By Collin Bolebruch
Having reported on SUNYAC sports for three years now, I want the sports section to expand beyond Plattsburgh. In this column, I will explore membership issues, rivals’ seasons and the conference the Cardinals call home.
When the SUNYAC lost Geneseo, Brockport and New Paltz, it lost perennial playoff locks in multiple sports. All three schools qualified for fall playoffs in every sport in 2023-24, outside of Brockport tennis.
In response, the conference added Morrisville and Canton. Out of five fall team sports, just Morrisville volleyball made the postseason.
Essentially, 15 fall playoff-quality teams left, and the SUNYAC gained just one.
Morrisville and Canton’s programs will improve with time, but for now, the quality of play across the SUNYAC is worse off. What is preventing Cortland or Oneonta from jetting off for a better league.
To combat this, the conference needs to find a full-time member with solid programs across the board if it returns to 10 schools.
SUNY DELHI, ASSOCIATE XC/T&F
Pros: Delhi impressed the North Atlantic Conference this fall, reaching both soccer championships. After disappointing seasons from Morrisville and Canton, Delhi could add some juice to the SUNYAC. The Broncos also sponsor women’s tennis and swimming and diving. Plattsburgh soccer alum Matthew Pitarresi is Delhi’s sports information director and is familiar with the SUNYAC. Delhi being public and in-state can maintain the league brand.
Cons: The Broncos aren’t very strong across the rest of the board. The department itself has only made the transition to Division III from NAIA in 2021, and therefore doesn’t have much of an NCAA resume. Delhi also does not currently support baseball or women’s lacrosse.
Verdict: Delhi would certainly benefit from joining the SUNYAC, and could build up its programs under a new conference. I worry that Delhi couldn’t immediately compete, but if the league strikes out on bigger fish, the SUNYAC shouldn’t dismiss an application.
SUNY COBLESKILL, ASSOCIATE XC/T&F
Pros: The Fighting Tigers would enter with some impressive basketball programs, with both teams being named NAC runner-ups. The women’s team went 25-2 last season and defeated Oneonta by over 30. Cobleskill baseball is also good, defeating Plattsburgh, sweeping Canton and staying competitive with other SUNYAC teams. Cobleskill is also public and in-state.
Cons: Like Delhi, Cobleskill has also recently transitioned to Division III. Outside of basketball, the Tigers have left plenty of room for improvement, including winless men’s lacrosse and women’s soccer teams. Cobleskill doesn’t support women’s tennis, which will lead the league to look for associate members.
Verdict: While Tigers basketball looks like a strong addition, I don’t think adding Cobleskill does much in the way of convincing stronger athletics programs to stay in the SUNYAC.Â
Again, if the SUNYAC struggles to add teams, Cobleskill is certainly an option. The point of adding to the league would be to instantly insert a school that will compete in multiple sports.
SKIDMORE, ASSOCIATE ICE HOCKEY
Pros: The Thoroughbreds come from a prestigious conference and regularly schedule SUNYAC teams. Skidmore posted some good seasons in most sports and reached the NCAA Tournament in tennis and women’s soccer, and joining the SUNYAC would be the best-case scenario for league competitiveness. The department hosts field hockey, swimming and diving and tennis, which would go a long way in solving membership issues.
Cons: It could be very difficult to convince Skidmore to jump ship from the Liberty League, but having already joined in some capacity cracks the door open. Skidmore is also a private school, and could make the SUNYAC turn away from the SUNY moniker. I don’t think this move could happen for another few years.
Verdict: I think this is very unlikely, but it’s a dream pick. It would fix a lot of the league’s problems, making the league stronger and more secure. The New England Small College Athletic Conference pulled Hamilton away from the LL using hockey, so maybe that sets a precedent.
RUSSELL SAGE
Pros: Russell Sage hosts most SUNYAC sports, including the much-needed field hockey and tennis. The Gators also aren’t strangers to scheduling SUNYAC teams. At the moment, Sage sits as a mid-to-low tier Empire 8 team, and could look to try and gain some traction in a new league. Regardless, it looks more solid across the board than either NAC options.
Cons: Sage is also private, and poses the same branding questions as Skidmore. Again, the Gators haven’t seen any great seasons in the last year, and I’m not sure the SUNYAC can afford another project.
Verdict: I don’t think Russell Sage is a bad option, but if the SUNYAC wants to pull from the E8, it could reach for Alfred or SUNY Poly. Realistically, this is a solid private, in-state option. The point of looking at the Gators is acknowledging that the conference could go for a private, non-affiliated school to preserve competition.
If the SUNYAC wants to maintain its brand, it will have to acknowledge that it’s putting out a lower-quality product. However, the league has shown it’s not afraid to stray away from in-state public schools, adding private, like Hobart & William Smith, and out-of-state associates, like Penn State Behrend.
I don’t think an admission would be immediate, like Morrisville and Canton were, because the conference should wait for a high-quality athletics department to ditch their league. Imagining a Cortland monopoly makes me sick!
