CLEVELAND -- The North Coast Athletic Conference has strengthened its field hockey membership with the addition of  Washington & Jefferson College and Transylvania University as affiliate members effective for the fall of 2023.

This brings NCAC field hockey sponsorship to 11 institutions including full-member institutions Denison University, DePauw University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Wittenberg University and the College of Wooster, along with current affiliate members Allegheny College and Earlham College.

"Transylvania University and Washington & Jefferson College are excellent colleges who share our passion and commitment to high level Division III athletics," stated Adam Weinberg, president of the NCAC and Denison University. "We are excited to welcome them into the NCAC."

"This is an exciting step for NCAC field hockey," stated Executive Director Keri Alexander Luchowski. "Our programs have long established relationships with both the Pioneers and the Presidents, and I'm so pleased to formally welcome them into the NCAC Field Hockey family. I look forward to watching our relationships grow in the coming years throughout conference competition."

As the only Division III conference in the Great Lakes footprint, the addition of two members helps solidify conference field hockey schedules into the future. The NCAC will now be able to offer single round-robin play within the conference, allowing members to play a 10-game schedule and still leave room for competitive non-conference opportunities. Said Alexander Luchowski, "I couldn't be more pleased that we are able to support the sport of field hockey in the conference, and it's especially meaningful to do so within this year of the 50th anniversary of Title IX."

Washington & Jefferson and Transylvania are both currently under similar affiliate relationships with other Division III conferences. 

The Presidents are an associate field hockey member of the Empire 8 (E8), a partnership that began in 2006. W&J clinched a spot in the conference tournament, with a fifth-place finish this fall. The Presidents closed out their 2022 campaign in the first round of the E8 tourney. The majority of W&J teams participate in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC); men's water polo plays in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, while the women are a member of the Collegiate Water Polo Association. 

"Washington & Jefferson College is delighted to accept the offer to join the NCAC as an affiliate field hockey member,' said Director of Athletics Scott McGuinness. "We have annually competed against NCAC opponents during the non-conference portion of our schedule, and we greatly respect the quality student-athletes, coaches, and administrators in this conference. This is an exciting opportunity for our field hockey program."

The Pioneers are an associate field hockey member of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA), a partnership that began with the 2004 season. Transylvania posted a third-place finish (tie) in the SAA this fall; the Pioneers advanced to the semifinals of the SAA Tournament with a 1-0 victory over Concordia University (WI) before bowing out of the tourney with a loss to runner-up Rhodes. The majority of Pioneer teams compete in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC); several sports are independent. 

The NCAC anticipates field hockey schedules for the fall of 2023 to be shared in the coming weeks.