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SUNYAC

SUNYAC, the State University of New York Athletic Conference, is a league in NCAA Men's Division III comprised solely of schools in the State University of New York system. 

The conference has sponsored men's ice hockey since the 1977-78 season.  However, the conference dates back to September 19, 1958. The conference was originally known as the New York State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NYSIAC), which later was re-designated the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) in 1963.

Enough SUNYAC schools sponsored men's ice hockey as far back as 1986-87 for the conference to get an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament however, the conference started play with the 1992-93 season as all seven founding men's ice hockey members joined from the ECAC West (an 8th team Binghamton Colonials (now Binghamton Bearcats), ended its program after the 1991-92 season and later elevated its whole athletic program to Division I in 2001).  However, the conference tournament dates back to 1985 (the teams were matched up based upon ECAC West results).  The Buffalo State College team joined for 1993-94.  During these seasons, the teams also participated in the ECAC playoffs.

The Morrisville Mustangs joined the conference for the 2007-08 season.

The Canton Kangaroos are playing as a Division III Independent as they are in the process of elevating their program to varsity status from the club level ACHA.  They are believed to be eventually joining the conference over the next few seasons as the school completed a state of the art athletic facility (the SUNY Canton Athletic and Recreation Center, called the CARC on campus) in 2011 which included a hockey rink. 

Addition of Women's hockey[]

On May 12, 2023 the State University of New York Athletic Conference announced it would be adding women's ice hockey for the 2023-24 season. The league is being formed out of the current members of the Northeast Women's Hockey League plus the Canton Kangaroos women's ice hockey team. The change over to the new conference will take place at the change over of the academic year on July 1, 2023.[1]

Men's Membership[]

Team Location Arena
Brockport Golden Eagles Brockport, New York Tuttle North Ice Arena
Buffalo State Bengals Buffalo, New York Buffalo State Sports Arena
Cortland Red Dragons Cortland, New York Alumni Ice Arena
Fredonia Blue Devils Fredonia, New York Steele Hall Ice Arena
Geneseo Ice Knights Geneseo, New York Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena
Morrisville Mustangs Morrisville, New York Morrisville Iceplex
Oswego Great Lakers Oswego, New York Marano Campus Center Ice Arena
Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh, New York Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena
Potsdam Bears Potsdam, New York Maxcy Ice Arena

Women's Membership[]

Team Location Arena
Buffalo State Bengals Buffalo, New York Buffalo State Sports Arena
Canton Kangaroos Canton, New York SUNY Canton Athletic and Recreation Center
Cortland Red Dragons Cortland, New York Alumni Ice Arena
Morrisville Mustangs Morrisville, New York Morrisville Iceplex
Oswego Great Lakers Oswego, New York Marano Campus Center Ice Arena
Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh, New York Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena
Potsdam Bears Potsdam, New York Maxcy Ice Arena

Men's Seasons[]

Sub-Conference with in ECAC West
Season Regular Season Champion Conference Tournament Champion NCAA Tournament Teams
1978 Plattsburgh Cardinals No Tournament
1979 Plattsburgh Cardinals No Tournament
1980 Oswego Great Lakers No Tournament
1981 Oswego Great Lakers No Tournament Division II Plattsburgh Cardinals (Third Place)
1982 Plattsburgh Cardinals &
Oswego Great Lakers
No Tournament Division II Plattsburgh Cardinals (Third Place)
1983 Plattsburgh Cardinals No Tournament
1984 Oswego Great Lakers No Tournament
1985 Oswego Great Lakers Plattsburgh Cardinals Division III Plattsburgh Cardinals (Fourth Place)
1986 Geneseo Ice Knights Geneseo Ice Knights Plattsburgh Cardinals (Runner Up)
(Vacated)
1987 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (National Champs) Oswego Great Lakers (Runner Up)
1988 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (Quarterfinals)
1989 Oswego Great Lakers Oswego Great Lakers
1990 Geneseo Ice Knights Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (Runner Up)
1991 Geneseo Ice Knights Oswego Great Lakers
1992 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (National Champs)
Formal Conference Play Begins
1993 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals
1994 Fredonia Blue Devils Fredonia Blue Devils
1995 Fredonia Blue Devils Fredonia Blue Devils Fredonia Blue Devils (Runner Up)
1996 Plattsburgh Cardinals Potsdam Bears
1997 Fredonia Blue Devils Plattsburgh Cardinals
1998 Oswego Great Lakers Plattsburgh Cardinals
1999 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals
2000 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals
2001 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (National Champs)
2002 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals
2003 Oswego Great Lakers Oswego Great Lakers Oswego Great Lakers (Runner Up)
2004 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals
2005 Oswego Great Lakers Geneseo Ice Knights
2006 Oswego Great Lakers Geneseo Ice Knights
2007 Oswego Great Lakers Fredonia Blue Devils Oswego Great Lakers (National Champs)
2008 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (Runner Up)
2009 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals
2010 Oswego Great Lakers Oswego Great Lakers
2011 Oswego Great Lakers Plattsburgh Cardinals
2012 Oswego Great Lakers Plattsburgh Cardinals Oswego Great Lakers (Runner Up)
2013 Oswego Great Lakers Oswego Great Lakers Oswego Great Lakers (Runner Up)
2014 Geneseo Ice Knights Oswego Great Lakers
2015 Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals
2016 Plattsburgh Cardinals Geneseo Ice Knights
2017 Oswego Great Lakers Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (First Round);
Oswego Great Lakers (First Round)
2018 Oswego Great Lakers Geneseo Ice Knights Geneseo Ice Knights Lost Quarterfinals
2019 Geneseo Ice Knights Geneseo Ice Knights Geneseo Ice Knights (Lost Semifinal)
2020 Geneseo Ice Knights Oswego Great Lakers Oswego Great Lakers (Tournament cancelled)
2021 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Geneseo Ice Knights Geneseo Ice Knights Geneseo Ice Knights
2023 Oswego Great Lakers Plattsburgh Cardinals Plattsburgh Cardinals (Lost 1st Round)

Women's Seasons[]

For previous seasons please see Northeast Women's Hockey League
Season Regular Season Champion Conference Tournament Champion NCAA Tournament Teams
2024 TBD TBD TBD
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