A new era for Ithaca College Athletics commenced as of July 1, 2017. Ithaca College is an official member of the Liberty League Athletic conference becoming its 11th full-time member. Ithaca was accepted into the league in December of 2015.
The Bombers depart the Empire 8 Conference after 18 seasons of competition (1999-2017). Ithaca was one of the founding members of the conference, which evolved from the Independent College Athletic Conference and the Empire Athletic Association. While within the ICAC, Ithaca competed against many of the current Liberty League schools.
"Although our departure from the Empire 8 is bittersweet, we are excited to reconnect with some of the schools we used to compete with as we enter into the Liberty League," said Susan Bassett '79, Ithaca College's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports.
During its time in the Empire 8, Ithaca won a combined 192 conference titles in 18 years across 23 sponsored championships. For the last 17 seasons, the Bombers claimed the Empire 8 Commissioner's Cup for the most successful all-around varsity athletics program.
"Ithaca College embraces the philosophical tenets of the league and the commitment to the scholar-athlete ideal upon which it was founded. Our coaches and student-athletes look forward to the opportunity to compete in the Liberty League."
The Liberty League currently sponsors 27 championship sports. Fall sports include cross country (m/w), field hockey, football, soccer (m/w), volleyball (w). Winter sports include basketball (m/w), squash (m/w), swimming & diving (m/w) and indoor track & field (m/w). Spring sports include baseball, golf (m/w), lacrosse (m/w), rowing (m/w), softball, tennis (m/w) and outdoor track and field (m/w). Ithaca will compete in all sports with the exception of men's golf and squash as the institution does not sponsor those sports. Also, the IC baseball program will remain in the Empire 8 as an affiliate member.
The other full-time members of the Liberty League are Bard College, Clarkson University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. Lawrence University, Skidmore College, Union College and Vassar College. Associate members of the league are Mount Holyoke College, New York University, St. John Fisher, and Wellesley College.
"The Liberty League is excited to officially welcome Ithaca College," said Commissioner Tracy King. "Since Ithaca formally accepted the league's invitation for membership, we have been working to integrate IC teams into our schedules and tournaments. With the start of the new academic year, we are pleased to officially bring Ithaca into the membership fold and look forward to the competition with the Bomber teams."
