Earlham College Athletics

RICHMOND, Ind. — When Earlham College officially accepted a bid to join the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in the fall of 2009, the future of what teams the field hockey program would compete against was uncertain.

That changed on Tuesday as the North Coast Athletic Conference announced that Earlham would remain as an affiliate member of the group for field hockey.

“I'm very pleased that we will be staying in the North Coast Athletic Conference in field hockey,” Earlham Field Hockey Head Coach Jill Butcher said. “I have the utmost respect for the NCAC coaches and am looking forward to competing against them in the future.”

The HCAC does not offer a championship in field hockey. In addition to Earlham, Transylvania University is the only other school in the conference that competes in field hockey.

In today’s NCAC press release, Dale Knobel, president of Denison University and current president of the league, said, “While the Conference rarely confers affiliate status, our members’ long relationship with Earlham College made it seem obvious to include the Quakers in our field hockey lineup, providing a better competitive experience for women across the NCAC.”

The Quakers are one of seven schools playing field hockey in the NCAC. Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Wittenberg University and the College of Wooster are the others.

“It is great news for the women in our field hockey program now and those who will join us in the future," said Earlham Athletic Director Frank Carr. “To be able to continue to participate in and gain recognition from being in the North Coast Athletic Conference is wonderful.”

Acting NCAC Executive Director Keri Alexander Luchowski said, “We are pleased to continue our relationship with Earlham, especially in a way that benefits our student-athletes. This helps provide NCAC teams with a quality in-region opponent, one that has been a valued member of our conference for more than 20 years.”