The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Full member institutions are all located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with affiliate members also located in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia. The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference was established in June 1971, making it the oldest NCAA Division III men's and women's playing college athletic conference in the United States.
All full members are a part of the Massachusetts State Universities system (every member in the Massachusetts State Universities system except the Massachusetts College of Art and Design is also a MASCAC member) and the public associate members are part of the University of Massachusetts System [UMASS System (UMASS Dartmouth)], the University System of New Hampshire (Plymouth State University), and the Connecticut State University System (Western Connecticut State University) respectively. The rest of the associate members are private colleges.
On October 5, 2023, it was announced that in the 2025–26 school year, Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts will become the first private full member in the 53 year history of the MASCAC and the first new full member since 1974. However, the college would later announce its permanent closure on April 23, 2026, with the 2025–26 school year being Anna Maria’s only season in the MASCAC.
History
Recent events On April 21, 2022, the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) announced they would reinstate men's ice hockey for the first time since 2002–03 and add women's ice hockey, beginning the 2023–24 academic year.
On January 5, 2023, Vermont State University at Castleton (Vermont State–Castleton) announced that it would join the MASCAC as an associate member for football, beginning in the 2024 fall season of the 2024–25 academic year.
On June 14, 2023, Anna Maria College and Rivier University joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's ice hockey and provisional women's ice hockey members beginning in the 2024 fall season of 2024–25 academic year.
On October 5, 2023, Anna Maria later announced that it would join the MASCAC as a full member, beginning in the 2025–26 academic year; thus becoming the first full private school member in conference history and the first new full member since Massachusetts Maritime in 1974.
On October 10, 2023, Dean College announced that it would join the MASCAC as an associate member for football, beginning in the 2025 fall season of the 2025–26 academic year.
On February 29, 2024, Plymouth State University and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (UMass–Darthmouth) became the first MASCAC associate members to upgrade as affiliate members for football (after years as associate members since the 2013 fall season), beginning the 2025 fall season of the 2025–26 academic year.
On August 8, 2024, Marymount University and Marywood University announced it would join the MASCAC as associate members for men's golf, beginning almost immediately for the 2024 fall season of the 2024-25 academic year as the first members (full or associate) in conference history outside of New England.
Chronological timeline 1971 – In June 1971, the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) was founded. Charter members included Boston State College, Bridgewater State College (now Bridgewater State University), Fitchburg State College (now Fitchburg State University), Framingham State College (now Framingham State University), Lowell State College, North Adams State College (now the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts [MCLA]), Salem State College (now Salem State University), Westfield State College (now Westfield State University) and Worcester State College (now Worcester State University), beginning the 1971–72 academic year. 1974 – The Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Mass Maritime) joined the MASCAC in the 1974–75 academic year. 1975 – Lowell State College left the MASCAC when it was merged into Lowell Technological Institute to become the University of Lowell (now the University of Massachusetts at Lowell [a.k.a. UMass–Lowell]) after the 1974–75 academic year. 1982 – Boston State College left the MASCAC when it was merged into the University of Massachusetts at Boston (a.k.a. UMass–Boston) after the 1981–82 academic year. 2009 – The University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (a.k.a. UMass–Dartmouth) and Plymouth State University joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's ice hockey in the 2009–10 academic year. This marked the first time the MASCAC added associate members and it marked the first time that the MASCAC added members (full or associate) outside of Massachusetts. 2013 – The MASCAC began sponsoring football in the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year) after the New England Football Conference (NEFC) dissolved; with Western Connecticut State University (alongside UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth State) joining as MASCAC as associate members for the sport. 2018 – Western Connecticut State added men's golf into its MASCAC associate membership in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year). 2019: Western Connecticut State left the MASCAC as an associate member for men's golf after the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year). Dean College, Eastern Nazarene College, Elms College, Mitchell College and Springfield College joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's golf in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). This marks the first time that the MASCAC added private institutions under the MASCAC banner for any sport. 2020 – Dean left the MASCAC as an associate member for men's golf after the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). 2021: Elms left the MASCAC as an associate member for men's golf after the 2021 spring season (2020–21 academic year). New England College joined the MASCAC as an associate member for men's golf in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year). 2023: Eastern Nazarene, Mitchell and New England (N.H.) left the MASCAC as associate members for men's golf after the 2023 spring season (2022–23 academic year). MCLA reinstated its men's ice hockey program for the first time since 2002–03, while adding a women's ice hockey program, both effective in the 2023–24 academic year. 2024: Anna Maria College and Rivier University joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's ice hockey and provisional women's ice hockey members in the 2024 fall season (2024–25 academic year). Vermont State University at Castleton (VSU Castleton) joined the MASCAC as an associate member for football in the 2024 fall season (2024–25 academic year). Marymount University and Marywood University joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's golf in the 2024 fall season (2024–25 academic year); thus being the first members (full or associate) in conference history outside of New England. 2025: Vermont State–Castleton (VSU Castleton) and Western Connecticut State left the MASCAC as associate members for football after the 2024 fall season (2024–25 academic year). Anna Maria upgraded as a full member of the MASCAC for all sports in the 2025–26 academic year; thus being the first full private school member in conference history and the first new full member since Massachusetts Maritime in 1974. Dean rejoined the MASCAC as an associate member for football (formerly competing for men's golf), with Plymouth State and UMass–Darthmouth upgrading to affiliate member status, all effective in the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year). 2026: Anna Maria left the MASCAC after the 2025–26 academic year; as the school announced that it would be ceasing operations. Kean University joined the MASCAC as a men's golf affiliate beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. The University of Saint Joseph joined the MASCAC as an associate member for men's and women's ice hockey in the 2026–27 academic year. Marywood left the MASCAC as associate members for men's golf after the 2026 spring season (2025-26 academic year). Men's lacrosse became the 20th sponsored sport in the MASCAC, beginning the 2026–27 academic year. Alongside full members MCLA, Mass Maritime and Salem State, Husson University, Maine Maritime Academy and Thomas College will join as affiliate members for the sport. 2027: Vermont State–Castleton will join the MASCAC for all sports in the 2027–28 academic year; thus being the first full member outside of the state of Massachusetts in conference history. Fitchburg State will add women's ice hockey as a varsity sport, beginning the 2027–28 academic year.
Member schools Current full members The MASCAC currently has eight full members, and all are public schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Endowment Nickname Joined Colors Bridgewater State University Bridgewater 1840 Public 9,550 $54.0 Bears 1971 Fitchburg State University Fitchburg 1894 6,296 $19.9 Falcons 1971 Framingham State University Framingham 1839 4,111 $35.4 Rams 1971 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts(MCLA) North Adams 1894 933 $14.7 Trailblazers 1971 Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay 1891 1,362 $13.1 Buccaneers 1974 Salem State University Salem 1854 6,239 $25.3 Vikings 1971 Westfield State University Westfield 1838 4,602 $20.0 Owls 1971 Worcester State University Worcester 1874 5,611 $34.5 Lancers 1971
Notes
Current associate members The MASCAC currently has eleven associate members, all but three are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined MASCACsport(s) Primaryconference Dean College Franklin, Massachusetts 1865 Nonsectarian 1,151 Bulldogs 2025 football Great Northeast (GNAC) Husson University Bangor, Maine 1898 Nonsectarian 3,065 Eagles 2026 men's lacrosse North Atlantic (NAC)Kean UniversityUnion, New Jersey1855Public13,352Cougars2026men's golfNew Jersey (NJAC) Maine Maritime Academy Castine, Maine 1941 Public 979 Mariners 2026 men's lacrosse North Atlantic (NAC) Marymount University Arlington, Virginia 1950 Catholic 3,667 Saints 2024 men's golf Atlantic East (AEC) (United East in 2027) Plymouth State University Plymouth, New Hampshire 1871 Public 3,839 Panthers 2013 football Little East (LEC) Rivier University Nashua, New Hampshire 1933 Catholic 2,822 Raiders 2024 men's ice hockey Great Northeast (GNAC) 2024 women's ice hockey West Hartford, Connecticut 1932 Catholic 2,467 Blue Jays 2026 men's ice hockey Great Northeast (GNAC) women's ice hockey Springfield College Springfield, Massachusetts 1885 Nonsectarian 2,785 Pride 2019 men's golf New England (NEWMAC) Thomas College Waterville, Maine 1894 Nonsectarian 1,949 Terriers 2026 men's lacrosse North Atlantic (NAC) University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth Dartmouth, Massachusetts 1895 Public 7,759 Corsairs 2013 football Little East (LEC)
Notes:
Future full member The MASCAC will have one new full members, a public schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining Currentconference Vermont State University–Castleton Castleton, Vermont 1787 Public 2,363 Spartans 2027 Little East (LEC)
Notes
Former full members The MASCAC had three former full members, two were public schools and one was a private school:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Colors Currentconference Anna Maria College Paxton 1946 Catholic 1,485 Amcats 2025 2026 Closed in 2026 Boston State College Boston 1872 Public 11,000 Warriors 1971 1982 N/A N/A Lowell State College Lowell 1894 Public 2,353 Indians 1971 1975 N/A N/A
Notes
Former associate members The MASCAC had nine former associate members, five were public schools and four were private schools: