History

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is a 16-member NCAA Division III athletic conference sponsoring 22 conference championships and 4,000-plus student-athletes. Current members are: Albertus Magnus College, Anna Maria College, Colby-Sawyer College, Dean College, Elms College, Emmanuel College, Johnson & Wales University (R.I.), Lasell University, Mitchell College, New England College, Norwich University, Regis College, Rivier University, Saint Joseph's College of Maine, Simmons University, and the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.).

Founded in 1995, the GNAC originally consisted of 11 founding institutions across New England. There were six programs competing in men's sports (Albertus Magnus College, Daniel Webster College, Emerson College, Endicott College, Johnson & Wales (R.I.) and Rivier University. The six were joined by Emmanuel College, Pine Manor College, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), Simmons College, and Suffolk University to form the 11-member conference. In 1998, the conference expanded to 14 schools to include Norwich University, Western New England College, Southern Vermont College, while welcoming men's sports at Suffolk. 

Following the departure of Endicott in 1999 and Western New England in 2007, the GNAC welcomed Lasell College, Mount Ida College, and Saint Joseph’s College of Maine to begin the 2007-08 school year. Daniel Webster and Southern Vermont left in 2008 and Anna Maria College joined in fall of 2011. Pine Manor left the conference in 2012 followed by Emerson in 2013. The conference expanded again in 2017, bringing in Regis College then Colby-Sawyer College in 2018 to bring the membership to 13 full-time members.

In 2020, the departure of Suffolk coincided with the addition of Dean College resulting in no net change in the membership. Elms joined the league in 2021 brining the conference membership to 14 institutions. Mitchell College and New England College were the next additions to the GNAC, joining in 2023 to make the conference a 16-team league.

Phil Rowe of Daniel Webster College was elected the conference’s first commissioner in 1995. He was succeeded by Jim Domoracki of Rivier in the fall of 1996. Dave Morris of Johnson & Wales was elected in June 1997, followed by Donna Ruseckas of Daniel Webster in July 1999. Mike Theulen of Western New England served from August 2000 to August 2001. John Parente of Johnson & Wales served from August 2001 until Joe Walsh became commissioner in August of 2005. Michael Ghika was named the first-ever full-time Assistant Commissioner in 2014. Following Ghika's departure in 2023, Doug Chin joined the Conference as its Senior Associate Commissioner.

Mission Statement

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 16 member institutions and over 4000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

Championships Sponsored: 22

Baseball, Men's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Swimming and Diving, Men's Tennis, Men's Indoor Track & Field, Men's Outdoor Track & Field, Men's Volleyball, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Indoor Track & Field, Women's Outdoor Track & Field, and Women's Volleyball.  

Full-Time Member Institutions

Associate Member Institutions