Copyright ©2001
Kathleen Rubritz & Tara Sainath

In the spring of 1998, the New England Woman's 8 conference voted to expand its membership to include Springfield College and the United States Coast Guard Academy. The conference also voted to change its name to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference and to begin sponsoring conference play and championships for men in addition to its sponsorship of women.

The NEW 8 began play in 1985-86 as the New England Women's 6. Charter members were Babson College, Brandeis University, MIT, Smith College, Wellesley College, and Wheaton College. Mount Holyoke College and WPI were accepted as new members in 1988 and the name was changed to the NEW 8. At the conclusion of the 1995 year, Brandeis University withdrew from the conference and Clark University was accepted to keep the membership at eight. With the addition of Springfield College and the Coast Guard Academy, the number of competing women's programs will be ten and the men's programs seven.

Emphasis on academic excellence always has been a defining criterion for membership, a similarity in athletic philosophy and sponsored sports was also considered. This philosophy, along with the inclusion of men's programs, is the basis for which the expanded conference has been formed.

The NEWMAC will sponsor competition for both women and men in the sports of cross-country, soccer, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, swimming & diving, and track & field. Additional sports for women are field hockey, volleyball, crew, and softball while the men compete in golf and baseball.

Field Hockey NEWMAC Recent Tournament History

2001	2000
Team Champion: Mount Holyoke	Team Champion: Springfield College
Player of the Year: Melissa Rogers, Springfield	Player of the Year : Abigail Perham, Springfield
Coach of the Year: Andy Whitcomb, Mount Holyoke	Coach of the Year: Dottie Zenary, Springfield
Rookie of the Year: Jessica Baker, Babson	Rookie of the Year: Jessica Petitt, Clark
All-Conference Team:	All-Conference Team:
Jessica Baker Babson Colleen Kelly Babson Lynne Casey Clark Julie Mazeika Clark Jessica Smiley Clark Amy Lin MIT Bridget Lee Mt. Holyoke Christina Petrigliano Mt. Holyoke Lauren Weiner Mt. Holyoke Hadley Gerhardt Smith Caroline Black Springfield Melissa Rogers Springfield Meridith Picarelli Springfield Jennifer Austin Wheaton Katherina Sciolto Wheaton Marret Arfsten Wellesley Laura Bender Wellesley Betsy Masiello Wellesley	Eliza Hill Babson Lydia Johnson Babson Lisa Boyington Clark Lynne Casey Clark Jessica Petitt Clark Kathleen Rubritz MIT Amy Gimbel Mt. Holyoke Krista Lindquist Mt. Holyoke Kaitlin Bonenberger Smith Sarah Marchefka Smith Missy Beals Springfield Caroline Black Springfield Abigail Perham Springfield Marret Arfsten Wellesley Leslie Bagay Wellesley Betsy Masiello Wellesley Katherine Sciolto Wheaton Kristin Busby WPI