March 18, 2026

Centenary To Join NJAC as Men's Lacrosse Affiliate Member

The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) announced on March 18 that Centenary College (Louisiana) and Colorado College will join the conference as affiliate members in the sport of men’s lacrosse beginning in the 2026-27 academic year.

PITMAN, NJ — The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) announced on March 18 that Centenary College (Louisiana) and Colorado College will join the conference as affiliate members in the sport of men's lacrosse beginning in the 2026-27 academic year.

The NJAC will begin sponsoring men's lacrosse as a conference championship sport for the first time in 2026-27. The conference will feature six men's lacrosse-sponsoring institutions in total, including four full-member programs in Kean University, Montclair State University, Stockton University, and SUNY New Paltz, in addition to the two new affiliates.

With six sponsoring institutions, the NJAC will be on track to secure an automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship Tournament beginning in the 2028 season following a one-year waiting period as mandated by NCAA legislation.

"We are excited to welcome both Centenary and Colorado College as the newest affiliate members in the NJAC," said Commissioner Terry Small. "They both are programs that were in need of a conference home, and we feel that participation in the NJAC will be of great benefit to both programs' student-athletes. We're also excited that men's lacrosse will become the 21st NJAC championship sport next year, giving our men's lacrosse student-athletes the opportunity to compete under the NJAC banner. I also would like to thank our presidents and administrators for their hard work in developing a competition model that will be beneficial to all parties."

NJAC men's lacrosse will be comprised of two divisions - a three-team Gold Division and a three-team Blue Division. Centenary and Colorado College will always remain in the Gold Division, while the third Gold Division team will be based on a rotation that will feature one of the NJAC core member programs rotating into the Division for a two-year period.

The two divisional winners will advance to the NJAC Men's Lacrosse Championship Game which will take place annually on the Saturday prior to the NCAA automatic qualification deadline.

"We are thrilled to accept an invitation to the NJAC," said Colorado College Vice President & Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine. "I can't speak more highly of how the conference has approached this process and we are honored to join the league. At Colorado College we believe passionately about providing meaningful athletic opportunities and access to championships. To join a league with like-minded leaders is exciting and we can't wait to get started."

"Centenary College Lacrosse is excited to join the outstanding NJAC as a men's lacrosse affiliate member," said Centenary Director of Athletics and Recreation David Orr. "The NJAC is an excellent conference with exceptional leadership throughout, and our Gents Lacrosse program is fortunate and privileged to join in 2026-2027."

Centenary College and Colorado College will become the 16th and 17th different institutions to hold membership in the NJAC next year, joining full-member institutions Kean University, Montclair State University, Ramapo College, Rowan University, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, Stockton, SUNY New Paltz, The College of New Jersey, and William Paterson University; associate football members Christopher Newport University and Vermont State Castleton; indoor track & field affiliate member Farmingdale State College; affiliate swimming & diving members the University of Mary Washington, Rogers Williams University, and the United States Merchant Marine Academy; and Salisbury University, which holds membership in the conference in both football and swimming & diving.