Conferences: The Skyline Conference is adding Bard College and Polytechnic University as new members, effective in 2007-08. The two institutions will set the league’s membership at 11, counting the recent additions of Russell Sage College and Purchase College, and the departures following the 2006-06 academic year of Centenary College, Manhattanville College, Stevens Institute of Technology and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. "Like a number of other conferences in the region, the Skyline Conference has undergone a period of realignment during the past year," said Commissioner Tracy King. "With Bard College, Polytechnic University, Purchase College and Russell Sage College joining the Skyline Conference, we feel that we have identified a group of institutions that are committed to the student-athlete experience and will be a good long-term fit for our conference." Bard sponsors 11 sports (six for men and five for women) and Polytechnic sponsors 14 (seven for each gender). "Our members have competed against Bard and Poly in nonconference play for a number of years and have seen how these programs have grown," King said. "We welcome the student-athletes and staff members from these institutions and look forward to their active participation in the conference."

Facilities: Trinity University (Texas) is upgrading its soccer field and weight room. The soccer field will be lengthened and 70-foot lighting poles are being installed, and plans also include a press box at the south end of the home field for the 2003 Division III men’s soccer champion and 2002 women’s semifinalist. The field also is used for intramurals and recreation activities. Meanwhile, the university also will completely replace weight equipment in the Stumberg Fitness Center and increase the availability of power lifting equipment while installing six "combo racks."

Sports sponsorship: The College of New Jersey cited a "drastic" reduction in state funding as the reason for elimination of funding for its men’s golf team. The school, which also will halt funding for its cheerleading team as part as an approximately $8 million reduction in institutional support from the state and $4 million in budget cuts, said the activities could continue as club programs but that TCNJ no longer can support staffing and other expenses for the programs. "The decision to eliminate funding for these two programs, as well as the other cuts that have been made, was extremely painful and the college truly regrets the outcome," said Kevin McHugh, executive director, student development and campus programs. "In making this decision, all intercollegiate varsity sports were examined based on a set of variables, including operating expenses per capita, participation numbers, campus impact, national competitiveness and academic success. The decision to cut funding for the men’s golf program was based on that analysis, along with the fact that doing so would not result in the loss of a full-time coach position, as it would for any other sport." McHugh added that while cheerleading is valued by the athletics department, it is not counted as a varsity sport. The college continues to sponsor 20 sports (10 for each gender).

Milestones: John Byrne earned his 400th career victory in softball when Moravian College won its regular-season finale April 29. Byrne, whose team qualified for the Division III Softball Championship for the ninth straight year, is the first Moravian coach to collect 400 wins in a single sport.

Miscellaneous: New York University has been honored as this year’s Eastern College Athletic Conference Jostens Institution of the Year. The award is presented annually to the ECAC institution that best exemplifies the highest standards of collegiate academics and athletics performance. The school’s program, directed by Christopher Bledsoe, sponsors 24 varsity sports and is a member of the University Athletic Association. New York University becomes the eighth school honored in the 11-year history of the award and the fifth Division III institution to be honored. Division III schools have won the award for three straight years.