By: Atlantic 10 Conference
On March 2, 1975, the idea of what is now the Atlantic 10 Conference was conceived. What started as an eight-school, men's basketball-only affiliation has grown into a 15-university, 22-sport league that is universally hailed as one of the best conferences in the country.
That growth and prominence is a direct result of the ideals and commitments of the member institutions of the Atlantic 10 – Davidson College, The University of Dayton, Duquesne University, Fordham University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Loyola University Chicago, La Salle University, University of Massachusetts, University of Rhode Island, University of Richmond, St. Bonaventure University, Saint Joseph's University, Saint Louis University and Virginia Commonwealth University.
The Atlantic 10 was proactive in navigating sweeping conference realignment, adding Davidson College, George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University. The additions have proven successful with all three institutions winning regular season and tournament championships. The addition of strong academic institutions with basketball-centric, robust athletic programs added to a league that is united and strengthened by the diversity of its member institutions. Each is extraordinary in its educational mission, whether of a Catholic faith, a private university or a land grant institution. The varied pursuits of each member prove that there are many threads that weave the fabric for a great conference.
The Atlantic 10 Conference, with a total population of over 76.5 million people within its geographic footprint of eight states and the District of Columbia, will crown champions in 22 sports this year: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball.
The presidents and chancellors of Atlantic 10 institutions, in conjunction with Atlantic 10 Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade, have made a strong commitment to making the academic and athletics equation a successful one. Over the years, the league membership has strived to better recognize the academic accomplishments of its student-athletes. The Commissioner's Honor Roll, which cites every Atlantic 10 student-athlete with a 3.0 grade point average or better, recognized 3,582 student-athletes in 2016-17, a record the A-10. The league sponsors Academic All-Conference teams in each of its sports and honors two student-athletes as the A-10 Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Moreover, the Atlantic 10 provides $70,000 in postgraduate scholarships awards to 14 student-athletes, one from each campus.
The conference annually earns high marks in the NCAA academic metrics. This includes graduating its student-athletes at 91 percent rate, which is above the national average of 88 percent. The league had 86 teams with perfect scores, and 10 of the 14 programs had a GSR score in the 90th percentile, while 11 Atlantic 10 programs had a rate above the national average according to the NCAA's most recent Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figures. A record 69 teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference were honored with NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) public recognition. The league was also among the top five of all Division I conferences in the percentage of teams earning public recognition.
Annual Reports
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2020-21
2021-22