ROCHESTER, N.Y. — As D3football.com originally reported in mid-August, the Empire 8 Athletic Conference will add Springfield and Norwich as affiliate members in the sport of football, effective July 1, 2004.

The conference made its announcement Tuesday, Oct. 8. "We are pleased to welcome Norwich and Springfield to our football conference," said Chuck Mitrano, Empire 8 Commissioner. "They are committed to academics and quality competition for their student-athletes, both pillars of the Empire 8. We feel this will have a positive impact on our football conference as a whole."

Norwich and Springfield both join the Empire 8 from the Freedom Football Conference. Springfield has been a member of the FFC since 1995, winning three championships, including a school-record 11-win season in 2000 that propelled the Pride into the NCAA quarterfinals, where they were routed by Widener.

"We're excited to have an opportunity to join in the Empire 8," Springfield AD Cathie Schweitzer said. "We feel that it's a great move for our program."

Norwich has been a member of the FFC since the conference's inception season of 1992. Last year the Cadets compiled a 7-3 record, their best since 1984.

"Norwich University is excited about its affiliate football membership in the Empire 8," said Norwich AD Tony Mariano. "We look forward to building relationships with the quality schools in the conference and feel we will benefit by those associations in the Empire 8."

The addition of Norwich and Springfield will merit an NCAA tournament automatic bid in the sport of football effective in 2004. Currently, five Empire 8 schools sponsor football: Alfred, Hartwick Ithaca, St. John Fisher and Utica. The Empire needed two more for a AQ under the current NCAA championships format.