The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) is a NCAA Division III hockey conference that began playing men’s hockey in the 1977-78 season, and began playing women’s hockey in the 2023-24 season.  The SUNYAC is an all-sport NCAA Division III conference that was first established in 1958.

 

Current Membership

Men’s (10 schools)

Women’s (8 schools)

History

Men’s

The SUNYAC is one of the older conferences in the NCAA, and operated as a home for the SUNY (State University of New York) athletic programs.  The SUNYAC was one of the first instances we saw a hockey league that operated as a “conference within a conference.”  The SUNY schools that offered men’s hockey played within the ECAC 2 West, and the SUNYAC named their own champion, using games against fellow SUNY schools in ECAC play as criteria.

In 1984-85, the league officially dropped from Division II to Division III, and held its own conference tournament, a week before the ECAC West tournament.  Finally, in 1992-93, the SUNYAC finally separated from the ECAC West, gaining its own autonomy and automatic bid.

While SUNY schools have changed over the years, we are in a period of flux in the SUNYAC, as travel costs have become the main point of contention, as historical programs have moved both in and out of the conference as of late.

Timeline

  • 1977-78: (6) Brockport, Cortland, Geneseo, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • The SUNYAC hockey-playing schools operated within the ECAC 2 West at the time, and the games amongst the six schools were used to name their own SUNYAC champion, operating as a conference within a conference.
    • The six SUNY schools also played in New York Collegiate Hockey Association (NYCHA) with Elmira and Buffalo, trying to obtain a berth to the Division II tournament.
  • 1978-79: (7) Brockport, Buffalo, Cortland, Geneseo, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • SUNY Buffalo joined the SUNYAC officially for all-sports in the league’s 2nd season of operating within the ECAC
  • 1984-85: (7) Brockport, Buffalo, Cortland, Geneseo, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • Although comprised of the same seven schools, the NCAA reshuffling allowed for the schools to drop down to Division III, although still in the ECAC West at the time.
    • The league immediately held an unofficial conference tournament based on the ECAC West standings amongst the SUNY schools.  The tournament was held just before the ECAC West tournament, so schools could play in both.
  • 1987-88: (8) Binghamton, Brockport, Cortland, Fredonia, Geneseo, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • All-sports members Binghamton and Fredonia launch men’s hockey as a varsity sport, joining the ECAC West, as well as the SUNYAC.
    • SUNY Buffalo jumps to Division I for all other sports, and their hockey program drops to the club level
  • 1992-93: (7) Brockport, Cortland, Fredonia, Geneseo, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • With the D-II championship being announced, and plenty of other shuffling among conferences, the SUNYAC found it was best to begin officially sponsoring the sport, as the same seven schools split from the ECAC West, making their own league.
    • After five years, Binghamton’s program folds, leaving the league with seven members.
  • 1993-94: (8) Brockport, Buffalo State, Cortland, Fredonia, Geneseo, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • All-sports member Buffalo State launches men’s hockey and joins the SUNYAC, but did not play a full conference schedule until the following season.
  • 2007-08: (9) Brockport, Buffalo State, Cortland, Fredonia, Geneseo, Morrisville, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • After playing one season as an independent, Morrisville joins the SUNYAC as a full member, meaning hockey makes the jump as well.
      • Morrisville was ineligible for the conference tournament in their first two SUNYAC seasons.
      • Morrisville left as an all-sports member just two years later, but the hockey program remained as an associate member.
  • 2024-25: (8) Buffalo State, Canton, Cortland, Fredonia, Morrisville, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • Due to financial and travel issues, and a shifting landscapes across other conferences, founding members Brockport and Geneseo controversially leave their SUNY members to join the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC).
    • After years of attempting to gain membership, a more desperate SUNYAC finally admits Canton into the league as a full member.
    • Morrisville rejoins the SUNYAC in a full capacity, after playing as an affiliate hockey member since 2009.
  • 2025-26: (10) Buffalo State, Canton, Cortland, Fredonia, Hobart, Morrisville, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Skidmore
    • Remaining the aggressor after losing two staple members, the SUNYAC adds Hobart and Skidmore to the league as affiliate hockey-playing members, getting the league back to ten teams, starting a new, reshaped era of SUNYAC hockey.

Women’s

Some SUNYAC schools were at the forefront of women’s hockey, but the league never had quite enough members to start their own league as early as some of the other Division III conferences.

The Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL) was formed following the disbanding of the ECAC in 2017, that operated as a single-sport conference that housed SUNYAC teams, but didn’t have quite enough full members for the SUNYAC to sponsor the sport.

Finally, in 2023, the SUNYAC began officially sponsoring the sport, bringing over the exact lineup of the NEWHL under the SUNYAC name and sponsorship.

Timeline

  • 2023-24: (7) Buffalo State, Canton, Cortland, Morrisville, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam
    • With the SUNYAC finally sponsoring women’s hockey, all seven schools came over from the Northeast Women’s Hockey League (NEWHL), which was effectively housing the SUNYAC women’s hockey-playing schools.
      • Although initially just associate members, Canton and Morrisville became full members of the SUNYAC the following year.
  • 2025-26: (8) Buffalo State, Canton, Cortland, Morrisville, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, William Smith
    • Just like the school’s sister institution, William Smith College joined the SUNYAC as an associate member for hockey, coming over from the disbanding NEHC.

Season by Season Results

Men’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC)- run within ECAC West
1977-78PlattsburghNo TournamentNone
1978-79PlattsburghNo TournamentNone
1979-80OswegoNo TournamentNone
1980-81OswegoNo TournamentPlattsburgh (D-II)
1981-82Oswego, PlattsburghNo TournamentOswego, Plattsburgh (D-II)
1982-83PlattsburghNo TournamentOswego (D-II)
1983-84OswegoNo TournamentOswego
1984-85OswegoPlattsburghPlattsburgh
1985-86GeneseoGeneseoPlattsburgh*
1986-87PlattsburghPlattsburghOswego, Plattsburgh*
1987-88PlattsburghPlattsburghOswego, Plattsburgh*
1988-89OswegoOswegoOswego
1989-90GeneseoPlattsburghGeneseo, Plattsburgh
1990-91GeneseoOswegoOswego
1991-92PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh

State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC)- run independently
1992-93PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
1993-94FredoniaFredoniaFredonia
1994-95Fredonia, PlattsburghFredoniaFredonia, Plattsburgh
1995-96PlattsburghPotsdamPotsdam
1996-97FredoniaPlattsburghPlattsburgh
1997-98OswegoPlattsburghOswego, Plattsburgh
1998-99PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
1999-00PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2000-01PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2001-02PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2002-03OswegoOswegoOswego
2003-04PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2004-05OswegoGeneseoGeneseo
2005-06OswegoGeneseoGeneseo
2006-07OswegoFredoniaFredonia, Oswego
2007-08PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2008-09PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2009-10OswegoOswegoOswego, Plattsburgh
2010-11OswegoPlattsburghOswego, Plattsburgh
2011-12OswegoPlattsburghOswego, Plattsburgh
2012-13OswegoOswegoOswego
2013-14GeneseoOswegoGeneseo, Oswego
2014-15PlattsburghPlattsburghOswego, Plattsburgh
2015-16PlattsburghGeneseoGeneseo
2016-17OswegoPlattsburghOswego, Plattsburgh
2017-18OswegoGeneseoGeneseo
2018-19GeneseoGeneseoGeneseo, Oswego
2019-20GeneseoGeneseoGeneseo
2020-21

Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22GeneseoGeneseoGeneseo
2022-23OswegoPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2023-24GeneseoCortlandCortland, Geneseo
2024-25CortlandOswegoOswego
2025-26HobartHobartHobart

Women’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC)
2023-24PlattsburghCortlandCortland, Plattsburgh
2024-25OswegoPlattsburghPlattsburgh
2025-26PlattsburghPlattsburghPlattsburgh

Championships by School

Men’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
Plattsburgh19 (2 shared)20
Oswego18 (1 shared)7
Geneseo88
Fredonia3 (1 shared)3
Cortland11
Hobart11
Potsdam01

Women’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
Plattsburgh22
Oswego10
Cortland01

See Also