HAMPTON MOVING TO THE CAA

Hampton President Dr. William R. Harvey

At a 1 p.m. press conference Tuesday, Hampton University announced that effective in July of this year it is moving its athletics program from the Big South Conference to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).

“The move to the Colonial Athletic Association is the next step in the evolution of Hampton University athletics,” Hampton President Dr. William R. Harvey said. “Several institutions in the CAA are located in our geographical footprint, which means that our student-athletes will continue to spend less time traveling and more time in classes on campus.

“This move continues to keep the proper focus on academics, which is our reason for being. The conference’s geographical footprint, as well as the occasional contests against institutions in the northeast, will reduce travel expenses while allowing for competition in several of the nation’s top media markets.”

According to Hampton Athletics Director Eugene Marshall, the move to the CAA is also the fulfillment of Harvey’s initial desire when the Pirates moved out of the MEAC. It comes just as Harvey, the longest serving HBCU president in the nation, is set to retire in July after leading the institution for 44 years. The statement about travel expenses and more class time echoes the same sentiment Hampton officials expressed when leaving the MEAC for the Big South.

Hampton thus becomes the first HBCU to join the CAA which was established in 1979 and is headquartered in Richmond, Va. Other full-time members are College of Charleston, Delaware, Drexel, Elon, Hofstra, Northeastern, Towson, UNC Wilmington and William & Mary. Albany, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond and Villanova compete in the CAA in football only.

The move was announced just as the CAA sent out a press release Tuesday saying that Hampton will be joined by Monmouth and Stony Brook as new full members of the conference beginning in July. Monmouth was a basketball-only member of the Big South while competing in all other sports in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Stony Brook has been a football-only member of the CAA that competes in all other sports in the America East Conference.