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| Next spring, St. Elizabeth will be playing softball in a new conference. St. Elizabeth athletics photo |
The Atlantic East will add Saint Elizabeth University as a full-time member of the AEC this fall, starting competition in less than four months. The school will be moving from the United East.
This move continues the shuffle of teams from conference to conference, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic part of the country. Last month, Neumann announced it was leaving the AEC for the Middle Atlantic Conference, and in March, UEC member Bryn Athyn announced it was dropping athletics altogether.
St. Elizabeth, in Morristown, New Jersey, has 590 full-time undergraduates, according to the latest figures published by the U.S. Department of Education. Of those, one-third participate in intercollegiate athletics. Morristown is about 40 minutes west of New York City.
Dale Caldwell, president of Centenary (N.J.) and chair of the Atlantic East's presidents council, stated: “Saint Elizabeth University is an outstanding institution that embodies the academic excellence, athletic spirit, and core values we celebrate in the Atlantic East Conference. Their addition not only enhances our competitiveness but also strengthens our shared commitment to student development, regional collaboration, and mission-driven leadership. We are honored to welcome them into our family of institutions.”
“Joining the Atlantic East Conference marks an exciting new chapter for Saint Elizabeth University athletics,” said Gary Crosby, president of St. Elizabeth. “This strategic move positions our student-athletes for continued success on the field, in the classroom, and in life. It reflects our commitment to excellence, equity, and opportunity, and we are proud to align with a conference that shares our values and vision for the future.”
The Eagles will bring 11 varsity sports to the Atlantic East Conference. The Eagles will compete in the Atlantic East for baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s track and field, and women’s volleyball. Saint Elizabeth also sponsors men’s volleyball and STUNT. Men's volleyball, a spring sport, currently competes in the United East.
St. Elizabeth has earned conference championships in men’s and women’s basketball in 2024 as well as softball in 2022.
“We are excited to welcome St. Elizabeth to the conference,” said Atlantic East Conference interim commissioner, Rebecca Mullen. “The university aligns with the conference values while also providing the geographic and competitive fit to further enhance the student-athlete experience in the Atlantic East."
St. Elizabeth athletic director James Adams stated: “we are excited to join the Atlantic East Conference, a move that strengthens our ability to grow competitive athletic programs while fostering meaningful regional rivalries. Importantly, it will also reduce travel demands, allowing our student-athletes to better balance their academic and athletic responsibilities. We look forward to building new traditions and contributing to the continued success of the Atlantic East.”
Although the UEC has lost two members in fairly short order, the conference has plenty of buffer. The UEC was formed in this alignment specifically to guard against individual member institutions closing, or in this case, moving to a different conference.