2019 Men's Soccer Program

Constructed in 1929 as the country’s original convention center, Boardwalk Hall has dazzled guests and residents of Atlantic City for 90 years. In 2001, a $90-million restoration project was completed to transform the original convention hall into its current state as a modern special events arena capable of hosting concerts, esports, sporting events and family shows. MAAC basketball is all about the connection fans feel to the member schools, the student-athletes and coaches, and to the

gameof basketball. The currentMAACStrategic Plan sought to identify a neutral site for championships in a destination city which lead to the selection of Atlantic City. The conference is taking a sports festival approach to the AC tournament, designed to engage multiple MAAC constituencies in a big tent approach to grow awareness and affinity within the MAAC and to attract fans to grow attendance by servicing various targeted audiences including students, bands and spirit squads, families, gamers, alumni, gamblers and college basketball fans.

By having an excellent working relationship with various facilities, the MAAC has been able to attract several NCAA Championships. The MAAC is slated to host three NCAA Championships from 2020-22. Along with Siena, the MAAC will host the 2021Women’s Basketball East Regional as well as the 2020 Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. Alongside Canisius and Niagara, the MAAC will host the 2022 Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. In March 2018 and 2019 the MAAC hosted the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Albany Regional with Siena College at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. The Albany Regional was the highest attended site in 2018 out of the four regions with over 20,000 fans in attendance over the two days of competition. During the 2016-17 academic year, the MAAC hosted the NCAA Division I Cross Country Northeast Regional at Van Cortlandt Park with Iona andManhattan, the 2017 NCAAMen’s Basketball First & Second Rounds at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY with Canisius and Niagara, which marked the fifth time that all three parties partnered for this same event (2004, 2007, 2010, and 2014), and the 2017 NCAA Division I, II, & III Rowing Championships with the Ivy League at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, NJ. The MAAC, Canisius, and Niagara successfully hosted the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four and the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Second and Third Rounds at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY. The MAAC and Fairfield hosted the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Regional at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT. The MAAC and Rider co-hosted the 2012 NCAA Rowing Championships at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, NJ and also co-hosted the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. The MAAC and Rider co-hosted the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship Regional at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ, after recording the third highest attendance figure for the women’s championship with the First & Second Rounds in 2006. In March of 2017, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the field of teams for the inaugural Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic, a college basketball tournament held in conjunction with the MAAC, Sport Changes Life, Rory

@MAACSports | #MAACSoccer 11