North Carolina A&T State University Board of Trustees on Friday unanimously voted for the move from the Big South Conference to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). 

All North Carolina A&T sports teams and student-athletes will begin competing in the CAA as of July 1, 2022, except football and bowling.

Aggie Football will move next year, July 1, 2023. NCAT Bowling has remained in the MEAC despite other sports making the move to the CAA. 

Chairwoman Hilda Pinnix-Ragland believes that this is a great move for A&T athletics and fits what aggies stand for. 

“We are pleased to be joining a conference of similarly focused institutions,” Chairwoman Hilda Pinnix-Ragland said. 

The CAA promises to enhance student-athlete welfare and keep financial costs low through North and South divisions. 

Along with those benefits, A&T will be playing teams in bigger markets as well such as Philadelphia and Boston. 

N.C. A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin is a big supporter of the move to the Colonial and believes this was the right thing to do. 

“We take athletics very seriously, as we look to continually, competitively position our university,” Martin said.

Martin doesn’t question the move because the CAA plans on extending their southern division closer to Greensboro, NC so Aggies don’t have to worry about travel. 

“With the Colonial Athletic’s plans to expand, create a Southern Division so I think this is indeed the right decision for our university and for our student-athletes,” he said.

Students on campus are indifferent about the second conference change in two years. Junior AJ Love believes it should benefit A&T in the long run, not just on the field but in the classroom as well. 

“I think it could be a good move because it seems like there are more well-known schools in this conference and it can help A&T gain opportunities not only athletically but academically as well,” Love said.