Apr 27, 2013 04:13 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) will become the country's largest wrestling conference when Binghamton University, Boston University, Drexel University and Hofstra University join the association starting next season. The additions will bring its total membership to 18.

These four universities are currently part of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference.

Among these universities, Boston's membership at EIWA is considered to be temporary as the university officials have decided to eliminate its wresting program after next season.

Other prominent athletic conferences such as Big Ten will comprise of 14 members in 2014-15 and Mid-American Conference will have nine wrestling programs, including Missouri, University of Northern Iowa and Old Dominion.

Currently, the EIWA members consist of:

-        Six Ivy League members - Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and Penn;

-        Five Patriot League schools - American, Bucknell, Lehigh, the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, and the U.S. Naval Academy;

-        Big East member Rutgers, the Northeastern Conference's Sacred Heart University and the Centennial Conference's Franklin & Marshall. 

Next year, Rutgers and State University of New Jersey will be leaving the EIWA to join as the newest members of Big Ten.

 The 2014 EIWA Championship will be hosted by Penn.

The EIWA qualifying tournament leads to 45 automatic individual qualifiers for the NCAA Championships, which is considered to be the second-most privileged conference, only behind Big Ten.

 Since its inception, the EIWA has produced 88 individual NCAA champions.

"We are very excited about joining the EIWA," Athletics Director Dr. Eric Zillmer said. "Our academic profile and our ambitions in Division I wrestling match those that are currently members in the EIWA. By joining the EIWA, we believe that the best is yet to come for Drexel wrestling."

Head wrestling coach Matt Azevedo said that EIWA had been in existence for more than 100 years and boasted some of the leading institutions in the country.

Drexel is joining the EIWA after being as a member for CAA for 12 years. During their tenure at CAA, the Dragons have won five CAA championships. Last season, the team won eight dual matches.

The college's wrestling program will embark on its third season under Azevedo in 2013-14.

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