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 14-university, 23-sport league that is universally hailed as one of the best conferences in the country. Next year the Atlantic 10 will celebrate 50 years of excellence. 

The growth and prominence is a direct result of the ideals and commitments of the 14 member institutions of the Atlantic 10 – Davidson College, The University of Dayton, Duquesne University, Fordham University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, La Salle University, Loyola Chicago University, University of Rhode Island, University of Richmond, St. Bonaventure University, Saint Joseph’s University, Saint Louis University and Virginia Commonwealth University.  

The member institutions of the A-10 are united and strengthened by their diversity. 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. In a time of change in college athletics, the Atlantic 10 Presidents Council has affirmed that the Atlantic 10 Conference will continue to support and fund its flagship programs at the highest possible level.  

The Atlantic 10 Conference, with a total demographic of over 76.5 million people within its footprint of nine states and the District of Columbia, will crown champions in 23 sports this year: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s lacrosse, 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. Both men’s lacrosse and women’s golf were recent additions as sports, expanding opportunities for athletics across the A-10 campuses. 

The presidents and chancellor 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 a league-record 4,155 student-athletes in 2023-24. The league sponsors Academic All-Conference teams in each of its sports. Moreover, the Atlantic 10 provides postgraduate scholarship awards to 15 student-athletes, one from each campus. 

The conference annually earns high marks in the NCAA academic metrics. This includes graduating its student-athletes at record 95 percent NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) overall, placing the Atlantic 10 in third place among all Division I Conferences. The league also boasts impressive graduation metrics for basketball, with a 93 percent rate for men's basketball and a 96 percent rate for women’s basketball.  There were 118 A-10 teams singled out as having a perfect GSR score. The Atlantic 10 Conference ranks high in NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) data, posting a rate of 990 according to the latest NCAA data, equaling the highest rate the A-10 has had since 2018. The 990 rate also places the Atlantic 10 tied for third among all 32 Division I Conferences. 

Success on the playing field has mirrored the A-10’s classroom prowess, with the league earning postseason bids in each eligible sport.  Postseason success has been an A-10 hallmark, with 12 teams earning postseason bids in men's and women's basketball last year, including Saint Louis women’s basketball, which won the 2024 WNIT. The Atlantic 10 also enjoyed its most successful fall season ever, with Saint Joseph’s and Massachusetts each earning a trip to the NCAA Field Hockey national semifinals – and the Hawks advanced to the national championship game. Seven-time A-10 champion Saint Louis women’s soccer reached the NCAA second round. In men’s soccer the A-10 earned four bids to the NCAA College Cup preliminary rounds, including No. 5 national seed Dayton. UD advanced to the Sweet 16 while UMass topped No. 7 Virginia to reach the Elite Eight. Both Loyola Chicago and Dayton earned NCAA Volleyball bids, with the Flyers making a run to the Sweet 16 and the Ramblers advancing to the Round of 32.