In college athletics, it’s not unusual anymore for membership changes and new teams in a conference.  Capital Athletic Conference golf takes that concept a little further – there are more new teams/members in 2014 than there are returning teams.

Three teams have been in the chase for the title since the CAC added men’s golf as a championship sport in 2007-08 – Marymount, Wesley and York.  Christopher Newport and Penn State Harrisburg, which both sponsor varsity men’s golf, were added as full members to the conference this year.  Also this year, the CAC grew with the addition of New Jersey City and William Paterson as associate members, giving the conference seven men’s golf teams for the first time.

The competition for team and individual awards at the 2014 CAC Championship should be keen.  York is the defending champion, its second crown in the six-year history of the championship sport, and Wesley has won a conference-best three team championships.  Christopher Newport and Penn State Harrisburg were annual championship contenders in their previous conferences.  Marymount, New Jersey City and William Paterson hope to upset the balance of power, both in the chase for medalist honors and in the team standings.

All seven teams played in multiple events during the fall season.  Marymount (sixth place) and Wesley (seventh place) opened the spring season Feb. 24 with at the Pine Needles Intercollegiate in North Carolina, and CNU placed 10^th in the Callaway Gardens Invitational at Pine Mountain, Ga., on March 1-2.  CNU and MU get back into action in tournaments this weekend, leading most of the other teams into tournaments the following week.

Each team will focus on the 2014 CAC Championship, which will be played April 18-19 at Dauphin Highlands G.C. in Harrisburg, Pa.

Here is a quick look at each team heading into the 2014 spring season:

After back-to-back NCAA National Championship appearances, the CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT golf team took a step back in 2013, sending just one player to the national tournament. This season, the Captains look to get back to the big tournament after a successful season in their new home, the Capital Athletic Conference. CNU finished second in the conference tournament in 2013 and graduated just one senior from the squad. Leading the way in 2014 will be senior Jon Howard, who carries a 76.4 stroke average through 70 career rounds. The fourth-year player appeared in both NCAA Championship Tournaments and, this fall, matched his career-best score with a two-over par performance at the George Mason Patriot Intercollegiate. Head coach Jamie Coleman has coached three All-Americans in the last three seasons.

MARYMOUNT returns to action this spring with an eye on a run at its first CAC Championship.  Back for the Saints are a pair of All-CAC performers in juniors Mark Curtis and Brad Johnson.  Curtis earned second team accolades as a freshman in 2012 while Johnson garnered second team honors as a sophomore last year.  In the fall, Johnson carded a 76.8 stroke average and posted a pair of top-10 finishes through five tournaments.

NEW JERSEY CITY enters the CAC this season as an associate member in men’s golf.  The Pioneers, members of the NJAC for all other sports, have been competing as an independent since the program began four seasons ago.  Junior Frank Rivera and sophomore Patrick Cardoso were among the team leaders for the Gothic Knights during the fall season.

PENN STATE HARRISBURG enters the new year with hopes of continuing the results of their fall season. They recorded three top ten finishes in invitational play this fall and will try to add to that number. Leading the way for the Blue and White is senior Jason Long who finished fifth at two invitationals in the fall. The freshman standout for Penn State Harrisburg, Tyler Shank, has added a tremendous amount of value to the team with his consistent play, placing him 16th place in the prestigious Tom Kinder Memorial Tournament and a share of 17th place at the Muhlenburg Invitational.

WESLEY enters the season trying to improve on last year’s second-place finish in the CAC Championships.  The three-time CAC champion Wolverines will be led by Dylan Chessher, who posted a two-over-par 74 in the second round of the team’s first event of the season – the Pine Needles Intercollegiate.

WILLIAM PATERSON enters the CAC this season as an associate member in men’s golf.  The Pioneers, members of the NJAC for all other sports, have been competing as an independent since the program began four seasons ago.  Sophomore James Nuzzo was the team’s top scorer in two tournaments during the fall non-traditional season, including a two-over-par 74 at the Moravian Tournament that tied for first place.

YORK is the defending CAC champion, and led by reigning Coach of the Year Matt Hunter.  The Spartans won or tied for the championship in four tournaments and added a second place finish and a third place finish in seven tournaments during the fall season.  All five of YCP’s All-CAC golfers return for the 2014 season, including Kevin Long, Travis Oot, David Boslough, Tyler Keim and Ryan Wolbach.