NEWPORT NEWS, Va.—The Atlantic 10 Conference is commemorating its 45th Anniversary in 2020-21, beginning with the unveiling of a commemorative logo as the tip-off to the year-long celebration.
The anniversary logo will be utilized across the 14 member institutions during the 2020-21 year. The celebration will include integration of anniversary elements into championships, apparel, digital and social media.
"Since 1975, the Atlantic 10 has proven that excellence in academics and athletics is an achievable goal, a philosophy that has driven the A-10 to nearly five decades of success," stated Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade. "From the Duquesne team that won the first league title to last year's historic run by Dayton, and all of the academic records and milestones that have been set, there is a rich history to be recognized. I salute each and every team, student-athlete, coach, administrator and our great alumni and fans who have made the Atlantic 10 among the best in the country."
Founded as a basketball conference on March 2, 1975, the league began with eight schools, including founding and current members Duquesne, George Washington and Massachusetts. Other founding institutions included Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Villanova and West Virginia. One year after the idea of a basketball-centric league was conceived, the A-10 held its first men's basketball regular season and tournament, with Duquesne claiming the first-ever championship. Known then as the Eastern Eight, the conference began to grow with new members and in 1982 was renamed the Atlantic 10. Since then, the conference has expanded into a 14-institution, 21-sport league that is universally hailed as one of the best conferences in the country.
The achievements of the league have continued into recent years, with several top 25 ranked teams across multiple sports, led by Dayton men's basketball reaching No. 3 last season. Historic numbers of NCAA bids and Sweet 16 appearances (or better) in men's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's lacrosse and baseball and a pair of NIT men's basketball titles in the last decade have showcased the conference's prowess. This has been coupled with record numbers in the Commissioner's Honor Roll, NCAA Graduation Success Rate and Academic Progress, all of which have occurred in the last decade as the Atlantic 10 continues to be a national leader in academic and athletic excellence.
Both the primary and secondary versions of the logo, which will be used from Sept. 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, are shown below.
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About the Atlantic 10 Conference
The Atlantic 10 Conference was founded in 1975 and consists of 14 diverse members across eight states and Washington, D.C. The mission of the Atlantic 10 is to provide an enhanced student-athlete experience through 21 nationally competitive championship sports. The basketball-centric conference is committed to integrity, educational excellence and providing quality equitable championship experiences for its student-athletes, coaches, and support staff. The membership consists of Davidson College, the University of Dayton, Duquesne University, Fordham University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, La Salle University, the University of Massachusetts, the University of Rhode Island, University of Richmond, St. Bonaventure University, Saint Joseph's University, Saint Louis University and Virginia Commonwealth University. For more information, visit www.atlantic10.com.
