Eastern College Athletic Conference
Encyclopedia
The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports (17 men's and 18 women's). It has 317 member institutions in NCAA
Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois. Most or all members belong to at least one other athletic conference
.
The ECAC was founded as the Central Office for Eastern Intercollegiate Athletics in 1938, largely thanks to the efforts of James Lynah
of Cornell University
. In 1983, the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) was consolidated into the ECAC. Most member schools are in other conferences as well, but through the ECAC are able to participate in sports that their other conference does not offer. Its headquarters are located in Centerville, Massachusetts
, on Cape Cod
.
The ECAC shall:
1. Understand, respect and support programs and philosophies of each member;
2. Assist and involve all constituents in developing and maintaining consistent, equitable competitive opportunities;
3. Develop and implement the best possible programs and services (championships, officiating, public relations, etc.) for the membership; and
4. Promote college athletics in general, and specifically, highlight stories about its membership, student-athletes, coaches and administrators.
The ECAC shall be a leader, either as a primary or secondary provider, of services to its member conferences and institutions to achieve the mission.
In 2010, the swimming and diving championships included 21 men's teams and 24 women's teams.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois. Most or all members belong to at least one other athletic conference
Athletic conference
An athletic conference is a collection of sports teams, playing competitively against each other at the professional, collegiate, or high school level. In many cases conferences are subdivided into smaller and smaller divisions, with the best teams competing at successively higher levels...
.
The ECAC was founded as the Central Office for Eastern Intercollegiate Athletics in 1938, largely thanks to the efforts of James Lynah
James Lynah
James Lynah was an American businessman and sports administrator who is considered the principal founder of the Eastern College Athletic Conference....
of Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. In 1983, the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (EAIAW) was consolidated into the ECAC. Most member schools are in other conferences as well, but through the ECAC are able to participate in sports that their other conference does not offer. Its headquarters are located in Centerville, Massachusetts
Centerville, Massachusetts
Centerville is a village in the Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. Located on the south side of Barnstable, Centerville is primarily residential, includes a small business district, notable beaches, and a school . Centerville contains the neighborhood of Craigville, which includes...
, on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
.
Mission statement
The mission of the ECAC shall be to initiate, stimulate and improve intercollegiate athletics programs for student-athletes, and to promote and develop educational leadership, athletics excellence and athletics participation.The ECAC shall:
1. Understand, respect and support programs and philosophies of each member;
2. Assist and involve all constituents in developing and maintaining consistent, equitable competitive opportunities;
3. Develop and implement the best possible programs and services (championships, officiating, public relations, etc.) for the membership; and
4. Promote college athletics in general, and specifically, highlight stories about its membership, student-athletes, coaches and administrators.
The ECAC shall be a leader, either as a primary or secondary provider, of services to its member conferences and institutions to achieve the mission.
Affiliates
The ECAC is also affiliated with various single-sport leagues:- Eastern Association of Rowing CollegesEastern Association of Rowing CollegesThe Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges is a college athletic conference of eighteen men's college rowing crews. It is an affiliate of the Eastern College Athletic Conference .-Members:...
- Eastern Association of Women's Rowing CollegesEastern Association of Women's Rowing CollegesThe Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges is an American athletic conference of eighteen women's college rowing crew teams. The conference is an affiliate of the Eastern College Athletic Conference .-Members:*Boston College...
- Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics LeagueEastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics LeagueThe Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League is an NCAA Division I college athletic conference which sponsors men’s gymnastics. It is an affiliate of the Eastern College Athletic Conference .-Members:*Army Black Knights*Navy Midshipmen...
- Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling AssociationEastern Intercollegiate Wrestling AssociationThe Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association is an NCAA Division I collegiate wrestling conference. It has been active since 1905 and has had a variety of schools as members throughout its tenure.-Current members:*American University...
- Intercollegiate Fencing AssociationIntercollegiate Fencing AssociationThe Intercollegiate Fencing Association is the oldest collegiate fencing conference in the United States. It is affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference .-Membership:The IFA has 12 members...
- Intercollegiate Rowing AssociationIntercollegiate Rowing AssociationThe Intercollegiate Rowing Association runs the IRA Championship Regatta, which is considered to be the United States collegiate national championship of rowing. Since 1995, it has been held on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, New Jersey, and includes both men's and women's events for sweep boats...
- Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes in AmericaIC4AIC4A or ICAAAA is an annual men's competition held at different colleges every year....
In general
The ECAC consists of 21 different collegiate sports: cross country (Men's & Women's), field hockey (W), football (M), golf (M&W), soccer (M&W), tennis (M&W), volleyball (M&W), water polo (M&W), basketball (M&W), bowling (W), fencing (M&W), gymnastics (M&W), ice hockey (M&W), swimming and diving (M&W), synchronized swimming (W), indoor track and field (M&W), wrestling (M), baseball (M), lacrosse (M&W), softball (W), and outdoor track and field (M&W).Swimming and diving
- See footnote
In 2010, the swimming and diving championships included 21 men's teams and 24 women's teams.
Awards
- See footnotes
- Robbins Scholar-Athletes
- Award of Merit (for student-athletes)
- Award of Valor (for student-athletes)
- ECAC Rowing Trophy