UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 36, Page 2
July 3, 1996
AMERICA EAST selected as the new name for NAC

     Effective July 1, the University is a member of America East. The
name change has been approved by the members of the North Atlantic
Conference (NAC), a 10-member NCAA Division I athletic conference
which UD joined in 1991.
     Edgar Johnson, intercollegiate athletics, made the name change
announcement in Newark June 26.
     Current members of America East include Boston, Drexel, Hofstra,
Northeastern and Towson State universities and the universities of
Delaware, Hartford, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
     In announcing the establishment of America East, Commissioner Stu
Haskell Jr. said, "We believe this change will enhance name
recognition of the organization," and there will be benefits in
marketing and student recruitment.
     Additionally, Haskell said the "new name also more accurately
reflects our expanded membership, with institutions located from Orono
to Baltimore. We now have campuses in or very close to five of
America's major East Coast cities: Boston, Hartford, New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore.
     Johnson agreed, stating that "The name NAC no longer reflected
the composition of our membership.... We felt a new name would give us
greater national recognition and a better opportunity to market the
conference."
     In the past, Johnson said, the NAC sometimes was confused with
two MACs-Mid-American and Middle Atlantic-conferences, and the MACC,
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
     Delaware will participate in all of America East's 21 sports,
except football. In that sport, the Fightin' Blue Hens will remain in
the Yankee Conference.
     Other changes are planned for America East, including the
election of a new commissioner-since Haskell has announced his
retirement-and relocation of the conference offices to Boston in 1997.
     Haskell also announced that America East has signed an eight-game
television contract with Creative Sports Marketing for the 1996-97
basketball season. It includes six men's games and two women's games
on Sundays at noon during January and February.
     The first telecast on Jan. 5 will feature Towson State University
and the UD in the Bob Carpenter Center.