Central Penn College joins three schools to form new ESAC conference
It’s official! The Eastern States Athletic Conference (ESAC) is now a reality. Earlier this week, the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) approved the creation of the new conference, which will include Central Penn College and the following three institutions:
- Bucks County Community College (Newtown, Pa.)
- Manor College (Jenkintown, Pa.)
- Williamson College of the Trades (Media, Pa.).
“Central Penn College is beyond excited to take this next step in athletics by joining the Eastern States Athletic Conference,” said Kasey Hicks, athletic director (AD) at the Summerdale-based institution. Conference teams will play each other twice during the season starting in 2022.
Conference Competition
“Being in a conference automatically creates rivalries and intensifies competition, and that’s great for our athletic programs, our student-athletes and the entire campus community,” said Hicks, who served as the women’s head basketball coach for four years before becoming AD in 2019.
Guaranteed Bid
ESAC is looking to add at least two more members, which will result in an automatic bid for the winner of the conference to the USCAA championship tournament. Previously, Central Penn teams had to rely on at-large bids, which––even when a team has a strong record––is never guaranteed. A case in point: the 2019–2020 women’s basketball team had a 15–4 record, but failed to receive a bid.
“Becoming a member of the ESAC contributes to our mission and our future goals,” said Hicks, “for not only the Athletic Department and student-athletes, but for our campus community as a whole. It offers countless opportunities to our students through competition and enhances their opportunity for recognition and growth.”
Central Penn College currently fields six teams: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, baseball and women’s volleyball.
To learn more about Central Penn sports, including recruiting information, please visit: www.centralpennknights.com.
