WINTHROP, Mass. – Regis College has accepted an invitation by the Great Northeast Athletics Conference to join the league as a full-time member beginning with the 2017-18 academic year. The announcement was made on Thursday by GNAC Commissioner Joe Walsh.
Also announced was the addition of Colby-Sawyer College who will enter the conference in 2018-19.
"Colby-Sawyer and Regis both have a track record of commitment to the GNAC's core values and are like-minded academically, athletically and geographically with our current member institutions," said Walsh. "Throughout the application process, it was clear that these two institutions are very much committed to their athletic programs, student-athletes and coaching staffs."
Located in Weston, Mass., Regis is a leading Catholic university in Greater Boston, with 2,000 undergraduates, graduate and doctoral students in the arts, sciences, nursing and health professions. The school, founded in 1927, is located on a 132-acre campus just 12 miles from the vibrant and cultural life of downtown Boston. Regis is set to enter the GNAC in 15 months.
"We are delighted that the GNAC has formally invited our teams to be a part of its exciting and innovative league," said Regis President Antoinette M. Hays, PhD. "We know that joining the GNAC will be tremendously beneficial to the entire university and will enhance the experience of our student-athletes both academically and athletically. We want to thank the New England Collegiate Conference as we move enthusiastically toward a new era of Regis Athletics."
Regis has competed in the NECC since 2011, claiming six conference championships during the 2015-16 academic year alone. The Pride women have captured the NECC Champions' Cup five straight years, while the men won it in 2015 and finished second in 2016. Regis competes outdoors at its athletic complex, which was constructed in 2009 and includes a turf playing field, eight-lane track, six tennis courts and softball facility with lights.
"We would like to thank the GNAC, its presidents, and its athletic directors for the invitation to join the GNAC beginning in September 2017," said Regis Director of Athletics Rob Riley. "President Hays, along with the Regis administration, our coaching staffs and student-athletes are all excited about the offer. We look forward to making the GNAC proud, both on and off the athletic fields."
What Regis coaches are saying...
John Ciarleglio (Men's and Women's Tennis)
We've really grown up in the NECC and are looking forward to moving to the GNAC. The GNAC has historically been a tough a conference which should help us attract higher level recruits.
Courtney Duggan (Women's Lacrosse)
We look forward to joining a conference that has a lot of quality and high-ranking programs. It has been great to be part of the NECC family but we look forward to being new members of the GNAC.
Randy Fraser (Men's Lacrosse)
The GNAC is a great fit for our men's lacrosse program. With the consistent level of skilled play and the opportunity to compete for an NCAA Tournament automatic bid, we feel very fortunate to be joining the conference.
Scott Wright (Men's and Women's Volleyball)
This is a good move for our athletic department to a very competitive conference where we will be challenged exponentially. This will help the growth of all our student-athletes.
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