By Steven M. Glassman
Director of Sports Information
September 16, 2021
JENKNTOWN, PA—Manor College Director of Athletics John Dempster announced that the Blue Jays will end its National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and Eastern Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (EPAC) memberships effective today.
The Blue Jays joined the NJCAA and Region XIX originally for the 2008-2009 school year with four sports: Men's and Women's Basketball and Men's and Women's Soccer. Manor reinstated Women's Volleyball for the 2010 season and Women's Soccer in 2017. They added Baseball (2018), Men's and Women's Cross Country (2018), Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field (2019), and Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field (2019-2020).
Manor joined the EPAC for the 2012-2013 school year as one of a dozen charter members. During the Blue Jays' EPAC membership, they had 34 All-Academic Team Members (Fall 2017-Spring 2020), 10 All-EPAC Division III Team Members, seven Athletes-of-The-Week, two Division III Team Regular Season Championships, two Division II Men's Basketball Players-of-The-Year, one Division I Men's Soccer Player-of-The-Year, and one Division III Men's Soccer Player-of-The-Year, and one Division III Men's Soccer Coach-of-The-Year.
The Blue Jays joined the United State College Athletic Association (USCAA) on July 28, 2020. Eight sports will compete in the USCAA: baseball, men and women's basketball (Division II), men and women's cross country, men and women's soccer (Division I), and women's volleyball (Division I). COVID-19 cancelled the Blue Jays scheduled first USCAA season.
The remaining sports, Men's and Women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field were also scheduled to compete at the NJCAA Division III level in 2020-2021, but, COVID-19 also cancelled both its seasons. They will compete independently as part of the newly formed Eastern States Athletic Conference (ESAC).
During Manor's NJCAA Membership, the Blue Jays had the following: 21 NJCAA Region XIX Postseason Appearances, 14 All-NJCAA Region XIX Division II Team Members, 11 NJCAA Region XIX Postseason Tournament Final Fours, 10 All-NJCAA Region XIX Division III Team Members, nine All-Region XIX Division I Team Members, two Region XIX Postseason Tournament Runners-Up, two NJCAA Players-of-The-Week, two NJCAA All-Americans, one NJCAA District Playoff Qualifier, one NJCAA Student-Athlete Award, and one Region XIX Division III Player-of-The-Year.
Dempster on Manor being a NJCAA and Region XIX member for 13 years and in the EPAC for nine: "Being in the NJCAA really solidified our sports teams within the Pennsylvania and New Jersey area. For me, it was another step in the right direction. We were looking for a good conference with athletic accountability and that is what we got with the NJCAA. I learned how to be a better Athletic Director by meeting with many of the Athletic Directors representing the NJCAA, specifically in the EPAC. They were thorough and also down to earth. The Athletic Directors that represented the EPAC really formed a bond. This friendship became the nucleus for the success of this conference. I will always have positive memories of our time in the NJCAA and EPAC."
Dempster on the decision for the Blue Jays to leave the NJCAA and Region XIX and EPAC: "The decision to leave the NJCAA was necessary due to the fact that Manor College is now a four-year Bachelor's Degree granting institution. Being in the NJCAA would prevent our juniors and seniors from participating in athletics. Moving forward, the UCSAA gives us the opportunity to showcase our upperclassmen."
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Twitter: @manorbluejays.
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