Already known as one of the toughest Division I-AA college football leagues in the country, the Yankee Conference officially got tougher – and bigger – Friday.

Perennial I-AA powers James Madison University of Harrisonburg, Va., and the College of William & Mary of Williamsburg, Va., along with Northeastern University of Boston, have been formally admitted to the Yankee Conference, announced league commissioner David Nelson.

“These three institutions are outstanding additions to the Yankee Conference,” said Nelson, announcing the expansion after formal acceptance of the schools was made by the presidents of the conference at their meeting in New York City Friday. “Each of these colleges have storied football traditions, and have been strong non-league rivals to many of our existing colleges.”

The three additions swell the 44-year-old conference’s membership to 12 schools. The newcomers will be eligible for the league title beginning with the 1993 season.

With the expansion, the Yankee Conference will be divided into two 6-team divisions – the New England Division and the Mid-Atlantic Division.

Maine, Boston University, Connecticut, UMass, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island comprise the New England Division. Delaware, James Madison, Northeastern, Richmond, Villanova, and William & Mary will be in the Mid-Atlantic Division.

Member athletic directors have proposed each team play a 9-game conference schedule beginning in 1993. How those games will break down has yet to be determined. Ideally, each team will play the five other teams in its own division and four from the other division.

As for how the expansion will affect the YC’s automatic NCAA playoff bid, there is long-range hope the expanded conference will earn two bids, according to Eric McDowell, the conference’s information officer. Failing two bids, it has yet to be determined if there will be a playoff between the two division champions for the single berth.

“There are still some areas to be ironed out,” McDowell said, adding the new members should significantly strengthen the conference.

Last year, William & Mary went 10-3 and advanced to the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals, losing to Central Florida. The Indians are coached by Jimmye Laycock. James Madison went 5-6 last fall. The Dukes have a new coach coming in in William “Rip” Scherer. Northeastern was 1-10 last year and has a new coach in former Boston College assistant Barry Gallup.

Maine, UMass, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are charter members of the Yankee Conference, which began competition in 1947. Charter member Vermont dropped football following the 1974 season. The first expansion of the YanCon saw Boston University and Holy Cross accepted for the 1973 season. Holy Cross withdrew prior to competing.

Further expansion came in 1984 when Delaware and Richmond entered the league, becoming eligible for the title in 1986. Villanova joined in 1985 and became eligible in 1988.

In 1978, the Yankee Conference became one of the first leagues to receive an automatic bid to the newly-created I-AA playoffs.