FREDERICKSBURG, Va.— Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Commissioner Jeff Ligney and Babson College Senior Director of Athletics and Athletic Advancement Mike Lynch announced on Wednesday that the school’s men’s golf program has been accepted as an associate member of the league, effective immediately.

“I want to thank Jeff and the CAC for the opportunity, as well as the membership of our former conference the NECC, for their support as we make this transition,” said Lynch. “Among our chief priorities at Babson are opportunities for our student-athletes to compete for conference championships and participate in the NCAA Tournament. It is very gratifying to know that our men’s golf program, perennially one of our best, will again compete for both.”

The move to the CAC ends a nine-year relationship as an associate member of the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) for the Beavers. Babson, which joined the NECC prior to the 2009-10 season, captured four straight league titles from 2014-17 and finished first at the conference championship six times in nine seasons. Prior to the NECC losing its automatic bid before the 2017-18 campaign, the Green and White made five NCAA Division III Championship appearances from 2009-17. 

“The CAC is excited to have Babson join us as an affiliate member in men’s golf,” Ligney stated. “The Babson men’s golf program is one of the best in Division III and we look forward to the Beavers raising the level of competition in the CAC.”

Formed in 1989, the CAC currently has eight full-time member institutions located in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Babson will compete with full-time members Christopher Newport, Mary Washington, Penn State Harrisburg, Southern Virginia, York and associate member New Jersey City to give the league seven schools that sponsor men’s golf in 2018-19.  

Under the direction of head coach Jeff Page, who is entering his sixth season at the helm, the Beavers put together a terrific 2017-18 campaign. The team finished the year with a 300.20 stroke average and won five of its nine 36-hole tournaments, which includes victories at Middlebury College’s Duke Nelson Invitational and Skidmore College’s Tim Brown Invitational.

"Joining the CAC is a great opportunity for the Babson golf program," commented Page. "Being a part of the conference this year gives us the opportunity to challenge for an NCAA bid for the 2018-19 season, gives the players something to shoot for in the spring, and allows our program to branch out to a new area. We are looking forward to competing alongside the schools in the CAC."

One of the oldest program’s at Babson, men’s golf officially started in the spring of 1948 and has made 11 national championship appearances since 1971.