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FORWARDED FROM: McDonald, Jack A.D.
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From: Berger, Bill
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October 14
Hamden, Conn. - Quinnipiac College announced in a press conference today
 
that it would join the Northeast Conference, a Division I league
comprised
of member institutions in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Maryland.
 With the move, Quinnipiac completed the plan made public in July when
President John L. Lahey announced the college's intention to elevate its
 
athletic programs to the Division I level.
 
     "Quinnipiac College has for many years been Division I academically
as
was recently confirmed by U.S. News and World Report naming our
institution
among America's best colleges.  We're pleased and honored today to
accept
the invitation to join the Northeast Conference.  This move will enable
us
to bring the quality of our athletic programs into line with
the quality of our academic programs," said Lahey.
 
     In preparation for the move to Division I, the college had already
appointed full-time men's and women's basketball coaches and another
full-time female administrator as head women's field hockey and lacrosse
 
coach.  Additionally, an increase in full-time staffing is planned for
the
future.  The College also added $300,000 in annual athletic scholarships
for
the move to Division I.
 
     Quinnipiac, which currently sponsors eight men's and eight women's
varsity sports, will immediately commence a study regarding the
feasibility
of bringing the men's ice hockey program to the Division I level.
 
     With the Q Cup Ice Hockey Tournament scheduled for December 27 and
28
at the New Haven Coliseum, school officials will gauge the potential for
 
hosting additional Division I basketball and ice hockey games at the
venue.
 Quinnipiac, with its own top rate facilities, looks forward to hosting
Northeast Conference Tournaments in the future.
 
     President Lahey will officially sign the letter to the NCAA
announcing
the school's move to Division I during Midnight Madness on campus
tonight.
 With the submission of the letter, Quinnipiac begins a two-year
mandatory
waiting period during which it must come into compliance with all NCAA
Division I regulations.  The possibility exists, however, of reducing
the
compliance period to one year as Quinnipiac had already notified the
NCAA of
its intention and will likely learn in January whether a one-year waiver
 
will be granted.  With the waiver, Quinnipiac would join the NEC for the
 
1998-99 season.
 
     Current members of the NEC are: Mount St. Mary's (Md.) College; St.
 
Francis College (N.Y.); St. Francis College (Pa.); Monmouth University;
Wagner College; Robert Morris College; Fairleigh Dickinson University;
Long
Island University (Brooklyn); Rider University; and Marist College.  The
 
University of Maryland-Baltimore County was admitted to the conference
in
June, while Rider and Marist will depart for the Metro Atlantic Athletic
 
Conference following this academic year.
 
 -Q Sports-
 
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