The Centennial Conference announced Monday that New York University has accepted an invitation to join the conference as an associate member in the sport of wrestling.

The addition of NYU gives the conference nine members that sponsor the sport of wrestling – Gettysburg, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, Merchant Marine, Muhlenberg, Stevens, Ursinus, and Washington and Lee.

“We are pleased to welcome New York University into the Centennial Conference as an associate member, said Jane McAuliffe, president of Bryn Mawr and chair of the conference’s Presidents Council.  "NYU’s academic reputation, commitment to scholar-athletes, and tradition in wrestling were important factors in our decision.”

"New York University is excited to join the Centennial Conference as an associate member in the sport of wrestling,” said athletic director Christopher Bledsoe.  “This conference affiliation provides us a competitive wrestling schedule with like-minded institutions and their student-athletes.  We look forward to it."

"The addition of New York University in wrestling adds to our reputation as one of the elite small college conferences in the country," added Steven F. Ulrich, executive director of the conference. "The commitment to excellence on the mat and in the classroom makes NYU a fit for our conference."

New York University, a full-time member of the University Athletic Association, has a long tradition of excellence on the mat.  The Violets have registered double-digit victories in 11 of the last 12 seasons under coach Bruce Haberli and have had eight All-Americans, including five in the last decade.  NYU also finished 10th in Division III in team GPA (3.343) in 2010, joining Stevens and Gettysburg in the top 20.

NYU will begin competition in the conference in 2011-12.