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Atlantic 10 Conference
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ATLANTIC 10 MEMBERSHIP HISTORY
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On March 2, 1975, the idea of what is now the Atlantic 10 Conference was conceived. What started as an eight-school, men’s basketball-only affiliation has grown into a 14-university, 21-sport league that is universally hailed as one of the best conferences in the country.
That growth and prominence is a direct result of the ideals and commitments of the member institutions of the Atlantic 10 - the University of Dayton, Duquesne University, Fordham University, The George Washington University, La Salle University, University of Massachusetts, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of Rhode Island, University of Richmond, St. Bonaventure University, Saint Joseph's University, Saint Louis University, Temple University, and Xavier University.
The presidents and chancellors of Atlantic 10 institutions have made a strong commitment to making the academic and athletics equation work. Over the years, the league membership has strived to better recognize the academic accomplishments of its student-athletes. In doing so, the Atlantic 10, under the leadership of commissioner Linda Bruno, instituted the Commissioner's Honor Roll, which cites every Atlantic 10 student-athlete with a 3.5 grade point average or better. 1,170 student-athletes were named to the Fall 2006 Honor Roll and 1,119 were named to the Spring 2007 Honor Roll.
The league sponsors Academic All-Conference teams in each of its sports and honors one student-athlete per sport as the A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year. In 2006-07, over 170 student-athletes earned Academic All-Conference recognition. Also, the Atlantic 10 provides postgraduate scholarship grants to qualified student-athletes.
Five A-10 schools were among the 51 cited for having five or more athletics programs recognized by the NCAA for their latest Academic Progress Rate scores. Fordham led the Atlantic 10 in the number of high-performing squads with nine teams receiving awards. Only the Ivy League (eight) and Patriot League (six) had more than the A-10's five, which was matched by the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Charlotte cross country and track & field standout Jane Daniels was chosen as a 2006-07 NCAA Div. I Coca-Cola Community All-American. The national honor includes a $5,000 donation in her name to the charity of her choice. Daniels chose to split her donation among Girls on the Run International, the Charlotte University City YMCA and the Oostburg (Wis.) Community Education Foundation.
The Atlantic 10 Conference, with a total population of nearly 73 million people within its geographic footprint of eight states and the District of Columbia, will crown champions in 21 sports this season: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's golf, women’s lacrosse, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball.
2006-07 REVIEW
George Washington earned the Atlantic 10’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after claiming the 2007 men’s basketball championship, its second title in three seasons, in the league’s inaugural tourney in Atlantic City, N.J. The Colonials were joined in the NCAA Tournament by Xavier, which registered a 79-77 opening round victory over Brigham Young. In addition, Massachusetts posted an 89-87 (OT) win versus Alabama in the opening round of the NIT. In women’s basketball, George Washington became just the fifth team in league history to go unbeaten in Conference play. GW was joined in the NCAA Tournament by Temple and A-10 champion Xavier, with the Owls advancing to the second round and the Colonials reaching the Sweet 16. George Washington ended the year ranked 11th by ESPN/USA Today and 15th by the Associated Press. In addition, Charlotte and Saint Joseph’s garnered WNIT berths.
Charlotte won its first-ever A-10 baseball championship and finished the year ranked 29th by Collegiate Baseball after winning a pair of contests in the NCAA Tournament. In cross country, La Salle won its third straight women’s crown while the Explorers’ men’s team won their fifth title in the past six years. Richmond won its fifth consecutive field hockey title and advanced to the NCAAs.
Rhode Island captured its second straight men’s soccer championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Saint Louis also reached the NCAA Tournament after claiming the regular season title. On the women’s side, Saint Louis defended its crown and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. The Billikens were ranked 17th in the preseason by SoccerBuzz, their highest-ever ranking.
Charlotte defended its league title in men’s golf and was joined by Rhode Island in the NCAA Regional Tournament. The 49ers advanced to the NCAA Championship and finished third overall, ending their season ranked in the top 20 in every major poll. Richmond seized its third consecutive women’s lacrosse championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, while the Massachusetts women’s rowing team won its 12th straight A-10 title, building upon its league record for the most consecutive tournament championships won by any team in any sport.
In softball, UMass won its 19th league championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Richmond captured its sixth straight A-10 women’s swimming championship and Massachusetts took home the men’s crown for the ninth time in program history. Charlotte won its first ever men’s tennis title and earned the accompanying NCAA automatic berth, while Richmond claimed its fourth straight women’s tennis crown.
Saint Louis claimed its first-ever A-10 Championship in volleyball to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program annals. Charlotte defended its women’s indoor and outdoor track & field titles, while Rhode Island captured the men’s indoor and outdoor track & field championships.
In all, 412 teams have represented the Atlantic 10 Conference in postseason play since the 1976-77 season.
Individually, the 2006-07 campaign was a great success both in competition and in the classroom. Kimberly Beck of George Washington and Temple’s Kamesha Hairston garnered Associated Press honorable mention women’s basketball All-America honors, while Beck was one of three finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award. In addition, Temple’s Dawn Staley served as head coach of the Women's Pan American Games Team. Senior Stephane Lasme of Massachusetts, the 2007 Atlantic 10 Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year in men’s basketball, was named an honorable mention All-America by the Associated Press and a defensive All-America by collegeinsider.com.
Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year Adam Mills of Charlotte was a consensus first-team All-America selection and a finalist for the Roger Clemens Award, while George Washington’s Michael Parker, Brian Pellegrini of St. Bonaventure and Charlotte’s Brad McElroy earned third-team All-America baseball honors. Moreover, John Malloy of La Salle and Richmond’s Matt Zielinski garnered baseball freshman All-America accolades, while softball teammates Brandice Balschmiter and Candice Molinari of Massachusetts earned second- and third-team All-America recognition, respectively.
Courtney Hulcer of Saint Louis was named a second-team All-America in women’s soccer, while teammate Julia Bradenberg earned fourth-team freshman All-America honors. Rhode Island’s Jeffrey Gonsalves and John DiRaimondo of Saint Louis received third-team All-America acclaim in men’s soccer, while Richmond’s Mandy Friend was named a second-team All-American in lacrosse. Charlotte’s Andrew DiBetetto earned All-America honors in men’s golf, while teammate Corey Nagy was named a freshman All-American. In addition, Jason Kokrak of Xavier garnered honorable mention All-America acclaim.
Dayton’s Faye Barhorst and Tatyana Menshikova of Saint Louis were named honorable mention All-Americans in volleyball; Sean Quigley claimed All-America honors in cross country, men’s indoor (5,000 meters) and outdoor (10,000 meters) track & field; Fordham’s Kerstin Greene (pentathlon) and Charlotte’s Sharonda Johnson (triple jump) and Shareese Woods (200 meters) earned indoor track & field All-America honors, with Woods (200 meters) also garnering outdoor track & field All-America acclaim. Richmond’s Jessica Witt (400-yard individual medley) took home All-America honors at the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.
Atlantic 10 student-athletes flourished in the classroom as well. In all, 20 Atlantic 10 student-athletes were named to ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America teams. First-team Academic All-America honoress were Kenan Cole of George Washington (women’s basketball), Charlotte’s Jane Daniels (cross country/track & field), Courtney Hulcer of Saint Louis (women’s soccer), George Washington’s Elana Meyers (softball), Lindsey Ozimek of Charlotte (women’s soccer) and Temple’s Adrienne Repsher (softball). Second-team Academic All-Americans included Emily Anderson of Rhode Island (women’s track & field), John DiRaimondo of Saint Louis (men’s soccer), Duquesne’s Jared Helfrich (men’s soccer), Sharonda Johnson (women’s track & field) and Nikki Labuda of Charlotte (women’s soccer) and Tyler McIlwraith of Saint Louis (women’s basketball). Those named third-team Academic All-Americans included Rhode Island’s Katherine Guilfoyle and Courtney Klenk (women’s track & field), Leah Jerome of Fordham (women’s soccer), Robin Mason of St. Bonaventure (lacrosse), Charlotte’s Kelsie Ormsby (women’s soccer), Lauren Proctor of Massachusetts (softball) and Duquesne’s Noah Salsi (men’s soccer) and Melissa Stewart (women’s track & field).
In addition, Rachel McCullagh of Saint Louis (women’s tennis) was named the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar and George Washington’s Derek Haese (baseball) earned the 2007 Jackie Robinson Award.
HISTORY
The genesis of this tradition of success can be traced to March 2, 1975, when eight university representatives met in Harrisburg, PA, to discuss the formation of a new collegiate basketball association. A similar meeting was also held on May 23 of that year, with the final formation of the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League announced on August 13, 1975. The NCAA granted allied affiliation status upon the ECBL on October 15, 1975, and granted the league an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament on June 17, 1976.
The ECBL began operation at the start of the 1976-77 season with Duquesne, George Washington, Massachusetts, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Villanova, and West Virginia as its charter members. Several changes happened quickly in the ECBL, the first coming in 1977-78 when the league changed its name to the Eastern Athletic Association - better known as the Eastern 8 - to reflect its changing mission. That year, the Eastern 8 became more than a basketball league as the men's sports of baseball, cross country, golf, swimming, and tennis were added to the championship schedule.
The next major change came in 1981 when the office of the commissioner was instituted. Leland Byrd, who had served as president and executive director of the league since its inception, as well as athletic director at West Virginia, was named the Conference's first commissioner and established the commissioner's office in Pittsburgh. Byrd guided the Eastern 8 through several membership changes as Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's, and Temple replaced Pittsburgh and Villanova. After membership stabilized, the Eastern 8 transformed into the Atlantic 10 Conference with Byrd orchestrating the drive to make the league more broad-based as the women's sports of basketball, gymnastics, softball, tennis, and volleyball were added.
In May 1984, Byrd resigned as commissioner and was replaced by Charlie Theokas, who remained at the Atlantic 10 for 15 and a half months, bringing the league to national consciousness with his "Think Atlantic 10" campaign. On December 31, 1985, Theokas resigned to accept the athletic director's position at Temple and was replaced by Ron Bertovich, who officially assumed the commissioner's position in May 1986 after serving as interim commissioner following Theokas' departure. In eight years as commissioner, Bertovich expanded the Conference staff to better meet the growing needs of the membership and established the Atlantic 10 Television Network, which developed into a major regional outlet and won multiple Emmy Awards. In addition, he oversaw further membership changes as Xavier was added to the league while Penn State, Rutgers, and West Virginia departed. Furthermore, he continued the league's emphasis on broad-based programs as the Atlantic 10 expanded its championship list with the additions of women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, women's swimming & diving, and men's and women's indoor track & field, as well as the reinstitution of men's swimming & diving.
On April 13, 1994, Bertovich resigned his position to accept the job of vice president and general manager of Empire Sports Network in Buffalo. On June 14, 1994, Linda Bruno was officially introduced as the Atlantic 10's fourth commissioner. As commissioner, Bruno has strengthened the Atlantic 10's membership with the additions of Charlotte, Dayton, Fordham, La Salle, Richmond, and Saint Louis. She also negotiated television deals with ESPN and was among the first to sign a contract with College Sports Television. CSTV will serve as the syndicator of A-10 games regionally and nationally, as well as the marketing arm of the Conference. Under her leadership, the Atlantic 10 has increased its championship schedule to 21 sports with the additions of women's rowing, men's and women's outdoor track & field, and women’s lacrosse. In 1997, Bruno also spearheaded the league’s entrance into Division I football with the formation of the Atlantic 10 Football Conference, which saw three of its members (Massachusetts, Delaware, James Madison) win national titles in its ten-year existence.
