The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Full member institutions are all located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with some affiliate members also located in Connecticut and New Hampshire.
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| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1971 |
| Commissioner | Angela Baumann (since 2006) |
| Sports fielded |
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| Division | Division III |
| No. of teams | 8 full + 1 full (in 2025-26), 4 associate + 4 future associate (3 in 2024-25, 1 in 2025-26) |
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Westfield, Massachusetts |
| Region | Massachusetts and New England (with associates) |
| Official website | www |
| Locations | |
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All full members are a part of the Massachusetts State Universities system (every member in the Massachusetts State Universities system except the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is also a MASCAC member) and the public associate members are part of the University of Massachusetts System [UMASS System (UMASS Dartmouth)], the University System of New Hampshire (Plymouth State University), and the Connecticut State University System (Western Connecticut State University) respectively. The rest of the associate members are private colleges.
On October 5, 2023, it was announced that in the 2025–26 school year, Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts will become the first private full member in the 53 year history of the MASCAC and the first new full member since 1974.
History
30miles
Chronological timeline
- 1971 – In June 1971, the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) was founded. Charter members included Boston State College, Bridgewater State College (now Bridgewater State University), Fitchburg State College (now Fitchburg State University), Framingham State College (now Framingham State University), Lowell State College, North Adams State College (now the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts [MCLA]), Salem State College (now Salem State University), Westfield State College (now Westfield State University) and Worcester State College (now Worcester State University), beginning the 1971–72 academic year.
- 1974 – The Massachusetts Maritime Academy (Mass Maritime) joined the MASCAC in the 1974–75 academic year.
- 1975 – Lowell State College left the MASCAC when it was merged into Lowell Technological Institute to become the University of Lowell (now the University of Massachusetts–Lowell [UMass Lowell]) after the 1974–75 academic year.
- 1982 – Boston State College left the MASCAC when it was merged into the University of Massachusetts–Boston (UMass Boston) after the 1981–82 academic year.
- 2009 – The University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth) and Plymouth State University joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's ice hockey in the 2009–10 academic year.
- 2013 – The MASCAC began sponsoring football in the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year) after the New England Football Conference (NEFC) dissolved; with Western Connecticut State University (alongside UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth State) joining as MASCAC as associate members for the sport.
- 2019 – Dean College, Eastern Nazarene College, Elms College, Mitchell College and Springfield College joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's golf in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year). This marks the first time that the MASCAC added private institutions under the MASCAC banner for any sport.
- 2020 – Dean left the MASCAC as an associate member for men's golf after the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year).
- 2021 – New England College joined the MASCAC as an associate member for men's golf in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year).
- 2022 – MCLA announced they would reinstate men's ice hockey for the first time since 2002–03 and add women's ice hockey for the 2023–24 academic year.
- 2023 –
- Anna Maria College and Rivier University joined the MASCAC as associate members for men's ice hockey and provisional women's ice hockey members beginning in the 2024 fall season (2024–25 academic year).
- Anna Maria College joined the MASCAC as a full member beginning in the 2025 fall season (2025-26 academic) as the first full private school member in conference history and the first new full member since Massachusetts Maritime in 1974.
- Dean College joined the MASCAC as an associate member for football beginning in the 2025 fall season (2025–26 academic year).
- Vermont State University at Castleton joined the MASCAC as an associate member for football beginning in the 2024 fall season (2024–25 academic year).
- 2024 – Plymouth State, UMass Dartmouth, VSU Castleton, and Western Connecticut State will all leave the MASCAC for football after the 2024 fall season (2024–25 academic year).
Member schools
Current members
The MASCAC currently has eight full members, all are public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Endowment (millions) | Nickname | Joined | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater, Massachusetts | 1840 | Public | 10,651 | $54.0 | Bears | 1971–72 | |
| Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg, Massachusetts | 1894 | 4,659 | $19.9 | Falcons | 1971–72 | ||
| Framingham State University | Framingham, Massachusetts | 1839 | 4,111 | $35.4 | Rams | 1971–72 | ||
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | North Adams, Massachusetts | 1894 | 1,202 | $14.7 | Trailblazers | 1971–72 | ||
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy | Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts | 1891 | 1,637 | $13.1 | Buccaneers | 1974–75 | ||
| Salem State University | Salem, Massachusetts | 1854 | 7,242 | $25.3 | Vikings | 1971–72 | ||
| Westfield State University | Westfield, Massachusetts | 1838 | 5,396 | $20.0 | Owls | 1971–72 | ||
| Worcester State University | Worcester, Massachusetts | 1874 | 5,724 | $34.5 | Lancers | 1971–72 |
- Notes
Associate members
The MASCAC currently has eight associate members, all but three are private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Endowment (millions) | Nickname | Joined | Colors | MASCAC sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth State University | Plymouth, New Hampshire | 1871 | Public | 4,491 | $28.9 | Panthers | 2009–10m.i.h., 2013–14fb. | men's ice hockey; football | Little East (LEC) | |
| Springfield College | Springfield, Massachusetts | 1885 | Nonsectarian | 3,621 | $79.6 | Pride | 2019–20 | men's golf | New England (NEWMAC) | |
| University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth | Dartmouth, Massachusetts | 1895 | Public | 8,513 | $59.0 | Corsairs | 2009–10m.i.h., 2013–14fb. | men's ice hockey; football | Little East (LEC) | |
| Western Connecticut State University | Danbury, Connecticut | 1903 | Public | 5,246 | $12.8 | Wolves | 2013–14 | football | Little East (LEC) |
Notes: schools in red are removing their ice hockey teams in 2025.
Future full member
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Endowment (millions) | Nickname | Joining | Colors | Previous conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Maria College | Paxton, Massachusetts | 1946 | Catholic (S.S.A.) | 1,500 | $7.2 | Amcats | 2025–26 | Great Northeast (GNAC) |
Future associate members
The MASCAC will have three future associate members, one of which will be a public school: two of which will be privates
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Endowment (millions) | Nickname | Joining | Colors | MASCAC sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Maria College | Paxton, Massachusetts | 1946 | Catholic (S.S.A.) | 1,500 | $7.2 | Amcats | 2024–25 | men's ice hockey; women's ice hockey | Great Northeast (GNAC) (MASCAC in 2025-26) | |
| Dean College | Franklin, Massachusetts | 1865 | Nonsectarian | 1,355 | $42.1 | Bulldogs | 2025-26 | football | Great Northeast (GNAC) | |
| Plymouth State University | Plymouth, New Hampshire | 1871 | Public | 4,491 | $28.9 | Panthers | 2024-25 | women's ice hockey | Little East (LEC) | |
| Rivier University | Nashua, New Hampshire | 1933 | Catholic (S.P.M.) | 2,520 | $41 | Raiders | 2024–25 | men's ice hockey; women's ice hockey | Great Northeast (GNAC) | |
| Vermont State University at Castleton | Castleton, Vermont | 1787 | Public | 2,399 | $7.86 | Spartans | 2024–25 | football | Little East (LEC) |
- Notes
Former members
The MASCAC had two former full members, both were public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Colors | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston State College | Boston, Massachusetts | 1872 | Public | 11,000 | Warriors | 1971 | 1982 | N/A | N/A |
| Lowell State College | Lowell, Massachusetts | 1894 | Public | 2,353 | Indians | 1971 | 1975 | N/A | N/A |
- Notes
Former associate members
The MASCAC had one former associate member, which was also a private school:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Endowment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Colors | MASCAC sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean College | Franklin, Massachusetts | 1865 | Nonsectarian | 1,355 | $42.1 | Bulldogs | 2019–20 | 2019–20 | men's golf | Great Northeast (GNAC) | |
| Eastern Nazarene College | Quincy, Massachusetts | 1900 | Nazarene | 772 | $18.0 | Lions | 2019–20 | 2023-24 | men's golf | North Atlantic Conference (NAC) | |
| Elms College | Chicopee, Massachusetts | 1928 | Catholic (S.S.J.) | 1,217 | $12.0 | Blazers | 2019–20 | 2021-22 | N/A | men's golf | Great Northeast (GNAC) |
| Mitchell College | New London, Connecticut | 1938 | Nonsectarian | 572 | $6.1 | Mariners | 2019–20 | 2023-24 | men's golf | Great Northeast (GNAC) | |
| New England College | Henniker, New Hampshire | 1946 | Nonsectarian | 4,327 | $24.9 | Pligrims | 2021–22 | 2023-24 | N/A | men's golf | Great Northeast (GNAC) |
Membership timeline
Sports
The MASCAC sponsors intercollegiate athletic competition in men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, women's field hockey, men's ice hockey, men's golf, men's and women's soccer, women's softball, men's and women's track and field, and women's volleyball.
The MASCAC sponsored football for the first time in 2013. Conference members Bridgewater State, Fitchburg State, Framingham State, Massachusetts Maritime, Westfield State, and Worcester State departed the New England Football Conference (NEFC) (now Commonwealth Coast Football) after the 2012 season. They were joined later by fellow NEFC opponents Plymouth State, UMass–Dartmouth, and Western Connecticut State. The NEFC retained the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.
On August 22, 2019, the MASCAC invited 5 of the recently dropped men's golf members from the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) which includes Dean College, Eastern Nazarene College, Elms College, Mitchell College, and Springfield College; all of them are private colleges which is the first time that the MASCAC awarded membership to private colleges. The 5 private colleges joined the other men's golf sponsoring MASCAC schools from the NECC which includes MCLA, Salem State, Westfield State, and Worcester State to create a 9-team men's golf league. However Dean College men's golf left the MASCAC after the 2019-20 men's golf season to join their primary conference the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in men's golf. The MASCAC started Automatic Qualification (AQ) to the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships in the 2021–2022 season for the MASCAC men's golf tournament winner.
Men's sports
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country | Football | Golf | Ice Hockey | Lacrosse | Rowing | Sailing | Soccer | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field (Indoor) | Track & Field (Outdoor) | Wrestling | Total MASCAC Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State | 10 | |||||||||||||||
| Fitchburg State | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| Framingham State | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| MCLA | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| Mass Maritime | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| Salem State | 7 | |||||||||||||||
| Westfield State | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| Worcester State | 9 | |||||||||||||||
| Totals | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6+3 | 4+5 | 6+2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 64+10 |
| Affiliate Members | ||||||||||||||||
| Anna Maria | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Eastern Nazarene | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Elms | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Mitchell | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| New England College | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Plymouth State | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Rivier | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Springfield | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| UMass–Dartmouth | 2 | |||||||||||||||
| Western Connecticut | 1 | |||||||||||||||
| Vermont State at Castleton | 1 | |||||||||||||||
- Notes
Women's sports
| School | Basketball | Cheer | Cross Country | Field Hockey | Equestrian | Golf | Ice Hockey | Lacrosse | Rowing | Sailing | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field (Indoor) | Track & Field (Outdoor) | Volleyball | Total MASCAC Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
| Fitchburg State | 9 | |||||||||||||||||
| Framingham State | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| MCLA | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Mass Maritime | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Salem State | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Westfield State | 11 | |||||||||||||||||
| Worcester State | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
| Totals | 7 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 76 |
| Affiliate Members | ||||||||||||||||||
| Anna Maria | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Rivier | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
- Notes
Football
For the current season, see 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference football season.
All-time school records (ranked according to winning percentage)
Through end of the 2022 regular season. Records reflect official NCAA results, including any forfeits or win vacating.
| # | MASCAC | Record | Win % | MASCAC Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plymouth State | 298–198–7 | .599 | 1 |
| 2 | Bridgewater State | 335–238–7 | .584 | 1 |
| 3 | UMass Dartmouth | 181–155 | .539 | 1 |
| 4 | Worcester State | 185–181 | .505 | 0 |
| 5 | Framingham State | 220–251–2 | .467 | 7 |
| 6 | Massachusetts Maritime | 208–253–1 | .451 | 0 |
| 7 | Westfield State | 173–217–1 | .444 | 0 |
| 8 | Western Connecticut | 221–278–4 | .443 | 0 |
| 9 | Fitchburg State | 109–253 | .301 | 0 |
Intra-conference football rivalries
The members of the MASCAC have longstanding rivalries with each other, especially on the football field. The following is a list of active rivalries in the MASCAC with totals & records through the completion of the 2022 season.
| Teams | Rivalry name | Trophy | Meetings | Record | Series leader | Current streak | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State | Massachusetts Maritime | Cranberry Bowl | The Scoop | 47 | 34–12–1 | Bridgewater State | Bridgewater State won 5 |
| Westfield State | None | None | 40 | 31–9 | Bridgewater State won 11 | ||
| Fitchburg State | Worcester State | Sterling Cup | Sterling Cup trophy | 37 | 10–27 | Worcester State | Worcester State won 5 |
| Framingham State | Western Connecticut | None | None | 19 | 15–4 | Framingham State | Western Connecticut won 1 |
| Massachusetts Maritime | Kelley Bowl | Kelley Cup | 50 | 28–23 | Framingham State | Framingham State won 14 | |
| Worcester State | Route 9 Cup | None | 37 | 18–20 | Worcester State | Framingham State won 10 | |
| Massachusetts Maritime | Bridgewater State | Cranberry Bowl | The Scoop | 47 | 12–34–1 | Bridgewater State | Bridgewater State won 5 |
| Framingham State | Kelley Bowl | Kelley Cup | 50 | 23–28 | Framingham State | Framingham State won 14 | |
| Plymouth State | UMass Dartmouth | None | None | 23 | 11–12 | UMass Dartmouth | UMass Dartmouth won 4 |
| UMass Dartmouth | Plymouth State | 23 | 12–11 | ||||
| Western Connecticut | Framingham State | 19 | 4–15 | Framingham State | Western Connecticut won 1 | ||
| Westfield State | Bridgewater State | 40 | 9–31 | Bridgewater State | Bridgewater State won 11 | ||
| Worcester State | Fitchburg State | Sterling Cup | Sterling Cup trophy | 37 | 27–10 | Worcester State | Worcester State won 5 |
| Framingham State | Route 9 Cup | None | 37 | 20–18 | Worcester State | Framingham State won 10 | |
Football champions
| Record | Ranking | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Champions | Conference | Overall | D3.com | Bowl result | Head coach |
| 2013 | Framingham State | 8–0 | 9–2 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 17–20 vs. Ithaca | Tom Kelley |
| 2014 | Framingham State | 8–0 | 10–1 | N/A | W ECAC North Atlantic Bowl | Tom Kelley |
| 2015 | Framingham State | 8–0 | 9–2 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 22–42 vs. Wesley | Tom Kelley |
| 2016 | Bridgewater State | 8–0 | 8–3 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 27–33 vs. Alfred | Joe Verria |
| 2017 | Framingham State | 7–1 | 10–1 | N/A | W New England Bowl | Tom Kelley |
| Plymouth State | 7–1 | 9–2 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 0–66 vs. Brockport | Paul Castonia | |
| 2018 | Framingham State | 7–1 | 8–3 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 27–40 vs. Brockport | Tom Kelley |
| 2019 | Framingham State | 8–0 | 8–3 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 21–58 vs. Wesley | Tom Kelley |
| 2020 | MASCAC season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | |||||
| 2021 | Framingham State | 8–0 | 8–3 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 0–45 vs. Muhlenberg | Tom Kelley |
| 2022 | UMass Dartmouth | 8–0 | 9–2 | N/A | L NCAA Division III First Round 20–63 vs. Ithaca | Mark Robichaud |