The CAA

The Colonial Athletic Association has established itself as one of the nation’s top collegiate conferences both athletically and academically for more than three decades.

The CAA encompasses many of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas with a geographic footprint that stretches from Boston to Charleston, S.C. The conference has produced 18 national team champions in five different sports, 33 individual national champions, 15 national players of the year, 15 national coaches of the year and 13 Honda Award winners. Just as impressive, however, are the honors accumulated away from competition, which include five Rhodes Scholars and 25 NCAA post-graduate scholars. In 2020-21, more than 2,800 of the league’s student-athletes received the Commissioner’s Academic Award after posting at least a 3.0 grade point average while lettering in a varsity sport. The conference had 42 teams in 17 different sports receive NCAA Public Recognition Awards based on the latest Academic Progress Report released in 2020.

The landscape of the conference stretches along the majority of the East Coast, and includes several of the nation’s top media markets – New York (1), Philadelphia (4), Washington, D.C. (7), Boston (9) and Baltimore (26). The number of television homes in the CAA market exceeds 19 million.

The CAA conducts championships in 24 sports. Male athletes compete for championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis and indoor and outdoor track & field. Female athletes battle for conference titles in basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track & field and volleyball.

The conference has made its presence known nationally in men’s basketball. CAA teams have combined to win 43 games in postseason play since 2006, including a pair of NCAA Final Four appearances. Delaware captured the CAA title last season, becoming the sixth different school to win the championship in the past six years.

In women’s basketball, Delaware captured its first CAA championship since 2013. Regular-season champ Drexel advanced to the third round of the WNIT. CAA teams have recorded 38 victories in postseason play over the past nine seasons.

The CAA also excels in many other sports. The conference has sent multiple teams to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship in eight of the past 12 years with Hofstra advancing to the third round in 2021. Hofstra has reached the second round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship three times in the past four seasons. Towson’s volleyball program has claimed three straight league titles and reached the second round of the NCAA Volleyball Championship in 2019. In softball, former member JMU became the first CAA team to ever reach the Women’s College World Series in 2021 and knocked off top-ranked powerhouse Oklahoma. UNCW’s baseball team has earned 10 NCAA Regional berths since 2003. William & Mary’s men’s cross country team strung together an amazing 20 straight conference championships from 2000-19. A conference-record four CAA women’s lacrosse teams received NCAA Tournament berths in 2021. Towson reached the men’s lacrosse Final Four in 2017. Charleston became the first CAA team in 15 years to advance to the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship in 2022 after placing fifth at the Palm Beach Regional. CofC’s Laura Fuenfstueck reached the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship in 2017. Towson’s Brian Benzing placed 13th in the 100 breaststroke at the 2022 NCAA Swimming Championship to earn honorable mention All-America accolades.

CAA member institutions are committed to excellence in the classroom. The Colonial Academic Alliance was created in 2002 by the league’s presidents with a goal of expanding their partnership to all aspects of university education and life outside of intercollegiate athletics. The Alliance has facilitated leadership exchanges to promote professional development, developed an academic resource sharing program to support student athletes, and created opportunities for institutions to partner on a wide range of initiatives that enhance student success.

On July 1, 2016, Joseph D’Antonio began his tenure as only the second Commissioner in the history of the CAA. He replaced Thomas E. Yeager, who guided the CAA from its inception in 1985.

The conference traces its roots back to 1983 when current member William & Mary was aligned with East Carolina University, George Mason University, James Madison University, the United States Naval Academy and the University of Richmond as a basketball league (ECAC South). During the next two years, the league added 11 sports, acquired two new members (the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and American University) and decided to form a new conference. The transformation from ECAC South to CAA took place on June 6, 1985.

Old Dominion University joined the CAA in 1991 and was followed by Virginia Commonwealth University in 1995. The conference added the University of Delaware, Drexel University, Hofstra University and Towson University in 2001. Georgia State University and Northeastern University became members of the conference in 2005. College of Charleston began its first year as a CAA member in 2013 and Elon University joined the conference on July 1, 2014.

The CAA expanded to 13 members for the first time on July 1, 2022 with the addition of Hampton University, Monmouth University, North Carolina A&T State University and Stony Brook University. Campbell University will join the conference on July 1, 2023.

CAA Membership History

CURRENT MEMBERSHIP College of Charleston (2013) University of Delaware (2001) Drexel University (2001) Elon University (2014) Hampton University (2022) Hofstra University (2001) Monmouth University (2022) North Carolina A&T State University (2022) University of North Carolina-Wilmington (1985) Northeastern University (2005) Stony Brook University (2022) Towson University (2001) William & Mary (1983)

FUTURE MEMBERS Campbell University (2023)

PAST MEMBERS American University (1985-2001) East Carolina University (1983-2001) George Mason University (1983-2013) Georgia State University (2005-2013) James Madison University (1983-2022) United States Naval Academy (1983-1991) Old Dominion University (1991-2013) University of Richmond (1983-2001) Virginia Commonwealth University (1995-2012)