William & Mary is leaving the Colonial Athletic Association's football roster to join the Patriot League as an associate member beginning in the 2026 season, the school announced Friday. The Tribe will remain members of the CAA in all sports but football and gymnastics.
The Tribe have been generally competitive as CAA football members, going 4-4 in three of the last four seasons with a 7-1 CAA record and a co-conference championship in 2022. The CAA had grown to 16 football-playing institutions, stretching from Buies Creek, N.C., to Orono, Maine. That number has already dropped to 14, with Delaware joining Conference USA and Richmond joining the Patriot League.
William & Mary will be the ninth football-playing school in the Patriot League. Tribe AD Brian Mann cited re-uniting with Richmond was a factor in switching leagues.
"Moving football to the Patriot League is a strategic decision that will align our program with other schools that play competitive football in a strong FCS conference with student-athletes who achieve at the highest level," said Mann. "Joining a conference with Richmond, with whom we have a football rivalry encompassing 135 games, is another tremendous benefit. We can look forward to closing each football season with Richmond in the battle for the Capital Cup in front of cheering alumni, friends, and fans."
"Our commitment to excellence on the field will not change," added W&M head coach Mike London. "We're stepping into a new chapter with the same intensity, preparation, and hunger to win. Our full focus will be on competing for the CAA Football Championship in 2025, and we will look forward to the new challenges our move to the Patriot League will bring in 2026 and beyond."
In his statement, CAA commissioner Joe D'Antonio said he was not informed of William & Mary's impending departure until Friday.
“Today, I was informed of William & Mary’s decision to depart the CAA Football conference at the conclusion of the 2025 season," he said. "The CAA continues to be regarded as one of the premier conferences in FCS football, having sent at least three teams to the playoffs in 17 of the past 19 years. Ten times over the past 12 seasons, at least one CAA team has advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs, and even more impressively, seven different conference schools have reached the semifinals over that 12-year period. CAA Football remains committed to competing at the highest level and continuing its long-standing history of success. CAA Football will continue to make decisions that move the conference forward by creating both a competitive and sustainable model.”
In dropping to 13 members, the CAA will be down to one school from Virginia (Hampton) along with three in North Carolina (Campbell, Elon, and North Carolina A&T).