MAAC_Program_2026_V11_Pages

MAAC CHRONOLOGY The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is founded. U.S. Military Academy, Fairfield University, Fordham University, Iona College, Manhattan College, and Saint Peter's College are the charter members, and will begin competition in the fall of 1981.

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Canisius College, Loyola College (MD), Niagara University, and Siena College enter the MAAC to bring the total number of schools to 12, forming the largest conference in the nation at that time. The conference divides itself into two divisions, the North: Army, Canisius, Holy Cross, Fordham, Niagara, and Siena; and the South: Fairfield, Iona, La Salle, Loyola, Manhattan, and Saint Peter's.

MAAC announces that Marist University and Rider University will join the conference as full-time members, no later than the 1997-98 academic year.

Marist earns its third women's basketball league title in four years. The Red Foxes became the first women's program in league history to advance to the Sweet 16, falling to eventual National Champion, Tennessee.

Quinnipiac women’s basketball team makes historic Sweet Sixteen run in the 2017 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The Bobcats became the second MAAC women’s basketball team to advance to the Sweet 16 since 2007.

No. 15 seed Saint Peter's men's basketball becomes the first MAAC program (men or women) to advance to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, defeating No. 2 Kentucky (85-79 OT), No. 7 Murray St. (70-60), and No. 3 Purdue (67-64). The Peacocks were also the first ever 15 seed in NCAA history to advance to the Elite Eight.

Mount St. Mary's University accepts invitation to join the MAAC as a full-time member starting in the 2022-23 season; the addition of the Mountaineers put the MAAC membership back to 11 schools for the 2022-23 season with the departure of Monmouth.

Travis Tellitocci (pronounced Tella-toss-see) named as fourth commissioner in the history of the MAAC.

MAAC announces the addition of Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University as its newest full member institutions. The addition of the two institutions propelled the conference to an all-time membership high of 13 for the 2024-25 academic year.

MAAC and ESPN agree to multiyear media rights extension. With the new agreement, the Men's Basketball Championship returns to a primetime slot on ESPN/ESPN2.

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2026 | AIR FORCE RESERVE MAAC MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS 11