Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference Explained

Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference
Formerly:	Colonial Athletic Association Football Conference
Founded:	2007
Conference:	NCAA
Division:	Division I
Subdivision:	FCS
Teams:	16 (14 in 2025)
Sports:	1
Mens:	1 (football)
Region:	East Coast
Headquarters:	Richmond, Virginia
Website:	caasports.com
Map:	CAA Football Map.jpg
Map Size:	220
Color:	002263
Font Color:	FFFFFF

The Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference, formerly the Colonial Athletic Association Football Conference, branded as CAA Football, is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I whose full members are located in East Coast states, from Maine to North Carolina. Most of its members are public universities, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The conference is run by the same administration as the multisport conference Coastal Athletic Association (CAA; formerly the Colonial Athletic Association) but is legally a different entity.^[1]

History

CAA Football was formed in 2005, although it did not begin play until 2007, as a separate conference independent of the CAA, but administered by the CAA front office. In the 2004–05 academic year, the CAA had five member schools that sponsored football, all of them as football-only members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. In 2005, Northeastern accepted the CAA's offer of membership, giving the CAA the six football-playing members it needed under NCAA rules to organize a football conference. At that time, the CAA announced it would launch its new football conference in 2007. Next, the CAA invited the University of Richmond to become a football-only member effective in 2007. Once UR accepted the offer, this left the A10 football conference with only five members, less than the six required under NCAA rules. As a result, the remaining A10 football programs all decided to join the CAA for football only, ending A10 football. Since the CAA football conference had the same members as the A10 the previous year, it can be said that the CAA football conference is the A10 football conference under new management.

The CAA football conference's earliest roots are in the New England Conference, founded in 1938 by four state-supported universities in that region plus Northeastern; three of the public schools are currently in CAA Football. However, neither the multi-sports CAA nor CAA Football includes the New England Conference in CAA Football history.^[2] After the departure of Northeastern in 1945, the remaining members joined New England's other land-grant colleges, Massachusetts State College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst) and the University of Vermont, to form the Yankee Conference under a new charter in 1946, with competition starting in 1947. That conference eventually dropped all sports other than football in 1975. Starting in the 1980s, it expanded to include many schools outside its original New England base. After the NCAA voted to limit the influence of single-sport conferences, the Yankee merged with the A-10 in 1997.

See also: 2010–2013 Colonial Athletic Association realignment.

CAA Football went through many changes during the early 2010s with the loss of Georgia State, Massachusetts, and Old Dominion and the addition of Albany, Elon, and Stony Brook. Stability was maintained for a decade before the departure of James Madison in 2021 leading to the addition of Campbell, Hampton, Monmouth, North Carolina A&T, and Bryant from 2022 to 2024.

Timeline

• May 4, 2005 – CAA Football was formed with inaugural members Delaware, Hofstra, James Madison, Maine, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Rhode Island, Richmond, Towson, Massachusetts (UMass), Villanova, and William & Mary.^[3]
• May 31, 2006 – Old Dominion, at the time a member of the all-sports CAA, announced plans to add football for the 2009 season and join CAA Football in 2011.^{[4] [5]}
• June 11, 2009 – Georgia State, at the time a member of the all-sports CAA, announced the addition of Football in 2011, and joining the CAA football conference in 2012.^[6]
• November 9, 2009 – Northeastern announced plans to drop football after the 2009 season.^[7]
• December 3, 2009 – Hofstra also announced that the university would no longer be sponsoring football.^[8]
• June 1, 2010 – Due to the reduction of the conference, CAA Football did not use the division format for the 2010 season.
• April 20, 2011 – UMass announced that it would transition to FBS beginning fall 2011, and would become a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).^{[9] [10]}
• April 7, 2012 – Georgia State began an FBS transition in advance of its 2013 move to the Sun Belt Conference.^[11]
• May 17, 2012 – Old Dominion announced its plans to join Conference USA and transition to FBS status for the 2013 season.^[12]
• August 7, 2012 – Albany and Stony Brook both accepted offers of membership in CAA Football for the 2013 season.^[13]
• May 23, 2013 – Elon announced that the school would become a member of CAA Football and the all-sports CAA for the 2014 season.^[14]
• November 6, 2021 – James Madison announced its departure for the Sun Belt Conference and upgrade to FBS. Originally, JMU was slated to play the 2022 season as an FCS Independent before joining the Sun Belt in 2023, but JMU ended up joining a year earlier.^{[15] [16] [17]}
• January 25, 2022 – Hampton and Monmouth accept invitations to join CAA Football and the all-sports CAA for the 2022 season. Stony Brook, which joined CAA Football in 2013, also becomes a member of the all-sports conference.^[18]
• February 22, 2022 – North Carolina A&T accepts an invitation to join CAA Football for the 2023 season, a year after joining the all-sports CAA.^[19]
• August 3, 2022 – Campbell also accepts an invitation to join both sides of the CAA for the 2023 season.^[20]
• July 20, 2023 – CAA Football changed its full name to the Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference.^[21]
• August 10, 2023 – Bryant accepts an invitation to join CAA Football for the 2024 season.^[22]
• November 28, 2023 – Delaware announced its plans to join Conference USA and transition to FBS status for the 2025 season.^[23]
• May 14, 2024 – Richmond announced its departure from the CAA to join the Patriot League as an associate member for football for the 2025 season.^[24]

Member institutions

Current members

Institution	Location	Founded	Joined	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	! Primary Conference
	Albany, New York	1844	2013	Public	17,944	Great Danes			AmEast
Bryant University	Smithfield, Rhode Island	1863	2024	Private	3,751	Bulldogs
Campbell University	Buies Creek, North Carolina	1887	2023	Private	5,622	Fighting Camels		CAA
	Newark, Delaware	1743	2007	Public	23,281	Fightin' Blue Hens		CAA
Elon University	Elon, North Carolina	1889	2014	Private	6,991	Phoenix		CAA
Hampton University	Hampton, Virginia	1868	2022	Private	3,516	Pirates
	Orono, Maine	1865	2007	Public	11,404	Black Bears		AmEast
Monmouth University	West Long Branch, New Jersey	1933	2022	Private	5,675	Hawks		CAA
	Durham, New Hampshire	1866	2007	Public	15,305	Wildcats		AmEast
North Carolina A&T State University	Greensboro, North Carolina	1891	2023	Public	13,332	Aggies		CAA
Towson University	Towson, Maryland	1866	2007	Public	22,923	Tigers
	Kingston, Rhode Island	1892			16,883	Rams		A-10
	Richmond, Virginia	1830	2007	Private	4,002	Spiders		A-10
Stony Brook University	Stony Brook, New York	1957	2013	Public	26,782	Seawolves		CAA
Villanova University	Villanova, Pennsylvania	1842	2007	Private	11,023	Wildcats		Big East
	Williamsburg, Virginia	1693		Public	8,817	Tribe		CAA

Notes:

Former members

Institution	Location	Founded	Joined	Left	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	!Subsequent Football Conference	Current Football Conference
Hofstra University	Hempstead, New York	1935	2007	2009	Private	10,871	Pride		none (dropped football)
Georgia State University	Atlanta, Georgia	1913	2012	2013	Public	32,082	Panthers		Sun Belt (FBS)
James Madison University	Harrisonburg, Virginia	1908	2007	2022		21,227	Dukes
	Amherst, Massachusetts	1863		2012		28,635	Minutemen		MAC	FBS Independent
Northeastern University	Boston, Massachusetts	1898		2009	Private	21,627	Huskies		none (dropped football)
Old Dominion University	Norfolk, Virginia	1930	2011	2013	Public	24,932	Monarchs		CUSA (FBS)	Sun Belt (FBS)

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy

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id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a current member id:FullXF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a former member id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two PlotData=

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Full from:2007 till:2025 text:Delaware (2007–2025) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:2025 till:end text:C-USA

bar:2 color:FullXF from:2007 till:2009 text:Hofstra (2007–2009, then dropped football)

bar:3 color:FullXF from:2007 till:end text:James Madison (2007–2022) bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:Sun Belt

bar:4 color:Full from:2007 till:end text:Maine (2007–present) bar:5 color:Full from:2007 till:end text:New Hampshire (2007–present)

bar:6 color:FullXF from:2007 till:2009 text:Northeastern (2007–2009, then dropped football) bar:7 color:Full from:2007 till:end text:Rhode Island (2007–present)

bar:8 color:Full from:2007 till:2025 text:Richmond (2007–2025) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2025 till:end text:Patriot

bar:9 color:Full from:2007 till:end text:Towson (2007–present)

bar:10 color:FullXF from:2007 till:2011 text:UMass (2007–2011) bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:2016 text: MAC bar:10 color:OtherC2 from:2016 till:2025 text: FBS Ind. bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2025 till:end text: MAC

bar:11 color:Full from:2007 till:end text:Villanova (2007–present)

bar:12 color:Full from:2007 till:end text:William & Mary (2007–present)

bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2009 till:2011 text:FCS Independent bar:13 color:FullXF from:2011 till:2013 text:Old Dominion (2011–2013) bar:13 shift:30 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2014 text:Ind. bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:2014 till:2022 text:C-USA bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:Sun Belt

bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2010 till:2012 text:FCS Independent bar:14 color:FullXF from:2012 till:2013 text:Georgia State (2012-2013) bar:14 shift:90 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:Sun Belt

bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2013 text:NEC bar:15 color:Full from:2013 till:end text:Albany (2013–present)

bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2008 text:FCS Ind. bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:2008 till:2013 text:Big South bar:16 color:Full from:2013 till:end text:Stony Brook (2013–present)

bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2014 text:SoCon bar:17 color:Full from:2014 till:end text:Elon (2014–present)

bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2018 text:MEAC bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:2018 till:2019 text:FCS Ind. bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:2019 till:2022 text:Big South bar:18 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Hampton (2022–present)

bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2013 text:NEC bar:19 color:OtherC2 from:2013 till:2014 text:FCS Ind. bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:2014 till:2022 text:Big South bar:19 color:Full from:2022 till:end text:Monmouth (2022–present)

bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:2008 till:2018 text:Pioneer bar:20 color:OtherC2 from:2018 till:2023 text:Big South bar:20 color:Full from:2023 till:end text:Campbell (2023–present)

bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2021 text:MEAC bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:2021 till:2023 text:Big South bar:21 color:Full from:2023 till:end text:North Carolina A&T (2023–present)

bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2008 text:NE-10 bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:2008 till:2009 text:FCS Ind. bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:2009 till:2022 text:NEC bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:2023 text:Big South bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:2024 text:BSOVC bar:22 color:Full from:2024 till:end text:Bryant (2024–present)

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Conference champions

	Denotes a tie for regular season conference title
†	Denotes team failed to qualify for FCS Playoffs
Bold type	Denotes national champion in the same season

Year	Team(s)	Conference record	Overall record(s)	Head coach(es)
2007	UMass Richmond	7–1	10–3 11–3	Don Brown Dave Clawson
align=center	2008	James Madison	8–0	12–2	Mickey Matthews
2009	Richmond Villanova	7–1	11–2 14–1	Mike London Andy Talley
2010	Delaware William & Mary	6–2	12–3 8–4	K. C. Keeler Jimmye Laycock
align=center	2011	Towson	7–1	9–3	Rob Ambrose
2012	New Hampshire Richmond† Villanova Towson†	6–2^[25]	8–3 8–3 8–3 7–4	Sean McDonnell Danny Rocco Andy Talley Rob Ambrose
align=center	2013	Maine	7–1	10–3	Jack Cosgrove
align=center	2014	New Hampshire	8–0	10–1	Sean McDonnell
2015	James Madison Richmond William & Mary	6–2	9–2 8–3 8–3	Everett Withers Danny Rocco Jimmye Laycock
align=center	2016	James Madison	8–0	14–1
align=center	2017	James Madison	8–0	14–1
align=center	2018	Maine	7–1	10–4
align=center	2019	James Madison	8–0	14–2
align=center	2020	Delaware	4–0	5−0
2021	James Madison Villanova	7–1	10–1 9–2	Curt Cignetti Mark Ferrante
2022	New Hampshire William & Mary	7–1	9–4 11–2	Ricky Santos Mike London
2023	UAlbany Richmond Villanova	7–1	9–2 8–3 9–2	Greg Gattuso Russ Huesman Mark Ferrante

All-time conference championships

School	Championships	Outright championships	class=unsortable	Years
James Madison ‡	6	4	2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021
Richmond	5	0	align=left	2007, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2023
Villanova	4	0	align=left	2009, 2012, 2021, 2023
New Hampshire	3	1	align=left	2012, 2014, 2022
William & Mary	3	0	align=left	2010, 2015, 2022
Maine	2	2	align=left	2013, 2018
Delaware	2	1	align=left	2010, 2020^[26]
Towson	2	1	align=left	2011, 2012
UAlbany	1	0	align=left	2023
Massachusetts	1	0	align=left	2007

Co-championships are designated by italics.

BOLD denotes the team won the National Championship

^‡Former member of CAA Football

• The CAA's 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season was played in Spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several teams opted out, and some games were canceled. The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens completed the season with a 5-0 overall record, 4–0 in conference, and won the North Division title; the James Madison Dukes completed the season with a 5-0 overall record, 3–0 in conference, and won the South Division title. A vote of the CAA athletic directors, not including Delaware or James Madison, was held to determine a champion. The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens were declared the 2020 CAA football champions as a result of this vote and were awarded the automatic qualifier for the FCS playoffs.^[26]

NCAA FCS National Championships

!School!Championships!Finals appearances!Won!Lost

James Madison	2	4	2004 , 2016	2017, 2019
Delaware	1	4	2003	1982†, 2007, 2010
Villanova	1	1	2009
UMass	1	3	1998	1978, 2006^
Richmond	1	1	2008
Towson	0	1		2013

†Delaware was an NCAA I-AA independent in the 1982 season.

*Won as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

^UMass became a football-only member in the MAC in 2013, and an independent football member of FBS beginning with the 2016 season.

All-time NFL Draft selections

Year	Round	Selection	Player	Position	College	NFL team
	1	18				Baltimore Ravens
	4	125	Arman Shields
	5	149			Richmond	Arizona Cardinals
	6	207				Cincinnati Bengals
	3	73				Jacksonville Jaguars
	4	125				Atlanta Falcons
	2	61				New York Jets
	6	178		Defensive end		Buffalo Bills
		184
		203			James Madison	Jacksonville Jaguars
	7	234			William & Mary	Dallas Cowboys
	2	49		Offensive tackle	Villanova	Indianapolis Colts
	7	206		Cornerback		Buffalo Bills
	4	98				Baltimore Ravens
		133				Green Bay Packers
	4	114		Cornerback		Dallas Cowboys
		116		Guard		Arizona Cardinals
	5	152		Safety		New York Giants
	7	241		Defensive tackle		Seattle Seahawks
	3	94		Running back		Cleveland Browns
	6	184		Cornerback		Minnesota Vikings
2015	5	171	Nick Boyle	Tight End	Delaware	Baltimore Ravens
	7	245		Wide receiver		Tennessee Titans
	6	185		Cornerback		Chicago Bears
	7	239		Linebacker		Indianapolis Colts
	2	59		Defensive end		Kansas City Chiefs
	7	236		Offensive tackle		Tennessee Titans
	4	108		Quarterback		New York Giants
	5	145		Defensive tackle		Chicago Bears
	6	192		Offensive tackle		Los Angeles Rams
	2	60		Safety		Los Angeles Chargers
	6	193		Offensive tackle		Minnesota Vikings
	7	227		Cornerback		Washington Redskins
	5	171		Wide receiver		Houston Texans
	7	231		Quarterback		Dallas Cowboys
	6	185		Cornerback		Buffalo Bills
	5	152		Offensive tackle		Detroit Lions
	6	208		Running back		Las Vegas Raiders

Conference facilities

Departing members in pink. Future members in gray.

Albany	Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium	8,500
Bryant	Beirne Stadium	5,500
Campbell	Barker–Lane Stadium	5,500
Delaware	Delaware Stadium	18,500
Elon	Rhodes Stadium	11,250
Hampton	Armstrong Stadium	10,000
Maine	Harold Alfond Sports Stadium	8,419
Monmouth	Kessler Field	4,600
New Hampshire	Wildcat Stadium	11,015
North Carolina A&T	Truist Stadium	21,500
Rhode Island	Meade Stadium	6,580
Richmond	E. Claiborne Robins Stadium	8,700
Stony Brook	Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium	12,300
Towson	Johnny Unitas Stadium	11,198
Villanova	Villanova Stadium	12,500
William & Mary	Walter J. Zable Stadium	12,259

Notes and References

1. CAA Changes Official Conference Name To Coastal Athletic Association . Coastal Athletic Association . July 20, 2023 . July 20, 2023 . The name change will carry over to the league’s football conference, which will be officially recognized as the Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference but continue to be referred to as the CAA Football Conference..
2. Web site: The CAA & CAA Football . Coastal Athletic Association . July 25, 2023 . The conference [CAA Football] celebrated 75 years in 2022, with its roots tracing back to the Yankee Conference (1947-1996) and the Atlantic 10 Football Conference (1997-2006) before CAA Football begin (sic) in 2007..
3. Web site: CAA TO BEGIN SPONSORING DIVISION I-AA FOOTBALL IN 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230411045943/https://georgiastatesports.com/sports/2008/4/16/1441410.aspx . Colonial Athletic Association . May 13, 2023 . April 11, 2023 . May 4, 2005 . bot: unknown .
4. Web site: Football to be added to ODU sports programs in 2009 . Old Dominion Athletics . May 31, 2006 . August 20, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090212190954/http://odusports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/053106aac.html . February 12, 2009 . dead .
5. News: Jim . Ducibella . ODU football closing in on necessary endowment . . January 24, 2007 . April 21, 2008.
6. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions About Georgia State Football . https://web.archive.org/web/20110930134005/http://www.georgiastatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=12700&KEY=&ATCLID=1441410&SPID=5671&SPSID=104979 . GeorgiaStateSports.com . August 20, 2011 . September 30, 2011 . April 16, 2008.
7. Web site: Ryan . Andrew . Northeastern calls an end to football . The Boston Globe . November 23, 2009 . July 29, 2010.
8. Web site: Hofstra makes 'painful but clear' choice to drop football . CBSSports.com . December 3, 2009 . July 4, 2013.
9. News: UMass football to join FBS, Mid-American Conference . Jack . Carey . . April 20, 2011 . October 17, 2013.
10. UMass Announces Elevation to FBS Football and Invitation to MAC . UMass Athletics . April 20, 2011 . October 17, 2013.
11. News: Sun Belt adding Georgia State . Brett . McMurphy . College Football Insider (CBSSports.com). April 7, 2012 . April 9, 2012.
12. News: Old Dominion to join Conference USA in 2013 . . . May 17, 2012 . October 17, 2013.
13. Albany and Stony Brook Accept CAA Football Membership Offers . Colonial Athletic Association . August 7, 2012 . August 18, 2012.
14. Elon University Accepts Invitation To Join The CAA In 2014-15 . Colonial Athletic Association . May 23, 2013 . May 23, 2013.
15. News: James Madison's move to Sun Belt would trigger messy divorce from CAA. en-US. Washington Post. 2022-01-22. 0190-8286.
16. Web site: Eck. T. J.. November 5, 2021. Update: JMU accepts invite to join the Sun Belt Conference. live. January 22, 2022. WHSV-TV. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20211105195418/https://www.whsv.com/2021/11/05/update-jmu-accepts-invite-join-sun-belt-conference/ . 2021-11-05 .
17. Web site: Vannini. Charlie. James Madison will join Sun Belt in all sports starting in fall 2022: Sources. February 1, 2022. The Athletic. en.
18. CAA Welcomes Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as New Members . Colonial Athletic Association . January 25, 2022 . January 25, 2022.
19. CAA Welcomes North Carolina A&T as Newest Member of the Conference . Colonial Athletic Association . February 22, 2022 . February 22, 2022.
20. Campbell University Accepts Invitation To Join The CAA In 2023. Colonial Athletic Association . August 3, 2022 . August 3, 2022.
21. CAA Changes Official Conference Name To Coastal Athletic Association . Coastal Athletic Association . July 20, 2023 . July 20, 2023.
22. CAA Football Welcomes Bryant University As Its Newest Member In 2024. CAA Football . August 10, 2023 . August 10, 2023.
23. Web site: Delaware Accepts Invitation to Join Conference USA as Full Member . 2023-11-28 . University of Delaware Athletics . en.
24. Richmond Football to Move to Patriot League Following 2024 Season. Richmond Spiders Athletics . May 14, 2024 . May 14, 2024.
25. [2012 Old Dominion Monarchs football team|Old Dominion]
26. Web site: Delaware Selected As CAA Football Champion And Automatic Bid Recipient To NCAA FCS Playoffs. Rob. Washburn. Colonial Athletic Association. April 17, 2021.