May 4, 2005

KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island, along with the other 11 members of the Atlantic 10 Football Conference, will form the Colonial Athletic Association for football beginning in 2007. Members of the Atlantic 10 Football Conference include Delaware, Hofstra, James Madison, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Richmond, Towson, Villanova, William & Mary and Rhode Island.

CAA Commissioner Thomas E. Yeager made the announcement at a press conference at Shula's II Restaurant in Richmond, Va. on May 4.

"We are pleased to announce the addition of football to the CAA," Yeager said. "College football, with all of its tradition, pageantry, and rivalries, creates an interest and excitement on campus and across communities that is unmatched. We look forward to having the CAA name attached to such a distinguished group of institutions and building on the successes that those members have had in the past."

The league has produced the last two national champions in Delaware in 2003 and James Madison in 2004. Delaware, James Madison, New Hampshire and William & Mary earned I-AA playoff berths a year ago. Eight of the league's 12 teams were ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll during the 2004 season.

"I am glad we are able to continue playing our traditional rivals," Rhode Island coach Tim Stowers said. "We have a long-standing association with schools such as Maine (83 meetings), Massachusetts (79 meetings), New Hampshire (79 meetings) and Northeastern (52 meetings) and those relationships will continue into the future. This league has developed into the premier I-AA conference in the nation."

The change in football league affiliations will not affect Rhode Island's other intercollegiate teams which will continue to participate as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference.