C.W. Post Football, Field Hockey to Join PSAC as Associate Members

Pioneers to begin PSAC play in 2008-09

July 2, 2007

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (cwpostpioneers.com) - The C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University announced Thursday that it has accepted an invitation to become associate members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in the sports of field hockey and football. Participation in PSAC competition will begin in the 2008-09 athletic year.

"We are proud to be associated with the prestigious colleges and universities who make up this conference," said C.W. Post Provost Joseph Shenker. "As we experience record-high enrollments, expanded academic offerings and new facilities, our membership in the PSAC comes at a particularly exciting time in the campus' history."

Long Island University President Dr. David J. Steinberg said, "The colleges and universities of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference share our University's commitment to the proper balance of academics and athletics. Our student-athletes on the football and field hockey teams will greatly benefit from the elevated level of competition and the culture of academic excellence evident at PSAC-member schools."

The PSAC, which sponsors 22 sports, is one of the largest and most competitive conferences in NCAA Division II, with 16 member schools including C.W. Post and Erie, Pa., schools Gannon and Mercyhurst - both of which accepted full membership to the conference Wednesday (June 27).

"Membership in the PSAC will allow our student-athletes to compete against some of the best teams and individual athletes in all of Division II," said C.W. Post head football coach and Athletic Director Bryan Collins. "Our football team's reputation and stature will be enhanced by going head-to-head with these great teams. And our outstanding field hockey program, which is currently not a member of a conference, will have a guaranteed schedule of home and away league games, which will serve as a framework for even more success."

The C.W. Post football program is currently a member of the Northeast-10 Conference, which is comprised of colleges and universities in the New York metropolitan area and New England. The C.W. Post football team's 2006 record was 7-3 overall and 7-2 in the NE-10. Under Collins, head coach since 1998, the Pioneers are 80-20. The field hockey team, under coach Raenee Savin which currently competes as an independent, went 11-6 last year.

Current members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference are: Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, California University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney University, Clarion University, East Stroudsburg University, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Gannon University, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Lock Haven University, Mansfield University, Mercyhurst College, Millersville University, Shippensburg University, Slippery Rock University and West Chester University.