The Sunrise Athletic Conference was a college athletic conference founded in 2002 and affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...

 (NAIA). Its member institutions were in Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, and Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

.

History

The SAC was founded when both the Maine Athletic Conference and the Mayflower Conference disbanded in the spring of 2002. Both of these conferences were NAIA conferences of long standing. The conference formed with eight inaugural members: the College of St. Joseph

College of St. Joseph

The College of St. Joseph is a private, residential, liberal arts Catholic college. Located on 117 wooded acres in Rutland, Vermont, it is located 15 minutes from the Killington Ski Resort and other outdoor recreational facilities and activities. The College's president is Frank G. Miglorie.-...

, Fisher College

Fisher College

Fisher CollegeFisher College is a private institution that grants both baccalaureate and associate degrees. The College is located on Beacon Street in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. The College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges .-History:The College was...

, Lyndon State College

Lyndon State College

Lyndon State College is a public liberal arts college located at Lyndon Center in Lyndon, Caledonia County in the U.S. state of Vermont. In addition to a range of Bachelor's Degree programs, the college offers a Master's Degree program in Education...

, University of Maine at Fort Kent

University of Maine at Fort Kent

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is a public liberal arts university in the U.S. state of Maine.Located in Fort Kent in the St. John Valley region of northern Maine, the university is part of the seven-member University of Maine System. It currently has an enrollment of 1,072 students. The...

, University of Maine at Machias

University of Maine at Machias

The University of Maine at Machias is one of seven campuses in the University of Maine System. Located in Machias, Maine, United States, the seat of Washington County, the university was founded in 1909 as a normal school for developing teachers, and offers studies in recreation, education,...

, University of Maine at Presque Isle

University of Maine at Presque Isle

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is part of the University of Maine System. Located in Presque Isle, UMPI offers studies in social and life sciences, business, recreation, education, and natural sciences. Its campus radio station is WUPI....

, Paul Smith's College

Paul Smith's College

Paul Smith's College is a private college and is the only four year institution of higher education located within the boundary of the Adirondack State Park in Upstate New York...

, Vermont Technical College

Vermont Technical College

Vermont Technical College is a public technical college with two main campuses located in Randolph Center and Williston, Vermont. The College also has nursing campuses in other locations throughout the state...

. Royal Goheen became the commissioner of the Sunrise Conference and continued to serve as the only commissioner in the history of the SAC until it disbanded. In 1997, Goheen took on the role as the commissioner of the Maine Athletic Conference before it's disbandment. In 2010 he was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame.

In 2004, the Sunrise Conference added State University of New York at Canton

State University of New York at Canton

The State University of New York at Canton , is a public, coeducational, residential college located on a spacious campus along the banks of the Grasse River in St. Lawrence County, New York within the Town of Canton. Its northern location places SUNY Canton close to the Adirondack Mountains, the St...

 after the university joined the NAIA as part of a transition from two-year to four-year institiution. The conference held steady with nine members until Paul Smith's College and Lyndon State College left in 2010, droppping SAC membership to seven.

The conference disbanded in 2011 when the College of St. Joseph

College of St. Joseph

The College of St. Joseph is a private, residential, liberal arts Catholic college. Located on 117 wooded acres in Rutland, Vermont, it is located 15 minutes from the Killington Ski Resort and other outdoor recreational facilities and activities. The College's president is Frank G. Miglorie.-...

, Vermont Technical College

Vermont Technical College

Vermont Technical College is a public technical college with two main campuses located in Randolph Center and Williston, Vermont. The College also has nursing campuses in other locations throughout the state...

 and University of Maine at Machias

University of Maine at Machias

The University of Maine at Machias is one of seven campuses in the University of Maine System. Located in Machias, Maine, United States, the seat of Washington County, the university was founded in 1909 as a normal school for developing teachers, and offers studies in recreation, education,...

 left the conference and NAIA for the United States Collegiate Athletic Association

United States Collegiate Athletic Association

The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports...

 (USCAA) and the Yankee Small College Conference

Yankee Small College Conference

Yankee Small College Conference is a division II conference in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The conference consists of two-year and four-year schools from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont...

. The University of Maine at Fort Kent

University of Maine at Fort Kent

The University of Maine at Fort Kent is a public liberal arts university in the U.S. state of Maine.Located in Fort Kent in the St. John Valley region of northern Maine, the university is part of the seven-member University of Maine System. It currently has an enrollment of 1,072 students. The...

, University of Maine at Presque Isle

University of Maine at Presque Isle

The University of Maine at Presque Isle is part of the University of Maine System. Located in Presque Isle, UMPI offers studies in social and life sciences, business, recreation, education, and natural sciences. Its campus radio station is WUPI....

, and SUNY-Canton

State University of New York at Canton

The State University of New York at Canton , is a public, coeducational, residential college located on a spacious campus along the banks of the Grasse River in St. Lawrence County, New York within the Town of Canton. Its northern location places SUNY Canton close to the Adirondack Mountains, the St...

 then left with no regional NAIA competition to become independents in the USCAA. In addition, UM-Presque Isle is transitioning to an independent member of NCAA Division III, while SUNY Canton was accepted into the transition process to move from NAIA to NCAA DIII. Fisher College

Fisher College

Fisher CollegeFisher College is a private institution that grants both baccalaureate and associate degrees. The College is located on Beacon Street in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. The College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges .-History:The College was...

 joined the American Mideast Conference

American Mideast Conference

The American Mideast Conference is an affiliate of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics that includes eight member institutions in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. Founded in 1949, it was known as the Mid-Ohio League, and named the Mid-Ohio Conference from 1962...

.

Former Members

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Team Nickname	Year Joined	Year Exited	New Conference
Lyndon State College Lyndon State College Lyndon State College is a public liberal arts college located at Lyndon Center in Lyndon, Caledonia County in the U.S. state of Vermont. In addition to a range of Bachelor's Degree programs, the college offers a Master's Degree program in Education...	Lyndon, Vermont Lyndon, Vermont Lyndon is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 5,448 at the 2000 census. Lyndon is the home of Lyndon State College. The town contains one incorporated village, Lyndonville and three unincorporated villages: Lyndon, Lyndon Center, and East Lyndon.Lyndon is the...	1911	Public Public university A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...	1,350	Hornets	2002	2006	North Atlantic Conference North Atlantic Conference The North Atlantic Conference is an athletic conference, affiliated with the NCAA’s Division III, consisting primarily of small liberal arts colleges throughout the New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont....  (NCAA Division III)
Paul Smith's College Paul Smith's College Paul Smith's College is a private college and is the only four year institution of higher education located within the boundary of the Adirondack State Park in Upstate New York...	Paul Smiths, New York Paul Smiths, New York Paul Smiths is a hamlet in the Town of Brighton in Franklin County, New York, on Lower Saint Regis Lake, in the Adirondacks, 10 miles north of Saranac Lake, located at 44°26' North 74°15' West....	1946	Private Private school Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...	1,000	Falcons	2002	2010	Yankee Conference Yankee Small College Conference Yankee Small College Conference is a division II conference in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The conference consists of two-year and four-year schools from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont...  (USCAA United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports... )
College of St. Joseph College of St. Joseph The College of St. Joseph is a private, residential, liberal arts Catholic college. Located on 117 wooded acres in Rutland, Vermont, it is located 15 minutes from the Killington Ski Resort and other outdoor recreational facilities and activities. The College's president is Frank G. Miglorie.-...	Rutland, Vermont	1956	Private Private school Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...	500	Saints	2002	2011	Yankee Conference Yankee Small College Conference Yankee Small College Conference is a division II conference in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The conference consists of two-year and four-year schools from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont...  (USCAA United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports... )
Fisher College Fisher College Fisher CollegeFisher College is a private institution that grants both baccalaureate and associate degrees. The College is located on Beacon Street in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. The College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges .-History:The College was...	Boston, Massachusetts	1903	Private Private school Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...	1,121	Falcons	2002	2011	American Mideast Conference American Mideast Conference The American Mideast Conference is an affiliate of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics that includes eight member institutions in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. Founded in 1949, it was known as the Mid-Ohio League, and named the Mid-Ohio Conference from 1962...  (NAIA National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA... )
University of Maine at Fort Kent University of Maine at Fort Kent The University of Maine at Fort Kent is a public liberal arts university in the U.S. state of Maine.Located in Fort Kent in the St. John Valley region of northern Maine, the university is part of the seven-member University of Maine System. It currently has an enrollment of 1,072 students. The...	Fort Kent, Maine Fort Kent, Maine Fort Kent is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,097 in the 2010 census. Fort Kent is home to an Olympic biathlete training center, an annual CAN-AM dogsled race, and the Fort Kent Blockhouse, built in reaction to the Aroostook War and in modern times designated...	1878	Public Public university A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...	1,339	Bengals	2002	2011	Independent (USCAA United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports... )
University of Maine at Machias University of Maine at Machias The University of Maine at Machias is one of seven campuses in the University of Maine System. Located in Machias, Maine, United States, the seat of Washington County, the university was founded in 1909 as a normal school for developing teachers, and offers studies in recreation, education,...	Machias, Maine	1909	Public Public university A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...	1,200	Clippers	2002	2011	Yankee Conference Yankee Small College Conference Yankee Small College Conference is a division II conference in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The conference consists of two-year and four-year schools from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont...  (USCAA United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports... )
University of Maine at Presque Isle University of Maine at Presque Isle The University of Maine at Presque Isle is part of the University of Maine System. Located in Presque Isle, UMPI offers studies in social and life sciences, business, recreation, education, and natural sciences. Its campus radio station is WUPI....	Presque Isle, Maine Presque Isle, Maine Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census...	1903	Public Public university A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...	1,600	Owls	2002	2011	Independent (USCAA United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports... )
Vermont Technical College Vermont Technical College Vermont Technical College is a public technical college with two main campuses located in Randolph Center and Williston, Vermont. The College also has nursing campuses in other locations throughout the state...	Randolph, Vermont Randolph, Vermont Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....	1866	Public Public university A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...  technical college	1,453	Knights	2002	2011	Yankee Conference Yankee Small College Conference Yankee Small College Conference is a division II conference in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The conference consists of two-year and four-year schools from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont...  (USCAA United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports... )
State University of New York at Canton State University of New York at Canton The State University of New York at Canton , is a public, coeducational, residential college located on a spacious campus along the banks of the Grasse River in St. Lawrence County, New York within the Town of Canton. Its northern location places SUNY Canton close to the Adirondack Mountains, the St...	Canton, New York Canton, New York Canton, New York is the name of two places in St. Lawrence County, New York.*Canton , New York*Canton , New York, in the town...	1906	Public Public university A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...	3,320	Kangaroos	2004	2011	Independent (USCAA United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association is a national organization in the USA for the intercollegiate athletic programs of less than 100 small colleges, community collegs and junior colleges. It holds 11 "National Championship" tournaments in seven sports... )

Membership Timeline

DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:750 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:2002 till:2011
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:30 left:0 bottom:50 top:5

Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)
id:line value:orange
id:bg value:white

PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:white shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:blue from:2002 till:2010 text:Paul Smith's College (2002-2010)
bar:2 color:blue from:2002 till:2006 text:Lyndon State College (2002-2006)
bar:3 color:blue from:2002 till:end text:College of St. Joseph (2002-2011)
bar:4 color:blue from:2002 till:end text:Fisher College (2002-2011)
bar:5 color:blue from:2002 till:end text:University of Maine at Fort Kent (2002-2011)
bar:6 color:blue from:2002 till:end text:University of Maine at Machias (2002-2011)
bar:7 color:blue from:2002 till:end text:University of Maine at Presque Isle (2002-2011)
bar:8 color:blue from:2002 till:end text:Vermont Technical College (2002-2011)
bar:9 color:blue from:2004 till:end text:State University of New York at Canton (2004-2011)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:1 start:2002

Conference sports

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
Basketball Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
Cross Country Cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
Golf Golf Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
Soccer
Softball Softball Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
Volleyball Volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

Conference Championships

Women Volleyball

• 2010 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2009 UMaine Presque Isle
• 2008 UMaine Presque Isle
• 2007 SUNY Canton
• 2006 UMaine Machias
• 2005 UMaine Machias

Men Cross Country

• 2010 SUNY Canton

Women Cross Country

• 2010 UMaine Presque Isle

Men Soccer

• 2010 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2009 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2008 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2007 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2006 UMaine Fort Kent

Women Soccer

• 2010 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2009 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2008 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2007 SUNY Canton
• 2006 UMaine Fort Kent

Men Basketball

• 2011 Fisher College
• 2010 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2009 Fisher College
• 2008 College of St. Joseph
• 2007 Fisher College
• 2006 Fisher College

Women Basketball

• 2011 UMain Machias
• 2010 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2009 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2008 UMaine Fort Kent
• 2007 College of St. Joseph
• 2006 UMaine Fort Kent

Men Golf

• 2010 UMaine Presque Isle
• 2008 UMaine Presque Isle

Baseball

• 2011 Fisher College
• 2010 Fisher College
• 2009 Fisher College
• 2008 Fisher College
• 2007 Fisher College
• 2006 Fisher College

Softball

• 2011 SUNY Canton
• 2010 SUNY Canton
• 2009 UMaine Presque Isle
• 2008 College of St. Joseph
• 2007 College of St. Joseph

External links

• Official website