WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ - Monmouth University has accepted an invitation to join the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in all sports the league sponsors, effective July 1, 2022.

Monmouth will compete in the CAA in all sports except women's bowling, which will remain a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Hawks will compete in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

There is a press conference scheduled at the OceanFirst Bank Center for Wednesday, January 26, 2022 at 12 PM.   A livestream of the press conference is also available.

"Today is a great day for Monmouth University," said Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahy. "The invitation to join the Colonial Athletic Association has presented our University with an opportunity to compete alongside some of the finest institutions in the nation. Those strong academic associations, coupled with the on-field national recognition of the CAA teams, will enhance the Monmouth brand and increase our exposure at the regional and national levels. I am very excited to give our student-athletes and coaching staff the opportunity to elevate our programs to a new level. The MAAC, Big South, and America East Conferences have been very good to us over the past eight-plus years, and I am grateful to the leaders of those leagues and the member institutions for their collegiality and competitive spirit. I anticipate that this move to the CAA will energize the entire Monmouth University community and serve as a tremendous point of pride for our students, alumni, and friends."

"We are pleased to welcome Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as the newest members of the CAA," said CAA Commissioner Joe D'Antonio. "All three institutions fit perfectly into the framework of the Conference's vision that calls for our membership to work together to advance nationally competitive athletic programs – coupled with outstanding academic programs – that empower student-athletes as whole persons to strive at the highest level in every aspect of their lives.  The CAA is excited for what the future holds and will continue to be focused on making decisions that ensures its membership a competitive and sustainable model."

Monmouth University sponsors 24 Division I athletic programs. Since 2013, the majority of Monmouth's teams have competed in the MAAC with football competing as a member of the Big South Conference and the Hawks' field hockey program joining the America East Conference prior to the 2018 season. In that time, Monmouth has secured six overall MAAC commissioner's cups, won 60 regular season championships and made 20 NCAA Tournament appearances. In its Division I history, Monmouth boasts 144 regular season championships, 43 NCAA Tournament appearances, and has produced 123 professional athletes.

Monmouth's football program, which began play in the 1993 season, has surged in recent years. Since 2017, Monmouth has made three NCAA FCS Playoff appearances, won two Big South titles and owns an overall record of 38-11 against FCS competition. The nationally-ranked Hawks were 23-3 in Big South play and own a home record of 22-3 during that span.

The Hawks' men's basketball team has won three regular-season titles in the MAAC and made two NIT appearances under Head Coach King Rice. The Monmouth Track and Field program has also had a run of success that includes 55 team conference championships and 23 individual All-America awards. In women's soccer, the Hawks have dominated the MAAC during their time in the league with eight regular season titles, six NCAA Tournament appearances and a conference record of 66-5-5 across nine seasons. Field Hockey has made three appearances in the NCAAs (MAAC) and has won a pair of regular season crowns as members of the America East Conference. Twice the Hawks were ranked 20^th in the NFHCA Poll, the highest ranking in program history.

"I want to thank Commissioner D'Antonio and the Board of Directors in the Colonial Athletic Association for giving this tremendous opportunity to Monmouth University, its student-athletes, coaches and staff," said Monmouth University Director of Athletics Jeff Stapleton. "The CAA teams regularly earn national rankings and recognition as they compete for national championships while promoting diverse academic communities that excel in the classroom and prepare their student-athletes for post-graduation success. We are excited to compete with these like-minded institutions beginning this fall and we believe that we will help to continue to elevate the already impressive trajectory of the CAA. I also want to thank the commissioners and the schools of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, the Big South Conference and the America East Conference, without the growth they afforded our University back in 2013 we would not be in this position today. It is always the goal of our administration to give our student-athletes and coaches the chance to compete among the nation's elite and joining the CAA presents us with such an opportunity."

About The Colonial Athletic Association
The CAA encompasses many of the nation's largest metropolitan areas with a geographic footprint that stretches from Boston to Charleston, S.C. The conference has produced 18 national team champions in five different sports, 33 individual national champions, 15 national players of the year, 15 national coaches of the year and 13 Honda Award winners. Just as impressive, however, are the honors accumulated away from competition, which include five Rhodes Scholars and 25 NCAA post-graduate scholars. In 2020-21, more than 2,800 of the league's student-athletes received the Commissioner's Academic Award after posting at least a 3.0 grade point average while lettering in a varsity sport. The conference had 42 teams in 17 different sports receive NCAA Public Recognition Awards based on the latest Academic Progress Report released in 2020.

The CAA conducts championships in 22 sports. Male athletes compete for championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis and track & field. Female athletes battle for conference titles in basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

CAA Football has established itself as one of the nation's premier FCS power conferences for more than a decade due to its on-field success, national exposure and the achievements of its student-athletes in the classroom, in the community and at the next level. The league has had multiple teams in the playoffs for the past 31 years, three or more squads in the field for 14 of the past 16 seasons and at least one team in the semifinals for nine straight years. A CAA team has competed in the FCS national championship game in nine of the past 17 seasons.

About Monmouth University
Monmouth University is the region's premier private coastal university offering a comprehensive array of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs in a dynamic and personalized learning environment. Located in West Long Branch, New Jersey, Monmouth University's magnificent coastal campus is approximately one hour from both New York City and Philadelphia. Innovative academic programs, individual faculty attention, and nationally ranked Division I athletics make this private university a great place to find your future.  For more information, visit monmouth.edu

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