The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Council of Presidents and Commissioner Angela Baumann announce the acceptance of Plymouth State University and UMass Dartmouth applications as football affiliate members beginning in the fall of 2025. 

With the changing New England Football landscape, the MASCAC Presidents and Athletic Directors accepted their application to enhance our football student-athlete experience with more conference contests and with increased affiliate membership commitments to the MASCAC which will ensure the long-term football conference viability for our member institutions. 

The two institutions have had a long-standing affiliate partnership with the MASCAC and will join the eight geographically proximal MASCAC football playing schools including Anna Maria College, Bridgewater State University, Dean College, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Westfield State University and Worcester State University. This 10 team league will provide each MASCAC team a comprehensive conference schedule with nine conference games.

“As the New England football landscape continues to evolve, we determined that adding these two institutions would enhance our student-athletes' experience by providing them additional conference games along with the fact that we were able to come to a long-term affiliate commitment agreement to ensure the longevity of MASCAC Football for our member institutions,” Commissioner Baumann said. “Last season, we had two teams only play a nine game season and we wanted to ensure a more comprehensive playing opportunities for our student-athletes. With this addition, the conference will now have 10 competing teams which decreases the pressure to find non-conference contests. Going forward, we are requiring our affiliates to make a longer term-membership commitment which will ensure the longevity of MASCAC Football.”

“We are pleased with continuing the relationship with both Plymouth State University and UMass Dartmouth,” Worcester State University President Barry Maloney said. “As affiliate members, both institutions have helped provide long-term stability of the MASCAC Football Conference and will ensure high quality competition on the field.”   

The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s oldest Division III men’s and women’s playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom. MASCAC member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Plymouth State University, are affiliate members of the conference in football and men’s ice hockey while Western Connecticut State University joined the conference as a football affiliate member in 2013 and Vermont State University-Castleton in 2024. Springfield College joined as a men’s golf affiliate in 2019. Anna Maria College will join the conference as the ninth core member in 2025 and Dean College as a football affiliate in 2025.