Starting on Jan. 29, 2025, the Red Foxes will no longer be representing Marist College; instead, they will be playing for Marist University.
In a press release posted on Wednesday morning, Marist announced that the New York State Board of Regents has approved the name change from college to university, which will go into effect in the spring semester.
Founded in 1929, the school did not take on the name of “Marist College” until 1958. Switching to Marist University is yet another step in the “Marist 100 2023-2030 Strategic Plan,” which will carry Marist through its centennial year.
“Marist University better describes the breadth of opportunities we offer to students today and the vision we have for Marist’s next century,” said Marist’s President, Kevin C. Weinman in the release.
The decision to change the name, unanimously voted upon by the Board of Trustees, aims to further market Marist globally. Thanks in part to highly regarded study abroad programs, Marist has grown internationally, and in the athletic department roster over 30 international student-athletes across their 23 Division I teams.
The name change will not directly affect Marist’s appearance when they are in action; they will still be known as the Marist Red Foxes. But, the switch to Marist University may have an impact on the athletic department in the future.
“We anticipate that becoming Marist University will positively impact our recruiting efforts by strengthening our brand and appeal to students, enhancing our ability to recruit student-athletes both internationally and domestically,” said Director of Athletics, Tim Murray.
Nearly every other MAAC competitor, aside from Siena College and Merrimack College, is a university. Marist hopes that changing to a university will help them stay competitive in recruiting, especially for international athletes.
“In many countries, the term ‘college’ is associated with high school, leading to confusion among international recruits,” Murray added. “This change should be very helpful in attracting top athletic talent to Marist.”
Edited by Dan Aulbach
Photo via Marist Athletics
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