America East bans Stony Brook from conference tournaments

Stony Brook’s athletic teams are ineligible to take part in America East conference championships because of its impending departure from the league.

The America East announced Wednesday that the Conference Board of Presidents, upon appeal from Stony Brook, is upholding the conference’s constitution and will not allow the school to take part.

Stony Brook announced last week that it will join the Colonial Athletic Association in all sports. It had competed in the CAA in football since 2013.

“This decision was not made lightly, and the Board of Presidents recognizes that some may disagree with it,” the America East said in a prepared statement. “The Conference has an obligation to prioritize the remaining members who are committed to the league’s advancement and the student-athletes who compete at those institutions, now and in the future.”

Stony Brook’s men’s basketball team is 5-2 in conference play (13-7 overall) and in second place in the America East standings. Its women’s basketball team leads the conference with an 8-1 mark, 17-2 overall.

The America East traditionally is a one-bid league come NCAA Tournament time, meaning the winner of the conference tournament gets the automatic entry.

Stony Brook athletic director Shawn Heilbron said the school is reviewing its options.

“Following our announcement that we will move to the Colonial Athletic Association, we were extremely disappointed to be informed by the America East that Stony Brook student-athletes would not be allowed to compete for conference championships and therefore the opportunity to earn NCAA team automatic qualification,” he said. “This decision does nothing to advance the interests of the conference, but instead punishes Stony Brook University’s talented student-athletes. … Stony Brook plans to review all options, legal and otherwise, to address this decision.”

–Field Level Media