By Collin Bolebruch
SUNYAC
The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has announced that the SUNY Canton Kangaroos and the SUNY Morrisville Mustangs will join the conference as full-time members beginning in the 2024-25 academic year.
This move was made to rebalance the conference after the SUNY Geneseo Knights and the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles announced their departure to the Empire 8 Aug. 21.
Morrisville and Canton were both members of the Northeast Women’s Hockey League before it transitioned to the SUNYAC May 12. In a corresponding move, both programs also joined the men’s hockey league. The Roos and the Mustangs are now slated to compete under the SUNYAC umbrella in all sports.
The Cardinals have regularly competed in non-conference matches with the new admits in previous years, more prominently against Canton. Last season, the Cards played the Roos in non-conference games in baseball, men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, women’s basketball, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, softball and volleyball.
The Alfred State Pioneers will also be joining the SUNYAC as an associate member, competing in men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field.
The SUNYAC will be introducing men’s wrestling as its 22nd sport, starting immediately for the 2023-24 season. The league will include the current SUNYAC members Cortland Red Dragons, Oswego Lakers, Oneonta Red Dragons; the departing Brockport; and the new associate SUNYAC members Ithaca Bombers, Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers, St. John Fisher Cardinals and Utica Pioneers.
