Liberty League

For other uses, see Liberty League (disambiguation).
Liberty League
Established 1995
Association NCAA
Division Division III
Members 11
Sports fielded 26 (men's: 13; women's: 13)
Region Upstate New York
Former names Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association
Headquarters Troy, New York
Commissioner Tracy King
Website libertyleagueathletics.com
Locations

The Liberty League is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member schools are top institutions that are all located in the State of New York.

History

Originally founded in 1995 as the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association, the conference was renamed during the summer of 2004 to the current name.

The league includes founding members Clarkson University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, the University of Rochester, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, St. Lawrence University, Skidmore College, and Union College. Vassar College became a full member of the league during the 2000-01 academic year, and Bard College and Rochester Institute of Technology joined for the 2011-12 academic year. Founding member Hamilton College departed following the 2010-11 academic year in order to fully integrate its athletic programs within the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).

The United States Merchant Marine Academy, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Springfield College are associate members in football only.

At the beginning of the 2012-2013 season, New York University became an associate member in both men's and women's golf, while Wellesley College and Mount Holyoke College became associate members in women's golf.

Map showing current full member institutions (click to enlarge)

Offensive linesman Ali Marpet of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, drafted in the 2nd round, 61st overall, of the 2015 NFL draft, is the highest-drafted pick in the history of Division III football.[1] He was three-time All-Liberty League first team (2012, 2013, 2014), and 2014 Liberty League Co-Offensive Player of the Year—the first offensive lineman in league history to be so honored.[2][3][4]

Member schools

Current members

Full member institutions include:

Institution Nickname Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Football?
Bard College Raptors Annandale-on-Hudson, New York 1860 Private 1,958 2011 No
Clarkson University Golden Knights Potsdam, New York 1896 Private 2,848 1995 No
Hobart College[5] Statesmen Geneva, New York 1822 Private 905 1995 Yes
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers Troy, New York 1824 Private 5,431 1995 Yes
Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers Henrietta, New York 1829 Private 18,000 2011 No
University of Rochester Yellowjackets Rochester, New York 1850 Private 5,601 1995 Yes
St. Lawrence University Saints Canton, New York 1856 Private 2,327 1995 Yes
Skidmore College Thoroughbreds Saratoga Springs, New York 1903 Private 2,734 1995 No
Union College Dutchmen Schenectady, New York 1795 Private 2,197 1995 Yes
Vassar College Brewers Poughkeepsie, New York 1861 Private 2,446 2001 No
William Smith College[5] Herons Geneva, New York 1908 Private 1,045 1995 No
Note

Associate members

Institution Nickname Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Primary
Conference		 Liberty Sport
Mount Holyoke College Lyons South Hadley, Massachusetts 1837 Private 2,100 2012-13 NEWMAC women's golf
New York University Violets New York City 1832 Private 22,280 2012-13 UAA men's golf
women's golf
St. John Fisher College Cardinals Rochester, New York 1948 Private 4,000 2013-14 Empire 8 men's rowing
women's rowing
Springfield College Pride Springfield, Massachusetts 1885 Private 5,062 2012-13 NEWMAC football[6]
United States Merchant Marine Academy Mariners Kings Point, New York 1942 Federal 910 2004-05 Landmark football[7]
Wellesley College Blue Wellesley, Massachusetts 1870 Private/Non-sectarian 2,300 2012-13 NEWMAC women's golf
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Engineers Worcester, Massachusetts 1865 Private 5,071 2004-05 NEWMAC football

Former members

Institution Nickname Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Left Current
Conference
Hamilton College* Continentals Clinton, New York 1793 Private 1,864 1995 2011 NESCAC
Note

Former associate members

Institution Nickname Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Left Current
Conference		 Primary
Conference		 Liberty Sport
Susquehanna University Crusaders Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania 1858 Private 2,200 2007-08 2009-10 Centennial1 Landmark football
United States Coast Guard Academy Bears New London, Connecticut 1876 Federal 1,045 2004-05 2005-06 NEFC2 NEWMAC football
United States Merchant Marine Academy3 Mariners Kings Point, New York 1942 Federal 910 2009-10 2011-12 n/a Landmark men's golf
Notes
  1. - Susquehanna was a football-only associate member in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons after leaving its previous conference, the Middle Atlantic Conferences (now it competed in the Landmark Conference in most other sports, where it remains). After three seasons it moved to the Centennial Conference.
  2. - U.S. Coast Guard was a football-only associate member in the 2004 and 2005 seasons after its previous conference, the Freedom Football Conference, disbanded (it competed in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) in most other sports, where it remains). After two seasons it moved to the New England Football Conference.
  3. - U.S. Merchant Marine is still an associate member for football within the Liberty League.

Membership timeline

Rochester Institute of Technology Bard College Vassar College Hobart and William Smith Colleges Union College St. Lawrence University Skidmore College University of Rochester Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Hobart and William Smith Colleges Hamilton College (New York) Clarkson University

Sports

The Liberty League sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's crew, men's and women's cross country, women's field hockey, men's football, men's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women’s soccer, women's softball, men's and women's squash, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, and women's volleyball.

References

  1. ↑ Kevin McGuire (May 2, 2015). "Ali Marpet puts D3 Hobart on the NFL Draft scoreboard – College Football Talk". NBC Sports.
  2. ↑ "Liberty League Athletics – Liberty League announces 2014 Football Award Recipients". Liberty League.
  3. ↑ "Press Release: News: Senior Bowl". seniorbowl.com.
  4. ↑ "AFCA Announces 2014 Division III Coaches All-America Team". afca.com.
  5. 1 2 Hobart (men) and William Smith (women) are together the Colleges of the Seneca and usually grouped together, but they participate separately in athletics.
  6. ↑ http://www.spfldcol.edu/homepage/athletics.nsf/Headline/F6154E7D46617C5F852576C1004F27F1
  7. ↑ Liberty League
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