The Morrisville State College football team will join the Empire 8 Athletic Conference as an affiliate member at the start of the 2015 season.
"We are excited to welcome Morrisville to the Empire 8,” said Empire 8 Commissioner Chuck Mitrano. “For many, many years football fans hoped to see an elite football conference comprised of the New York State institutions and we are excited to make that a reality."
Full time E8 members that sponsor football include Alfred University, Hartwick College, Ithaca College, St. John Fisher College and Utica College. Morrisville will join The College at Brockport, Buffalo State College and Cortland State as affiliate football members of the E8.
Frostburg University and Salisbury State University will depart the Empire 8 at the conclusion of the 2014 season.
"We will certainly miss Frostburg and Salisbury,” stated Commissioner Mitrano. “They are top notch members and highly competitive programs. They have made the decision that best suits their program long term and we certainly respect that. They will always hold an important place in Empire 8 football history. We look forward to our final season with these programs and wish them all of the best in the future.”
Empire 8 football teams finished 21-10 in non-conference play in 2013 and have a mark of 259-122 against non-conference Division III opponents since 2002 for a .680 winning percentage. There have been 33 postseason victories in the last 12 seasons with reigning conference champion Ithaca advancing to the second round and at-large selection St. John Fisher advancing to the national quarterfinals in 2013.
“We are very excited about joining the Empire 8 Conference for football”, said Morrisville Director of Athletics Greg Carroll. “It is truly one of the premiere DIII football conferences in the country, and each of its members has had a long history and tradition of football success. While Morrisville is still an emerging DIII member, we look forward to building our own football traditions within the conference. I think it also represents a major step forward for college football in New York State. College football fans from East to West will have their pick of great games to attend each weekend throughout the fall. We are grateful to our friends in the Empire 8 for this opportunity and look forward to forging new regional rivalries.”
Morrisville has been a football-only member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) since 2008 and is coming off its best season since transitioning to Division III in 2006. The Mustangs produced a 3-7 overall record, finished sixth in the NJAC (2-5) and had nine all-conference student-athletes including the NJAC Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Lemar Johnson.
“Everyone involved with our program is excited and humbled for the opportunity to join the Empire 8 Conference in 2015,” said Head Coach Curt Fitzpatrick. “This is certainly a major step forward for our program. We are looking forward to the opportunity to compete against some of the great and storied programs the E8 has to offer.”
Fitzpatrick, who just completed his first season as head coach, is certainly familiar with the E8 as a former player an assistant coach. He came to Morrisville from Utica College where he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the past five seasons. Prior to his stint with the Pioneers, he spent two seasons as the quarterback coach at his alma mater, St. John Fisher.
“As a former Empire 8 player and assistant coach, I know first-hand the level of football in this conference, and I am confident that it will only get better and better from here on out,” said Fitzpatrick.
Morrisville offers a high quality educational experience by utilizing cutting-edge technology, innovative methods of instruction and an entrepreneurial focus. The College offers than 70 specialized associate and bachelor degree programs and is committed to providing students the knowledge and opportunity to grow intellectually and socially as citizens of the world community.
A member conference of the NCAA’s Division III, the Empire 8 has nine full members and sponsors championships in 23 sports. 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 membership seeks to distinguish itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the?Empire 8.
The Empire 8 can trace its beginnings back to 1964 with the founding of the Independent College Athletic Conference (ICAC). In 1991, the ICAC regrouped to become the Empire Athletic Association (EAA) and in 1999 the EAA became the Empire 8 Athletic Conference.