Norwich Joins NAC as Associate Member for Men's Tennis
WATERVILLE, Maine – The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and Commissioner Marcella Zalot announced on Tuesday that the NAC has accepted Norwich University as an associate member for men’s tennis beginning with the 2025 spring season.
The Norwich University Cadets' inclusion expands the conference’s men's tennis membership to six institutions. The Cadets join existing NAC members SUNY Delhi, Lesley University, Thomas College, Vermont State University Johnson, and Vermont State University Lyndon, making them one of the six programs competing as affiliate members of the Empire 8 in the spring of 2025.
The winner of the Empire 8 Championship will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA DIII National Tournament.
Norwich, a core member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), fielded a men’s tennis program in the GNAC for 25 seasons (2000-24) and had five different players claim seven major individual accolades during a nine-year span (2008-17).
The Cadets’ pinnacle in the GNAC occurred in 2015 when they finished as the GNAC Championship Runner-up, but as a result of decreased sport sponsorship, the GNAC lost its automatic berth to the NCAA tournament for men’s tennis after the 2022 season.
“I am very excited for the Norwich men's tennis team to join the North Atlantic Conference as an associate member for the upcoming season,” adds Norwich Head Coach Scott Barker. “This is a great opportunity for the Norwich tennis team to compete in a tremendous league. I look forward to the new challenge while forming new relationships with our NAC counterparts. I would also like to thank the GNAC for all the support throughout the years.”
Norwich hosts home matches at Shapiro Fieldhouse, which is located on the Cadets’ campus in Northfield, Vermont. The 50,000 square-foot facility features four high-quality tennis courts.
"We are thrilled to have Norwich University join the NAC as an associate member in the sport of men’s tennis," adds NAC Commissioner Marcella Zalot. “The addition of the Cadets, along with the NAC’s partnership with the Empire 8, solidifies our NCAA automatic qualifier standing and aligns with the geography of the current NAC membership. Historically, Norwich has maintained a strong track record of athletic and academic excellence. The Cadets’ men’s tennis program will be a welcome addition to our conference.”
Norwich University, founded in 1819 in Northfield, Vermont, is the oldest private military college in the United States and the birthplace of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). With an approximate enrollment of 2,100 undergraduates, Norwich sponsors 22 varsity sports programs and boasts 12 national championships (women’s rugby (6), men’s hockey (4), and women’s hockey (2) since 2000.
“On behalf of our men’s tennis program, I would like to thank Commissioner Marcella Zalot and the NAC presidents and athletic directors for accepting us into the conference as an associate member,” says Norwich University Director of Athletics Ed Hockenbury. “We appreciate being welcomed into the NAC, and I am excited about the opportunity for our student-athletes to compete in a conference that is a great fit for us at Norwich.”