The Colonial Athletic Association announced Tuesday that North Carolina A&T. has accepted an invitation to join the conference as a full member on July 1, 2022.
The Aggies will also join as a member of CAA football starting on July 1, 2023.
“We are pleased to welcome North Carolina A&T as the newest member of the CAA,” CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio said. “The Aggies fit perfectly into the framework of the Conference’s vision that calls for our membership to work together to advance nationally competitive athletic programs – coupled with outstanding academic programs – that empower student-athletes as whole persons to strive at the highest level in every aspect of their lives. The CAA is excited to add a second HBCU to its membership, and going forward the Conference will continue to be focused on making decisions that ensure its membership a competitive and sustainable model.”
Also read: North Carolina A&T officials support recommendation to join to CAA
CAA Football’s membership will expand to 14 in 2023 with the addition of North Carolina A&T.
Decisions regarding scheduling formats and championship field sizes are ongoing and will be determined over the coming months.
“This is yet another great day for the CAA,” said Drexel University President John Fry, Chair of the CAA Board of Directors. “I continue to be profoundly grateful for the sustained engagement of our Presidents over the last 16 months, as together with our Athletics Directors we have forged a principled vision for the future in these turbulent times. To know that an institution with the academic and athletic prestige of North Carolina A&T shares in these same aspirational values for college athletics is not only gratifying but speaks volumes about the future success of our Conference.”
“We bring a significant level of achievement as a university to this new association, which enhances our excitement about joining an athletics association with so many outstanding peers who share so much in common with our university,” said A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr. “The CAA is rich with opportunity for A&T, our outstanding student-athletes, highly engaged research faculty, distinguished academic programs and accomplished alumni.
“While we will be fierce competitors on the playing field, we look forward to exploring many opportunities for mutually beneficial collaborations with our new conference colleagues.”
