The North Atlantic Conference has approved the addition of two schools starting with the 2008-09 school year.

Green Mountain College and Lyndon State College, both of which are located in Vermont, were recently unanimously approved for membership by the NAC Presidents’ Council and Council of Athletic Directors.

The NAC, an NCAA Division III league, presently includes 11 institutions, including Husson College in Bangor, Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, the University of Maine-Farmington, and Thomas College in Waterville.

“I am delighted the NAC has added both Green Mountain and Lyndon State to our league for the 2008-09 season and beyond,” said Dave Wolk, the president of Castleton State College in Vermont and chairman of the NAC Presidents’ Council.

The new members will give the conference four schools in Maine, five in Massachusetts, and four in Vermont.

Both Lyndon State and Green Mountain sponsor men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s tennis, softball, and volleyball.

Lyndon also fields baseball and women’s tennis teams, while Green Mountain will compete in golf.

The arrival of Lyndon is key for NAC baseball, which will be down to six teams next spring with the departure of Saint Joseph’s College in Standish. The Spartans will give the NAC seven teams and enable the league to retain its automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division III Tournament.

While Green Mountain will be a full NCAA Division III member starting in the fall, Lyndon State has just completed its first year of provisional status. LSC will apply for an NCAA waiver that would shorten the process from four years to two.

If the waiver is approved, Lyndon will gain Division III status in 2008. In the meantime, the school will be eligible for NAC championships but cannot represent the conference in NCAA postseason play.

The NAC, founded in 1999, one year ago voted to lift its moratorium on league membership. That opened the door for Green Mountain and Lyndon State.

Saint Joseph’s hall to induct six

Basketball standout Sharon [Rines] Tracy of Hermon is among six people who have been selected for induction into the Saint Joseph’s College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Rines (Class of 1994) will be honored along with baseball stars Doug Mayo (1996) and David Quintal (2000), basketball talent John Wassenbergh (1996), softball player Kellee Murphy Kirkelis, and volleyball player Karen Heslin Nolan (1998).

The induction ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 15 on the Standish campus as part of Saint Joseph’s Homecoming Weekend activities.

Tickets and information can be obtained by calling the alumni office at 207-893-7890.