NEW YORK – Pratt Institute will become the first institution outside the current eight members of the CUNY Athletic Conference to help establish a newly expanded NCAA Division III conference set to begin competition in the 2027–28 academic year. This conference, which is currently in the naming, branding, and incorporation stages, focuses on institutions near New York City. Additional expansion is expected.
The Cannoneers will begin competition in the new conference in 2027-28. Pratt will join Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College of New York, Hunter College, John Jay College, Lehman College, Medgar Evers College, and York College. Pratt is a current member of the Atlantic East Conference and will wrap up membership in that league following the 2026-27 academic year.
“As we look forward to the integration of Pratt, it allows for a more vibrant future and the potential for new and exciting directions for the conference,” said
Dr. Fernando Delgado, president of Lehman College and chair of the CUNY Athletic Conference Council of Presidents and the presidential leader for this group of schools forming this new conference. “We welcome Pratt and look forward to their participation on and off the fields of competition.”
“Pratt, as a future member of this new conference, is monumental for several reasons. First and foremost, they fit with our other institutions in many ways, including but not limited to geographical, sport sponsorship, and competitive levels,” said CUNYAC Acting Commissioner
Dr. Kurt Patberg. “In addition, they are a well-established, strong academic institution with specialized curricula, like many of our institutions. They are the first private institution of what will hopefully be several others that see this new conference as a great fit.”
Pratt Institute, located in Brooklyn, sponsors 14 NCAA Division III sports, including equestrian, and enrolls approximately 5,100 students. The Cannoneers will compete in the new conference in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, and men’s and women’s volleyball.
Pratt enhances the new conference’s presence in New York City as the eight current members reside in the five boroughs of New York City. Pratt joins Brooklyn College and Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. Manhattan (Baruch College, City College of New York, Hunter College, John Jay College, the Bronx (Lehman College) and Queens (York College) are also represented.
“We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter, one that brings Pratt even closer to the heart of New York City and aligns our athletic program with institutions that value both academic creativity and competitive spirit,” said Pratt Institute Vice President for Student Affairs
Dr. Delmy Lendof. “This move to a vibrant, New York City-centered conference is a natural evolution for Pratt, strengthening our ties to the communities we serve across the boroughs,”
“We are thrilled to join this new conference that aligns with our commitment to providing a competitive, student-centered athletic experience in the heart of New York City,” added Pratt Director of Athletics
Walter Rickard. “This move strengthens our geographical fit, enhances rivalries within the boroughs, and opens exciting opportunities for our student-athletes to compete at a high level while pursuing their creative and academic passions. We look forward to building lasting relationships and contributing to the growth of this conference both on and off the field.”
About Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute provides the creative leaders of tomorrow the professional knowledge and experience to make a better world. A world-class and internationally ranked college with programs in art, design, architecture, liberal arts and sciences, and information studies, Pratt offers nearly 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
The Institute’s impact expands beyond its 25-acre residential campus in Brooklyn and cutting-edge facilities at Dock 72 and the Pfizer building to a landmark building and public gallery in Manhattan, as well as an extension campus, Pratt Munson College of Art and Design in Utica, New York. Another extension of Pratt’s main campus is the Research Yard, a 20,000-square-foot facility that brings together the research activities of Pratt Institute under one roof in the Brooklyn Navy Yard (BNY). On Governors Island, Pratt is a founding core partner in The New York Climate Exchange, a research and educational hub poised to establish New York City as the global leader for the most pressing issue of our time: climate change. Pratt is the only independent school of art and design to achieve a Gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
Since its founding in 1887, Pratt has prioritized diversity and inclusion, welcoming students from all walks of life while developing and sustaining pathways to more equitable workplaces and careers.
About The ‘New Conference’
This new conference is the ‘rebirth’ of the current City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC), an NCAA Division III conference with eight members stretching across four of New York City’s five boroughs. The conference will continue to sponsor championships in 18 NCAA Division III sports. Since officially coming into existence in 1987, this former conference has been amongst the leaders in Division III with initiatives that focus on the student as much as the athlete in the student-athlete.
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