Ithaca College will become the Liberty League's 11th full-member institution and will compete in 24 of the league's 26 championship sports.
Ithaca College accepts invitation for full membership in Liberty League
TROY, N.Y. – Liberty League Commissioner Tracy King has announced that Ithaca College has accepted the Liberty League’s invitation for full membership. Ithaca, which will begin competing in the Liberty League no later than the 2018-19 academic year, becomes the league’s 11th full-member institution.
“I am excited to welcome Ithaca College as our newest Liberty League full-member institution,” said King. “IC is an outstanding academic institution with distinguished history of success as an NCAA Division III member. The addition of Ithaca will strengthen our Liberty League membership and will enhance the competitive opportunities for our student-athletes. IC will be a great Liberty League partner.”
Ithaca currently sponsors 27 varsity sports – 15 for women and 12 for men. The women’s sports are field hockey, soccer, cross country, volleyball, basketball, swimming & diving, tennis, lacrosse, softball, gymnastics, rowing, sculling, golf and indoor and outdoor track & field. The men’s sports include football, soccer, tennis, rowing, cross country, basketball, lacrosse, wrestling, swimming & diving, baseball and indoor and outdoor track & field. Bomber teams will compete in 24 of the Liberty League’s 26 championship sports.
“The member institutions of the Liberty League share IC’s commitment to a broad vision of educational excellence that spans academic and co-curricular experiences,” said Tom Rochon, Ithaca College President. “Educationally and athletically, we look forward to joining these distinguished peers.”
Current Liberty League full members include Bard College, Clarkson University, Hobart & William Smith Colleges, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. Lawrence University, Skidmore College, Union College and Vassar College. The member institutions of the league place the highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of its student-athletes’ academic programs. The member institutions seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete’s athletic activities are conducted as an integral part of the educational experience.
“The Liberty League is an impressive association of academic institutions with common commitment to the educational benefits created through participation in intercollegiate competition,” said Susan Bassett, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports. “Ithaca College shares the Liberty League’s core values, both academically and athletically. We embrace the philosophical tenets of the league and the commitment to the scholar-athlete ideal upon which it was founded.”
Ithaca is a founding member of the Empire 8 Conference, having competed as a full member in that league since 1999-2000. Prior to that time, Ithaca competed against many current Liberty League members when institutions were members of the Independent College Athletic Conference (ICAC).
“The coaches and student-athletes of Ithaca College look forward to the opportunity to compete in the Liberty League, said Bassett. “Our entry to the Liberty League brings IC back to some of our traditional rivals. Our alumni will enjoy renewing cherished rivalries.”
The Liberty League sponsors championships in 26 sports – 13 each for women and men. Liberty League champions receive automatic bids to NCAA Division III championships in 16 different sports.
“Liberty League member teams have regularly competed against Ithaca teams in non-conference competition,” said King. “Our coaches have great respect for the Ithaca programs and their coaching counterparts. We’re looking forward to continued great competition with the Bomber teams.”
Ithaca College has won 15 NCAA Division III team championships along with 31 individual national championships. In 2014-15, Ithaca placed 31st in the Division III Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings – a measure of success in NCAA championship competition.