SYRACUSE, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has added two new members to their ranks, plus several associate members and a new sport.

The conference announced on Thursday, October 5 that SUNY Morrisville and SUNY Canton will join the conference as full-time members beginning next year, while also adding men’s wrestling as its 22nd sport. They will also add Alfred State as an associate member in track and field, also beginning next year. The conference also includes one local college — SUNY Oneonta — as a full member.

We feel our core values and mission align well with our fellow SUNYAC schools. Having all our conference games in-state will help reduce travel time and costs. Our students can now spend more time in the classroom instead of in transit to distant games. We are looking forward to competing in the SUNYAC next year.

SUNY Canton Athletic Director Randy Sieminski

The addition of the Mustangs and Kangaroos coincides with the departure of SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Brockport, which announced their departure from the SUNYAC in September. SUNY Canton had also been accepted as an associate member of the conference in women’s ice hockey this year, while their men’s ice hockey team was accepted beginning next year.

The addition of wrestling to the list of SUNYAC sports also allowed the conference to bring in four other associate members, absorbing the last four teams that were a part of the old Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference. As a result, Utica University will also be joining the SUNYAC for wrestling, along with Ithaca, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and St. John Fisher.

Canton will compete in 13 of the conference’s sports, while Morrisville will compete in 15.