Patriot League History
1986 - The Colonial League is founded and begins full round-robin play in football only; Lafayette College associate professor Alan Childs is named the Executive Director.
1986 - Holy Cross finishes the season as the nation's number-one ranked I-AA football team.
1987 - Colgate's Kenny Gamble wins the inaugural Walter Payton Award as the nation's top FCS (formerly 1-AA) football player
1989 - Carl Ullrich is appointed as the first full-time Executive Director.
1990 - Colonial League changes its name to Patriot League.
1990-91 - Patriot League becomes an all-sport conference, sponsoring 22 sports, 11 for women and 11 for men. Membership includes Bucknell University, Colgate University, Fordham University, College of the Holy Cross, Lafayette College, Lehigh University and the United States Military Academy.
1991 - The United States Naval Academy joins the League as a full member.
1993 - Constance (Connie) H. Hurlbut is named Executive Director of the League, becoming the first woman and youngest person to be selected as the leader of an NCAA Division I conference.
1995 - Fordham University resigns its full membership but remains in the League as an associate member in football.
1996 - Change in League policy adopted to allow basketball scholarships beginning with the class entering in the fall of 1998.
1997 - Creation of League basketball television package, which grows to 12 games on DIRECTV and ESPN, beginning with the 2002-03 season.
June 25, 1997 - Adonal Foyle (Colgate) is the first Patriot League men's basketball student-athlete selected in the first round of the NBA Draft (8th, Golden State Warriors).
1999 - Carolyn Schlie Femovich is selected as the fourth Executive Director of the League.
2000-01 - Patriot League celebrates its 10th Anniversary; League policy regarding merit aid expanded to include all sports except football, beginning with the class entering in the fall of 2001.
2001 - American University joins the League as a full member; Georgetown University joins as an associate member in football.
2003 - U.S. Naval Academy increases participation from 12 sports to 18 by joining the Patriot League in men's lacrosse, men's swimming & diving, and men's and women's cross country and track & field programs.
April 24, 2003 - Molly Creamer (Bucknell) became the first Patriot League women's basketball student-athlete selected in the first round of the WNBA draft (10th, New York Liberty).
December 18, 2003 - Colgate's Jamaal Branch wins the Walter Payton Award as the nation's top FCS (formerly 1-AA) football player
2004 - Women's rowing is added as the Patriot League's 23rd sport.
March 19, 2005 - In the League's first NCAA Tournament win, Bucknell upsets third-seed Kansas, 64-63, in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
2005 - The Patriot League celebrates the 20th season of the sport of football.
March 17, 2006 - Ninth-seed Bucknell beats eight-seed Arkansas, 59-55, in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament for the school's second NCAA win in as many years.
2007 - Patriot League unveils broadband package for men's and women's basketball. Nearly 100 regular-season and a dozen Patriot League Tournament games are streamed.
2008 - United States Naval Academy adds women's lacrosse as its 19th Patriot League sport; Patriot League receives a women's basketball grant from the NCAA.
2009 - United States Naval Academy adds women's tennis as its 20th Patriot League sport; Patriot League receives a women's basketball grant for the second year in a row; Patriot League agrees with CBS College Sports Network to televise regular and postseason men and women's basketball games as well as men's lacrosse championship.
2010 - Massachusetts Institute of Technology joins as an associate member in women's rowing.
2010-11 - The Patriot League celebrates its 20th anniversary as an all-sport conference.
2011 - The Patriot League marks its 25th anniversary season in football in the fall.
March 16, 2012 - No. 15 seed Lehigh records one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Basketball Tournament history with a 75-70 triumph over second-seed Duke.
May 31, 2012 - Peter Baum of Colgate became the initial men's lacrosse student-athlete from the Patriot League to win the Tewaaraton Award, the Heisman Trophy for men's lacrosse.
September 2012 - U.S. Naval Academy graduate and past All-Patriot League swimmer Brad Snyder became the first Patriot League-era student-athlete to win a Paralympic medal (two gold, one silver). He was also the United States flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
2012 - Patriot League Council of Presidents announces the addition of women's golf as the League's 24th sport, with the first championship set for the spring of 2013.
February 13, 2012 - The Patriot League Council of Presidents endorsed a policy allowing scholarships for the sport of football, effective for the class enrolling in the fall of 2013.
June 27, 2013 - C.J. McCollum (Lehigh) became the second Patriot League men's basketball student-athlete selected in the first round of the NBA Draft (10th, Portland Trailblazers).
July 1, 2013 - Boston University and Loyola University Maryland officially join the Patriot League as its ninth and 10th full members.
July 8, 2013 - Georgetown expands its associate membership to include women's rowing, effective with the 2013-14 season.
August 2013 - The Patriot League Digital Network, which included both live event coverage and video on demand, launched in partnership with Campus Insiders.
November 2013 - American University's women's volleyball team advances to the Sweet 16 after two wins in the NCAA Tournament.
February 24, 2014 - United States Military Academy adds women's lacrosse as its 20th Patriot League sport. The Black Knights began to play during the 2015-16 academic year.
March 24, 2014 - Loyola Maryland becomes the first Patriot League men's lacrosse program to earn the number one ranking in the U.S.Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) and Inside Lacrosse polls.
July 24, 2014 - Richmond joins the Patriot League as an associate member in women's golf.
July 17, 2014 - Patriot League enters into a multi-year agreement with American Sports Network.
November 22, 2014 - Lafayette defeated Lehigh, 27-7, in the 150th playing of "The Rivalry" in front of a sold-out crowd at Yankee Stadium. It was the first time the historic rivalry was played outside of the Lehigh Valley for a series that began in 1884.
December 15, 2014 - Fordham running back Chase Edmonds was named the winner of the Jerry Rice Award, presented annually to the top FCS freshman football player in the nation.
May 10, 2015 - The Loyola Maryland women's lacrosse team advanced to the NCAA quarterfinal round with a 19-12 win over Boston College.
June 8, 2015 - Jennifer Heppel is named the fifth Executive Director in Patriot League history. Heppel took over on August 1, 2015.
June 15, 2015 - The Patriot League announced a long-term agreement with CBS Sports Network.
July 1, 2015 - The Patriot League celebrated its 25th anniversary as an all-sport conference, including selecting 25th-anniversary teams for sports throughout the 2015-16 academic year.
November 2016 - Colgate football reached the NCAA Football Championship quarterfinal round following victories over New Hampshire and James Madison.
January 23, 2016 - The Army West Point and Navy women's basketball teams squared off at Madison Square Garden. The men's basketball game was postponed due to a snowstorm.
March 15, 2016 - The Holy Cross men's basketball team defeated Southern, 59-55, in the First Four of the NCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship.
May 28, 2016 - The Loyola Maryland men's lacrosse team advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA DI Men's Lacrosse Championship, becoming the first League school since 2004 to accomplish the feat.
August 13, 2016 - Colgate graduate and All-Patriot League rower Lauren Schmetterling became the first Patriot League student-athlete to win an Olympic gold medal (women's eight) at the Rio 2016 Summer Games.
September 2016 - Navy graduate Brad Snyder, an All-Patriot League honoree, captured three gold and one silver medal at the Rio Paralympic Games. In addition, Loyola Maryland swimmer McKenzie Cano also earned three gold medals and one silver medal in her second Paralympic Games appearance.
Fall 2016 - In September, the Patriot League became the first NCAA conference to stream live women's soccer and volleyball games on Twitter, in cooperation with Campus Insiders. One month later, the Patriot League is the first FCS conference to stream football on Twitter.
November 12, 2016 - Patriot League football made its second appearance at Yankee Stadium when Fordham played Holy Cross in the Ram-Crusader Cup.
May 2017 - The Navy women's lacrosse team became the first Patriot League school to reach the semifinal round of the NCAA DI Women's Lacrosse Championship after upsetting No. 2 seed North Carolina, 16-14, in the quarterfinal round.
November 2017 - Colgate's men's soccer team reached the NCAA Championship round of 16 after posting a pair of victories. They became the first League school since 2001 to advance to the Round of 16.
February 17, 2018 - Boston University women's softball team stunned then-No. 1 ranked Oklahoma, 4-3, in Las Cruces, N.M. at the Troy Cox Classic.
April 20, 2018 - Fenway Park was the site for Navy's 4-0 win over Army West Point, which marked the first Patriot League baseball game played at this historic venue.
May 2018 - Loyola Maryland's Pat Spencer became the first Patriot League-era men's lacrosse player to win the USILA's Lt. Col. Jack Turnbull Award as the nation's top attackman.
November 2018 - Colgate's football team received a first-round bye and advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals with a 23-20 victory over James Madison. The Raiders finished the season ranked seventh in the final AFCA Coaches poll.
February 18, 2019 - The Loyola Maryland men's lacrosse program is ranked number one nationally in the USILA and Inside Lacrosse polls.
March 28, 2019 - Navy's Bradley Buchter became the Patriot League's first All-American diver with his 10th-place finish in the one-meter springboard at the NCAA Championship.
May 30, 2019 - Pat Spencer of Loyola Maryland became the second Patriot League men's lacrosse student-athlete to win the Tewaaraton Award as the nation's top player. Earlier in the month, he received the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Outstanding Player of the Year for the second straight year. Army West Point senior defender Johnny Surdick was named the William C. Schmeisser Defensive Player of the Year.
August 24, 2019 - Colgate football played the first game of the 150th year of college football when they hosted Villanova. The game was nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.
July 6, 2020 - Patriot League announces the formation of its Anti-Racism Commission.
September 2020 - Patriot League signs a multi-year agreement with ESPN+ as the exclusive home for digital streaming of hundreds of live Patriot League events.
April 17, 2021 - Holy Cross wins the inaugural Patriot League Football Championship game with a 33-10 triumph at Bucknell.
June 10, 2021 - Maura Fiamoncini earned a first-team all-America citation in placing third in the javelin throw at the NCAA Championships. She placed ninth at the 2019 NCAA Championship.
July 21, 2021 - Santi Aldama (Loyola Maryland) became the third Patriot League men's basketball student-athlete selected in the first round of the NBA Draft (31st, Utah Jazz). He was then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
January 18, 2022 - American graduate Keira (Carlstrom) D'Amato broke the U.S. marathon record with a time of 2:19.36 when she captured the Houston Marathon.
December 3, 2022 - Holy Cross football advances to the FCS Quarterfinal round following a victory over New Hampshire before falling to eventual national champion South Dakota State.
April 14-16, 2023 - Patriot League student-athletes, coaches and staff united in their commitment to the League's ongoing mental health and well-being campaign spearheaded by the League's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). A shirt worn by nearly 6,700 Patriot League student-athletes, coaches and staff displayed the phrase "Mental Health Matters", along with the Patriot League logo on the front. The back of the shirt features a green ribbon, the international symbol of mental health awareness, with 10 stars to symbolize the League's full-time member institutions.
May 2023 - The Army West Point men's lacrosse team and Loyola Maryland women's lacrosse teams advance to the NCAA quarterfinal round following first-round victories.
June 7, 2023 - Braden Presser of the Navy men's track and field team placed sixth in the javelin with a top throw of 76.00m (249' 4") at the NCAA Outdoor Championships to garner first-team all-America honors.
Feb. 19, 2024 - Boston University earned a Top 25 ranking in the D1Softball poll (25th). It was the first appearance in the national polls since the 2023 NCAA Regionals, when they received the 25th spot in both the Softball America and the NFCA polls.
March 11, 2024 - The Army West Point men's lacrosse team earned the number one national ranking in Inside Lacrosse and USILA polls for the first time in school history.
March 21, 2024 - Holy Cross (NCAA) and Colgate (WNIT) women's basketball teams captured victories in the opening round of the NCAA and WNIT events.
May 22, 2025 - Jackson Eicher of Army West Point was awarded the 2025 Lt. Col. JI Turnbull Award, which is given annually to the nation's most outstanding attackman in the sport of lacrosse.
June 14, 2025 - Eva Sjoberg of Boston University finished second in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Eugene, Ore. Her performance was the best finish by a Patriot League student-athlete at an NCAA Championship.
November 22, 2025 - Holy Cross football program hosts Georgetown at Fenway Park.
History of Patriot League Executive Directors/Commissioners
Dr. Alan Childs
1986 - 1989 |
Mr. Carl Ulrich
1989 - 1993 |
Connie Hurlbut
1993 - 1999 |
Carolyn Schlie Femovich
1999 - 2015 |
Jennifer Heppel
2015 - Present |
History of Patriot League Logos
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Membership History
| Institution |
Current Affiliation |
Year Joined |
Years Competed |
| American University |
Full Member |
2001 |
2001-present |
| Boston University |
Full Member |
2013 |
2013-present |
| Bucknell University * |
Full Member |
1986 |
1986-present |
| Colgate University * |
Full Member |
1986 |
1986-present |
| Davidson College |
None |
1987 |
1987-1988 (Football) |
| Fairfield University |
None |
1996 |
1996-2003 (Field Hockey) |
| Fordham University |
Associate Member |
1990 |
1990-1994 (Full Member); 1990-present (Football) |
| Georgetown University |
Associate Member |
2001 |
2001-present (Football); 2013-present (Rowing) |
| Hobart College |
None |
2000 |
2000-2004 (Men's Lacrosse) |
| College of the Holy Cross * |
Full Member |
1986 |
1986-present |
| Lafayette College * |
Full Member |
1986 |
1986-present |
| Lehigh University * |
Full Member |
1986 |
1986-present |
| Loyola University Maryland |
Full Member |
2013 |
2013-present |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Associate Member |
2010 |
2010-present (Rowing) |
| University of Richmond |
Associate Member |
2014; 2025 |
2014-2024 (Women's Golf); 2025-present (Football) |
| Towson University |
None |
1997 |
1997-2003 (Football) |
| Ursinus College |
None |
1996 |
1996-2001 (Field Hockey) |
| U.S. Military Academy |
Full Member |
1990 |
1990-present |
| U.S. Naval Academy |
Full Member |
1991 |
1991-present |
| Villanova University |
None |
1999 |
1999-2006 (Women's Lacrosse) |
* - Patriot League charter member