NEW YORK --- The CITY Collegiate Conference, the newest NCAA Division III athletic conference, is set to begin play in the 2027-28 academic year.  The CITY, the "rebirth" of the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC), is set to begin play with 10 member institutions located in the New York City metro area: Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College of New York, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Lehman College, Medgar Evers College, Pratt Institute, Saint Elizabeth University and York College.
 
For its new identity the conference partnered with SKYE (https://www.skye.design), a sport branding agency based in Florham Park, New Jersey. The complete brand identity will be released at a later date.
 
The CITY Collegiate Conference will sponsor championships in 18 Division III sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field and men's and women's volleyball.
 
"The release of the official name and logo of the CITY Collegiate Conference is just the next step in the organization of this newly incorporated Division III athletic conference," said Dr. Kurt Patberg, Acting Commissioner of the current CUNY Athletic Conference.  "The leadership of this group of ten colleges and universities are excited for the future of DIII athletics in the metro New York area."
 
"The development of this conference is an important step forward for many of us," said Dr. Fernando Delgado, president of Lehman College and chair of the CITY Collegiate Conference Presidents' Council.  "The conference encompasses the metropolitan region and provides exceptional athletic opportunities at our member schools, both public and private."
 
"The creation of the City Collegiate Conference will help elevate the student athlete experience by securing our paths in multiple team sports to the NCAA Tournament, increasing participation numbers in individual sport conference championships, improve the level of competition within the conference and limiting travel for our student athletes allowing them to have the proper balance of academics and athletics," said Erik Smiles, Director of Athletics, Recreation and Intramurals at Brooklyn College and chairperson of the CITY Collegiate Conference Athletic Directors' Council. 
 
The CITY Collegiate Conference footprint encompasses four of New York City's five boroughs, with Manhattan (Baruch College, CCNY, Hunter College, John Jay College), Brooklyn (Brooklyn College, Medgar Evers College, Pratt Institute), Queens (York College), and the Bronx (Lehman College) all represented, as well as Saint Elizabeth University, which is located in Morristown, New Jersey, approximately 26 miles from Manhattan.
 
"Connection, opportunity, and grit define both the region and the student-athlete experience. We built the identity to reflect that shared spirit," said Skye Dillon, founder of SKYE Design Studios.  "CITY is strong, timeless, and authentic to the region. It represents a natural evolution of the conference's CUNY heritage and a bold foundation for its next chapter. Bringing CITY and the Statue of Liberty together within the logo gives the identity an immediate sense of place and an enduring sense of possibility, capturing the values at the heart of the conference."
 
"This identity was a true team effort. We are grateful to the conference staff and institutional stakeholders for their leadership, insight, and collaboration in shaping a brand that reflects their shared vision."

"Today's announcement of the CITY collegiate conference is an important step in the reorganization and  rebranding of the CUNYAC conference and represents an exciting opportunity for its current, new and future members. The expansion of the  conference with the inclusion of institutions from outside of CUNY is a real game-changer as it helps grow the footprint and increases the visibility and competitiveness of the league both locally and nationally. York is looking forward to being a part of this rebirth and establishing new conference relationships and rivalries to further enhance the Cardinals student athlete experience," said Carl Christian, York College Director of Athletics.

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