 | |
| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1971 |
| Commissioner | Angela Baumann (since 2006) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| 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 | |
 | |
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 CommonwealthofMassachusetts with some affiliate members also located in Connecticut and New Hampshire.
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)[1] 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 CollegeinPaxton, Massachusetts will become the first private full member in the 53 year history of the MASCAC and the first new full member since 1974.[2]
50km
30miles
Framingham State
Rivier
Dean
Anna Maria
Castleton
Springfield
UMass Dartmouth
WCSU
Plymouth State
Salem State
Mass Maritime
Bridgewater State
Worcester State
Westfield State
MCLA
Fitchburg State
full, 
current associate 
future full 
future associateThe MASCAC currently has eight full members, all are public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation[a] | Enrollment | Endowment (millions) |
Nickname | Joined | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State University[b] | Bridgewater, Massachusetts | 1840 | Public[c] | 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[d] | Rams | 1971–72 | ||
| Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts[e][b] | North Adams, Massachusetts | 1894 | 1,202 | $14.7 | Trailblazers | 1971–72 | ||
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy[f][b] | Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts | 1891 | 1,637 | $13.1[g] | Buccaneers | 1974–75 | ||
| Salem State University[e] | Salem, Massachusetts | 1854 | 7,242 | $25.3 | Vikings | 1971–72 | ||
| Westfield State University | Westfield, Massachusetts | 1838 | 5,396 | $20.0[h] | Owls | 1971–72 | ||
| Worcester State University | Worcester, Massachusetts | 1874 | 5,724 | $34.5 | Lancers | 1971–72 |
The MASCAC currently has eight associate members, all but three are private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation[a] | Enrollment | Endowment (millions) |
Nickname | Joined | Colors | MASCAC sport |
Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth State University | Plymouth, New Hampshire | 1871 | Public[b] | 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[c] | 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[d] | 5,246 | $12.8 | Wolves | 2013–14 | football | Little East (LEC) |
Notes: schools in red are removing their ice hockey teams in 2025.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation[a] | 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) |
The MASCAC will have three future associate members, one of which will be a public school:[7][8] two of which will be privates
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation[a] | 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[b] | 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 UniversityatCastleton | Castleton, Vermont | 1787 | Public[c] | 2,399 | $7.86 | Spartans | 2024–25 | football | Little East (LEC) |
The MASCAC had two former full members, both were public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation[a] | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Colors | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston State College | Boston, Massachusetts | 1872 | Public | 11,000[11] | Warriors | 1971 | 1982 | N/A | N/A[b] |
| Lowell State College | Lowell, Massachusetts | 1894 | Public | 2,353[12] | Indians[13][14] | 1971 | 1975 | N/A | N/A[c] |
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) |
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.[15] 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.[16][17][18] 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.[16]
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country |
Football | Golf | Ice Hockey |
Lacrosse | Rowing[a] | Sailing[a] | Soccer | Swimming & Diving[a] |
Tennis[a] | Track & Field (Indoor) |
Track & Field (Outdoor) |
Wrestling[a] | Total MASCAC Sports[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State |  Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
 N
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
10 |
| Fitchburg State | Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
8 |
| Framingham State | Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
6 |
| MCLA | Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
8 |
| Mass Maritime | Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
8 |
| Salem State | Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
7 |
| Westfield State | Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
8 |
| Worcester State | Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
9 |
| Totals | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6+3[c] | 4+5 | 6+2[c] | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 64+10[c] |
| Affiliate Members | ||||||||||||||||
| Anna Maria | Y[d]
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| Eastern Nazarene | Y
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| Elms | Y
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| Mitchell | Y
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| New England College | Y
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| Plymouth State | Y
|
Y
|
2 | |||||||||||||
| Rivier | Y[d]
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| Springfield | Y
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| UMass–Dartmouth | Y
|
Y
|
2 | |||||||||||||
| Western Connecticut | Y
|
1 | ||||||||||||||
| Vermont State at Castleton | Y[e]
|
1[e] | ||||||||||||||
| School | Basketball | Cheer[a] | Cross Country |
Field Hockey |
Equestrian[a] | Golf[a] | Ice Hockey[b] |
Lacrosse | Rowing[a] | Sailing[a] | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving[a] |
Tennis[a] | Track & Field (Indoor) |
Track & Field (Outdoor) |
Volleyball | Total MASCAC Sports[c] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater State | Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
12 |
| Fitchburg State | Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
9 |
| Framingham State | Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N[d]
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
8 |
| MCLA | Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
8 |
| Mass Maritime | N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
8 |
| Salem State | Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y[e]
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
8 |
| Westfield State | Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
11 |
| Worcester State | Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
12 |
| Totals | 7 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 76 |
| Affiliate Members | ||||||||||||||||||
| Anna Maria | Y[f]
|
1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Rivier | Y[f]
|
1 | ||||||||||||||||
For the current season, see 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference football season.
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 |
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[19] | 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[20] | 50 | 28–23 | Framingham State | Framingham State won 14 | |
| Worcester State | Route 9 Cup[21] | 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[20] | 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[19] | Sterling Cup trophy | 37 | 27–10 | Worcester State | Worcester State won 5 |
| Framingham State | Route 9 Cup[21] | None | 37 | 20–18 | Worcester State | Framingham State won 10 | |
| 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.[22] | |||||
| 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 |
|
| |
|---|---|
| Current full members |
|
| Current associate members |
|
| Former full members |
|
| Former associate member |
|
|
Public institutions of higher education in Massachusetts
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Two-year colleges |
|
|
| State university system |
| |
| University of Massachusetts |
| |
| Merged |
| |
| Closed |
| |
