Editing Patriot League

{{short description|U.S. college athletic conference}}
{{for|the professional football league|American Patriot League}}
{{Infobox sports league
| name         = Patriot League
| color        = #15366F; {{box-shadow border|a|#ED192D|2px}}
| font_color   = #FFFFFF
| logo         =  Patriot league conference logo.svg
| logo_size    = 200
| founded      = {{start date and age|1986}}
| association  = [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]
| division     = [[NCAA Division I|Division I]]
| subdivision  = [[Football Championship Subdivision|FCS]]
| teams        = 10 full, 4 associate
| sports       = 24
| mens         = 11
| womens       = 13
| region       = [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]]
| formerly     = Colonial League
| headquarters = [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]]
| commissioner = Jennifer Heppel
| since        = 2015
| website      = {{URL|https://patriotleague.org/|patriotleague.org}}
| map          = Patriot League Map.svg
| map_size     = 260
}}

[[File:Patriot League football officials and referee.jpg|thumb|right|Patriot League football officials and referee]]

The '''Patriot League''' is a collegiate [[List of NCAA conferences|athletic conference]] comprising primarily leading [[Private university|private institutions]] of [[higher education]] and two [[United States service academies]] based in the [[Northeastern United States]]. Except for the [[Ivy League]], it is the most selective group of [[Higher education in the United States|higher education]] institutions in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) [[NCAA Division I|Division I]] and has a very high [[student-athlete]] graduation rate for both the NCAA graduation success rate and the federal graduation rate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patriotleague.org/sports/2016/6/13/school-bio-patr-school-bio-aboutpl-html.aspx|title=Who We Are|website=patriotleague.org}}</ref>

The Patriot League has 10 core members:<ref name=PLwho>{{cite web|url=http://www.patriotleague.org/school-bio/patr-school-bio-aboutpl.html|title="Who We Are" About the Patriot League|publisher=Patriot League|access-date=July 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030125920/http://www.patriotleague.org/school-bio/patr-school-bio-aboutpl.html|archive-date=October 30, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[American University]], the [[United States Military Academy]] (Army), [[Boston University]], [[Bucknell University]], [[Colgate University]], [[College of the Holy Cross]], [[Lafayette College]], [[Lehigh University]], [[Loyola University Maryland]], and the [[United States Naval Academy]] (Navy). All 10 core members participate in the [[NCAA Division I]] for all Patriot League sports that they offer. Since not all schools sponsor every available NCAA sport, most schools are affiliated with other collegiate conferences for sports such as ice hockey and wrestling.

Only half of the conference's core members compete in the Patriot League for [[college football|football]], as part of the [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision]] (FCS): Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, and Lehigh. Of the five other conference members, American, Boston University, and Loyola Maryland do not sponsor football, while Army and Navy play in the [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision]] as football-only members of the [[American Athletic Conference]] (The American).

Five other institutions are Patriot League members only for specific sports, and are referred to as associate members. [[Fordham University]] and [[Georgetown University]] are associate members in football, while [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) is an associate member in women's rowing and the [[University of Richmond]] is an associate member in women's golf. Starting in the 2025 season, Richmond will also be an associate member in football, and starting in the 2026 season, the [[College of William & Mary]] will join as an associate member for football.

==About==
Patriot League members are schools with very strong academic reputations that adhere strongly to the ideal of the "scholar-athlete", with the emphasis on "scholar". An academic index ensures that athletes are truly representative of and integrated with the rest of the student body. Out-of-league play for Patriot League schools is often with members of the [[Ivy League]], which follow similar philosophies regarding academics and athletics.

Patriot League members have some of the oldest collegiate athletic programs in the country. In particular, "[[The Rivalry (Lafayette–Lehigh)|The Rivalry]]" between [[Lehigh University]] and [[Lafayette College]] is both the nation's most-played and longest-uninterrupted college football series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebrownandwhite.com/|title=All the Lehigh University News First|website=The Brown and White}}</ref>

The winner of the Patriot League basketball tournament receives an automatic invitation to the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA Division I basketball tournament]] every March. In recent years, Bucknell (twice) and Lehigh have both won [[NCAA]] tournament games. The Patriot League champions in a number of other sports also receive an automatic invitation to their respective NCAA tournaments.

==History==
[[File:PatriotLeagueLocations.png|left|thumb|250px|Locations of current Patriot League full member institutions.]]
The origins of the Patriot League began after the eight Ivy League schools expanded their football schedules to ten games starting in 1980. Needing opponents with a similar competitive level on a regular basis for each team's three nonconference games, the league contacted two university presidents, the [[The Reverend|Reverend]] [[John E. Brooks]], [[Society of Jesus|S.J.]], of [[College of the Holy Cross|Holy Cross]], and [[Peter Likins]] of Lehigh, about forming a new conference that also prohibited [[athletic scholarship]]s.<ref name="lastamateurs">{{cite book|last=Feinstein|first=John|author-link=John Feinstein|title=[[The Last Amateurs]]|location=Boston|publisher=Little, Brown and Company|year=2000|isbn=0-316-27842-4}}</ref> The result was the '''Colonial League''', a football-only circuit that began competition in 1986.<ref name=PLwho/><ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.patriotleague.org/school-bio/patr-school-bio-history.html|title=Patriot League History|publisher=Patriot League|access-date=July 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727165720/http://www.patriotleague.org/school-bio/patr-school-bio-history.html|archive-date=July 27, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its six charter members were Holy Cross, Lehigh, [[Bucknell University|Bucknell]], [[Colgate University|Colgate]], Lafayette, and [[Davidson College|Davidson]]. Davidson dropped out after the 1988 season for reasons related to geography, lack of competitiveness, and a reluctance to relinquish its basketball scholarships in case the conference expanded into other sports.<ref name="lastamateurs"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/2011PLFootballMediaGuide.pdf|title=Patriot League 2011 Football Media Guide.|access-date=2012-06-29|archive-date=2013-07-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703221612/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/2011PLFootballMediaGuide.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:CFU USNA 1971.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Carl F. Ullrich]]]]
In 1990, the league changed its name to the Patriot League at the suggestion of [[Carl F. Ullrich]],<ref name="lastamateurs"/> who would go on to become the conference's first full-time administrator. At the start of the 1990-91 academic year, the league became an all-sport conference, with 22 sports (11 for men and 11 for women), and now had seven full members, including [[Fordham University|Fordham]] and the [[United States Military Academy|United States Military Academy (Army)]] as new members. In 1991, the league gained an eighth full member, the [[United States Naval Academy|United States Naval Academy (Navy)]].<ref name=history/>

In 1993, the league hired Constance (Connie) H. Hurlbut as executive director. She was the first woman and youngest person to be the leader of an NCAA Division I conference.<ref name=history/>

In 1995, Fordham resigned its full membership (leaving the league with seven full members) but continued as an associate member in football. In 1996, [[Fairfield Stags#Field Hockey|Fairfield]] and [[Ursinus College#Athletics|Ursinus]] joined as associate members in [[field hockey]].<ref name=history/> (Fairfield left after the 2003 fall season and is now an associate member of the [[Northeast Conference]]. Ursinus left after the 2001 fall season and is now a full member of the [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] [[Centennial Conference]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.centennial.org/fhockey/index.html|title=2009 Field Hockey|publisher=Centennial Conference|access-date=March 2, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007194337/http://www.centennial.org/fhockey/index.html|archive-date=October 7, 2010}}</ref>) In 1997, [[Towson Tigers football|Towson]] joined as an associate member in football. (Towson left after the 2003 fall season to join the [[Atlantic 10 Conference]], whose football conference would be absorbed by the [[Colonial Athletic Association]] in 2007.) In 1999, [[Hobart and William Smith Colleges#Athletics|Hobart]] joined as an associate member in men's lacrosse and [[Villanova Wildcats|Villanova]] joined as an associate member in women's lacrosse. (Hobart left after the 2004 spring season, to join the [[ECAC Lacrosse League]], while Villanova left after the 2006 spring season.) In 2001, [[American University]] joined as the eighth full member and [[Georgetown Hoyas football|Georgetown University]] joined as an associate member in football.<ref name=history/> Two schools announced in summer 2012 that they would join the league for the 2013–14 academic year, with [[Boston University]] making its announcement on June 15,<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/genrel/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/PatriotLeagueBostonUrelease.pdf|title=Boston University accepts invitation to join Patriot League starting in 2013–14|publisher=Patriot League|date=June 15, 2012|access-date=July 3, 2013|archive-date=July 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704002150/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/genrel/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/PatriotLeagueBostonUrelease.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Loyola University Maryland]] doing so on August 29.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.patriotleague.org/genrel/082912aaa.html|title=Loyola University Maryland accepts invitation to join Patriot League starting with 2013–14 season|publisher=Patriot League|date=August 29, 2012|access-date=August 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830114515/http://www.patriotleague.org/genrel/082912aaa.html|archive-date=August 30, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In May 2024, the [[University of Richmond]], who at the time was already an associate member of the league for women's golf, announced that they would also move their football program to the Patriot League for the 2025 season, becoming the Patriot League's first new football-playing member in over 20 years.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://richmondspiders.com/news/2024/5/14/richmond-football-to-move-to-patriot-league-following-2024-season.aspx |title=Richmond Football to Move to Patriot League Following 2024 Season|publisher=Richmond Spiders Athletics |date=May 14, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref>

On April 25th, 2025, the [[College of William & Mary]] announced that it would be joining the Patriot League as a football-only associate member, starting in the 2026 Season.<ref name=":0" /> The move similarly follows that of fellow in-state football rival University of Richmond, and brings the historic "[[Capital Cup]]" rivalry series between both schools into the Patriot league conference schedule. 

===Athletic scholarships===
While Patriot League colleges have always offered need-based financial aid, league members have only been allowed to give athletic scholarships in recent years. Basketball scholarships were first allowed beginning with freshmen entering the league in the fall of 1998.

In 2001, when the league admitted American, which gave scholarships in all its sports (AU does not play football), the league began allowing all schools to do so in sports other than football. Lafayette, the last holdout with no athletic scholarships, began granting full rides in basketball and other sports with freshmen entering the school in the fall of 2006.  Most Patriot League schools do not give athletic scholarships in a number of sports, and Bucknell only granted them in basketball prior to the addition of football scholarships in 2013.

In the spring of 2009, Fordham University announced that it would start offering football scholarships in the fall of 2010. This action made Fordham ineligible for the league championship in that sport, but it also prompted a league-wide discussion on football scholarships. On February 13, 2012, the Patriot League announced its members could begin offering football scholarships starting with the 2013–14 academic year. Since then, each school has been allowed no more than the equivalent of 15 scholarships to incoming football players. Presidents from six of the seven football schools indicated they would award scholarships in the fall of 2012. [[Georgetown University]] did not commit to offering scholarships.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 13, 2012 |title=Comments from Patriot League Presidents on Football Financial Aid Announcement |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/PLpresidentCommentsFootballFA.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110111/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/PLpresidentCommentsFootballFA.pdf |archive-date=Mar 4, 2016 |website=Patriot League}}</ref> Since the transition to scholarship football was completed for the 2016–17 academic year, each football member has been allowed up to 60 scholarship equivalents per season,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://webfarm.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-13/patriot-league-to-offer-football-scholarships-for-first-time-starting-2013.html|work=Bloomberg|first=Eben|last=Novy-Williams|title=Patriot League to Offer Football Scholarships Starting in 2013 |date=February 13, 2012 |url-access=subscription |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001213802/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-02-13/patriot-league-to-offer-football-scholarships-for-first-time-starting-2013 |archive-date= Oct 1, 2017 }}</ref> a total only slightly lower than the NCAA limit of 63 scholarship equivalents for FCS programs. Currently, Patriot League schools are permitted to offer up to the NCAA maximum of 63 scholarships for its football programs.

==Executive directors==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Years
!Current
|-
|Alan Childs
|{{nowrap|1986–1989}}
|Lafayette College Professor of Psychology<ref>{{cite web|url=https://goleopards.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/alan-childs/910|title= Alan Childs |website=Lafayette College Athletics |access-date=Dec 10, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523064927/https://goleopards.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/alan-childs/910 |archive-date= May 23, 2023 }}</ref>
|-
|[[Carl F. Ullrich]]
|{{nowrap|1989–1993}}
|League's first full-time Executive Director; retired
|-
|Connie Hurlbut
|{{nowrap|1993–1999}}
|[[Western Athletic Conference]] Deputy Commissioner and SWA<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wacsports.com/landing/index|title=Western Athletic Conference|website=Western Athletic Conference}}</ref>
|-
|Carolyn Schlie Femovich
|{{nowrap|1999–2015}}
|The PICTOR Group Senior Partner<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thepictorgroup.com/our-team|title=Carolyn Schlie Femovich (biography) &ndash; The PICTOR Group.}}</ref>
|-
|Jennifer Heppel
|{{nowrap|2015–present}}
|Previously [[Big Ten Conference]] Associate Commissioner for Governance<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patriotleague.org/staff.aspx?staff=1|title=Patriot League - Staff Directory|website=www.patriotleague.org}}</ref>
|}

==Member schools==

===Full members===
There are ten "full" member schools:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/2016/6/13/school-bio-patr-school-bio-aboutpl-html.aspx?|title="Who We Are" About the Patriot League|publisher=Patriot League|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Type
! Undergraduate<br />enrollment
! Endowment
! Nickname
! Joined
! class="unsortable" | Colors
|-
| '''[[American University]]'''{{efn|group=full|name=football|[[American University Eagles|American]], [[Boston University Terriers|Boston University]], and [[Loyola Greyhounds|Loyola]] do not play football. As of the 2024 season, [[Army Black Knights football|Army]] and [[Navy Midshipmen football|Navy]] participate in the NCAA [[NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision|Football Bowl Subdivision]] (formerly Division I-A) as football-only members of the [[American Athletic Conference]]. [[Fordham Rams|Fordham]] and [[Georgetown Hoyas|Georgetown]] replace them in the Patriot League for football only.}}
| [[Washington, D.C.]]
| 1893
| [[United Methodist Church|United Methodist]]
| 8,463
| $947,800,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Change Can't Wait 2024 Impact Summary |url=https://www.american.edu/change-cant-wait/impact-summary/ |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=American University |language=en}}</ref>
| [[American Eagles|Eagles]]
| 2001
| {{college color boxes|American Eagles}}
|-
| {{sort|Army|'''[[United States Military Academy]]'''{{efn|group=full|name=football}}<br />(Army)}}
| [[West Point, New York]]
| 1802
| Federal<br />{{small|([[United States service academies|Military]])}}
| 4,594
| N/A
| [[Army Black Knights|Black Knights]]
| 1990
| {{college color boxes|Army Black Knights|order=134}}
|-
| '''[[Boston University]]'''{{efn|group=full|name=football}}
| [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]]
| 1839
| Nonsectarian
| 18,229
| $3,350,000,000
| [[Boston University Terriers|Terriers]]
| 2013
| {{college color boxes|Boston University Terriers}}
|-
| '''[[Bucknell University]]'''
| [[Lewisburg, Pennsylvania]]
| 1846
| Nonsectarian
| 3,724
| $801,000,000
| [[Bucknell Bison|Bison]]
| 1986
| {{college color boxes|Bucknell Bison}}
|-
| '''[[Colgate University]]'''
| [[Hamilton (village), New York|Hamilton, New York]]
| 1819
| Nonsectarian
| 3,164
| $1,202,000,000
| [[Colgate Raiders|Raiders]]
| 1986
| {{college color boxes|Colgate Raiders}}
|-
| {{sort|Holy Cross|'''[[College of the Holy Cross]]'''}}
| [[Worcester, Massachusetts]]
| 1843
| [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]<br />{{small|([[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]])}}
| 3,138
| $1,230,000,000
| [[Holy Cross Crusaders|Crusaders]]
| 1986
| {{college color boxes|Holy Cross Crusaders}}
|-
| '''[[Lafayette College]]'''
| [[Easton, Pennsylvania]]
| 1826
| Nonsectarian
| 2,725
| $693,700,000
| [[Lafayette Leopards|Leopards]]
| 1986
| {{college color boxes|Lafayette Leopards}}
|-
| '''[[Lehigh University]]'''
| [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]]
| 1865
| Nonsectarian
| 5,451
| $1,400,000,000
| [[Lehigh Mountain Hawks|Mountain Hawks]]
| 1986
| {{college color boxes|Lehigh Mountain Hawks}}
|-
| '''[[Loyola University Maryland]]'''{{efn|group=full|name=football}}
| [[Baltimore, Maryland]]
| 1852
| Catholic<br>{{small|(Jesuit)}}
| 3,787
| $308,000,000
| [[Loyola Greyhounds|Greyhounds]]
| 2013
| {{college color boxes|Loyola Greyhounds}}
|-
| {{sort|Navy|'''[[United States Naval Academy]]'''{{efn|group=full|name=football}}<br />(Navy)}}
| [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
| 1845
| Federal<br />{{small|([[United States service academies|Military]])}}
| 4,528
| N/A
| [[Navy Midshipmen|Midshipmen]]
| 1991
| {{college color boxes|Navy Midshipmen}}
|}

;Notes:
{{notelist|group=full}}

===Associate members===
There are three associate-member schools:

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Type
! Undergraduate<br />enrollment
! Nickname
! Joined
! class="unsortable" | Colors
! Patriot<br />sport
! Primary<br />conference
|-
| '''[[Fordham University]]'''{{efn|group=aff|Fordham was also a full member of the Patriot League from 1990–91 until 1994–95, when it moved all sports except football to the [[Atlantic 10 Conference]] (A-10).}}
| [[The Bronx, New York]]
| 1841
| [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]<br />{{small|([[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]])}}
| 9,904
| [[Fordham Rams|Rams]]
| 1995
| {{college color boxes|Fordham Rams}}
| Football
| [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10 (A-10)]]
|-
| '''[[Georgetown University]]'''
| [[Washington, D.C.]]
| 1789
| Catholic<br />{{small|(Jesuit)}}
| 7,598
| [[Georgetown Hoyas|Hoyas]]
| 2001
| {{college color boxes|Georgetown Hoyas}}
| Football,<br />women's rowing
| [[Big East Conference|Big East]]
|-
| '''[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]'''<br />(MIT)
| [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]]
| 1861
| Nonsectarian
| 4,638
| [[MIT Engineers|Engineers]]
| 2009
| {{college color boxes|MIT Engineers}}
| Women's rowing
| [[New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference|New England (NEWMAC)]]{{efn|group=aff|name=D3|Currently an [[NCAA Division III]] athletic conference.}}
|}

;Notes:
{{notelist|group=aff}}

<!--
===Future full members===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Type
! Undergraduate<br />enrollment
! Nickname
! Joining
! class="unsortable" | Colors
! Current<br />conference
|}
-->

===Future associate members===

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Type
! Undergraduate<br />enrollment
! Nickname
! Joining
! class="unsortable" | Colors
! Patriot<br />sport
! Primary<br />conference
|-
| '''[[University of Richmond]]'''
| [[Richmond, Virginia]]
| 1830
| Nonsectarian
| 3,164
| [[Richmond Spiders|Spiders]]
| 2025
| {{college color boxes|Richmond Spiders}}
| Football
| [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10 (A-10)]]
|-
| '''[[College of William & Mary]]'''
| [[Williamsburg, Virginia]]
| 1693
| Public
| 7,063
| [[William & Mary Tribe|Tribe]]
| 2026<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-04-16 |title=William & Mary Football to Join Patriot League |url=https://tribeathletics.com/news/2025/4/25/william-mary-football-to-join-patriot-league.aspx |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=William & Mary Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
| {{college color boxes|William & Mary Tribe}}
| Football
| [[Coastal Athletic Association|Coastal (CAA)]]
|}

===Former full members===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Type
! Undergraduate<br />enrollment
! Nickname
! Joined
! Left
! Current<br />conference
|-
| '''[[Fordham University]]'''{{efn|group=former|Fordham remains as an associate member of the Patriot League for football.}}
| [[The Bronx|Bronx, New York]]
| 1841
| [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]<br />{{small|([[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]])}}
| 8,220
| [[Fordham Rams|Rams]]
| 1990
| 1995
| [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10 (A-10)]]
|}

;Notes:
{{notelist|group=former}}

===Former associate members===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Type
! Nickname
! Joined
! Left
! class="unsortable" | Colors
! Patriot<br />sport
! Primary<br />conference
! Current<br />conference<br/>in former<br/>PL sport
|-
| '''[[Davidson College]]'''
| [[Davidson, North Carolina]]
| 1837
| Presbyterian<br />{{small|([[Presbyterian Church (USA)|PCUSA]])}}
| [[Davidson Wildcats football|Wildcats]]
| 1986
| 1989
| {{college color boxes|Davidson Wildcats}}
| football
| [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10 (A-10)]]
| [[Pioneer Football League|Pioneer (PFL)]]
|-
| '''[[Fairfield University]]'''
| [[Fairfield, Connecticut]]
| 1942
| [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]<br>{{small|([[Jesuits|Jesuit]])}}
| [[Fairfield Stags|Stags]]
| 1996
| 2004
| {{college color boxes|Fairfield Stags}}
| field hockey
| colspan=2 | [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|Metro Atlantic (MAAC)]]
|-
| '''[[Hobart and William Smith Colleges|Hobart College]]'''
| [[Geneva (city), New York|Geneva, New York]]
| 1822
| Nonsectarian
| [[Hobart Statesmen men's lacrosse|Statesmen]]
| 1999
| 2004
| {{college color boxes|Hobart Statesmen}}
| men's lacrosse
| [[Liberty League|Liberty]]{{efn|group=faff|name=D3|Currently an [[NCAA Division III]] athletic conference.}}
| [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10 (A-10)]]
|-
| '''[[University of Richmond]]'''
| [[Richmond, Virginia]]
| 1830
| Nonsectarian
| [[Richmond Spiders|Spiders]]
| 2014
| 2024
| {{college color boxes|Richmond Spiders}}
| women's golf
| colspan=2 | [[Atlantic 10 Conference|Atlantic 10 (A-10)]]
|-
| '''[[Towson University]]'''
| [[Towson, Maryland]]
| 1866
| Public
| [[Towson Tigers|Tigers]]
| 1997
| 2004
| {{college color boxes|Towson Tigers}}
| football
| [[Coastal Athletic Association|Coastal (CAA)]]
| [[Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference|CAA Football]]{{efn|group=faff|CAA Football is technically a separate entity from the multi-sports CAA.}}
|-
| '''[[Ursinus College]]'''
| [[Collegeville, Pennsylvania]]
| 1869
| Nonsectarian
| [[Ursinus Bears|Bears]]
| 1996
| 2002
| {{color box|#990000}} {{color box|#ffc600}} {{color box|#000000}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ursinus.edu/about/just-the-facts/|title=Just the Facts|publisher=Ursinus College|access-date=19 November 2019}}</ref>
| field hockey
| colspan=2 | [[Centennial Conference|Centennial]]{{efn|group=faff|name=D3}}
|-
| '''[[Villanova University]]'''
| [[Villanova, Pennsylvania]]
| 1842
| [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]<br />{{small|([[Order of Saint Augustine|Augustinian]])}}
| [[Villanova Wildcats|Wildcats]]
| 1998
| 2006
| {{college color boxes|Villanova Wildcats}}
| women's lacrosse
| colspan=2 | [[Big East Conference|Big East]]
|}

;Notes:
{{notelist|group=faff}}

===Membership timeline===
<timeline>

PlotArea    = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 #> to display a count on left side of graph,  use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"<#

ImageSize   = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20

DateFormat  = yyyy

Period =  from:1986 till:2035

TimeAxis    = orientation:horizontal

Colors =  id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)

          id:line     value:black

          id:bg       value:white
          id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
          id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
          id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
          id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote)
          id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference
          id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two
PlotData =
        width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

 bar:1  color:AssocF from:1986 till:1989 text:[[Davidson College|Davidson]] (1986–1989)

 bar:2  color:AssocF from:1986 till:1990 text:[[Bucknell University|Bucknell]] (1986–present)
 bar:2  color:Full from:1990 till:end

 bar:3  color:AssocF from:1986 till:1990 text:[[Colgate University|Colgate]] (1986–present)
 bar:3  color:Full from:1990 till:end

 bar:4  color:AssocF from:1986 till:1990 text:[[College of the Holy Cross|Holy Cross]] (1986–present)
 bar:4  color:Full from:1990 till:end

 bar:5  color:AssocF from:1986 till:1990 text:[[Lafayette College|Lafayette]] (1986–present)
 bar:5  color:Full from:1990 till:end

 bar:6  color:AssocF from:1986 till:1990 text:[[Lehigh University|Lehigh]] (1986–present)
 bar:6  color:Full from:1990 till:end

 bar:7  color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:1989 text:[[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|MAAC]]
 bar:7  color:AssocF from:1989 till:1990
 bar:7  color:Full from:1990 till:1995 text:[[Fordham University|Fordham]] (1990–1995, all sports; [[Atlantic 10 Conference|A-10]] 1995–present, PL football-only)
 bar:7  color:AssocF from:1995 till:end

 bar:8  color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:1990 text:[[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|MAAC]]
 bar:8  color:FullXF from:1990 till:end text:[[United States Military Academy|Army]] (1990–present)

 bar:9  color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:1991 text:[[Coastal Athletic Association|CAA]]
 bar:9  color:FullXF from:1991 till:end text:[[United States Naval Academy|Navy]] (1991–present)

 bar:11  color:AssocF from:1997 till:2004 text:[[Towson University|Towson]] (1997–2004)

 bar:12  color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:2001 text:[[Coastal Athletic Association|CAA]]
 bar:12  color:FullXF from:2001 till:end text:[[American University|American]] (2001–present)

 bar:13  color:AssocF from:2001 till:end text:[[Georgetown University|Georgetown]] (2001–present)

 bar:14  color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:1988 text:[[America East Conference|ECAC-N]]
 bar:14  shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1996 text:[[America East Conference|NAC]]
 bar:14  shift:(20) color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:2013 text:[[America East Conference|America East]]
 bar:14  color:FullXF from:2013 till:end text:[[Boston University]] (2013–present)

 bar:15  color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:1988 text:[[Northeast Conference|ECAC-M]]
 bar:15  shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1989 text:[[Northeast Conference|NEC]]
 bar:15  shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1989 till:2013 text:[[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference|MAAC]]
 bar:15  color:FullXF from:2013 till:end text:[[Loyola University Maryland|Loyola (Md.)]] (2013–present)

 bar:16  color:AssocOS from:2014 till:2024 text:[[University of Richmond|Richmond]] (women's golf, 2014–2024; football, 2025–present)
 bar:16  color:AssocF from:2025 till:end

 bar:17 color:AssocF from:2026 till:end text:[[College of William &amp; Mary|William & Mary]] (2026–future)

 bar:N color:red from:1986 till:1990 text:Colonial League
 bar:N color:blue from:1990 till:end text:Patriot League

ScaleMajor  = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1986
TextData =
    fontsize:M
    textcolor:black
    pos:(0,20) tabs:(400-center)
    text:^"Patriot League membership history"
# > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following six options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. {{Font color||{{RGB|190|186|218}}|Full members}} {{Font color||{{RGB|141|211|199}}|Full members (non-football)}} {{Font  color||{{RGB|251|128|114}}|Assoc. members (football only)}} {{Font color||{{RGB|128|177|211}}|Assoc. member (list sports)}} {{Font color||{{RGB|255|255|179}}|Other  Conference}} {{Font color||{{RGB|253|180|98}}|Other  Conference}} <#  </timeline>

{{Font color||{{RGB|190|186|218}}|Full members&nbsp;}}
{{Font color||{{RGB|141|211|199}}|Full members (non-football)&nbsp;}}
{{Font color||{{RGB|251|128|114}}|Assoc. members (football only)&nbsp;}}
{{Font color||{{RGB|128|177|211}}|Associate member(some sports)&nbsp;}}
{{Font color||{{RGB|255|255|179}}|Other&nbsp;Conference&nbsp;}}
{{Font color||{{RGB|253|180|98}}|Other&nbsp;Conference&nbsp;}}

==Sports==
The Patriot League sponsors championship competition in 12 men's and 13 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patriotleague.org/|title=Patriot League|website=www.patriotleague.org}}</ref> [[Georgetown University|Georgetown]] and [[Fordham University|Fordham]] are Associate members for football, and Georgetown and [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] are Associate members for rowing.

===Men's sponsored sports by school===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! scope="col" | School || Baseball || Basketball || Cross<br>Country || FCS<br>Football || Golf || Lacrosse || Soccer || Swimming<br>& Diving || Tennis || Track<br>& Field<br>(Indoor) || Track<br>& Field<br>(Outdoor) || Total
|-
| '''American''' || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 6
|-
| '''Army''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}{{efn|group=n|name=FBS|As of the 2024 season, Army & Navy play FBS football in the [[American Athletic Conference]].}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 10
|-
| '''Boston''' || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 8
|-
| '''Bucknell''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 11
|-
| '''Colgate''' || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 10
|-
| '''Holy Cross''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 11
|-
| '''Lafayette''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 11
|-
| '''Lehigh''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 11
|-
| '''Loyola''' || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || 7
|-
| '''Navy''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}{{efn|group=n|name=FBS}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 10
|-
! Totals || 6 || 10 || 10 || 5+2 || 8 || 9 || 10 || 10 || 9 || 9 || 9 || 95+2
|-
! colspan="13" | Associate Members
|-
| '''Fordham''' ||  ||  ||  || {{yes}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || 1
|-
| '''Georgetown''' ||  ||  ||  || {{yes}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || 1
|-
! colspan="13" | Future Associate Members
|-
| '''Richmond''' ||  ||  ||  || {{yes}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || 1
|-
| '''William & Mary''' ||  ||  ||  || {{yes}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || 1
|}

====Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Patriot League which are played by Patriot League schools====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! scope="col" | School || Fencing{{efn|group=n|name=Coed|This sport is coed.}} || FBS Football || Sprint<br>Football{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA|This sport is not sponsored by the NCAA.}} || Gymnastics || Ice<br>Hockey || Rifle{{efn|group=n|name=Coed}} || Rowing{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA}} || Rugby{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA}} || Sailing{{efn|group=n|name=Coed}}{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA}} || Squash{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA}} || Water<br>Polo || Wrestling
|-
| '''American''' || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || [[Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association|EIWA]]
|-
| '''Army''' || – || [[American Athletic Conference|American]] || [[Sprint football|CSFL]] || [[Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League|EIGL]] || [[Atlantic Hockey America|AHA]] || [[Great America Rifle Conference|GARC]] || – || Rugby East || – || – || – || [[Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association|EIWA]]
|-
| '''Boston''' || – || – || – || – || [[Hockey East]] || – || [[Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges|EARC]] || – || – || – || – || –
|-
| '''Bucknell''' || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || [[Collegiate Water Polo Association|CWPA]] || [[Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association|EIWA]]
|-
| '''Colgate''' || – || – || – || – || [[ECAC Hockey]] || – || Independent || – || – || – || – || –
|-
| '''Holy Cross''' || – || – || – || – || [[Atlantic Hockey America|AHA]] || – || [[Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges|EARC]] || – || – || – || – || –
|-
| '''Lafayette''' || MACFA || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || –
|-
| '''Lehigh''' || – || – || – || – || – || – || [[Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference|MARC]] || – || – || – || – || [[Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association|EIWA]]
|-
| '''Loyola''' || – || – || – || – || – || – || Independent || – || – || – || – || –
|-
| '''Navy''' || – || [[American Athletic Conference|American]] || – || [[Eastern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League|EIGL]] || – || [[Great America Rifle Conference|GARC]] || [[Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges|EARC]] || – || [[Intercollegiate Sailing Association|ISA]] || MASC || [[Collegiate Water Polo Association|CWPA]] || [[Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association|EIWA]]
|}

{{notelist|group=n}}

===Women's sponsored sports by school===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! scope="col" | School || Basketball || Cross<br>Country || Field<br>Hockey || Golf || Lacrosse || Rowing || Soccer || Softball || Swimming<br>& Diving || Tennis || Track<br>& Field<br>(Indoor) || Track<br>& Field<br>(Outdoor) || Volley{{shy}}ball || Total
|-
| '''American''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 9
|-
| '''Army''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 10
|-
| '''Boston''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}|| 12
|-
| '''Bucknell''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}|| 13
|-
| '''Colgate''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || 12
|-
| '''Holy Cross''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}|| 13
|-
| '''Lafayette''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}|| 11
|-
| '''Lehigh''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}|| 13
|-
| '''Loyola''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}|| 10
|-
| '''Navy''' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}|| 11
|-
! Totals || 10 || 10 || 7 || 5 || 10 || 7+2 || 10 || 7 || 10 || 9 || 10 || 10 || 9 || 113+2
|-
! colspan="15" | Associate Members
|-
| '''Georgetown''' ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{yes}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || || || 1
|-
| '''MIT''' ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || {{yes}} ||  ||  ||  ||  ||  || || || 1
|}

====Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Patriot League which are played by Patriot League schools====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! scope="col" | School || Fencing{{efn|group=n|name=Coed|This sport is coed.}} || Ice<br>Hockey || Rifle{{efn|group=n|name=Coed}} || Lightweight<br>Rowing{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA|This sport is not sponsored by the NCAA.}} || Rugby{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA}} || Sailing{{efn|group=n|name=Coed}}{{efn|group=n|name=NCAA}} || Water<br>Polo
|-
| '''Army''' || – || – || [[Great America Rifle Conference|GARC]] || – || NIRA || – || – 
|-
| '''Boston''' || – || [[Hockey East]] || – || [[Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges|EARC]] || – || – || – 
|-
| '''Bucknell''' || – || – || – || – || – || – || [[Collegiate Water Polo Association|CWPA]]
|-
| '''Colgate''' || – || [[ECAC Hockey]] || – || – || – || – || – 
|-
| '''Holy Cross''' || – || [[Hockey East]] || – || – || – || – || – 
|-
| '''Lafayette''' || MACFA || – || – || – || – || – || – 
|-
| '''Navy''' || – || – || [[Great America Rifle Conference|GARC]] || – || – || [[Intercollegiate Sailing Association|ISA]] || – 
|}

{{notelist|group=n}}

===President's Cup===

The Patriot League Presidents' Cup is awarded to the member institution with the highest cumulative sports point total for their Patriot League standings in sponsored men's and women's sports. Points are awarded based upon a combination of an institution's regular-season and tournament finishes in each sport.

President's Cup Winners (combined men and women):
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1991 - Bucknell
* 1992 - Bucknell
* 1993 - Bucknell
* 1994 - Army
* 1995 - Army
* 1996 - Bucknell
* 1997 - Army
* 1998 - Bucknell
* 1999 - Bucknell
* 2000 - Bucknell
* 2001 - Bucknell
* 2002 - Bucknell
* 2003 - Bucknell
* 2004 - Bucknell
* 2005 - Army
* 2006 - Bucknell
* 2007 - Bucknell
* 2008 - Bucknell
* 2009 - Bucknell
* 2010 - Bucknell
* 2011 - Bucknell
* 2012 - Navy
* 2013 - Bucknell
* 2014 - Navy
* 2015 - Navy
* 2016 - Navy
* 2017 - Navy
* 2018 - Navy
* 2019 - Navy
* 2020 - ([[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]])
* 2021 - Navy<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/news/2021/6/24/general-navy-captures-seventh-consecutive-patriot-league-presidents-cup-title.aspx "Navy Captures Seventh-Consecutive Patriot League Presidents' Cup Title," Patriot League, Thursday, June 24, 2021.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2022 - Navy
* 2023 - Navy<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/news/2023/5/24/general-navy-claims-ninth-consecutive-patriot-league-presidents-cup.aspx "Navy Claims Ninth-Consecutive Patriot League Presidents’ Cup," Patriot League, Thursday, May 25, 2023.] Retrieved May 25, 2023.</ref>
{{div col end}}

[[File:Bryan Cohen (cropped and rotated).jpg|thumb|[[Bryan Cohen]]]]

===Baseball===
;Tournament champion and MVP
:''See: [[Patriot League baseball tournament]]''

===Basketball===
;Men's tournament champion, runner-up, and MVP
:''See: [[Patriot League men's basketball tournament]]''

;Women's tournament champion
:''See: [[Patriot League women's basketball tournament]]''

;NCAA

In NCAA basketball, [[Boston University|Boston]], [[Bucknell University|Bucknell]], [[United States Naval Academy|Navy]], [[Lehigh University|Lehigh]], and [[College of the Holy Cross|Holy Cross]] are the only teams in the conference ever to have recorded NCAA Tournament victories. Bucknell won tournament games in [[2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2005]] over [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|Kansas]] and in [[2006 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2006]] over [[Arkansas Razorbacks basketball|Arkansas]]. Lehigh won over Duke in the first round in the [[2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2012]] tournament.

The Bison, Mountain Hawks, and Crusaders are the only teams to win in the NCAA tournament while actually representing the Patriot League. A Navy team—then representing the Colonial Athletic Association—led by future [[List of players in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[David Robinson]] won three tournament games while advancing to the regional finals in [[1986 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1986]], while BU won two games in the [[1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament|1959]] tournament before falling in the regional finals.  Holy Cross was among the best teams in the country in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and won the 1947 national championship with a team that included future Hall of Famer [[Bob Cousy]]. Its combined record in the NCAA tournament is 8–12. After a 63-year drought, Holy Cross defeated Southern University in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. [[Bryan Cohen]] of Bucknell was named Patriot League Defensive Player of Year in 2010, 2011, and 2012; he was the only player in league history to win the award three times.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://patriotleague.org/news/2012/8/27/Recent_Bucknell_Grads_Bryan_Cohen_G_W_Boon_Sign_Pro_Contracts_Overseas.aspx|title=Recent Bucknell Grads Bryan Cohen, G.W. Boon Sign Pro Contracts Overseas|date=August 27, 2012|website=patriotleague.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyitem.com/sports/bill-bowmans-college-basketball-column-cohen-as-good-as-it-gets-on-defense/article_84030455-e153-5fe5-8fdc-aceff79514b6.html|title=Bill Bowman's college basketball column: Cohen as good as it gets on defense|first=William |last=Bowman|website=The Daily Item|date=February 8, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard-journal.com/sports/article_b3891ca8-5de0-5be2-a5a7-73e0783f9783.html|title=Cohen a model of consistency|first=Chris|last=Brady|website=Standard-Journal|date=February 13, 2012}}</ref>

===Field hockey===
;Tournament champion<ref>{{cite web|title=Patriot League Field Hockey Record Book|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/sports/w-fieldh/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/2011PLFHRecordBook.pdf|publisher=Patriot League|access-date=June 15, 2012|archive-date=July 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704001816/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/patr/sports/w-fieldh/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/2011PLFHRecordBook.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1994 – [[Lehigh Mountain Hawks|Lehigh]]<ref name="lehpl221105sa"/>
* 1995 – [[Lafayette Leopards#Field Hockey|Lafayette]]
* 1996 – [[Colgate Raiders|Colgate]]
* 1997 – [[Holy Cross Crusaders|Holy Cross]]
* 1998 – Holy Cross
* 1999 – Lafayette
* 2000 – Holy Cross
* 2001 – [[Fairfield Stags#Field Hockey|Fairfield]]
* 2002 – Lafayette
* 2003 – American
* 2004 – American
* 2005 – American
* 2006 – American
* 2007 – American
* 2008 – American
* 2009 – American
* 2010 – American
* 2011 – Lafayette
* 2012 – Lafayette
* 2013 – American
* 2014 – Boston
* 2015 – Boston
* 2016 – American
* 2017 – Boston
* 2018 – Boston
* 2019 – American
* 2020&ndash;21 - Bucknell<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=307 2021 Field Hockey Spring Championship &ndash; Patriot League.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2021 - American<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=336 2021 Field Hockey Championship &ndash; Patriot League.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2022 - Lehigh<ref name="lehpl221105sa">[https://lehighsports.com/news/2022/11/5/field-hockey-lehighs-epic-overtime-victory-captures-the-patriot-league-title-and-secures-first-ncaa-tournament-berth-in-program-history.aspx "Lehigh's Epic Overtime Victory Captures the Patriot League Title and Secures First NCAA Tournament Berth in Program History," Lehigh University Athletics, Saturday, November 5, 2022.] Retrieved November 15, 2022.</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Football===
;League champions:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1986 – [[1986 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 1987 – [[1987 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 1988 – [[1988 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]]
* 1989 – [[1989 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 1990 – [[1990 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 1991 – [[1991 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 1992 – [[1992 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]]
* 1993 – [[1993 Lehigh Engineers football team|Lehigh]]
* 1994 – [[1994 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]]
* 1995 – [[1993 Lehigh Engineers football team|Lehigh]]
* 1996 – [[1996 Bucknell Bison football team|Bucknell]]
* 1997 – [[1997 Colgate Red Raiders football team|Colgate]]
* 1998 – [[1998 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 1999 – [[1999 Colgate Red Raiders football team|Colgate]] and [[1999 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2000 – [[2000 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2001 – [[2001 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2002 – [[2002 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]] and [[2002 Fordham Rams football team|Fordham]]
* 2003 – [[2003 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]]
* 2004 – [[2004 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]] and [[2004 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2005 – [[2005 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]] and [[2005 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]]
* 2006 – [[2006 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]] and [[2006 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2007 – [[2007 Fordham Rams football team|Fordham]]
* 2008 – [[2008 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]]
* 2009 – [[2009 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 2010 – [[2010 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2011 – [[2011 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2012 – [[2012 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]]
* 2013 – [[2013 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]]
* 2014 – [[2014 Fordham Rams football team|Fordham]]
* 2015 – [[2015 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]]
* 2016 – [[2016 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2017 – [[2017 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]] and [[2017 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team|Lehigh]]
* 2018 – [[2018 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]]
* 2019 – [[2019 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 2020 – [[2020 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 2021 – [[2021 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 2022 – [[2022 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
* 2023 – [[2023 Lafayette Leopards football team|Lafayette]] and [[2023 Holy Cross Crusaders football team|Holy Cross]]
{{div col end}}

[[File:FU-USNA2016.jpg|thumb|340px|Fordham vs. Navy at [[Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium]], 2016]]
The Patriot League prohibited athletic scholarships for football from its founding (as the Colonial League) until the league presidents voted to approve football scholarships starting with the 2013 recruiting class. Since then, each school has been allowed no more than the equivalent of 15 scholarships to incoming football players in any given season. With the transition to scholarship football having been completed in 2016, each school is now allowed a maximum of 60 scholarship equivalents per season, three short of the NCAA FCS maximum. However, Georgetown does not offer scholarships.

Until 1997, Patriot League teams did not participate in the [[NCAA Division I Football Championship]] playoffs. This practice was in step with the [[Ivy League]]'s policy of not participating in the playoffs, since the Patriot League was founded with the Ivy League's athletics philosophy. Since 1997, the league champion receives an automatic playoff berth. If there are co-champions, a tie-breaker determines the playoff participant, though the other co-champion is eligible to be selected with an at-large invitation.

[[1997 Colgate Red Raiders football team|Colgate]] was the first team to receive the league's automatic berth, in 1997. The following year, Lehigh won the league's first playoff game. This was also the first year in which a Patriot League team, [[1998 Colgate Red Raiders football team|Colgate]], received a playoff invitation without being a league co-champion. Fordham has since repeated that feat in 2013, 2015 and 2022.

Because the Georgetown Hoyas opted out of the [[2020-21 NCAA Division I FCS football season]] due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the Patriot League split into a north and south division for the first time. This led to the first ever [[2020 Patriot League Football Championship Game|Patriot League Football Championship Game]]

===Lacrosse===
;Men's league champions:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1991 – [[Army Black Knights men's lacrosse|Army]]
* 1992 – Army
* 1993 – Army
* 1994 – Army
* 1995 – Army
* 1996 – [[Bucknell Bison men's lacrosse|Bucknell]]
* 1997 – Army
* 1998 – Army
* 1999 – Army and [[Lehigh Mountain Hawks men's lacrosse|Lehigh]]
* 2000 – [[Hobart Statesmen men's lacrosse|Hobart]] and Lehigh
* 2001 – Bucknell
* 2002 – Army, Bucknell and Hobart
* 2003 – Army and Bucknell
* 2004 – [[Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse|Navy]]
* 2005 – Navy
* 2006 – Navy
* 2007 – Navy
* 2008 – [[Colgate Raiders men's lacrosse|Colgate]]
* 2009 – Navy
* 2010 – Army
* 2011 – Bucknell
* 2012 – Lehigh
* 2013 – Lehigh
* 2014 – [[Loyola Greyhounds men's lacrosse|Loyola]]
* 2015 – Colgate
* 2016 – Loyola
* 2017 – Loyola
* 2018 – Loyola
* 2019 – Army<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=277 2019 Men's Lacrosse Championship &ndash; Patriot League.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2020 - ([[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]])<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=292 2020 Men's Lacrosse Championship &ndash; Patriot League.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2021 - Lehigh<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=317 2021 Men's Lacrosse Championship &ndash; Patriot League.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2022 - Boston
* 2023 - Army<ref>{{cite web |title=2023 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Championship |url=https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=377 |website=patriotleague.org |access-date=5 May 2024}}</ref>
* 2024 - Lehigh<ref>{{cite web |title=No. 2 Lehigh Downs No. 4 Boston University to Win 2024 Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Championship (5.5.24) |url=https://patriotleague.org/news/2024/5/5/no-2-lehigh-downs-no-4-boston-university-to-win-2024-patriot-league-mens-lacrosse-championship-5-5-24.aspx |website=patriotleague.org |date=5 May 2024 |access-date=5 May 2024}}</ref>
{{div col end}}
{{As of|2023}}, the [[Army Black Knights men's lacrosse]] team has thirteen conference championships, the most of any school in the conference. Prior to the 2004 season, no conference tournament was held to determine a single winner.<ref>{{cite news |title=2021 Men's Lacrosse Record Book |url=https://patriotleague.org/documents/2020/8/20/2021_Men_s_Lacrosse_Record_Book.pdf |access-date=5 October 2021 |publisher=Patriot League |date=2021 |language=en}}</ref>

;Women's league champions:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1991 – Lafayette
* 1992 – Lafayette
* 1993 – Lafayette
* 1994 – Lehigh
* 1995 – Lafayette
* 1996 – Lafayette
* 1997 – Lafayette
* 1998 – Lafayette
* 1999 – Colgate
* 2000 – Lafayette
* 2001 – Lafayette
* 2002 – Lafayette
* 2003 – American
* 2004 – Colgate
* 2005 – Colgate
* 2006 – Holy Cross
* 2007 – Holy Cross
* 2008 – Colgate
* 2009 – Colgate
* 2010 – Navy
* 2011 – Navy
* 2012 – Navy
* 2013 – Navy
* 2014 – Loyola
* 2015 – Loyola
* 2016 – Loyola
* 2017 – Navy
* 2018 – Navy
* 2019 – Loyola<ref>[https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2019/5/4/no-11-womens-lacrosse-downs-navy-to-win-patriot-league-title-in-record-breaking-fashion.aspx "No. 11 Women's Lacrosse Downs Navy To Win Patriot League Title In Record-Breaking Fashion," Loyola University Maryland Athletics, Saturday, May 4, 2019.] Retrieved November 15, 2022.</ref>
* 2020 - ([[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]])
* 2021 - Loyola<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=310 2021 Women's Lacrosse Championship &ndash; Patriot League.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2022 - Loyola<ref>[https://loyolagreyhounds.com/news/2022/5/7/womens-lacrosse-no-7-womens-lax-earns-sixth-patriot-league-title-with-15-8-win-over-navy.aspx "No. 7 Women's Lax Earns Sixth Patriot League Title WIth 15&ndash;8 Win Over Navy," Loyola University Maryland Athletics, Saturday, May 7, 2022.] Retrieved November 15, 2022.</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Soccer===
;Men's tournament champion, runner-up, and MVP
:''See: [[Patriot League Men's Soccer Tournament]]''

;Women's league champions:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* 1990 - Colgate
* 1991 – Colgate
* 1992 – Colgate
* 1993 – Army
* 1994 – Colgate
* 1995 – Colgate
* 1996 – Colgate
* 1997 – Colgate
* 1998 – Colgate
* 1999 – Colgate
* 2000 – Holy Cross
* 2001 – Bucknell
* 2002 – American
* 2003 – Navy
* 2004 – Colgate
* 2005 – Bucknell
* 2006 – Navy
* 2007 – Navy
* 2008 – Army
* 2009 – Colgate
* 2010 – Lehigh
* 2011 – Army
* 2012 – Colgate
* 2013 – Boston
* 2014 – Boston
* 2015 – Boston
* 2016 – Bucknell
* 2017 – Bucknell
* 2018 – Boston
* 2019 – Navy
* 2020&ndash;21 - Navy
* 2021 - Bucknell<ref>[https://patriotleague.org/tournaments/?id=338 2021 Women's Soccer Championship &ndash; Patriot League.] Retrieved February 1, 2022.</ref>
* 2022 - Bucknell
{{div col end}}

==Facilities==
Future members in gray.
{|class="wikitable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|border=2|team=Patriot League | School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity | Baseball stadium | Capacity | Soccer venue | Capacity }}
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|American Eagles |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[American Eagles|{{color|white|'''American'''}}]]
|colspan="2" align=center| ''Non-football school''
|[[Bender Arena]]
|3,044
|colspan="2" align=center| ''Non-baseball school''
|[[Reeves Field (American University)|Reeves Field]]
|700
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Army Black Knights |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Army Black Knights|{{color|white|'''Army'''}}]]
|colspan="1" align=center| ''Plays football in the [[American Athletic Conference]].<br />Army's home football games are at [[Michie Stadium]]''
|38,000
|[[Christl Arena]]
|5,043
|[[Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field]]
|880
|[[Clinton Field (United States Military Academy)|Clinton Field]]
|2,000
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Boston University Terriers |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Boston University Terriers|{{color|white|'''Boston University'''}}]]
|colspan="2" align=center| ''Non-football school''
|[[Agganis Arena]]<br />[[Case Gym]]
|7,200<br />1,800
|colspan="2" align=center| ''Non-baseball school''
|[[Nickerson Field]]
|10,412
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Bucknell Bison |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Bucknell Bison|{{color|white|'''Bucknell'''}}]]
|[[Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium]]
|13,100
|[[Sojka Pavilion]]
|4,000
|[[Eugene B. Depew Field]]
|500
|[[Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium]]
|1,250
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Colgate Raiders |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Colgate Raiders|{{color|white|'''Colgate'''}}]]
|[[Crown Field at Andy Kerr Stadium]]
|10,221
|[[Cotterell Court]]
|3,000
|colspan="2" align=center| ''Non-baseball school''
|[[Beyer-Small '76 Field]]
|2,000
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Fordham Rams |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Fordham Rams|{{color|white|'''Fordham'''}}]]
|[[Coffey Field]]
|7,000
|colspan="6" align=center| ''Football-only member''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Georgetown Hoyas |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Georgetown Hoyas|{{color|white|'''Georgetown'''}}]]
|[[Cooper Field]]
|3,750
|colspan="6" align=center| ''Football (and women's rowing)-only member''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Holy Cross Crusaders |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Holy Cross Crusaders|{{color|white|'''Holy Cross'''}}]]
|[[Fitton Field]]
|23,500
|[[Hart Center]]
|3,600
|[[Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field]]
|3,000
|[[Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium]]
|1,320
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Lafayette Leopards |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Lafayette Leopards|{{color|white|'''Lafayette'''}}]]
|[[Fisher Stadium]]
|13,132
|[[Kirby Sports Center]]
|2,644
|[[Kamine Stadium]]
|500
|[[Oaks Stadium]]
|1,000
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Lehigh Mountain Hawks |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Lehigh Mountain Hawks|{{color|white|'''Lehigh'''}}]]
|[[Goodman Stadium]]
|16,000
|[[Stabler Arena]]
|5,600
|[[J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park]]
|370
|[[Ulrich Sports Complex]]
|2,400
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Loyola Greyhounds |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Loyola Greyhounds|{{color|white|'''Loyola'''}}]]
|colspan="2" align=center| ''Non-football school''
|[[Reitz Arena]]
|2,100
|colspan="2" align=center| ''Non-baseball school''
|[[Ridley Athletic Complex]]
|6,000
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Navy Midshipmen |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Navy Midshipmen|{{color|white|'''Navy'''}}]]
|colspan="1" align=center|''Plays football in the [[American Athletic Conference]].<br />Navy's home football games are at [[Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium]]''
|34,000
|[[Alumni Hall (Navy)|Alumni Hall]]
|5,710
|[[Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium|Max Bishop Stadium]]
|1,500
|[[Glenn Warner Soccer Facility]]
|2,500
|-bgcolor=lightgray
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Richmond Spiders |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[Richmond Spiders|{{color|white|'''Richmond'''}}]]
|[[E. Claiborne Robins Stadium]]
|8,700
|colspan="6" align=center| ''Football-only member''
|-bgcolor=lightgray
| style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|William & Mary Tribe |color=#FFFFFF}}"| [[William & Mary Tribe|{{color|white|'''William & Mary'''}}]]
|[[Walter J. Zable Stadium]]
|12,259
|colspan="6" align=center| ''Football-only member''
|}

==Literature==
The Patriot League was profiled in the [[John Feinstein]] book ''[[The Last Amateurs]]'' (2000). The title is derived from the belief that the Patriot League was the last Division I basketball league that plays a conference tournament (the Ivy League, which operates under the same model, albeit with no scholarships, did not hold a conference tournament until the 2016&ndash;17 season) and functions as a place for student-athletes rather than a ''de facto'' minor professional circuit with players not representative of their student bodies. The book is Feinstein's chronicle of all seven of the league's men's basketball teams at the time during the 1999&ndash;2000 season.<ref name="lastamateurs"/>

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{commons cat}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Patriot League navbox}}
{{NCAA Division I all-sports conferences}}
{{NCAA Division I FCS conference navbox}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Patriot League| ]]
[[Category:Northeastern United States]]
[[Category:Sports in the Eastern United States]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1986]]
[[Category:1986 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Articles which contain graphical timelines]]