The Colonial Athletic Association will expand to 10 teams in 2001-02 with the addition of four schools from the America East Conference.

Joining the league will be the University of Delaware, Hofstra University of Hempstead, N.Y., Drexel University of Philadelphia and Towson University near Baltimore.

Three schools, American, East Carolina and Richmond, left the former nine-team CAA at the close of the 2000-01 season for the Patriot League, Conference USA and Atlantic 10, respectively.

The four newcomers will compete in the America East this fall in field hockey and men's and women's soccer. Beginning with the winter sports, including the 2001-02 basketball season, however, they will compete as full CAA members, playing full conference schedules. Each of the schools has made at least one appearance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament since 1990, led by Delaware's four bids.

With the arrival of the new schools, the CAA will add championships in men's lacrosse and softball in spring 2002, bringing the total number of sports sponsored by the conference to 20.