Men's Swimming and Diving to join NEC for 20-21 season

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's swimming and diving will be joining the Northeast Conference starting with the 2020-21 season, Director of Athletics Bill Smith announced on Tuesday.

In a homecoming of sorts, the men's swimming and diving program will join the remainder of Bryant's 21 varsity sports as a member of the NEC as the conference begins the sponsorship of the sport for the first time in 20-21. The Black and Gold had previously been associate members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) for eight years.

"First, I'd like to thank the MAAC for providing our student-athletes a home and an opportunity to compete for a championship for the last eight years," Smith said. "And while we will miss our time in the MAAC, I am extremely excited for our men's swimming and diving program to join the rest of our programs in the NEC. It is exciting to be a part of the NEC and having both our men's and women's programs in the same conference will benefit our school and our league. We are looking forward to building on the success we've enjoyed in the pool and competing for a championship!"

Bryant enjoyed a tremendous amount of success competing at the MAAC Championships from 2013-2020. The Bulldogs finished third or higher in each of the last five meets, including a second-place finish in 2018-19. In eight years, the Bulldogs produced two MAAC Swimmers of the Meet, one MAAC Rookie of the Meet and one MAAC Rookie Diver of the Meet. In addition, Bryant won 21 individual gold medals and seven relay gold medals. The Bulldogs hold three individual meet records and one relay meet record.

"On behalf of the Bryant men's swimming & diving program, I'd like to thank the MAAC for providing us with a home to compete for a championship for the past eight years," head swimming and diving coach Katie Cameron said. "The conference, athletes and coaches welcomed us when we needed a home many years ago. We became very comfortable at that meet, with the great atmosphere and the competition it brought. Being an associate member of the MAAC has helped us grow so much as a program. We will miss the MAAC but will be forever grateful for the opportunity we were given to be part of such a great meet!"

"We are beyond excited to be part of the inaugural NEC men's swimming and diving season," Cameron added. "I am ecstatic for our men to be able to compete in the same conference as our women and the rest of the athletic department. I think it will prove to be a great, competitive conference meet and a good fit for us. We will start working toward our first potential conference championship immediately."

Bryant's women's swimming and diving program has competed in the NEC since making the move to the Division I level in 2008-09. The Bulldogs have enjoyed outstanding success at the championship meet, having won three-straight titles heading into the 20-21 season.

"We are thrilled to have the Bryant men's program join the NEC's inaugural Men's Swimming and Diving Championship this year," NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris said. "Allowing Bryant to have their men's and women's swimming and diving programs under the NEC umbrella will benefit the Bulldogs as well as the league as a whole."

Bryant will join Long Island, Mount St. Mary's, St. Francis Brooklyn and associate member Howard in the inaugural men's swimming and diving championship.

About the Northeast Conference

Beginning its 40th anniversary season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout seven states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Boston (#9), Baltimore (#26), Hartford/New Haven (#33) and Providence (#53). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 24 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Bryant, Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU, Merrimack, Mount St. Mary's, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat, all @NECsports.