on hiatus after the 2016–17 academic year. 2022 – LaGuardia rejoined the community college division of the CUNYAC in the 2022–23 academic year.
Member schools NCAA Division III (Senior college division) Current members The senior college division of the CUNYAC currently has eight full members, all public schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment NicknameColors Joined Baruch College Manhattan 1919 Public 20,081 Bearcats 1978 Brooklyn College Brooklyn 1930 14,390 Bulldogs 1978;1996 City College of New York Manhattan 1847 15,544 Beavers 1978 Hunter College Manhattan 1870 22,538 Hawks 1978 John Jay College of Criminal Justice Manhattan 1964 13,763 Bloodhounds 1978 Lehman College The Bronx 1968 13,324 Lightning 1978 Medgar Evers College Brooklyn 1970 3,736 Cougars 1978 York College Queens 1966 6,174 Cardinals 1978 Notes
Future members The senior college division of the CUNYAC will have two new full members, both private schools (and also the conference's first members outside the CUNY system). Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Colors Joining Currentconference Pratt Institute Brooklyn, New York 1887 Nonsectarian 5,356 Cannoneers 2027 Atlantic East (AEC) Saint Elizabeth University Morristown, New Jersey 1899 Catholic 1,200 Eagles
Notes
Former members The senior college division of the CUNYAC had three former full members, all were public schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left Currentconference New York City College of Technology Brooklyn 1946 Public Yellow Jackets 1999 2011 None Queens College Queens 1937 Knights 1978 1980 East Coast (ECC) College of Staten Island Staten Island 1976 Dolphins 1978 2019 East Coast (ECC)
Notes
Former associate members The senior college division of the CUNYAC has three former associate members, two of them were public schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left CUNYACsport(s) Currentprimaryconference Currentconferencein formerCUNYACsport(s) Finlandia University Hancock, Michigan 1896 Lutheran Lions 2017 2018 baseball Closed in 2023 Presque Isle, Maine 1903 Public Owls 2015 2018 baseball North Atlantic (NAC) New Jersey City University Jersey City, New Jersey 1929 Public Gothic Knights 2003 2004 baseball USCAA Independent 2025 2026 men's volleyball
Notes
Membership timeline
NJCAA (community college division) Current members The community college division of the CUNYAC currently has six full members, all are public schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Bronx Community College The Bronx 1957 Public 6,787 Broncos 1987 Borough of Manhattan Community College Manhattan 1963 20,123 Panthers 1987 Hostos Community College The Bronx 1968 5,478 Caimans 2002 Kingsborough Community College Brooklyn 1963 18,165 Wave 1987 LaGuardia Community College Queens 1968 14,494 Red Hawks 2022 Queensborough Community College Queens 1959 10,337 Tigers 1987
Notes
Former members The community college division of the CUNYAC had two former full members, both were public schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left Currentconference New York City College of Technology Brooklyn 1946 Public Yellow Jackets 1987 1999 None
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports
NCAA Division III
The CUNYAC sponsors Division III intercollegiate athletic competition in men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, women's softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and men's and women's volleyball.
Men's sports School Baseball Basketball Crosscountry Soccer Swimming& Diving Tennis Track & Field(Indoor) Track & Field(Outdoor) Volleyball TotalBaruch 7Brooklyn 6CCNY 8Hunter 7John Jay 6Lehman 9Medgar Evers 6York (NY) 8
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the CUNYAC that are played by CUNYAC schools School Fencing Rifle WrestlingHunter MACFA IND John Jay MARC
Women's sports School Basketball Crosscountry Soccer Softball Swimming& Diving Tennis Track & Field(Indoor) Track & Field(Outdoor) Volleyball TotalBaruch 6Brooklyn 7CCNY 6Hunter 8John Jay 7Lehman 9Medgar Evers 6York (NY) 9
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the CUNYAC that are played by CUNYAC schools School Fencing RifleCCNY EWFC Hunter NIWFA John Jay MARC
Community college The CUNYAC sponsors community college (NJCAA) intercollegiate athletic competition in men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's soccer, and women's volleyball.
References
External links