ABOUT THE COAST-TO-COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (C2C) | Brand Launch

The Capital Athletic Conference officially evolved into the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) on November 18, 2020. 

The C2C provides a memorable championship experience for its students that is unique within the NCAA’s Division III membership. A progressive conference, the C2C rejects the idea that small-college athletics has to be regional and homogenous. The C2C embraces the opportunity to be daring and provides experiences for our student-athletes from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast that prepares them to compete for championships.

The C2C Board of Directors voted unanimously in May 2020 to offer full membership to six institutions, including: University of California-Santa Cruz, Finlandia University (Mich.), Mills College (Calif.), Mount Mary University (Wisc.), Pine Manor College (Mass.) and Pratt Institute (N.Y.).

The C2C consisted of 11 full-time members for the 2020-21 academic year. The Conference reduced to eight in 21-22 when Southern Virginia University, St. Mary's College of Maryland and Pine Manor College departed. Christopher Newport University, University Mary Washington and Salisbury University will remain with the Conference along with the new members.

Beginning in 2022-23, the C2C remained at eight, full-member institutions after the departure of Mills College and the addition of Warren Wilson College. 

Newspaper Stories on the Formation of the Capital Athletic Conference

HISTORY OF THE CAPITAL ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (CAC)

Formed in 1989, the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) is a 10-member coalition of four-year, co-educational institutions promotes intercollegiate athletic competition among schools located in close geographic proximity that have similar educational and athletic philosophies. The CAC strives to develop a harmony of good feeling and a spirit of competitive sportsmanship, fellowship, and uniformity of practice among member institutions. Conference members are required to operate their intercollegiate athletic programs under the highest ethical standards and to maintain a program consistent with the overall educational philosophy of the member institutions.

Charter members were: The Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, Mary Washington College, Marymount University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and York College of Pennsylvania.

Goucher College was accepted for membership in 1991 and Salisbury University was accepted in 1993, Stevenson University (formerly Villa Julie College) and Hood College were accepted in December 2005. Wesley College joined in January 2006. Frostburg State University joined the CAC prior to the 2010-11 academic year.

Catholic University and Goucher College withdrew from the conference on June 1, 2007. Gallaudet University announced plans to withdraw from the CAC following the 2009-10 year to join the NorthEastern Athletic Conference.

The first president of the conference was Bill Finney of Marymount University. In June 1993, Richard C. Cook was appointed as the first commissioner. In January 2008, Tom Byrnes was selected to serve as the first full-time commissioner with the dual role of conference sports information director.

In 1991-92, the first Conference All-Sports Award, given annually to the Conference institution that accumulates the most points toward the “total” athletic program, was awarded to Mary Washington College. In June 2007, the Board of Directors added a “Men’s Commissioner’s Award” and a “Women’s Commissioner’s Award” to promote the best men’s and women’s programs in the conference in addition to the overall best program. In December 2007, the all-sports was re-named the “Richard C. Cook All-Sports Award” in recognition of the 15 years of service by the retiring commissioner.

Throughout the years, the Conference has produced hundreds of All-American athletes and has had many teams and individuals participate in NCAA Championship events. 

MEMBERSHIP HISTORY

1989 – The Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) was founded. Charter members included The Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, Mary Washington College (now the University of Mary Washington), Marymount University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, and York College of Pennsylvania, effective beginning in the 1989-90 academic year.

1991 – Salisbury State University (now Salisbury University) joined the CAC in all sports, effective in the 1991-92 academic year.

1993 – Goucher College joined the CAC in all sports, effective in the 1993-94 academic year.

2005 – Catholic and Goucher announced they would be departing for the newly-formed Landmark Conference, effective after the 2006-07 academic year.

2006 – Hood College and Villa Julie College (now Stevenson University) joined the CAC for some sports, effective in the 2006-07 academic year.

2007 – Wesley College joined the CAC in all sports (along with Hood and Stevenson), effective in the 2007-08 academic year.

2010 – Gallaudet left the CAC to join the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC; now the United East Conference), effective after the 2009-10 academic year.

2010 – Frostburg State University joined the CAC in all sports, effective in the 2010-11 academic year.

2012 – Hood and Stevenson departed the CAC for the Middle Atlantic Conferences, effective June 1, 2012.

2013 – Christopher Newport University, Penn State Harrisburg and Southern Virginia University joined the CAC in all sports, effective on June 1, 2013.

2013 – William Paterson University and New Jersey City University joined the CAC as associate members for men's golf, effective in the 2014 spring season (2013-14 academic year).

2016 – William Paterson departed from the CAC as an associate member for men's golf, effective after the 2016 spring season (2015-16 academic year).

2018 – Marymount and Wesley departed the CAC for the newly-formed Atlantic East Conference (AEC), effective after the 2017-18 academic year.

2018 – Babson College joined the CAC as an associate member for men's golf, effective in the 2019 spring season (2018-19 academic year).

2019 – Frostburg State began the transition to the Division II for the 2019-20 academic year, thus departed the CAC to join the Mountain East Conference, effective after the 2018-19 academic year.

2019 – Penn State Harrisburg departed the CAC to return to the NEAC, effective after the 2018-19 academic year.

2019 – Carnegie Mellon University joined the CAC as an associate member for men's golf, effective in the 2020 spring season (2019-20 academic year).

2020 – York departed the CAC to join the MAC, effective after the 2019-20 season.

2020 – The CAC announced that it would absorb the American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA), effective beginning in the 2020-21 academic year. Therefore, all full members, the University of California, Santa Cruz, Finlandia University, Mills College (women's sports only), Mount Mary University (women's sports only), Pine Manor College, and Pratt Institute, and associate member, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, of the ACAA joined in their respective memberships.

2020 – The Capital Athletic Conference announced that it would rebrand as the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C).

2020 – The conference dropped men's and women's swimming and golf as conference sports after the 2020-21 season, therefore, men's golf associates, Babson, Carnegie Mellon and New Jersey City departed.

2021 – St. Mary's departed the C2C to join the United East Conference, effective after the 2020-21 academic year. St. Mary's rejoined as an associate member in men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field.

2021 – Southern Virginia departed the C2C to join the USA South Athletic Conference, effective after the 2020-21 academic year.

2021 – Pine Manor was acquired by Boston College, thus dissolving their athletics programs, effective after the 2020-21 academic year.

2022 – Mills left the C2C to become a research institution, thus dissolving their athletics programs, effective after the 2021-22 academic year.

2022 – The University of Wisconsin–Platteville will join the C2C as an associate member for men's soccer, effective beginning in the 2022 fall season (2022-23 academic year).

2022 – On July 26, The Coast to Coast Athletic Conference and the New Jersey Athletic Conference announced that it would form the Coastal Lacrosse Conference therefore the C2C will no longer sponsor men's lacrosse.

2022 – On July 27, Warren Wilson College joined the C2C as a full member, effective in the 2022-23 academic year.

2023 – On March 2, Finlandia University announces it is cancelling its spring sports programs and will not be enrolling any students for the 2023-24 academic year.

2023 - On June 22, Pratt Institute annnounces it will join the Atlantic East Conference staring with the 2024-25 academic year.