Editing Northeast Conference (section)

==History==
{{Location map+  
| USA Midwest and Northeast
| width=600 
| caption=NEC Member locations<br />[[File:Blue pog.svg|10px]] – Full member<br>[[File:Red pog.svg|10px]] – Departing Full member<br>[[File:Green pog.svg|10px]] – Future Full member
| places=
<!-- Full members -->
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Long Island University|LIU]] | position=right |mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Long Island University| lat= 40.819208 | long=-73.594671 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Le Moyne College|Le Moyne]] | position=top | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Le Moyne College | lat= 43.048098 | long=-76.086441 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Wagner College|Wagner]] | position=bottom | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Wagner College | lat= 40.614875 | long=-74.094658 }}
{{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Fairleigh Dickinson University|FDU]] | position=left | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Fairleigh Dickinson University| lat= 40.897377 | long=-74.029535 }} 
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Central Connecticut State University|CCSU]] | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Central Connecticut State University| lat= 41.691864 | long=-72.767445 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Saint Francis University|Saint Francis]] | position=right | mark=Red pog.svg | link=Saint Francis University | lat=40.503947 | long=-78.637889 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Stonehill College|Stonehill]] | position=left | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Stonehill College| lat= 42.057 | long=-71.08 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Chicago State University|Chicago State]] | position=left | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Chicago State University| lat= 41.7180 | long=-87.6094 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[Mercyhurst University|Mercyhurst]] | position=right | mark=Blue pog.svg | link=Mercyhurst University| lat= 42.1033 | long=-80.0531 }}
   {{Location map~ | USA Midwest and Northeast | label=[[University of New Haven|New Haven]] | position=left | mark=Green pog.svg | link=University of New Haven| lat= 41.2919 | long=-72.9622 }}

}}

The conference was named the [[Eastern College Athletic Conference|ECAC]] Metro Conference when it was established in 1981. The original eleven member schools were [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]], the [[LIU Brooklyn|Brooklyn campus]] of [[Long Island University]] (whose athletic program has now merged with that of [[LIU Post|LIU's Post campus]] into a single athletic program), [[Loyola University Maryland|Loyola College in Maryland]] (left in 1989), [[Marist College]] (left in 1997), [[Robert Morris University]] (left in 2020), [[St. Francis College|St. Francis College (NY)]] (left in 2023), [[Saint Francis University|Saint Francis College (PA)]] (leaving in 2026), [[Siena College]] (left in 1984), [[Towson University|Towson State University]] (left in 1982), the [[University of Baltimore]] (left in 1983) and [[Wagner College]].<ref>[http://www.northeastconference.org/Pdfs/mbball/2011/3/3/30th_Anniversary_Article.pdf Ventre, Ralph. "Back to the Beginning: NEC Celebrates 30 Years," Northeast Conference, Thursday, March 3, 2011.]</ref>

The conference's name was changed to its present form on August 1, 1988.<ref>[http://www.northeastconference.org/documents/2010/11/19/NEC_namechange_release.pdf Official press release issued Tuesday, August 2, 1988] (Announcement of name change from ECAC-Metro Conference to Northeast Conference).</ref> Other names considered were Big North, Great North, North Shore, Northern, Northeastern, Eastern and Eastern Private Intercollegiate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.northeastconference.org/documents/2012/11/16/MBB_RecordBook_1213.pdf|title=Northeast Conference - 2012-13 NEC Men's Basketball Record Book|website=www.northeastconference.org|access-date=August 8, 2019}}</ref>

The Northeast Conference has admitted new members ten times since 1981. The expansions and additions from the original charter members were: in 1985 ([[Monmouth University]], which left in 2013), in 1989 ([[Mount St. Mary's University]], which left in 2022), in 1992 ([[Rider University]], which left in 1997), in 1997 ([[Central Connecticut State University]]), in 1998 ([[Quinnipiac University]] which left in 2013, and the [[University of Maryland, Baltimore County]] which left in 2003), in 1999 ([[Sacred Heart University]], which left in 2024), in 2008 ([[Bryant University]], which also left in 2022), in 2019 ([[Merrimack College]], which also left in 2024), in 2022 ([[Stonehill College]]), in 2023 ([[Le Moyne College]]), and in 2024 ([[Chicago State University]] and [[Mercyhurst University]]). The Northeast Conference's full membership was its largest at 12 in 2008 with the addition of Bryant University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bryantbulldogs.com/news/2007-08/2007Oct18NortheastConferenceInvite|title=BRYANT UNIVERSITY ACCEPTS INVITATION TO JOIN NORTHEAST CONFERENCE|work=Bryant University Bulldogs |date=18 October 2007}}</ref> It then dropped to 10 in 2013 with the departure of Monmouth and Quinnipiac for the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]] (MAAC), returned to 11 with the 2019 addition of Merrimack, and again dropped to 10 in 2020 with the departure of Robert Morris for the [[Horizon League]].  The conference dropped to 9 members in 2022 with the departure of Bryant and Mount St. Mary's, respectively for the [[America East Conference]] and the MAAC, plus the addition of Stonehill. On March 20, 2023, St. Francis Brooklyn announced that all intercollegiate sports would be dropped effective at the end of the 2022-23 season, dropping the NEC down to 8 full members. This was followed on May 10, 2023 by the announcement that [[Le Moyne College]] would begin a transition from Division II and join the NEC on July 1.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/5/9/GEN_LeMoyne_Membership_Announcement_22.aspx |title=Le Moyne College Accepts Invitation to Join Northeast Conference |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=May 10, 2023 |access-date=May 10, 2023}}</ref>

Additional changes were announced in 2018 and took effect with the 2019–20 school year. First, on September 10, the NEC announced it would add Merrimack.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://northeastconference.org/news/2018/9/7/GEN_Merrimack_Joins_NEC_18.aspx|title=Northeast Conference - Merrimack College Accepts Invitation to Join Northeast Conference|website=northeastconference.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-10}}</ref> Then, on October 3, Long Island University announced that it would combine its two existing athletic programs—NEC member LIU Brooklyn and the [[NCAA Division II|Division II]] program at [[LIU Post]]—into a single Division I program under the LIU name. The new LIU program, nicknamed [[LIU Sharks|Sharks]],<ref name="LIU Sharks">{{cite press release|url=https://headlines.liu.edu/?p=2700 |title=Welcome to the Shark Tank: Long Island University Chooses the Shark as New Mascot |publisher=Long Island University |date=May 15, 2019 |access-date=May 16, 2019}}</ref> maintains LIU Brooklyn's previous memberships in Division I and the NEC.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://liuathletics.com/news/2018/10/3/general-long-island-university-announces-unification-into-one-liu-division-i-program.aspx |title=Long Island University Announces Unification Into One LIU Division I Program |publisher=LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds |date=October 3, 2018 |access-date=October 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012135033/https://liuathletics.com/news/2018/10/3/general-long-island-university-announces-unification-into-one-liu-division-i-program.aspx |archive-date=October 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another recent change took place on July 1, 2020, when charter member Robert Morris left to join the Horizon League. The next changes in membership were on July 1, 2022, with Bryant leaving for the America East Conference,<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://americaeast.com/news/2022/3/29/general-bryant-university-to-join-america-east-conference-as-newest-member-institution.aspx |title=Bryant University to Join America East Conference as Newest Member Institution |publisher=America East Conference |date=March 29, 2022 |accessdate=March 30, 2022}}</ref> Mount St. Mary's leaving for the MAAC,<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://maacsports.com/news/2022/4/28/general-maac-welcomes-mount-st-marys-university-as-newest-member-institution.aspx |title=MAAC Welcomes Mount St. Mary's University as Newest Member Institution |publisher=Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |date=May 2, 2022 |access-date=May 2, 2022}}</ref> and Stonehill arriving from [[NCAA Division II]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.stonehillskyhawks.com/general/2021-22/releases/202204050vpc3g|title=Stonehill Announces Transition to NCAA Division I for 2022-23 Academic Year |publisher=Stonehill Skyhawks |date=April 5, 2022 |access-date=April 5, 2022}}</ref>

The Northeast Conference has a total of 9 full members in 24 championship sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's bowling, men's and women's cross country, women's field hockey, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's indoor track & field, women's lacrosse, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's volleyball.

Men's lacrosse became the league's 23rd sport for the 2011 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northeastconference.org/Sports/general/2004/gen_aboutnec.asp?nl=1|title=Northeast Conference - We Are The Northeast Conference}}</ref> The number of sports dropped to 22 after the 2012–13 school year, when the conference dropped field hockey. The departure of Monmouth and Quinnipiac to become all-sports members of the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]] (MAAC) in July 2013 gave the MAAC four full members that sponsored the sport; the other two were NEC single-sport affiliates Rider and Siena. The MAAC then decided to add field hockey as a sponsored sport for the 2013 season,<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.maacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=91825&SPID=11031&DB_LANG=C&CONTENT_ID=%23temp_CONTENT_ID&DB_OEM_ID=17400&ATCLID=207316664 |title=MAAC to Add Field Hockey |publisher=Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |date=April 19, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2013}}</ref> and all of the NEC's remaining field hockey programs eventually joined the MAAC except for Saint Francis (PA), which joined the [[Atlantic 10 Conference]]. The NEC reinstated field hockey as a sponsored sport for the 2019 season with seven members—full members Bryant, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, and Wagner, plus associate members Fairfield and Rider.<ref name="FH return">{{cite press release|url=http://northeastconference.org/news/2018/9/6/northeast-conference-re-establishes-field-hockey-championship.aspx |title=Northeast Conference Re-Establishes Field Hockey Championship |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=September 6, 2018 |access-date=September 15, 2018}}</ref> Saint Francis (PA) rejoined the NEC in field hockey during the 2021-22 season. A more recent addition to the NEC's sports roster was men's swimming & diving, added for 2020–21 with full members Bryant, LIU, Mount St. Mary's, St. Francis Brooklyn, and Wagner plus incoming associate member Howard.<ref name=Howard>{{cite press release|url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2020/6/30/GEN_Howard_AssociateMember_Rel_20.aspx |title=Six Howard University Athletics Programs Join the Northeast Conference As Associate Members |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=July 6, 2020 |access-date=July 18, 2020}}</ref>

In 2022–23, the NEC added one sport and dropped another. On September 30, 2021, the NEC announced that it would begin sponsoring men's volleyball in 2022–23 with six members.<ref name=NECMVB>{{cite press release|url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2021/9/30/MVB_Sport_Sponsorship_Announcement_21.aspx |title=Northeast Conference Announces Men's Volleyball as 25th Championship Sport |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=September 30, 2021 |access-date=October 28, 2021}}</ref> Before the end of the 2021–22 school year, the NEC announced that two Division II schools from the [[Buffalo, New York]] area, Daemen and D'Youville, would also become part of the new men's volleyball league.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2022/5/11/MVB_Daeman_DYouville_Associates_Rel.aspx |title=NEC Welcomes Daemen & D'Youville as Men's Volleyball Associate Members |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=May 19, 2022 |access-date=June 9, 2022}}</ref> In a May 9, 2022 Twitter post, NEC commissioner Noreen Morris indicated that the NEC would shut down its men's lacrosse league after the then-ongoing 2022 season. The NEC had already lost two full members that sponsored the sport, and would eventually lose its two affiliate members in that sport when the [[Atlantic 10 Conference]] announced it would launch a men's lacrosse league in the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://atlantic10.com/news/2022/5/23/atlantic-10-conference-adds-mens-lacrosse-as-22nd-championship-sport.aspx |title=Atlantic 10 Conference Adds Men's Lacrosse as 22nd Championship Sport |publisher=Atlantic 10 Conference !date=May 23, 2022 |access-date=May 23, 2022}}</ref> Three of the remaining four NEC men's lacrosse programs became affiliate members of the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]]. The other program, Merrimack, was in talks with several lacrosse-sponsoring conferences for affiliate membership,<ref name=NECMLAX22>{{cite news|url=https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/college/men/nec-wont-sponsor-mens-lacrosse-in-2023-maac-absorbs-three-teams |title=NEC Won't Sponsor Men's Lacrosse in 2023; MAAC Absorbs Three Teams |first=Matt |last=DaSilva |work=USA Lacrosse Magazine |date=May 9, 2022 |access-date=May 10, 2022}}</ref> and eventually joined the America East in time for the 2023 season.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://americaeast.com/news/2022/7/20/Merrimack-AssociateMember.aspx |title=Merrimack Added as Associate Member in Men's Lacrosse |publisher=America East Conference |date=July 20, 2022 |access-date=August 23, 2022}}</ref>

In July 2022, the Northeast Conference announced a partnership with the [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]] in which MEAC schools sponsoring baseball and men's and women's golf would become affiliate members in their respective sports beginning in the 2022-23 season.<ref name=Gaither>{{cite press release|url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2022/6/26/GEN_NEC_MEAC_Partnership_Rel_2223.aspx |title= NEC & MEAC Announce Three-Sport Associate Member Partnership |website=Northeast Conference |date=July 12, 2022 |access-date=July 12, 2022}}</ref> That September, the NEC announced that MEAC member Delaware State, which had just joined NEC baseball and women's golf, would add women's lacrosse and women's soccer to its NEC membership in 2023–24.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2022/9/22/GEN_DSU_AssociateRel_WSOC_WLAX_22.aspx |title=Delaware State To Extend NEC Associate Membership Partnership to Women's Soccer & Women's Lacrosse |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=September 27, 2022 |access-date=September 28, 2022}}</ref>

In March 2023, St. Francis College (Brooklyn) announced that it would discontinue its athletic programs at the end of the spring 2023 schedule.<ref name="SFCBKEndSports">{{cite web |title=St. Francis College Restructures to Further Advance SFC Forward; COO Tim Cecere Appointed Acting President|url=https://sfcathletics.com/news/2023/3/20/general-st-francis-college-restructures-to-further-advance-sfc-forward-coo-tim-cecere-appointed-acting-president.aspx |access-date=March 20, 2023 |website=St. Francis College |language=en}}</ref> Le Moyne was announced as SFC's replacement that May.

The NEC added two affiliate members in 2023–24—[[Binghamton University]] in men's golf plus men's and women's tennis,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/5/31/GEN_BING_AssociateRel_MGOLF_TEN_2324.aspx |title=NEC Welcomes Binghamton as Associate Member in Men's Golf and Men's & Women's Tennis |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=June 12, 2023 |access-date=September 11, 2023}}</ref> and [[Niagara University]] in bowling. Niagara added that sport for 2023–24 by effectively absorbing the bowling program of [[Medaille University]], a nearby [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] school that closed at the end of the 2022–23 school year.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/9/5/BOWL_Niagara_Associate_Rel_2324.aspx |title=NEC Welcomes Niagara as Women's Bowling Associate Member |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=September 5, 2023 |access-date=September 11, 2023}}</ref>

In October 2023, the [[Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference]] announced that Merrimack and Sacred Heart were going to join the conference for the 2024-25 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-23 |title=MAAC Welcomes Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University as Newest Full Members |url=https://maacsports.com/news/2023/10/22/baseball-maac-welcomes-merrimack-college-and-sacred-heart-university-as-newest-full-members.aspx |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=maacsports.com |language=en}}</ref> This announcement came on the heels of the announcement that the NEC was going to support men's lacrosse as a conference sponsored sport for the 2024–25 academic year, after having to discontinue it two years earlier due to the lack of sponsoring members. The original plan was for full members Le Moyne, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, and Wagner to be joined by two new associate members, the [[University of Detroit Mercy]] and the [[Virginia Military Institute]] (VMI).<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/9/22/MLAX_NECLaxIsBack_23.aspx |title=NEC Men's Lax is Back! Sport To Return In 2024-25 With Detroit Mercy & VMI Joining As Associate Members |date=October 12, 2023 |access-date=October 12, 2023}}</ref> The departure of Merrimack and Sacred Heart left the number of men's lacrosse programs in the conference with less than the 6 member minimum required for an automatic bid to the [[NCAA Division I men's lacrosse tournament]]. The NEC announced in November 2023 that [[Cleveland State University]] and former full member Robert Morris were going to join the league as men's lacrosse associates.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/10/28/MLAX_ClevelandState_RMU_Associates_MLAX_23.aspx |title=NEC Men's Lacrosse Adds Cleveland State and Robert Morris As Associates Ahead of 2024-25 Return |date=November 7, 2023 |access-date=November 7, 2023}}</ref> In November 2023, Robert Morris also announced that it would return to the NEC in football.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Return Engagement: Robert Morris Rejoins NEC As Football Associate Member |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/11/27/FB_RMU_AssociateMember_23.aspx |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=northeastconference.org |language=en}}</ref> Shortly after this, Maryland Eastern Shore announced that it would add men's volleyball in the 2026 season (2025–26 school year) as an NEC associate member, increasing the number of its NEC teams to four. It became the first [[Historically black colleges and universities|historically African-American]] Division I member to announce the addition of that sport.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://umeshawksports.com/news/2023/11/9/mens-volleyball-university-of-maryland-eastern-shore-announces-the-addition-of-mens-volleyball.aspx |title=University of Maryland Eastern Shore announces the addition of men's volleyball |publisher=UMES Hawks |date=November 9, 2023 |access-date=November 11, 2023}}</ref> In April 2024, Sacred Heart announced that it was going to leave NEC men's volleyball and return to the [[Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association]], where it had played that sport before the NEC established its own league.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://eivavolleyball.com/news/2024/4/1/mens-volleyball-sacred-heart-returning-to-eiva-family-in-2025.aspx |title=Sacred Heart returning to EIVA family in 2025 |publisher=Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association |date=April 1, 2024 |access-date=April 8, 2024}}</ref> Also in 2024–25, former full member Monmouth returned to the NEC as an associate member in bowling.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2024/6/10/BOWL_Monmouth_Associate_Rel_2425.aspx |title=NEC Welcomes Monmouth as Women's Bowling Associate Member |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=June 13, 2024 |access-date=June 18, 2024}}</ref> Soon after the start of the 2024–25 academic year, [[Manhattan University]] announced that it was going to add men's volleyball and become an NEC affiliate in 2025–26.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://gojaspers.com/news/2024/7/9/general-manhattan-adds-three-sports-for-2025-2026.aspx |title=Manhattan Adds Three Sports for 2025-2026 |publisher=Manhattan Jaspers |date=July 9, 2024 |access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref>

In response to the departure of Merrimack and Sacred Heart, the NEC announced first in December 2023 that [[NCAA Division I independent schools|D-I independent]] [[Chicago State University]] was going to join the NEC.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/12/5/GEN_ChicagoSt_Membership_Announcement_23.aspx |title=Windy City Welcome: Chicago State Roars Into NEC |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=December 5, 2023 |access-date=December 5, 2023}}</ref> A few months later, in April 2024, [[Mercyhurst University]] announced that it was going to transition from Division II and join the NEC, bringing the league to 9 members again, for the 2024-25 season.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2024/4/3/GEN_Mercyhurst_Membership_Announcement_24.aspx |title=Welcome To The Lake Show: Mercyhurst University Accepts Northeast Conference Membership Invite |publisher=Northeast Conference |date=April 4, 2024 |access-date=April 4, 2024}}</ref>

On March 25, 2025, Saint Francis University announced it would transition from Division I to [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] following the 2025–26 academic year.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://sfuathletics.com/news/2025/3/25/inside-athletics-saint-francis-university-announces-move-from-ncaa-division-i-athletics-to-division-iii-athletics.aspx |title=Saint Francis University Announces Move from NCAA Division I Athletics to Division III Athletics |publisher=Saint Francis University Athletics |date=March 25, 2025 |access-date=March 25, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/college/2025/03/25/st-francis-red-flash-division-i-move-ncaa-tournament/stories/202503250072|title=Saint Francis Dropping to Division III amid Large-Scale NCAA Changes|website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|last=Schnable|first=Abby|date=March 26, 2025|orig-date=First published March 25, 2025|access-date=March 30, 2025}}</ref>

On May 6, 2025, the [[University of New Haven]] announced it had accepted an invitation to join the conference and begin its reclassification from [[NCAA Division II|Division II]] starting on July 1, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newhavenchargers.com/news/2025/5/6/general-charging-ahead-university-of-new-haven-accepts-northeast-conference-membership-invite.aspx|title=Charging Ahead: University of New Haven accepts Northeast Conference membership invite|website=newhavenchagers.com|publisher=New Haven Chargers|date=May 6, 2025|access-date=May 6, 2025}}</ref>

Currently, a total of 20 affiliate members compete in football, women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming, women's bowling, field hockey, and men's volleyball.