By Keon Edington / The Jambar
The Coastal Athletic Association at the Division I level continues to expand its reach through media rights deals and the addition of new universities.
The conference was first established in 1979 as the ECAC South Conference, later rebranded as the Colonial Athletic Association in 1985 and officially changed its name to the CAA in July of 2023.
The CAA is composed of 13 universities and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.
These institutions include Campbell University, College of Charleston, Drexel University, Elon University, Hampton University, Hofstra University, Monmouth University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technological University, Northeastern University, Stony Brook University, Towson University, University of North Carolina Wilmington and the College of William & Mary.
Two historically Black colleges and universities in Hampton and North Carolina A&T, are now part of the conference with the addition of Hampton in 2022 and North Carolina in 2023. Joe D’Antonio, commissioner of the CAA, said it means a lot to bring in so many diverse schools and traditions to the conference.
“It’s pretty special because you’re able to implement and bring into the conference all the traditions that they have, which in many cases are different from some of our other schools,” D’Antonio said. “It’s been a privilege and an honor to be able to have those traditions that they have as part of the CAA, so we’re really happy with our membership right now.”
The conference partners with CBS Sports and FloSports to broadcast more televised basketball and football games. Since the conference extended its deal with CBS in 2023, D’Antonio said the partnership adds to the conference’s reach.
“CBS Sports Network and their ability to give our institutions the opportunity to be able to negotiate their own deals with local linear companies provides us with the best mid-major media rights package in the country,” D’Antonio said.
In regards to recruiting, D’Antonio said the conference draws interest from not only other Division I student-athletes, but lower level programs as well.
“We’re also attracting other Division I student-athletes, as well as Division II and Division III student-athletes, that might be looking for what they perceive to be and what we perceive to be — a better opportunity,” D’Antonio said.
The conference had several programs reach the postseason, most recently with Townson’s men’s lacrosse team, who made the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four on May 10. For men’s basketball, UNCW represented the CAA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Texas Tech University.
D’Antonio said while the conference may not be winning national championships, it stays competitive against other institutions.
“We’re a very competitive conference. Are we necessarily winning the national championship every year? No, but are we competing at a high level? Yes,” D’Antonio said.
The conference is committed to providing student-athletes opportunities for degrees and furthering their careers into the future.
“[To help student-athletes] achieve their goals and dreams, very few professions get to do that,” D’Antonio said. “The fact that [the CAA] can do that again, directly or indirectly, is pretty special.”
