One last year for the SUNYAC as we’ve known it
March 4, 2024
Come next year, it won’t be your father’s (or grandfather’s) SUNYAC anymore.
In case you missed it, it was announced last October that both SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Brockport will be joining the Empire Eight for the ‘24-‘25 school year. SUNY Canton and SUNY Morrisville are slotted to take their place in the SUNYAC starting next fall.
Huh?
I don’t get it either, and I’ve contemplated trying to do a true, in-depth journalistic investigation into the moves. You know – call the ADs, talk to the SUNYAC Commissioner, etc, and hear the details, explanations, and reasons for the unprecedented reconfigurations.
Eh, maybe some other time.
For now, I’ll just say that I heard the move is considered a money-saver for the departing schools, that they won’t have to make trips to northern NY (Potsdam and Plattsburgh) or southeastern NY (New Paltz, maybe Oneonta). But I also heard that SUNY Fredonia and SUNY Buffalo State were also considering the move away from the SUNYAC – for the same travel and time concerns (which, actually makes more sense) – but they didn’t leave the SUNYAC. And I also read somewhere that SUNY Poly (formerly SUNYIT) is also moving into the Empire Eight from their North Atlantic Conference.
I realize New York is a big state, and I don’t envy a Fredonia basketball coach or player having to travel to Plattsburgh or New Paltz for a midweek game (or even a weekend game). But some sports play two games a weekend, and Potsdam and Plattsburgh, Geneseo and Brockport, Oswego and Cortland, Oneonta and New Paltz, and Buff State and Fredonia have been travel partners for years.
The move makes me wonder…
Who might Geneseo and Brockport play in non-league games? Potsdam? Plattsburgh? Oneonta? Hartwick is in the E8 – so they’re still going to have to make a trip to Oneonta. And Utica. And Albany (to play Russell Sage)…. So where’s the savings?
But maybe my bigger concern is… what’s next? Or better yet – who’s next?
Is it just a matter of time before Fredonia and Buff State make the jump to the E8, too?
The 18-member North Atlantic Conference, which includes colleges from the Finger Lakes to Vermont to the Maine coast, will not miss the departure of SUNY Poly, Canton, and Morrisville, but surely SUNY Delhi, SUNY Cobleskill, and Wells College will start to feel like real outliers as their NY cohorts jump ship.
If the SUNYAC loses some of its luster, could a powerhouse like SUNY Cortland see its traditional conference as a liability? Could there come a time when they start looking elsewhere?
I don’t think the SUNYAC is at risk of losing any of its NCAA Automatic Qualifiers – in any sport, especially with the addition of Canton and Morrisville – two former two-year colleges that now offer four-year programs.
And, not to sound too grumpy, but the Empire Eight already has nine members (Alfred, Elmira, Hartwick, Houghton, Keuka, Nazareth, Russell Sage, St. John Fisher, and Utica) – will they dare keep their E8 identity with 12 members?
I know, I know. The Big Ten has 14 members (plus two more next year!), and Creighton (NE), Marquette (WI), and DePaul (IL) are in the Big East, where Denver is an affiliate member for men’s and women’s lacrosse. Stanford (CA), California (CA), and Southern Methodist University (TX) are joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. These conference memberships continue to change every year, especially these days. But I thought that was a big-money, D-I thing, not something that would ever impact a long-standing D-III state school conference.
Did you know that the roots of the SUNYAC go all the way back to 1958, when nine charter schools (Albany, Brockport, Buff State, Cortland, New Paltz, Oneonta, Oswego, Plattsburgh, and Potsdam) formed the New York State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NYSIAC), which was renamed the SUNYAC in 1963?
The SUNYAC boasts national champions in just about every sport – soccer (Brockport), lacrosse (Cortland), wrestling (Brockport and U Buffalo), basketball (Potsdam), ice hockey (Plattsburgh and Oswego), track and field (Cortland), cross country (Cortland), baseball (Cortland), and football (Cortland) – and that’s just the men’s side!
Women’s SUNYAC teams with NCAA titles include track and field (Cortland), cross country (Cortland and Geneseo), indoor track and field (Cortland), soccer (Cortland and Oneonta), field hockey (Cortland), lacrosse (Cortland), and ice hockey (Plattsburgh).
In men’s lacrosse, Cortland has won more SUNYAC titles (28) than anyone else, but it’s Geneseo who has won the second-most (4). In fact, the Knights won last year’s SUNYAC championship, beating the Red Dragons twice – once in the regular season, and again in the conference championship.
Will Geneseo continue to play Cortland when they don’t have to? My guess is yes, because both Cortland Geneseo have traditionally played tough, competitive non-league schedules that include all the best programs in Upstate.
But then again, Cortland will have to add Canton and Morrisville to their schedule next year, so they’ll have to make some decisions about who they’re going to drop to make room. Brockport might be gone, but what about Nazareth, St. John Fisher, or RIT?
Both Brockport and Geneseo leave schedules with eight SUNYAC opponents for a conference with 12 next year. That could mean 11 league games in 2025; not much room for non-league contests.
Is the Empire Eight looking to become a super-conference? How will the SUNYAC consider its future? Does it look to expand further down the road? Add Delhi, Alfred State, and/or Cobleskill, maybe even SUNY Purchase and the Long Island campuses Old Westbury and Farmingdale?
And, what about the Liberty League? Is it looking to add members?
My head hurts.
Stay tuned – only time will tell.
For now, though, here’s a quick look at the current SUNYAC men’s lacrosse teams. Some have played just two games; others have played as many as four.
In order of the pre-season SUNYAC coaches’ poll (and last year’s conference standings):
1. Geneseo 2-1 wins vs. Morrisville and Ithaca, loss to RPI
2. Cortland 2-0 wins vs. St. John Fisher and Scranton
3. Oswego 0-2 losses to Hartwick and Skidmore
4. New Paltz 0-3 losses to SUNY Maritime, Farmingdale, and Lasell
5. Oneonta 2-1 wins vs. Utica and Morrisville, loss to Skidmore
6. Brockport 0-3 losses to St. John Fisher, Clarkson, and Ohio Northern
7. Potsdam 1-1 win vs. Utica, loss to St. Lawrence
8. Plattsburgh 3-1 wins over Mt. St. Mary, Canton, and Russell Sage, loss to Norwich
Conference games begin March 23; the SUNYAC semi-finals are Wednesday, May 1, and the conference championship game is on Saturday, May 4.
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In the meantime, please drive carefully, everyone. Put down those cell phones. Volunteer. Donate blood. Get your shots; get your boosters. Mask up if asked. Love your neighbor. Help someone in need. Take care of your crew!
But most importantly, stay safe, stay smart, and stay kind.
- Dan Witmer
Dan is currently the author of four books. The Best of Road Trip Dad – The Laker Lacrosse Collection is an accumulation of 45 articles written for www.JustLacrosseUpstate between the years 2012 and 2018, about the history and traditions, the people, and the stories of the Oswego State men’s lacrosse program. … and piles to go before I sleep – The Book of Wit is his memoir describing his 33-year career teaching HS English and coaching at Hannibal Central School. His third book, The Best of RTD – A Lacrosse Coach’s Handbook contains more than 55 weekly Road Trip Dad blogs spanning 2012-2020, featuring Xs and Os, highs and lows, and even some Dos and Don'ts, and plenty of advice for coaches of all levels. His latest book, The Best of Road Trip Dad – On the Shoulders of Giants: Upstate’s Lacrosse Founders and Legends, profiles more than 50 icons who helped grow the game in Upstate NY. All four books are available at www.amazon.com.
Dan grew up in Lynbrook, NY before coming to Oswego State to earn his teaching and coaching certifications. He then taught English at Hannibal High School for 33 years before retiring in 2015.
In addition to coaching the Oswego State Laker men’s lacrosse team part-time from 1982-2010, Dan also coached JV and varsity girls’ soccer at Hannibal for 16 years, girls’ ice hockey at Oswego HS for 8 years, and boys’ JV and varsity lacrosse at Oswego HS for 12 years.
Dan is now in his 18th year assisting Summit Lacrosse Ventures with their various tournaments, especially the annual Lake Placid Summit Classic, and he worked for 3d Lacrosse for three years as well. He has served on the staffs of the 2014 FIL World Games in Denver, the 2015 FIL Indoor Championships in Syracuse, the 2018 FIL World Games in Netanya, Israel, the 2022 U21 World Championship in Limerick, Ireland, and the World Lacrosse Championships in San Diego in 2023. He is the game ops staff director for the World Lacrosse Men’s and Women’s Box Championships in Utica in September of 2024.
Dan served as the Community Service Coordinator for the Oswego State athletic department from 2010-2023 and has been a certified lacrosse referee for the past seven years. He has also been the Volunteer Event Organizer for the annual St. Baldrick’s fundraiser in Oswego for the past 18 years.
Last year he returned to the Oswego State coaching staff as an assistant coach, where he currently serves as defensive coordinator.
Dan and Sue Witmer live in Oswego, while their sons Brian and Eric are currently living in Prague and Denver.
The hope is for many more road trips to come.